DO POLITICIANS never learn? If there was ever any further need to prove just how disillusioned the electorate are with their politicians then you need look no further than the so-called "consultation” meeting about the expansion of Kidlington held last week.

Clearly such a matter was going to be of huge public interest and despite the short notice it was standing room only as around 300 villagers turned out on a cold night. The sort of attendance and involvement politicians cry out for. 

But what did we all discover? That the the whole thing is a done deal between the local authorities and all the Kidlington public could hope to influence was the nitty gritty over some aspects of site selection. 
Like it or not, and purely in order to meet Oxford’s so called "unmet housing need “, 4,400 new homes will be built at Kidlington - almost doubling the size of the village and quite likely wrecking its Green Belt setting.

So the “consultation” exercise was at best a misnomer and at worst an insult. But it is also precisely the sort of disenfranchisement that led to the Brexit vote. An independent planning consultant confirmed to the meeting that Cherwell had already started preparatory work. No wonder the mood quickly changed to one of anger and cynicism. 

The local government juggernaut is already rolling and the electorate, like Kidlington Parish Council, is apparently powerless to stop it. 
But that is not to say people won’t protest, especially when it comes to voting time. 

It was also ironic that a few days earlier the Government announced plans for the creation of new garden villages expressly designed to avoid the need to swamp any existing community in new development - the very fate that now awaits Kidlington!

But who cares when there’s money to be made. The rules that usually apply to the green belt will be torn up, developers who already own many of the fields around Kidlington will profit handsomely, the villagers will be given some token amenities as what is laughably called “planning gain”, the councils will get more income to spend - and Kidlington will become an urban sprawl annexed to Oxford.

Of course we need more homes, especially affordable ones. But this is shameful way of going about it. 

The whole mess appears to be down to Oxford failing or avoiding to manage a balance between its own industrial and residential development. 

And whilst they may think they have successfully foisted the responsibility (not to mention costs) onto the shoulders of others they should not expect an easy ride. 

The promoters and planners of this dubious scheme are already panicking about deadlines - but the ratepayers they have treated with such contempt are only just joining the fray. It’s that democratic deficit again….

JEFF LYES
Kidlington