Response to “Better Oxfordshire” proposal from Oxford City Council

Oxford City Council response to “Better Oxfordshire” proposal

Councillor Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council, responds to the launch of Oxfordshire County Council’s “Better Oxfordshire” proposal.

Councillor Price said: “The County Council’s revised proposal confirms its plan to remove from local control almost all issues that really matter to people’s quality of life.

• Decision making on key issues affecting people’s lives will no longer be made locally. For example, control over council housing, economic growth and development planning would be removed from local control and managed centrally.
• Governance of the city is still not addressed in a way that city residents would find acceptable. Instead, Oxford residents are offered a ‘convention’ that no one really understands and shows that the County Council still does not know how to manage the unique requirements of the city.
• The proposals have continually been altered. The County Council should send the latest proposals to every household in Oxfordshire for comment before wholesale changes are made to local accountability and decision making.
• We just do not believe the County Council’s figures. The latest figures suggest that council tax would be kept low in the rural districts and inflated in the city through what is currently an illegal additional charge to city residents (known as a precept).

“Our position remains the same. We call on the County Council to end this wasteful exercise that now seems more confused than ever and focus instead on solving the issues we are all facing over housing, infrastructure and skills shortages.”

Leaders unite to extend Government invite

Political leaders opposed to plans for a single unitary authority in Oxfordshire have requested an urgent meeting with the Government Minister responsible for deciding their future.

Last week a letter was sent to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid MP, on behalf of the leaders of Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council and West Oxfordshire District Council.

The leaders are united in their opposition against Oxfordshire County Council’s proposals for a unitary authority and have requested an opportunity to discuss the plans with Mr Javid before any decision is undertaken.

In a joint statement, council leaders Cllr Barry Wood (Cherwell), Cllr Bob Price (Oxford) and Cllr James Mills (West Oxfordshire) said: “These proposals affect all of Oxfordshire so it is vitally important that all of Oxfordshire has the opportunity to have their voice heard before any decision is made. We three councils stand united against the proposals for a unitary council which we maintain are flawed and will disregard the specific needs of each individual city and district.

“Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire are similar in that we are three strong performing councils but we are different in the way we operate and that is what’s key to our success. By operating at a local level we can tailor services to meet the needs of our individual communities and address challenges specific to our own areas. It is this approach that makes us so successful but this would be lost if a unitary model were to proceed and Mr Javid needs to be aware of the devastating consequences before any decision is made.”

Under Oxfordshire County Council’s proposals, the area’s city and four district councils would be disbanded and replaced with a single unitary authority tasked with delivering all services across Oxfordshire.

In the letter to Mr Javid, the leaders stipulate four of the county’s five MPs have joined them in opposing the proposals and reference the “growing levels of opposition” and “concerns about increases in council tax” which have been expressed by local residents.

They add that they “want to avoid committing taxpayers’ money to commissioning further studies and analysis in response to the county’s proposals” given there is “no realistic chance of a consensus being achieved” between the city, district and county councils.

In ending the letter, the leaders request an opportunity to meet with the Minister and local MPs, stating it is “essential that such a decision should not be undertaken without robust and independent evaluation of the proposals and their deliverability”.

The leaders are now waiting to hear back from Mr Javid’s office regarding the invitation to discuss the plans.  In the meantime residents can find out more about the campaign to oppose the proposals at:

• Cherwell District Council: www.cherwell.gov.uk
• Oxford City Council: www.oxford.gov.uk
• West Oxfordshire District Council: www.westoxon.gov.uk

A Massive thank you, we hit 5000 signatures

Dear All,

I just wanted to say a humongous thank you to you all for giving up your precious time to help with the Hands Off Oxford City campaign. So far I have received over a thousand hard copy signatures and I’m 100% certain that all your efforts have contributed to the on-line petition too, which has almost reached 5000 on-line signatures and is steadily rising.

Can I ask if any of you have any good stories that you’ve heard whilst you have been out and about, if you have can you please email them to me. If you have any hard copy petitions in your possession, can you let me have them by tomorrow, here in the Unison Office in the Town Hall or leave them with the receptionist for my attention. I’m on leave from Wednesday the 1^st March, Jo Sadler our Admin Officer will be in the Office from 10am till 14.00hrs Monday to Thursday.

The campaign will continue so watch out for any up-dates as to what’s next. Once again thank you and some of those that helped may not be on my email list, if that’s the case and you know who those individuals are. Can you please pass this message on. 

Best wishes

Caroline

P.s as I have been writing this we just hit 5001 on-line signatures!!!

Caroline Glendinning UNISON Branch Secretary, OXFORD CITY BRANCH, The Old Police Cells, Oxford Town Hall, St. Aldates, Oxford. OX1 1BX.

Tel 01865 252522 

http://www.oxfordcityunison.com/