Oxfordshire Labour Party News U

Tories seek advice from themselves

The Tories have also been accused of contempt for democracy. At its November meeting the Council was asked by the Tory Cabinet for advice on where the homes should be built. But a motion produced by the Cabinet specifically excluded development close to Oxford. A Labours amendment that would have required the results of the consultation to be respected was ruled out of order. Councillors were then asked to choose between two options for housing distribution. One focuses on Didcot and Bicester and the other on Didcot, Bicester and Wantage/Grove. Labour opposes both options. Some councillors who had voted against development on the edge of Oxford, including a Liberal Democrat county councillor for an Oxford City division, nevertheless failed to vote for either of these options.Labour argues that the proposal for building in the Oxford area would cost less than 1% of the Oxford Green Belt and that this would be replaced. The options involving development further from the city would simply force people to drive down the A34 or A40.

Hard choices

Cllr Brighouse said: There are hard choices to be made over housing distribution. We asked for recorded votes so that the people of Oxfordshire could see which of their councillors are ducking their responsibilities." The Tories and Liberal Democrats are adopting a Not In My Back Yard approach to development. Labour is the only Party that is getting to grips with this issue and showing real leadership.

Labour opposes privatisation

LABOUR has secured cross-party support for a motion opposing the proposal from the Thames Valley Health Authority to contract out the management of Health Services in Oxfordshire. The Labour motion, proposed by Cllr Liz Brighouse, was adopted without opposition at the November Council meeting. The Council will now write to the Department of Health and to Oxfordshire MPs to express its opposition to the proposal.

Controlled Parking Zones

LABOUR is responding to widespread concern about the prospect of residents in Controlled Parking Zones being charged for parking outside their own homes. At the November Council meeting Liz Brighouse asked Cllr David Robertson, Cabinet Member for Transport, whether the Conservative Cabinet would continue the policy of the Liberal Democrat / Tory coalition to charge residents in Controlled Parking Zones. He affirmed that they would and that consultation would take place. Watch this space.

New Political Assistant

THE LABOUR GROUP welcomes Mark Hope as its new Political Assistant. Mark is a former full-time Labour Party Organiser and has recently worked at Westminster. In 1992 he ran Labours first victorious parliamentary election campaign in Cambridge since 1966.He completed a doctoral thesis last year and is looking forward to working with the Oxfordshire Labour Group

Mark.Hope@Oxfordshire.gov.uk

Oxfordshire Labour Group Elected Representatives on Council	Oxon Labour Party News Update November 2005
Liz Brighouse Barton & Churchill (Oxford) Tel: (mobile) 07710 451769 Group Leader and Lead Group Spokesperson on Finance, Policy Co-ordination and School Improvement e-mail: liz.brighouse@oxfordshire.gov.uk	Tories seek advice from themselves The Tories have also been accused of contempt for democracy. At its November meeting the Council was asked by the Tory Cabinet for advice on where the homes should be built. But a motion produced by the Cabinet specifically excluded development close to Oxford. A Labours amendment that would have required the results of the consultation to be respected was ruled out of order. Councillors were then asked to choose between two options for housing distribution. One focuses on Didcot and Bicester and the other on Didcot, Bicester and Wantage/Grove. Labour opposes both options. Some councillors who had voted against development on the edge of Oxford, including a Liberal Democrat county councillor for an Oxford City division, nevertheless failed to vote for either of these options.Labour argues that the proposal for building in the Oxford area would cost less than 1% of the Oxford Green Belt and that this would be replaced. The options involving development further from the city would simply force people to drive down the A34 or A40. Hard choices Cllr Brighouse said: There are hard choices to be made over housing distribution. We asked for recorded votes so that the people of Oxfordshire could see which of their councillors are ducking their responsibilities." The Tories and Liberal Democrats are adopting a Not In My Back Yard approach to development. Labour is the only Party that is getting to grips with this issue and showing real leadership. Labour opposes privatisation LABOUR has secured cross-party support for a motion opposing the proposal from the Thames Valley Health Authority to contract out the management of Health Services in Oxfordshire. The Labour motion, proposed by Cllr Liz Brighouse, was adopted without opposition at the November Council meeting. The Council will now write to the Department of Health and to Oxfordshire MPs to express its opposition to the proposal. Controlled Parking Zones LABOUR is responding to widespread concern about the prospect of residents in Controlled Parking Zones being charged for parking outside their own homes. At the November Council meeting Liz Brighouse asked Cllr David Robertson, Cabinet Member for Transport, whether the Conservative Cabinet would continue the policy of the Liberal Democrat / Tory coalition to charge residents in Controlled Parking Zones. He affirmed that they would and that consultation would take place. Watch this space. New Political Assistant THE LABOUR GROUP welcomes Mark Hope as its new Political Assistant. Mark is a former full-time Labour Party Organiser and has recently worked at Westminster. In 1992 he ran Labours first victorious parliamentary election campaign in Cambridge since 1966.He completed a doctoral thesis last year and is looking forward to working with the Oxfordshire Labour Group Mark.Hope@Oxfordshire.gov.uk
Pat Cartledge Banbury Ruscote patrick.cartledge@oxfordshire.gov.uk Support Group Spokesperson on Community Safety Tel: 01295 259047
Surinder Dhesi Banbury Neithrop surinder.dhesi@oxfordshire.gov.uk Support Group Spokesperson on Health and Community Services Tel: 01295 255135
Barbara Gatehouse Leys & Lye (Oxford) barbara.gatehouse@oxfordshire.gov.uk Group Chair & Lead Group Spokesperson on Health and Community Services Tel: 01865 240424
Neville Harris Didcot South Tel: 01235 511363 nevhar@aol.com Deputy Group Leader and Lead Group Spokesperson on Community Safety and Change Management
Terry Joslin Didcot South Tel: 01235 212341 terry.joslin@oxfordshire.gov.uk Group Whip and Lead Group Spokesperson on Transport and Sustainable Development
Olive McIntosh-Stedman Cowley & Littlemore (Oxford) olive.stedman@oxfordshire.gov.uk Support Group Spokesperson on Transport and Sustainable Development Tel: 01865 453229
John Sanders Cowley & Littlemore (Oxford) Tel: 01865 761856 Support Group Spokesperson on Finance and ICT john.sanders@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Val Smith Leys & Lye (Oxford) Tel: 01865 772904 val.smith@oxfordshire.gov.uk Lead Group Spokesperson on Services for Children and Young People
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