Oxford City Council parties jockey for support

With the local elections on the horizon, BBC Oxford assembled the parties fighting to gain control of three district authorities to hear their proposals for your local areas.

For the third and final debate, it was the turn of Oxford City Council, where half of the authority's 48 seats are up for grabs.

The council has traditionally been a Labour stronghold, but that grip on power has waned in recent years. The party currently runs the council in a minority administration.

Both the Liberal Democrats and the Greens hold nine seats on the council, while there is also currently a large cohort of independent councillors.

As part of Wednesday's debate, representatives from the main parties and independent caucuses were asked to put together a "minute manifesto" on why voters should put an X in their box come 7 May.

Susan Brown is the current Labour leader of Oxford City Council, and said her party "call on residents in our city all year round and we listen and act on their concerns".

"That's why we're pledging to continue our ambitious programme of building genuinely affordable homes, including nearly 1,700 new council homes," she said.

"We want to continue to crack down on rogue landlords and protect renters in our city.

"We're pushing for safer streets, rolling out community wardens to help tackle anti-social behaviour and help our communities feel safer."

She added that Labour was "tackling the cost of living, helping our poorest citizens with full council tax relief and concessions on our services".

Representing the Green Party, Edward Mundy, said his party was an "inclusive party fighting against the hostile environment of anti-immigration" who would also be "combating the cost of living crisis".

"We'll be tackling the housing crisis with an Oxford Living Rent and rent control, which we'll be pushing for change from the national government," he said.

Mundy added that the party would also be "pushing to divest the council from human rights abuse, war crimes, and genocide, and reducing health inequalities".

Christopher Smowton, from the Liberal Democrats, said his was the "the serious practical party that's ready to deliver".

He said Oxford was currently "unaffordable for too many to live or to work", and highlighted plans which he said would improve access to housing in the city.

"We should build around key transport routes, amenities and employment sites, and we should prefer sites at the city edge, over encouraging car commuting from further afield."

"Oxford should make us proud – from well-maintained parks and play spaces, to safeguarding treasured natural green spaces, to effective street cleaning, litter pick-up and tackling anti-social behaviour," he added.

Independent councillor David Henwood, a member of the Oxford Independent Alliance group, said a vote for them would mean "having a councillor whose loyalty is to Oxford, not to Westminster".

"Voting independent means voting for someone who will speak honestly, challenge bad decisions and stand up for local communities without fear of upsetting a party leadership," he said.

"Residents want safer streets, parking, better housing, support for local businesses, reliable public services and real accountability."

"These issues require practical solutions not party slogans."

Former Labour councillor Sajjad Malik is one of two Real Independents on the council, and said independents had been "the real opposition".

"We've been vocal about how all the other three parties (Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens) work together and they agree on most of the things the people oppose," he added.

The Conservatives have not won a seat on the city council since the turn of the millennium, but David John Cunningham said the party "believe in responsible spending focused on real priorities".

He said he had decided to personally run for election as "increasingly, it feels as though Oxford has been governed by politicians who do not understand the day-to-day realities for those who live here".

Cunningham criticised Labour policies to build new homes on green-belt land, as well as the Lib Dem-run county council's congestion charge scheme - an issue which is not decided by city councillors.

"If you care as I do about the future of our city, county and country, the only sensible option is to vote Conservative," he added.

Reform has never had any form of representation on the authority, yet Felix Bloomfield from the party said: "Oxford is in crisis."

"The establishment parties have wrecked this city, and we need to stop their war on motorists, their war on business and their war on families."

He said his party would "scrap" the city's Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and Zero Emission Zone, as well as the "ridiculous" congestion charge.

"There will be a massive change in this country on May the 7th, and I want you to be part of it - make sure you go out and vote Reform UK," he added.