Councillor Richard Page

Councillor Richard Page Shrivenham Parish Councillor. Here to listen, roll up my sleeves, and help with the little things that make our village a great place to live. Views are my own.

16/12/2025

Shrivenham Parish Update 👋☃️

Make sure you’re sitting comfortably and have a drink to hand ☕️, because this one’s a longer update than usual…

Before we begin, just a quick note to say that the views below are my own and are shared from my personal experience as a Councillor on Shrivenham Parish Council.

New Parish Council Website 💻

One of the main projects I’ve been working on recently is the redevelopment of the Shrivenham Parish Council website. My hope is that the new site will go live around February or March 2026.

The aim is to create something that genuinely works for the village - a clear, accessible and useful community hub that supports residents, local groups and businesses, and makes it easier to find information, news and contacts. It’s very much a work in progress, but I’m excited about the potential it has to improve communication across the village.

As part of this, I’m looking for photography of Shrivenham to use on the website 📸. If you - or someone you know - is a keen photographer and would be happy to donate any images of the village, I would love to hear from you.

Finance 📊

I’ve also had the opportunity to spend time reviewing the budgets for both Shrivenham Parish Council (SPC) and the Viscountess Barrington Trust (VBT).

Several members of the Council and staff very patiently answered my many questions, which I’m extremely grateful for 🙏

The key points I’ve taken away are:

• Both SPC and VBT need to focus on long-term, sustainable funding for the village. Cost-cutting can help up to a point, but on its own it won’t solve everything.

• Looking ahead, we need to think creatively about income generation that benefits the village as a whole, rather than relying solely on increases to council tax.

• Strong financial planning, transparency and careful stewardship of funds will be essential if we’re to protect and improve village assets for years to come.

Action taken: I have submitted a motion for Full Council to consider in January 2026 to create a ‘Shrivenham Regeneration & Commercial Committee’.

If the motion is passed, the Committee would explore, develop and oversee projects that generate commercial income for Shrivenham Parish Council and support the long-term regeneration of the village. This would include developing commercially viable initiatives, partnerships, events and activities that increase revenue and contribute directly to village improvements.

Planning 🏘️

A planning application has recently been submitted for land at Shrivenham Golf Club.

As your Councillor, I plan to submit a formal comment on this application. Shrivenham Parish Council will also be submitting a response in due course.

While I’m not a member of the Planning Committee, I know they are working hard on this matter alongside our District Councillors, Cllr Katherine Foxhall and Cllr Viral Patel, to carefully review the application and its potential impact on the village.

Personnel 👥

Both SPC and VBT are currently dealing with some complex personnel matters.

While it wouldn’t be appropriate to go into detail publicly, I do want residents to know that this is an area receiving serious attention.

Action taken: I have submitted a motion for Full Council to consider in January 2026 to increase the size of the Personnel Committee from four members to five.

If Council agrees, I will offer my support by serving on the committee - unless someone with more experience would like to step in, in which case I would be very happy for them to do so.

High Street Christmas Lights & Tree 🎄✨

A huge thank you to the Shrivenham Fete Committee, and to everyone who donated, for helping to brighten up our High Street and the area outside the Memorial Hall with the new Christmas lights and tree. It really has made the village feel that bit more festive and welcoming.

As always, if you have any questions, thoughts or concerns, please do feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]
📧

In the meantime, I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year 🎅🎁

R

🇬🇧 Poppies on Shrivenham High Street 🇬🇧You may notice that Royal British Legion poppies are going up on the lamp posts a...
13/10/2025

🇬🇧 Poppies on Shrivenham High Street 🇬🇧

You may notice that Royal British Legion poppies are going up on the lamp posts along Shrivenham High Street this week. As a village with strong and historic ties to our armed forces, I hope they’ll be a welcome sight – a simple but meaningful mark of remembrance and respect.

At Full Council in October, I requested the support of Shrivenham Parish Councillors and our County Councillor, Cllr Emma Markham, to arrange the installation of the poppies – and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to make it happen.

The poppies have been privately donated and purchased from the Royal British Legion website, so there’s no cost to Shrivenham Parish Council. We’re also very grateful to Oxfordshire County Council, who are kindly putting them up free of charge.

They’ll be installed on Tuesday 14th October and will come down on or just after Wednesday 12th November.

The poppies are plastic and reusable, so we’ll be able to display them again in future years as part of my ongoing passion to brighten up our village, mark important occasions, and bring our community together.

Lest we forget.

R❤️

🎶 An afternoon & evening of Jazz awaits! 🎶Six brilliant bands will be filling the village with sounds ranging from toe-t...
04/10/2025

🎶 An afternoon & evening of Jazz awaits! 🎶

Six brilliant bands will be filling the village with sounds ranging from toe-tapping gypsy jazz to heartfelt ballads and fresh easy-listening tunes – all sprinkled with entertaining stories along the way.

Performances will alternate between the Barrington Arms and Saint Andrew’s Church, so you’ll have plenty of chances to catch the music.

There’ll be plenty on offer to keep you going too, with food and drink available from Bloomfields, the Farmshop, The Prince of Wales, and the Barrington Arms throughout the day.

