10 September 2017

The Oxfordshire LEP is preparing an Infrastructure Strategy (OXIS) for the county. The Stage 1 report was published for consultation and Oxford Civic Society has submitted comments to the LEP. While we welcome the joined-up thinking that OXIS demonstrates we believe that the early output presented in Stage 1 is seriously flawed. A report about ‘infrastructure’…

27 June 2017

Oxford City, Cherwell and West Oxfordshire Districts have combined to draw up alternative proposals for the future structure of local government in Oxfordshire. They oppose the single unitary organisation favoured by the County, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District. Instead, the counter-proposals put a case for a Combined Authority, with the four districts,…

23 May 2017

This article summarises the findings of an Oxford Civic Society study group which visited Cambridge in spring 2016 to find out what Oxford could learn about planning and development.The group concluded that Cambridge’s success story has much to teach us – about the role of local government, the contribution of the university and the dedication…

16 March 2017

On 14 March 2017, 11 days after ‘Better Oxfordshire’ was published, Oxfordshire CC’s Cabinet met to decide whether to submit their proposal to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. This despite the opposition of the City Council and two District Councils – Cherwell and West Oxfordshire. Members of the public are allowed…

12 March 2017

Three days after consultation on ‘One Oxfordshire’ closed the County published ‘Better Oxfordshire‘, a 148-page revised proposal for a unitary council. Despite giving some extra details the new version does not address most of the points we raised, and is certainly not ready for submission to the Secretary of State. This is the text of…

1 March 2017

This is a summary of our comments on Oxfordshire County Council’s “One Oxfordshire” proposals for a single unitary authority to run all local services in the county. You can read our full submission here. These comments should be read together with our “Gap Analysis”. The competing consultants’ reports commissioned by the County and the City/Districts…