Our councillors must wonder sometimes if they can ever win.

They are damned when they don't consult us, and damned when they do.

Oxford City Council housing officers have visited tenants in flats in Abbey Place, St Ebbe's, to warn them of possible plans to demolish their homes.

The land may be needed for a bus turning and drop-off point as part of the £220m Westgate Centre redevelopment.

The bus-loving Greens have accused the council of acting illegally, because no decision has yet been made on the future of Abbey Place.

Should the council have waited until everything was cut and dried? Of course not. Tenants must be told, at the earliest opportunity.

The new Westgate Centre will have three times as much floor space as it has now, and with no increase in parking, buses will play a key role in getting people to and from the shops. Bus stops must be as near as possible.

We hope the architects will try to find ways to avoid demolition. But if there is a threat, it is right that residents are given early warning.