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Progressive Oxfordshire group bitterly disappointed by Labour move
17/05/2023
The decision appears to follow a disagreement over the inclusion of a Green party Councillor on the Executive
The news that Cherwell’s Labour group had pulled out of talks on forming an alliance to take control of Cherwell District Council came as a surprise to the other parties at those talks.
The Progressive Oxfordshire group – which comprises Councillors from the Liberal Democrats, Greens and one Independent – say they are “deeply disappointed” that after several days of serious efforts to form a coalition the Labour party pulled out of the talks.
They claim the sticking point was the proposal to include a Green party Councillor in the Council’s Executive – the main ruling group at Cherwell.
Now, the Progressive Oxfordshire group fear that issues around the new Local Plan, together with other issues they believe led people to vote to change the political makeup at the Council, could still be decided by the Conservatives. They remain the group with the largest number of Councillors, albeit without a majority.
David Hingley, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Progressive Oxfordshire group, said: “After days of talks, I received a communication this morning from the Labour group informing me they were not willing to form an administration with all the parties in our group. With the council in no overall control, we believe residents want to see grown up politics and for parties to work together, and my group and I were prepared to give our all to make a new administration bear fruit.
“Sadly, this means the change that Cherwell residents so clearly voted for in the recent elections will not now take place at tomorrow’s annual council meeting, despite the tireless efforts of all members of my group, new and existing councillors alike. With the best will in the world, my group simply does not – for now – have the numbers to provide an enduring administration on our own.
“It is of particular concern that this could leave the Conservatives taking decisions over the district’s new Local Plan, when so many people voted for change and for an approach to planning that listened more carefully to local communities. We will continue to scrutinise the progress of this plan for development to 2040.
“We will very much continue to work hard on behalf of residents and look forward to holding whatever administration does now form to account. It is now abundantly clear that the only way to secure real change at Cherwell is through parties that are committed to bringing that change about, like the Liberal Democrats.”
Ian Middleton, Green Party Leader and Deputy Leader of the Progressive Oxfordshire group said: “We are bitterly disappointed that after a huge amount of work, negotiation and compromise between our parties, Labour have decided to pull the plug on a controlling alliance at the eleventh hour. During the election we all made a pledge to local residents that we would do whatever it takes to remove Conservative control in Cherwell, as has happened on all other district councils across the county.
“We believe that voters gave all opposition parties a mandate to do this with some spectacular results in the local elections. I’m therefore at a loss to understand why Labour, who would have had a significant role in a controlling alliance, seem content to allow the Conservatives to form a chaotic minority administration, when an alliance may have better served the people who voted for us.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam