County's Slowness Hurting Small Business

2.57.20pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd May 2008

Liberal Democrats have raised concerns that the County Council is not paying its invoices to small businesses in time and thus hitting some of the local businesses in Oxfordshire. A recent report showed that the County's performance in this area was getting worse.

Cllr Alan Armitage told the Cabinet that although it appeared that action was being taken to redress this, it needed to be resolved more quickly than currently appears to be the case. He said, "I am very concerned about the effect on suppliers, particularly small businesses. I know that some of them are complaining, and this is not surprising. It is amazing that the Conservative Cabinet - which recently decided to spend extra money to help small businesses in Oxfordshire - is simultaneously undermining them by aggravating their cashflow problems.

"We owe it to our local suppliers to do better. And I hope the County does so before the Thames Valley Federation of Small Businesses asks for the return of their plaque proudly displayed in County Hall reception."