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Councillor “profoundly sad” at those seeking to denigrate Banbury
28/02/2023
Councillor Andrew Beere: “there are forces within this Council that have got it in for Banbury”
A Banbury Councillor has called out a group of other Councillors who he believes have “got it in for Banbury”. Labour Councillor Andrew Beere spoke emotionally at last night’s full council meeting saying he was “profoundly sad” at comments the group were making which he felt was “denigrating Banbury”.
The interjection came during a discussion on the Council’s budget for 2023-24, which had been presented by Councillor Adam Nell on behalf of the controlling Conservative Group.
Liberal Councillor David Hingley responded on behalf of the Progressive Oxfordshire Group – a coalition of Liberal, Green and Independent Councillors who are the second biggest group at Cherwell.
He expressed concern that the budget showed a predicted hole in funding of £4.7m for 2024-25 and £13m for 2025-26 saying: “The perception on how to address the deficit is too vague to be reassuring”.
He then turned to what he introduced as the on-going problems of Castle Quay.
Councillor Hingley said: “When we note from this budget that previously assumed income growth is being removed from the figures, we yet again come upon this sense of merely hoping for the best. When talking about such large amounts that’s not exactly what Cherwell residents need to hear.
“The whole process, presented variably as an investment opportunity, a regeneration initiative or a means of protecting retail, has at times needed more rigour.
“Neither we, nor residents, can take much confidence from what we read and what we really need to know is how this massive use of taxpayers money is to be justified. With a significant loss in value in recent years, residents could be forgiven for questioning the purported rationale for these hugely impactful decisions, and independent retailers in our towns for being dismayed at the failure to adequately assist them at the same time.”
Green Councillor Ian Middleton later continued the same attack.
He said: “We also see the folly of an investment that is now worth £15.4 million against the £68 million that was paid for it at the time, which is a whopping £53 million of loss in value, or close to 80% of its asset value.
“And even the new waterfront development has seen a recent downward assessment in value that is now worth £32 million, down from £34.4 million previously, against the development and acquisition cost of £66 million.
“Together, that’s a total asset devaluation of £87 million. That’s simply staggering.”
An obviously agitated Councillor Beere rose to his feet and voiced his frustrations.
He said: “I think I’m not the only Councillor here who has become aware that there are forces within this Council that have got it in for Banbury. I’m very, very sad. They’re Councillors from outside Banbury who want to have a go at whatever is planned for Banbury…
“I’m profoundly sad at comments coming from what I would call ‘The Progressive Perfectionists’ and their line on denigrating Banbury. Banbury needs shops, Banbury needs development, Banbury needs services. “
Waving his hand in the direction of the Progressive Oxfordshire Group he concluded: “I’m just sad from what I hear from some people in that direction about my town.”
The Conservative Leader of the Council, Barry Wood, then spoke to conclude the debate and told the chamber that local residents would need to be reminded of the comments when the local elections were held on May.
He said “Banbury needed that investment to make it a destination, not just a place where people went to the shops.
“There was a deficit in terms of nightlife and in terms of entertainment; there was a deficit in terms of the way Castle Quay put its rear to the canal instead of its face to the canal; there was a deficit in needing to make sure that there was a future for the canal side part of Banbury …
“To call it out all the time and to say you’re against it, that … is what the electors in Banbury are going to need to be reminded of and need to remember when they are asked to vote for Greens and Liberal Democrats in May.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam