Personal thoughts and musings
Blog
This page has posts written in a conversational tone, often sharing personal insights or professional expertise written by your Oxfordshire County Councillor for Banbury Grimsbury & Castle Electoral Division.
21 posts
A new chapter: joining a global clinical trial
My chemotherapy at the Brodey Cancer Centre has come to an end — it was not working. But a DNA breakthrough has changed everything. I am now taking part in a global clinical trial for a new drug through the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in London.
Oxfordshire County Council unanimously backs motion to rehouse the Brodey Cancer Centre
Oxfordshire County Council has unanimously supported a motion by Councillor Paul-Austin Sargent calling on the Oxfordshire University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to expedite plans to rehouse the Brodey Cancer Centre on the Horton General Hospital site.
Banbury’s Oldest Surviving Structure
Discover the remarkable medieval Cherwell Bridge: the hidden 13th-century structure beneath later railway engineering in Banbury.
The 2026 El Niño Intensity: Unprecedented
Global El Niño signals are strengthening. Here is what they could mean for local resilience, flooding awareness and preparedness in Grimsbury and Banbury.
The Canal Corridor
The Oxford Canal towpath between Neithorpe and Nadkey is already part of two official walking routes. It is time we upgraded it to the active travel corridor it could be.
Questions on Notice
A Question on Notice is one of the most direct tools available to an elected councillor. It puts a formal question to the Cabinet or Portfolio Holder on the record, in public, and requires a written answer.
New housing needs new infrastructure
New homes are being built across Banbury — but are the roads, schools, GP surgeries, and bus routes keeping pace? Paul-Austin Sargent sets out why infrastructure must come first.
The government will scrap local councils
The government has announced plans to replace Oxfordshire's six councils and the unitary council of West Berkshire with three new unitary authorities by April 2028. Here is what that means for Banbury and for you.
Walk of life
I am organising an 88-mile sponsored walk from Stamford to Banbury to raise funds for community projects across Grimsbury & Castle. Join me, sponsor me, or simply spread the word.