When casting your vote on 4th May, please bear in mind that only the Greens are united in opposing the so-called 'Better Oxfordshire' (formerly 'One Oxfordshire') proposals.
There can be no bigger local issue at the forthcoming County elections than the plans to abolish Oxfordshire's governmental structures as we know them and put the whole County under the control of a single, Tory-majority 'super' Council.
For the residents of Oxford, who have consistently rejected attempts to elect even a single Conservative on to the City Council, it will be anything but 'super'.
The impact on Oxford will be significant. To glimpse into the future, you only have to look at how the current Tory-run County prioritises their funding; cuts to homelessness, cycling and bus services, children's centres, social and elderly care. Whilst it is true that most of these cuts were also (shamefully) voted through by Oxford's Labour and LibDem County Councillors, under a more sensible local Government structure local people would at least have the option to vote them out at the next election and affect the overall balance of the Council.
And it is not just funding that will be affected. The distinctive political ideology of the Conservatives will mean more liberalisation of licensing and planning, and more sell-offs and privatisation. Both things that Oxford resident's have consistently voted against.
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