'It's a land grab by Oxford' - row over break-up of Oxfordshire continues

While Cllr Ian Middleton said the plan to create a Greater Oxford incorporating 25 villages (some currently in Cherwell) was to take over development land, senior Tory, Cllr Keiron Mallon says the plan would save money and should be welcomed.

In a statement this week Mr Middleton said the Government’s preferred plan for Oxfordshire was the worst option for Cherwell.

In the local government shake-up – explained by Isabella Harris last week – see here - Oxfordshire County Council would be replaced by three unitary authorities, North Oxfordshire, Greater Oxford and Ridgeway (including west Berkshire).

Mr Middleton said: “Not only was the ‘Greater Oxford’ unitary proposal the least-favoured and least-supported by councillors and residents in Cherwell, it goes against nearly all government aims to rationalise local government structures and reduce costs,” said Mr Middleton.

“It will do virtually the opposite by requiring three duplicate sets of officers and councillors resulting in the least savings.”

He said a Greater Oxford, incorporating Green Belt around Oxford, was a predetermined outcome.

"We were witnessing a predetermined outcome aimed at even more large scale development across Oxford’s green hinterland. Essentially a land grab by Oxford City Council.

“It seems Westminster had more of an eye on electoral engineering than any genuine interest in devolution in Oxfordshire. The final outcome seems driven more by a desire to gerrymander the Oxfordshire political landscape than what’s best for residents."

He said Cherwell would be ‘unceremoniously carved up’ to make the population statistics stack up.

“Towns like Kidlington and (surrounding) villages will wake up in April 2028 to find themselves living in a city suburb. Very few, if any, of residents ever wanted that.”

He said ‘Greater Oxford’ having 11 rural divisions and councillors added to their city quota would be a ‘huge shift’. “City councillors will understandably be focused on city issues but those in rural areas being forcibly subsumed into this new Frankenstein council will have very different priorities.

"There’s still a chance to fix the worst aspects of this baffling decision and create a more representative and efficient outcome that respects existing communities rather than seeking to divide them. I hope ministers will genuinely engage in that process before it’s too late,” he said.

Mr Mallon takes a different view saying the proposed North Oxfordshire council, in which most of Cherwell would be joined with West Oxfordshire, should be welcomed.

“A North Oxfordshire council will provide a one-stop shop for all. A single point of contact. This should be welcomed by everyone,” he said.

“It will provide a truly local council based on our market towns, their villages and rural hinterland – at long last our own transport policies, not Oxford cast-offs. Business-friendly, not economy damaging. Traffic flowing not gridlock. Saving £48m per year across Oxfordshire by ending duplication across the existing councils.

“For many years our towns and villages have had to take not only our housing allocation but also Oxford’s unmet housing need, because Oxford cant expand. Now it can. We build houses for Oxfords needs - now it can stop.”

Mr Mallon said the plan would end County Hall ‘sucking resources’ into Oxford that should be spent in north Oxfordshire.