🎟 Tickets are on sale now at the Barrington Arms!

🍂 First Council Meeting Tonight 🍂This evening at 7pm is my first Shrivenham Parish Council meeting since being elected i...
03/09/2025

🍂 First Council Meeting Tonight 🍂

This evening at 7pm is my first Shrivenham Parish Council meeting since being elected in July (Councils take a summer recess in August). I’m really looking forward to getting started and working with everyone to keep improving our lovely village.

You can find the agenda for tonight’s meeting here:
👉 https://www.shrivenham.org/parish-council/parish-council-meetings/parish-council-meeting-agenda/

I’ll share an overview afterwards, along with any key decisions that were made.

Thank you again for putting your trust in me – it truly means a lot.

R

Really pleased to see The Refillery opening on Shrivenham High Street this Saturday, 12th July at 9am! 🌿It’s a new refil...
11/07/2025

Really pleased to see The Refillery opening on Shrivenham High Street this Saturday, 12th July at 9am! 🌿

It’s a new refill shop offering food and household essentials, with a focus on cutting down plastic packaging and reducing waste in the community. You’ll be able to top up on everyday bits like food, cleaning products, and personal care items using your own containers.

A great addition to our village... I've heard there’s Pick 'n' Mix too… 👀🍬

Hope to see some of you at the opening!

- R

03/07/2025

I’m pleased and very grateful to share that I’ve been elected to Shrivenham Parish Council. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote, and for the support and encouragement I’ve received along the way. Thank you also to Laura, who ran a respectful and thoughtful campaign throughout.

I’m eager to work closely with the other councillors and do my best on behalf of our village. Shrivenham is a special place, and I’m looking forward to playing a part in shaping its future with you.

I’ll keep you updated as things progress… The next full council meeting is after the summer, on Wednesday 3rd September.

Have a great weekend, everyone - and thank you again 🤍

With Best Wishes

Rich

🌳🪻 Today’s the day, Shrivenham! 🪻🌳It’s Polling Day – your chance to have a say in who represents our lovely village as P...
03/07/2025

🌳🪻 Today’s the day, Shrivenham! 🪻🌳

It’s Polling Day – your chance to have a say in who represents our lovely village as Parish Councillor.

If you believe in keeping Shrivenham friendly, welcoming, and full of community spirit, I’d be honoured to have your vote today. I care deeply about our village – from the little things that make village life feel special, to the bigger decisions that shape our future.

I believe in a Parish Council that’s open, inclusive, and truly reflective of everyone who calls Shrivenham home.

Here are my three simple promises to you:

1. I’ll listen, share and keep you in the loop.
2. I’ll review Parish spending to invest more in our village.
3. I’ll bring fresh, forward-thinking ideas – guided by you.

Whether it’s creating a more inclusive village, encouraging fresh ideas, or making decisions together – I’m standing because I want to work with you and alongside our existing Parish Councillors to make Shrivenham the best it can be.

🗳 Voting is open until 10pm tonight – no need to bring your poll card, but don’t forget to bring your photo ID (that’s the important part!).

Hope to see you at the polling station 😁

With Best Wishes

- R

01/07/2025

🌿✨ What would you like to see in Shrivenham? ✨🌿

I’ve been jotting down a list of ideas and suggestions from people I’ve met about how we could make our village even better 💚

Here are just a few suggestions that have come up so far:

🛣 The High Street
While most road matters are handled by the County Council, the Parish Council can play a part too. Ideas from residents include:

🚌 Upgrading our bus shelters – perhaps in black to match our new lamp posts?
🌸 More flowers and greenery – maybe even Shrivenham in Bloom?
🎄 Supporting the Fete Committee with funding for new Christmas lights.

📢 Keeping everyone in the loop
A common theme I’ve heard is that people would love to know more about the Parish Council and how they can be involved. A few ideas:

🖥 A refreshed Parish Council website
📰 A quarterly newsletter
📹 A YouTube channel to record or stream meetings – ideal if you can't attend or cannot [prefer not] to read long minutes
📱 Sharing more updates on social media

👧👦 For our younger Shrivenham residents
I’ve spoken to a number of parents who feel there could be more on offer for our children and young people. Suggestions include:

🌈 Upgrades to the play park
🛹 A new skate/bike park
🎉 A Youth Club – or even a Youth Council.

As with most things, there are often financial or practical hurdles to overcome – but by pooling ideas, creating a shared vision, and making a clear plan, we can make progress together.

If I’m elected on Thursday 3rd July, I’d love to help develop a long-term plan for Shrivenham alongside our existing councillors. I’d like to join the Finance Committee to understand how our Council Tax is currently spent, and explore what funding might be available to support projects like these.

It would be great to hear your thoughts. What matters most to you and your family? Pop your ideas in the comments or drop me a message! 💬

- R

30/06/2025

🗳️ A quick note about election flyers 🗳️

On my usual early morning walk 🚶‍♂️ around the village, I noticed that a few of Laura’s flyers (the other Parish Council candidate) had been taken down. I dropped her a message this morning to let her know, just in case she wanted to pop a few back up.

