Oxfordshire pulling out of Thames Valley partnership

2.19.44pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 15th Jul 2009

Since 1996 17 councils in the Thames Valley area have met regularly to discuss matters of common interest, sharing experiences and lobbying jointly where appropriate. Oxfordshire has 3 representatives, who used to come from each of the three main parties but since 2005 have been all from the ruling Conservative group. Over the last year the Association of Councils in the Thames Valley, or ACTVaR, has had presentations on proposals for new rail links, from Thames Water on future water resources and from the Chief Executive of the South Central Strategic Health Authority. ACTVaR has convened meetings of a transport forum looking at all transport modes, rail, road and air in the Thames Valley to improve coordination between them. Recently ACTVaR has been commissioned by Berkshire authorities to advise on the provision of local economic assessments.

The new Conservative administration in Oxfordshire has announced its intention to withdraw from ACTVaR at the end of the year.

Cllr Jean Fooks, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the County Council, says: "This partnership has been of immense value to all the local authorities in the Thames Valley. It is hugely cost-effective to share information and to engage jointly with Government departments, with considerable success, to the benefit of all. With an annual income of only some £122,731, almost entirely paid for by the subscriptions from all 17 councils, it represents very good value for money. We feel Oxfordshire should think again before cutting itself off from the source of so much information and support."