When Oxfordshire County Council leader Ian Hudspeth describes himself as being as “frustrated” as the rest of us about the relief road situation, he is clearly implying that it isn’t his fault (and it’s all the fault of the Cogges Link Road objectors).

Allow me to set the record straight about Mr Hudspeth and his involvement in CLR.

For as long as I can remember, he has been the main sponsor of the CLR scheme.

In the face of widespread reasoned and articulate opposition, he closed his mind to all arguments against CLR and in favour of the alternative Shores Green (SG) proposal.

When properly scrutinised at the inquiry last year, CLR was found to be inferior to SG in all respects (environmental, flood risk, financial, congestion relief and several others) except one (air quality).

The inspector found that SG was almost twice as efficient on congestion/cost.

In other words the objectors were proved right and it wasn’t even close.

In the process the council wasted years and, apparently, £4m of our money.

The inquiry found the SG proposal to be perfectly viable and the council stated that it would push on with it if the inquiry did not find in its favour.

So, why the delay now? This has the whiff of a man acting in a fit of pique because the people of Witney had the temerity to challenge his pet project.

Instead of an apology and an acknowledgement that “I got it wrong” we are faced with years of council procrastination and cuts to our services because of the money that has been wasted.

He is a disgrace to his office and should resign.

Tim Walker The Leys Witney