Government & Politics
Follow Government & Politics in Oxford and just beyond, including council decisions, elections, public policy and political developments affecting local communities.
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Councillor Emily Smith steps down from leadership role at Vale district
She has taken a new full-time job with a local charity and put forward her deputy Councillor Bethia Thomas (Lib Dem, Faringdon) as her replacement.
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Government funding could be affected if county resists maximum council tax hike
The county’s cabinet member for finance, was fielding questions from the performance and corporate services overview and scrutiny committee over initial proposals for the council’s budget from April 2023.
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A first look at Oxford City Council’s proposed budget for 2023/24
The council has balanced the budget despite facing unprecedented financial pressures as a result of rising inflation and interest rates, the economic downturn and the legacy impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on some key income streams.
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1,400 households in Vale of White Horse to be lifted out of paying council tax from April
District councillors at the Vale unanimously agreed to remove the restrictions requiring low-income households to contribute towards their annual council tax bill.
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Oxfordshire County Council names new Chief Executive
Dr Martin Reeves has been named as new Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council, to take over from the Interim Chief Executive, Stephen Chandler.
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County Council to quell rising children’s services costs by “revising thresholds
In its latest financial report to cabinet, the council predicts it will overspend by £8.7m on children’s services in this financial year, much of which is due to children placed into social care.
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Planning decisions will be affected as West Oxfordshire council confirms housing land shortfall
The council has published that it can evidence only a 4.1-year supply for new homes versus the 5-year target set by the government of its local plan to carry full weight when planning applications come forward.
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New Chief Constable says domestic abuse stance fuelled by personal tragedy
Jason Hogg, who currently serves as Deputy Chief Constable, is set to step up to the top job when incumbent John Campbell retires at the end of March 2023.
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Independent candidate questions political balance of Thames Valley Police & Crime Panel
The political balance of a group of councillors tasked with holding to account Thames Valley’s Police & Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber has again been called into question.
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Vale District Council takes action to help deliver affordable housing
A new housing delivery strategy and action plan to help bring more genuinely affordable housing to the Vale of White Horse has been approved by its Cabinet Members.
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Council leader to consider annual report on which councillors attend meetings
The suggestion was put forward following a question over how many councillors had failed to attend any meeting of full council since May this year.
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Apology after thousands of callers gave up waiting for council to pick up the phone
The councillor who oversees Oxfordshire County Council’s customer call handling has apologised after thousands of people gave up while waiting in September.
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West Oxfordshire planning officers stand up to grilling over housing land supply
The authority was deemed unable to prove it has a five-year housing land supply by the Planning Inspectorate.
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New Community Share Offer to build affordable homes in Oxford goes live
The initiative is being led by Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT), who are building eight apartments at Crofts Court.
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Consultation open on draft housing, homelessness and rough sleeping strategy
It sets out the council’s intentions to provide more affordable and low-carbon homes, improve conditions for renters in all tenures and do more to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping.
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Government proposed changes to planning laws criticised by Reading MP Matt Rodda
Although the proposals have not been finalised yet, Mr Rodda has argued they would lead to an increase in ‘ugly and cramped developments’ both in the town and on its outskirts.