MEETING ALERT: 18 July, 2019
Will SODC leaders live up to their campaign promises?
Short notice but South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) have the first full council meeting under the new Lib-Dem/Green leadership 7pm Thursday 18th July.
The meeting will deal with some major policy changes:
a motion to oppose the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway
a report on forming a Climate Change advisory committee (for more info click here)
five recommendations by the Cabinet on how to fix problems with the emerging Local Plan 2034 while starting work on a ‘subsequent’ Local Plan (for more info click here)
If you would be willing to express your views or questions about these policies, please register to speak by sending an email to steven.corrigan@southandvale.gov.uk.
Even if you do not want to speak, your presence will show the new Lib-Dem/Green leaders of SODC that you intend to be part of their decision-making.
LOCATION - Fountain Conference Centre, Howbery Park, Wallingford OX10 8BA
More information:
Although these measures are encouraging, there are big questions for councillors on Thursday 18 July.
The Oxford-Cambridge Expressway: it is good news that SODC is prepared to oppose this project but how will councillors get their planners and other local authorities, especially the Oxfordshire Growth Board to abandon pro-Expressway policies; how will they lobby MPs and central government to get the Expressway cancelled?
Climate Change: This must immediately become the priority of the local plan process not only for SODC but the Oxfordshire Growth Board: its first draft of the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 barely mentions Climate Change. Furthermore, if SODC is going to set up a new Climate Change Committee, shouldn’t it play a more decisive role than the ‘advisory’ one currently being proposed?
Local Plan: Cabinet recognises that the current Local Plan 2034 poses significant problems to do with climate change, Oxford’s unmet housing need etc. But in making recommendations on how to resolve those issues, cabinet is postponing a decision on what to do about the local plan. What’s stopping them from drawing up a new local plan that tackles the climate change emergency, protects the environment and defends the green belt now?
We need your help
No Expressway Group believes there is no need for an Oxford-Cambridge Expressway, nor the over-inflated housing targets associated with it, and we will actively campaign against it and support other organisations with the same objectives.
Our environment is a national asset which is critical for everyone’s health and well-being. We must not let it be destroyed.
Your donations help us to spread information about the Expressway, run and build support for the campaign:
£10 could pay for one roadside Correx poster
£15 could pay for one roadside poster on a wooden stake
£20 could pay for one A1 printed colour poster for our pagoda display
£35 could pay for 250 A5 printed leaflets for the campaign
£70 could pay for one pole and two panels for our travelling pagoda display
£150 could pay for one feather flag for our travelling pagoda
£180 could pay to run this website for one year
£300 could pay for a 3 minutes of an Expressway Story
£500 could pay for a 5 minutes of an Expressway Story
A greater or other amount could contribute to the cost of professional support for our campaign in general and in preparation for Planning Inspectorate hearings
Please note:
The No Expressway Group has a group bank account to which the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are signatories. The group will publish accounts on noexpressway.org each year which will be audited by an accountant from outside the NEG group.
If any funds are left at the end of the campaign, these will be donated equally between RSPB and BBOWT.