Dozens of children turned out for the official opening of the newly refurbished adventure playground at Mill Meadows, Henley. The official ribbon-cutting was performed by HRG’s Mayor Elizabeth Hodgkin, who praised Henley Royal Regatta and Invesco Perpetual for sponsoring the playground.

A new playground was opened at Freeman’s Meadow in Henley by HRG’s Mayor Gill Dodds.The idea came from the youth council in 2007. This area of town was poorly provided for in terms of play equipment.

Despite the Conservative controlled District Council cutting financial support for the Tourist Centre and the One Stop Shop, HRG Councillors have kept these services going.

Increased traffic congestion in the town is leading to increasing levels of air pollution, in particular elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide in some streets. HRG's Barry Wood and Allan Follett are at the forefront of efforts to tackle the problem. They have led a campaign to join together Town, District and County Council to help tackle this problem by using OCC funding to create an awareness campaign through a dedicated Henley Air Quality website www.henleyairquality.com. This gives information on the problems facing our town and what we can all do to help reduce air pollution.With road traffic levels expected to increase in Oxfordshire by 25% in the next two decades, air quality will remain a very important issue.

HRG were the first to recognise the dangers of inadequate control and pressed for appropriate enforcement. Although welcoming the investment and diversity so excitingly brought into Henley by new retailers, restaurateurs and hoteliers, we also identified the great danger of loosing the town's historical charm to "identikit" shop fronts. For far too long previous Town Councils simply did not appreciate there was a problem, whereas the HRG, working closely with local traders, realised if the intention was to attract shoppers to a centre of retail excellence, then the overall character of this riverside market town had to be preserved.

HRG's Terry Buckett was awarded Master of the british Empire for his services to the Post Office and to the Community.

In 2007 HRG’s Liz Hodgkin set up Garden Buddies. The story is that Henley in Bloom decided that the Town Council did not have enough staff to do all the things that we wanted done. e.g. entrances to the town, new flowerbeds. So they decided on a bit of guerilla gardening. They now have about 25 people on the list. Over the past two years they have planted 10,000 crocus, 2,000 tulip, 1000 daffs and 300 polyanthas around the town.

The HIT Litter campaign run by HRG led Henley in Bloom aims to draw attention to the litter problem in Henley. For the past few years they have tried to bring to everyone's attention the growing disgrace in our lovely town. HRG initiated, with the Henley Youth Council, a cleanest school competition which was enormously successful in terms of trying to focus young people's minds on their surroundings.

The HRG led Town Council and TVP formally signed an agreement for the joint funding of two Police Community Support Officers for Henley. These new posts will double the existing PCSO staffing for Henley and in addition four more PCSO’s will be recruited by TVP for the Henley area. This brought the total PCSO staffing up to eight officers for the Henley area with three dedicated to the town itself. HRG's highest priority is reducing crime and the fear of crime. We supported the installation of CCTV in the town.

HRG’s 18 year old Laura Pye won a seat on the Town Council. HRG has a proud record of listening to and supporting the young people in our community and Laura's decision to stand with HRG was welcomed as part of this commitment.

The setting up of a Youth Council was another HRG initiative. It consists of elected members from each school, college and youth group in the town who advise and inform the Town Council of the requirements and aspirations of the young people in Henley.

"Wicked", "Cool" said children about the new state of the art playground at Makins Recreation Ground in Greys Road. For two years HRG’s Liz Hodgkin and Gill Dodds worked with NOMAD (the community outreach programme) in consultation with local residents, parents and young people about improvement of the area.

2006 saw the first HRG and Henley Partnership initiated Henley Food Festival. It was a resounding success and set to be a permanent date in the town's calendar.

The HRG-led Henley Town Council has taken over responsibility of the Fairmile Cemetery from South Oxfordshire District Council. This was imperative as SODC were looking to 
discontinue burial provision there. The Town Council will conserve the existing facilities and and provide a further extended area for burials (to include eventually Green Burials).

