Sir – I would like to thank those hundreds of people who helped organise street parties in Oxford last weekend and earlier in the summer. I am aware of 54 parties this year, 26 of them last weekend, with a combined attendance of about 4,000 people. I would also like to thank the city council for its support, particularly by simplifying road closure processes and an enlightened approach to the need for insurance.

Street parties remind us that streets are important social spaces; they are not just for through traffic and parked cars. They are huge fun and a great way to meet your neighbours, and are one of the most effective ways of bringing communities together.

They can support social cohesion, reduce fear of crime and give children a chance to play together in their street for a day. And, in the longer term, they can provide a focus for communities to work together and tackle common issues such as how their streets look and function.

Oxford is now the UK’s ‘street party capital’ with more parties per head of population than anywhere else since 1977! I hope there will be even more next year.

Richard Bradley Co-ordinator, Oxford Streets for People Oxford Civic Society