‘Democracy delayed is democracy denied’ says councillor

SOUTH Oxfordshire’s Green Party Councillors have condemned Conservative attempts to delay the 2021 local elections.

Against the backdrop of a forthcoming government White Paper on the future of local government, Oxfordshire County Council’s Conservative leader has proposed that county elections should be delayed until 2022, claiming that this will “support a vibrant local democracy.” (ED. The local elections have already been delayed from May this year, to May 2021)

Robin Bennett, Green Party Councillor for Berinsfield and South Oxfordshire Green group Chair, said: “Green Party councillors welcome the opportunity to offer proposals to improve local accountability, such as strengthening the role of Neighbourhood Plans in deciding where development should be approved, and ensuring greater democratic oversight of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), but these discussions should not stand in the way of normal democratic timetables.

He continued: “Local government reorganisation could offer an opportunity to strengthen local decision-making and put community well-being ahead of the relentless pursuit of economic growth, but this transparent attempt to stifle democracy is not the right way to go about it. Democracy delayed is democracy denied.”

NB You can view the full Agenda for the OCC meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 HERE