Later today, I saw that most of mine have now also disappeared... 🙁

I’m sure whoever did this meant well and was just trying to be supportive - but if you spot any of our flyers, please do leave them up until after the election on Thursday - it’s important that both of us have a fair and equal chance to be seen. 🫡

I actually met Laura for the first time on Saturday in Bloomfields, and it was lovely to have a chat before the election. We may be standing against each other, but we both care deeply about Shrivenham - and I think it’s really important we show respect and kindness throughout. ❤

Thanks so much – and see you around the village! 😊

– R

P.S. After the election, I promise we’ll take all the flyers down and recycle them ♻️!

28/06/2025

Good morning, Shrivenham! ☀️

I’ll be at Bloomfields this morning between 9 and 10am if you fancy a chat, have any questions, or just want to share a few thoughts about the village 🏡🌳🌷

I’m the one with the red hair – do say hello if you’re passing! Would be lovely to meet you.

See you there!

– R 👨🏻‍🦰

Why I’m Standing and Why I Won’t Be Deterred - a personal response to Cllr Bartle’s recent comment 👇Hello Cllr Richard B...
26/06/2025

Why I’m Standing and Why I Won’t Be Deterred - a personal response to Cllr Bartle’s recent comment 👇

Hello Cllr Richard Bartle,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and share your thoughts. I always welcome open conversations about the future of our village - though I must say, your message did come across as dismissive. Was that your intention?

I’m not sure if you remember me, but you might recall that when I first moved to Shrivenham in 2018, one of the first things I did was arrange a meeting with our Parish Clerk. As a former Parish, Town and District Councillor, I was genuinely keen to learn more about the village, understand the Council’s plans, and find ways I could get involved and contribute - something I’d greatly enjoyed doing in my previous community.

I arrived expecting an informal chat with the Clerk, but was surprised to be met by yourself, as Chairman, along with several other councillors. Before I’d even had a chance to sit down properly, you asked, “Why are you wasting my Clerk’s time?” When I said your tone made me feel uncomfortable, you replied, “Good.” It wasn’t the warm welcome I’d hoped for - and honestly, it was discouraging. I appreciated the written apology you sent afterwards though - I’ve kept it.

Since then, while I may not have always held a public role, I’ve supported our community in quiet but meaningful ways - by being a good neighbour, supporting local businesses, and staying connected to the people and spirit of the village. I’ve never believed that contribution has to be loud to be valuable. That said, with encouragement from residents I’ve met during my time here, I now feel ready to step forward more visibly and take on a more formal role.

Both Laura and I are running our campaigns with kindness and respect - for each other, for the process, and for the people of Shrivenham. So I must admit, I’m a little puzzled by what feels like a second attempt to discredit my involvement. If there’s a reason behind it, I’d genuinely like to understand.

I’m not standing to create division - quite the opposite. I’m standing because I believe this village deserves openness, fairness, and fresh thinking. And because I know how important it is that people feel encouraged, not discouraged, when they try to get involved. Parish Councils shouldn’t feel like closed clubs - they should feel open, inclusive, and genuinely welcoming to anyone who cares and wants to contribute.

With Best Wishes,

Richard

24/06/2025

🌟 Why I’d love the chance to represent Shrivenham on the Parish Council – and why I believe I’d be the right person for the job 🌟

1. Experience that hits the ground running 🏃‍♂️

I’ve previously served as a Parish, Town and District Councillor back in Hampshire, which gives me a strong understanding of how local government works from the inside out. I know how the different layers slot together – and I’ll be able to get straight to work representing our residents with efficiency, clarity and purpose.

2. A younger (ish!) voice at the table 🗣️

I’m in my 30s, and I think it’s really important that our Parish Council reflects the full mix of people who call Shrivenham home. I’d love to bring a fresh, forward-thinking approach to the Council – one that balances respect for our traditions with new ideas that suit the way we live today.

3. A background in communication and the law 📚⚖️

Before retraining in law, I worked in Public Relations – and I hold a degree in PR as well as a Master’s in Legal Practice (specialising in Employment Law). I’m confident speaking up, making a clear case, and listening carefully – all things that I believe are vital in representing a community well.

4. A real belief in community involvement 🤝

I also served as a School Governor, with responsibility for Pupil Premium – a government grant that provides funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England. It also offers support to children and young people from service families. It was a role I took very seriously, and one that reminded me just how important it is to ensure everyone in a community is given a fair shot. I’d love to bring that same sense of care, fairness and action to our Parish Council – supporting local groups, encouraging volunteering, and helping bring people together.

5. A love for Shrivenham and a long-term view 🌳🏡

I moved to Shrivenham in 2018 and quickly fell in love with the village – not just for how lovely it looks (though it really is!), but for the friendly, welcoming community that lives here. This isn’t just a place I live – it’s home. I’d be honoured to help make decisions that protect what makes Shrivenham special, while carefully planning for the future too.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. If you think someone else might be interested, please do share it with them – I’d really appreciate it! 💛

- R

Address

Shrivenham Parish Council, Shrivenham Memorial Hall
Shrivenham
SN68FP

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