Oxfordshire Greens held an Extraordinary General Meeting in January to discuss the Government’s White Paper on English Devolution; At the meeting Greens agreed that power should be held locally, with full accountability and transparency at the local level and the creation of smaller unitary authorities.
Greens disagreed with the interpretation made by others that this should mean an large Oxfordshire size local authority.
The full motion passed by local Green party members was:
As Greens, we believe:
- In the principles of subsidiarity and devolution.
- That decisions are best made as close as possible to the people most impacted.
- That communities should be trusted to know what is best for them and they should be supported with the powers and the investment to deliver real change.
- That any local government reorganisation should include electoral reform to a more representative voting system.
Green councillors are in joint administration on South Oxfordshire District Council, Cherwell District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council. In Vale of White Horse and Oxford City, Greens form an opposition group.
Oxfordshire Green Party supports the principles of local accountability and democratic oversight and:
- Recognises that local government reorganisation is happening and that there is a will among council leaders in the county to “move fast” and submit an expression of interest in moving to a Combined Authority by 10 January.
- Has concerns that the introduction of mayoral authorities over wide geographic areas could create a democratic deficit, lead to a loss of local accountability and representation, and take decision making (such as planning decisions and climate action and adaptation) away from the local people affected.
- Opposes an Oxfordshire-wide unitary as too large, too disparate and too remote from the people and communities who rely on its services.
- Supports the creation of smaller unitary authorities within Oxfordshire and within any combined Strategic Authority that is formed, where this is supported by local people.
- Opposes postponing the County Council elections in May 2025.
- Calls for visibility and public scrutiny of the decisions on the reorganisation of local government in Oxfordshire through OCC Full Council and cabinet ahead of the 10th January deadline.
Motion Passed at Extraordinary General Meeting of Oxfordshire Green Party Jan 5 th 2025