Thank you from ODS

ODS workers thanked

Refuse collectors at ODS have been receiving thanks from our residents for their continued delivery of the collection service. We sent out our filmmaker, Sharon Woodward, to film the collectors’ appreciation. Please take a look at the resulting video 

Bad weather is no joke

Bad weather is snow joke for staff trying to get to work.

As ice and snow grips large  parts of the country UNISON has called on employers to show common sense and not force workers make dangerous journeys to work.

Ask UNISON  Click here for advise

Message from Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services, Oxford City Council

Message from Nigel Kennedy, Head of Financial Services, Oxford City Council

Colleagues may have seen news reports that Oxfordshire County Council announced plans for significant changes yesterday. The Leader of the County Council, Councillor Ian Hudspeth, said they wanted to introduce a new operating model to improve efficiency and increase the provision of services online. The County Council says it is seeking savings of £34-£58 million a year by streamlining services. It acknowledges this is likely to involve a reduction in staff numbers over time by up to 890 people, though it said it expected, with staff turnover of about 650 a year, that most of the jobs lost would be taken out of that pool, with a smaller level of compulsory redundancies. The proposals will go before the full County Council meeting on 11 September.

These savings were identified as part of last year’s budget setting process, and the County Council has been working on a plan with consultants for the last 12 months. The City Council set a balanced budget last year, over the four-year budget plan, with savings of around £7m already identified. We are in the process of reviewing the budget for the next four-year planning period, and whilst it’s safe to say we will have financial challenges we are not in the same financial position as the County Council.

'If it ain't broke don't fix it': Councillors launch campaign to save Oxford City Council from Control

COUNCILLORS have launched a campaign to prevent Oxford City Council from being sucked into unitary rule.

Members of the council's Green party are fighting against the One Oxfordshire proposal, which would abolish district and city councils and replace them with one 'super council'.

Leader of Oxford's Green group Craig Simmons insisted that, while other authorities might be struggling to make ends meet, the city council has been 'efficiently' dealing with its own business.

He said: "The city council is a cost effective, efficiently run local authority that pursues its own agenda. While other councils in the county, and the county council itself, has been cost-cutting and privatising services, the city council is unique in retaining control over service delivery.

To read full story from this is oxfordshire click here

Great reading, makes lots of sence

Message from Cllr Barry Wood, leader of Cherwell District Council:

"The belief that children are our future is not just a line from a popular song – it’s a true fact and statement.

"Cherwell and Oxfordshire County Council both offer services for children but the key difference between the two authorities is their commitment to investing in these services.

"Oxfordshire County Council is responsible for education – which is obviously a statutory service - but it also has a responsibility to provide “sufficient” children’s centres. However, the county has taken this responsibility lightly – cutting the number of council-run children’s centres in half from March this year.

"The impact of this is far reaching; it’s not just the children who suffer but the parents who find support and companionship in such surroundings. Quite often, the most vulnerable members of society find solace in these services; yet the county has still made the decision to ignore protests from the public and cut the funding.

"Is that a council you want running all services in the future?

full article from Barry Wood 

Disappointment with County Labour Councilors

Please see our updated post, to show our solidarity with the city Labour councilors, who we have for many years worked in partnership with.

This Morning , Bob Price Leader and Deputy Leader Ed Turner of Oxford City Council invited us along to a Labour Group Meeting at County Hall as they see us as being part of the same political family and thought it would help in the meeting, but the Oxfordshire County Councilors took a very different view and asked us to leave.

We were asked by Cllr Price and Cllr Turner to put forward the concerns of our Members/employees and residents from the the City Council. BUT upon arrival we had the door initially shut in our faces!! David and myself, are not only Senior Trade union officials of the branch, but also Labour party members and supporters, we were disgusted that the Oxfordshire County Labour Party could behave in such away, they seem to forget that the Local elections are nearly upon them and this does not help if they are seeking re-election!! we were told in no uncertain terms that they were not prepared to listen to our concerns at this time, regarding their proposals for One Oxfordshire.

If this is the way that they treat their Trade Union Supporters and members and not forgetting their total disregard of the view of the residents in Oxford!!! then how on earth are they going to represent the views of the whole of Oxfordshires residents should their bid be successful! they certainly don't want our respect that's for sure!!!

No one Oxfordshire

MPs warn Oxfordshire super council 'fails' government tests

OUR Oxfordshire MPs have together warned a plan to create a super council fails a key government test.

They said proposals backed by Oxfordshire County Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council did not have the support of other authorities or 'the majority of MPs'.

The three authorities want to scrap all six of the county's biggest councils and replace them with one organisation, which could save £20m. 

But in a joint statement, Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, Witney MP Robert Courts, Banbury MP Victoria Prentis and Henley MP John Howell said: "We have seen that South Oxfordshire and the Vale of the White Horse are now backing a bid for a county-based unitary authority.

"We have also seen that this is opposed by Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council, and West Oxfordshire District Council. 

"So this is not a unified bid across the whole county, does not have the support of the majority of the County’s MPs, and fails the criteria for consensus which the Department of Communities and Local Government are working to."

To read the full story from the Oxford Mail Click here.

'Super council' plans spark civil war between Tory leaders in Oxfordshire

Great article in the Oxford Times from Cherwell District Council leader Barry Wood and West Oxfordshire District Council leader James Mills.

James Mills, leader of Conservative-run West Oxfordshire District Council, said there was ‘no way’ he would back the plans because it would mean a council tax hike for residents. His authority charges the lowest annual rate of council tax in the county – just £86.63 – but under a super council rates across different areas would be ‘harmonised’ to become the same.

Full story can be found Here .Tories spark civil war  

Great words from Andrew Smith MP

Please take note before it's to late.

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said today in the Oxford Mail (07/02/2017) that the city should have more powers, not fewer.

He said: “In the interests of local democratic accountability and having councils which are in touch with the issues in their area, I have long supported unitary status for Oxford city, ideally on wider boundaries than present so that housing, transport and environmental protection can be planned properly.

“Swindon, Reading and Milton Keynes all have unitary status rather than being swallowed up in a wider county authority, and Oxford residents should have the same right.”

Mr Smith said he had voiced concerns to top government ministers, including Communities Secretary Sajid Javid.

The Labour politicians were speaking after Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils announced they were teaming up with Oxfordshire County Council, to submit plans for a super council next month.

This would see council tax made the same for all households in Oxfordshire, with the new authority given sweeping powers to approve major housing developments across the county.

Full story can be found at This is Oxfordshire



The One Oxfordshire debate