New SODC administration to review Local Plan

CROSS-PARTY discussions were held at a meeting in Benson on Saturday with regard to forming a new administration at South Oxfordshire District Council, whose annual meeting is to be held on Thursday, May 16.

It was agreed that a formal all-party Working Group would be formed to review the Local Plan 2034 and the practical, legal and financial implications of any possible alterations to it.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Benson, Sue Cooper, who voted against the plan in December 2018, said: “after these dramatic local election results, it’s only right that new councillors from all parties get the chance to look in detail at what is proposed in the Local Plan, so they can make a reasoned decision as to whether changes are necessary and what the consequences might be.”

Her fellow Benson councillor, the Green Party’s Andrea Powell, who ran a joint campaign with Cllr Cooper, said: “it was clear during the election campaign that over-development in our district is a major issue, but we must also take care to protect our area from the speculative development that happened under the previous council. This is the responsible way to proceed.”