Value of town promoter called into question (From Oxford Mail)

Value of town promoter called into question

7:00am Friday 10th February 2012 in Bicester

TOWN councillors have raised concerns that an organisation set up to promote Bicester is duplicating work done by local government.

Bicester Vision was launched in 2008, to be a link between businesses and councils.

All three tiers of local Government, including Oxfordshire County Council, Cherwell District Council, Bicester Town Council help fund the organisation.

Private firms including Chiltern Railways, Bicester Village, Stockdale Land and Bicester and District Chamber and Commerce, also finance Bicester Vision. But several town councillors have questioned the relevance of the organisation and say its future funding should not be automatic.

Debbie Pickford said: “The worry for me is we have got three councils, is their work going to be duplicated and our officers time wasted?”

Fellow member Lynn Pratt said: “A lot of this looks like a talking shop to me.

“We have potentially got 9,300 houses coming to Bicester and no employment. Let people in Bicester Vision bring employment to Bicester and let councillors and officers get on with their jobs.”

Conservative leader James Porter said: “It’s important whatever Bicester Vision does, it works to compliment and deliver the best results for Bicester.”

The comments were made when councillors discussed Bicester Vision’s plans to focus on encouraging businesses to move to the town, and its proposal to become a legal entity.

Bicester Vision’s acting chairman Adrian Shooter, said: “The value of Bicester Vision is that it brings together businesses and local authorities in a way that does not happen otherwise.”