Tories Continue "Job" Grab

1.39.05pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 19th May 2005

At today's Cabinet meeting, the Conservative administration decided, against previous practice, to send only Conservatives to the local, regional and national bodies on which the Council is represented*. Oxfordshire has always in the past sent balanced delegations.

Cllr Dermot Roaf asked the Cabinet to reconsider, and pointed out that outside bodies offer opportunities for exchange of information, arranging co-operation between Councils and for lobbying central Government, and that it could be a disadvantage for Oxfordshire to be so obviously party political. Cllr Roaf said, "Oxfordshire is losing a wealth of talent and experience by not using members of the opposition parties who have represented the Council very ably for many years. And it is very likely that the Council will miss out on places on influential sub-committees which are all-party - these places will go to Labour or Liberal Democrat members of other authorities instead of an Oxfordshire member. It is for this reason that most other Conservative controlled Councils send balanced delegations to the Local Government Association, the Association of Councils of the Thames Valley Region and other bodies where people in local government meet to share good practice, knowledge and to lobby central Government."

Notes for Editors

There is only one exception made to the all-Conservative representation - Cllr Bill Bradshaw remains on the Oxford Expressway Board.

For more information please contact:

Cllr Dermot Roaf 01865 815285 (County Hall) or 559467 (home)