OXFORD City Council is not backwards in coming forwards and it is no surprise it is planning to make some strong representations over the plan to demolish and rebuild West Way.

Botley is, of course, not within its borders and some may question, reasonably, why it should be poking its nose into the area governed by another council.

But we must remember Botley being under the domain of Vale of White Horse District Council is simply down to bureaucratic line drawing. Botley is part of Oxford.

What happens there will impact on residents of the city and also its infrastructure.

That is not to say dramatically revamping West Way is all negative, but it is right and proper the city council should make its views known, as long as its motivation is not guided by fears about the impact on the long-awaited new Westgate.

However, it may be interesting to learn what the Vale’s view is of the city council making representations.

The Vale is finding itself under increasing pressure over what at one time seemed almost a plan too good to be true to improve Botley.

Having the city, one of its ‘partner’ agencies that it works with, weighing in too heavily will not go down well, we suspect.

But hopefully the Vale will look at any criticisms objectively rather than take the mentality of raising the drawbridge on any negative impacts just over the ‘border’ eastwards.