Councillors across the political spectrum at West Oxfordshire District Council have agreed that changes to the planning system are not suitable for West Oxfordshire.
Toby Morris, councillor for Resources wants locals to fill in the on-line consultation. Government funding is to be cut by £0.75m and there will be a rise in the cost of waste and recycling by £0.8m.
Witney Gazette May 28th 2014.The Campaign to Protect Rural England says the assessed need to build 100,000 new homes in the next 15 years was "cobbled together" and is exaggerated.
Campaigners have condemned the xo-called 'no win no fee' policy of a developer behind plans for more than 700 homes on sites across Oxfordshire. 446 are planned for sites in West Oxfordshire. Sites are in Witney and Bampton.
Witney Gazette August 2014. WODC vows to fight the study showing that the area should build 13,000. The council in August 2014 was still updating its local plan and that has left the whole area open to speculators to build large estates in areas that are known by locals to flood and where local doctors' surgeries are already so full it can take 3 weeks to get an appointment. There is far more detail in the article.
Copy of circular sent by Alaric Smith, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Bampton and Clanfield, re the threat of speculative development in the local community.
Newspaper cutting from Witney Gazette reporting on WODC savings in 2013-14. Conservative run council is to share services with Cotswold District Council