Our hospital should probably not be here under HRG "Achievements" as we do not yet have a guarantee from the authorities that Townlands will be rebuilt. What we have managed to do, through the town's meetings, protest march and petitions, and the continuing efforts of members of our Townlands Steering Group is to keep Townlands open – there is little doubt that without the town's actions, Townlands would have been shut down by now. HRG are in the frontline of efforts to make sure we get the the new Townlands Hospital that Henley wants and deserves - we are nearly there and won't stop until the battle is won.        

Our election manifestos for the Town elections of 2003 and 2007 declared that 'HRG would not increase Council Tax at greater than the rate of inflation over the four year Council cycle.' We have proudly delivered on this promise for the two election cycles – despite in the cycle 2007 to the present time suffering a battering from the global credit crunch and recession. Hence, during the period 2003-2009 residents have only experienced an increase of 9.9% when inflation has been running well in excess of this figure. This has not been achieved by luck but by a well defined financial strategy which has allowed us to maintain essential town services for which we are responsible and sustain a capital expenditure programme for the future development of the town.

Community involvement in this competition increases year-on-year and HRG councillors work to make sure the town looks its best throughout the summer. In 2005 we won silver-gilt, in 2006 we won gold, and in 2009 we won silver gilt.

HRG councillors stepped into the breach when SODC officers recommended approval of plans to rededevelop the Mews area. With the help of local residents with conservation area expertise the Town Council employed a barrister to represent the Town at the appeal  where the plans were turned down.

HRG had a fantastic victory and won all four of the Henley seats on the District Council. It is only when HRG are elected into these seats that the voices of the residents of the town can be heard clearly through Town, District and County Councils.

Keeping our town clean, litter-free and well-cared for are high on Henley residents' priorities. In 2002, HRG councillors insisted that the Town Council adopt a Civic Pride policy and these  issues continue to be high on our agenda. Councillors undertake a yearly Road Report survey on areas  of the town, reporting on roads, pavements, overhanging trees, untidy  areas, etc and these reports go back to SODC and OCC for their action.

HRG has pushed through numerous initiatives to improve Henley's recreational facilities: support for the River and Rowing Museum; the purchase of Gillotts field for the town, a Skate Park and continuing improvements of the facilities at Makins for young people. At Mill Meadows, we made a Sensory garden, and re-furbished the children’s play area, improved the toilets, re-built the town's moorings and are continually looking at way to improve parking at Mill Meadows.

In 1997, HRG led the programme of purchase and design of a run-down area on and behind Market Place which then provided prestigious homes for our Tourist Information Centre, the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Henley Volunteer Bureau, plus a fine upstairs function room in the Barn for public and private hire.

HRG councillors worked with local businesses and SODC to set up this liaison of council and businesses to bring benefits to the town such as Farmers' Markets, French Markets, Market Place entertainment and the Food Festival.

HRG fought hard for the provision of low-cost housing at the YMCA and Southfields and to ensure that Henley people were first on the lists. We continue to insist that development within the town includes provision for low cost housing, to enable our young people  to stay in Henley.

The Over 60's Social Club Strongly is supported by HRG – HRG’s Gill Dodds is Chairman. When its future was under threat in 1992 HRG councillors ensured the purchase of the 
premises and guaranteed the club's future. The Club has a thriving membership and offers a varied programme of entertainment, hairdressing, chiropody and delicious meals.

An original idea by HRG Councillors back in the early 1990’s was to arrange a Christmas Festival and late night shopping event in the town centre which would not only start the town’s celebrations but also boost trade for local businesses. Since that time it has now grown so that now there are over 60 stalls run by local charities, clubs and businesses taking part, as well as many shops staying open.

HRG is committed to supporting youth associations and sports clubs. HRG councillors have worked hard to ensure the continued financing of a Youth Outreach Worker for Henley, and to enable refurbishment of the Youth Centre. In recent years, Henley Town Council has provided in excess of £800,000 to support of local sports groups: Henley Rugby Club, Eyot Boat Centre, Henley Boys Football Club, Henley Football Club, and the Council's large loan to Henley Cricket Club has enabled them to purchase their ground and ensure the future of 
cricket there forever.

The fight to keep a cinema in the town was one of the initial reasons for the formation of HRG. That Henley has a cinema today is a direct result of HRG's influence. A large loan was made available to the cinema to enable it to start up and today the cinema provides a varied programme of entertainment for all.