IT SEEMS to me that the debate over the question of a county unitary is in danger of generating a great more heat than light. I would therefore like to draw you attention to two points, which I believe none of the parties questions.
The first is that all concerned are united in stating that the present two-tier system is no longer fit for purpose, therefore something must change.
The second has been rather overlooked. It cuts to the nub of the question and concerns social services and adult social services in particular. As I understand it, the city of Oxford generates of the order of 80 per cent of the need, but provides only 20 per cent of the revenue. This means that, however you look at it, a unitary Oxford city simply is not financially viable.
That is the key reason why I support the abolition of all existing six councils and their replacement with a completely new countywide unitary.
This could have a range of devolution arrangements within it, but the bottom line is that you would only have one set of officers and one set of councillors.
Having said all that there is no reason why a Wiltshire-type solution could not be found whereby Salisbury has a range of extra duties, assets and responsibilities over and above the other urban areas of the county. This could work for Oxford which all see as being different from the rest of the county.
Nobody that I know is suggesting for one moment that it should be stripped of its mayor and many of the other things that make it so distinct.
Cllr BOB JOHNSTON
Liberal Democrat, Kennington and Radley, Oxon CC
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