Councillor retires after 'triumph' of plan support for Banbury outdoor concert area

Councillor Steve Kilsby, who retired from Banbury Town Council last week after 12 years' service – but was first elected for Labour 33 years ago - said he was delighted that the town council had supported his motion to pursue an open-air performance space in Spiceball Park.

His fellow town councillors agreed that the natural amphitheatre may be suitable as a public events space with little investment. It lies on the south-east bank of the river Cherwell, opposite the Spiceball Leisure Centre.

He believes amateur and professional performances could be enjoyed by Banbury area people, in the fresh air, during periods of good weather.

Mr Kilsby said: "I am euphoric that the council unanimously supported me on this motion in my final Town Council meeting.

"This appears to be a win win situation – it is an unused piece of Town Council land and it could be turned into a fine community facility. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have a few simple events there over the next few summers?"

Mr Kilsby has stepped down after half a lifetime of public service. He was elected on to Cherwell District Council for Neithrop in May 1991.

"Things were a bit different in those days - no internet, no cabinets of leading councillors - just traditional chairpersons - and letters, landline phone calls and door knocking - forgotten arts... Thanks so much to all the voters who elected me on successive occasions, it has been an honour to serve you.” he said.

Mr Kilsby spent his first four years in opposition, during which time the Labour Group mounted, and he led, the campaign to prevent the council's housing stock being sold off.

"With Councillor Ken Freeman, I helped organise tenants’ associations throughout the district and we won the support, as we had anticipated, of most tenants in the area, through their tenants' vote,” he said.

“But, we had a pyrrhic victory as - though the vote was clearly in our favour - the council's leadership of the time concocted a wheeze in which those who voted to remain council tenants did so - and all the others, along with any empty properties - were transferred to a housing association which later became Sanctuary Housing.

“With this stinging indictment of how democracy can always be compromised ringing in my ears, once Labour was elected to run Cherwell in 1995 my achievements as Chair of Housing were modest. We put pitched roofs on the Bretch Hill maisonettes, carried out a house improvement programme across the district and did some landscaping.

"We also introduced the Empty Homes initiative, trying to turn all empty properties - whether private or public sector - into useful homes and recruited an officer to support the Tenants’ Associations. We also had tenants' representatives join the Housing Committee,” said Mr Kilsby.

“I thoroughly enjoyed being Banbury Town Mayor in 1997/8. I then took a 13-year break from council work in 1999.

“I wish everybody elected last week to various councils the very best of luck. I have nothing but praise for their fortitude - but I will now be merely watching from the sidelines.”