Ian Hudspeth’s views on education have been labelled “more of the same” by a campaigner against the academy plans.

Similarly his plans to improve schools, libraries and bedblocking were rejected by campaigners and were labelled little different from those of his predecessor Keith Mitchell.

Former National Union of Teachers national executive Chris Blakey, an Oxfordshire teacher for 20 years, said: “It is more of the same really.

“The drive towards academies is based on a false proposal that competition in education can improve standards.

“We should be encouraging cooperation and coordination between schools, not forcing schools to compete with each other for scarce resources.”

Neil Clark, vice chair of Save Botley Library, said: “We are strongly opposed to volunteers running libraries.

“It is hugely depressing and disappointing that Ian Hudspeth is continuing with the same plan. It is the same policy but with a less abrasive manner. He is just a less entertaining version of Keith Mitchell.”

Mary Jane Sareva, whose father was caught up in the bedblocking crisis, disagreed with Mr Hudspeth that the council should wait for the findings of a report into the issue.

She said: “The situation is really, really bad at the moment and action needs to be taken now. They should be doing the report but they should also be working now to improve what is going on.”

Zoe Patrick, leader of the county council’s opposition Liberal Democrat group, agreed cuts were needed but said the authority was moving too fast.

She said: “If you go too quickly you are in danger of having a council that struggles to actually provide those services.”

She said the Lib Dems would scrutinise Mr Hudspeth’s proposals as they came out and would seek for the council to use more of its reserves to stop cuts.