This is a personal view from Ruth!

A petition signed by more than 1300 citizens of Oxford pleading for the continuation of the Museum of Oxford was snubbed at the full Council meeting at the Town Hall tonight. The  Labour administration did not allow this issue to be debated further as part of the budget proposals. I was ashamed at this blatant disregard for the views of the City’s residents.

Furthermore, the Labour administration did not allow further debate on other important issues including the refurbishment of the Covered Market, the reinstatement of a street warden post in Northway, area committee discretionary grants weighted according to Indices of Multiple Deprivation, additional citizen advice to cope with financial hardship (at a time when jobs are being cut at BMW), the imposition of business rates on community centres, and the introduction of fuel poverty hardship grants.  Democratically elected members have been denied the right to speak up for their constituents. This was no way to run a council meeting.

For the first time since I was elected a city councillor, I felt appalled at the way council business was conducted tonight. David and I were not even given a chance to speak on issues that matter to the people of Headington.  If you care about democracy, for sanity’s sake vote Lib Dem.