Talking Oxfordshire in Oxford

Oxfordshire County Council is running a series of meetings to find people's views on which services are important to you, and how to fund them.

At the Talking Oxfordshire meetings, a independent chair will ask people to tell the listening county council heads of department, what you think about their proposal to make another £60 million of cuts on top of the £200 million they are already doing. The meeting organisers say,

Before making these tough financial decisions, we want to hear from residents about the services  they value most and how we can make savings.

I spoke to the organisers, the council engagement teams. They are interested to hear, and will report on, all ideas, not just ones on savings. If participants ask for an increase in council tax, or other ways of getting the richest in the county to pay, then that will go in.

But the main thing they need to hear, is people's stories of how they are helped by council services, and how they have already been affected by the current cuts (such as paying up to £22 for a visit to a day centre).

Please go along with your stories, and tell people who use the services to turn up. Don't let the meetings be dominated by the selfish rich.