HAVING been the deputy leader at Oxford City Council for the best part of 10 years, I have seen first-hand how expectations of what councillors do have risen.

In Oxford we have a philosophy of saying we do not want being a councillor to be the preserve of full-time politicians and instead say it should be possible to undertake this role alongside a regular job (which I, and many others, do). But in order to manage as best we can, it will be valuable to have an additional deputy leader for the city council.

It is not really right, in this day and age, to have a council led by two men, so I intend to step back into the new, 'non-statutory' deputy position and a woman will become the statutory 'deputy leader'. We have some outstanding women councillors who will be able to take on this role.

The bizarre carping about this sensible move to share leadership responsibility more widely from the (75 per cent male, all-white) Green group is no doubt motivated by a growing inability to get people to vote for them in elections, but they should be aware their opposition to sharing of leadership roles sends an atrocious message about their priorities.

CLLR ED TURNER
Deputy Leader, Oxford City Council