Sir - Your analysis of the present state of the council (Leader, May 18) is for the most part accurate: for many years Oxford suffered from a lack of effective political leadership. Last year, however, when as chair of council, I was generally able to be an apolitical observer, there was a clear and welcome move towards a more co-operative attitude by the three main political parties. And despite headlines that sometimes seem to doubt it there has been a marked improvement, noted by the Audit Commission, in the performance of the council.
This approach is continuing this year with regular cross party meetings to look at what the people of Oxford need rather than what plays well politically. Whether the shifting of their deckchairs into imagined Tory sunlight by the two formerly independent members will help either them or their party or the city remains to be seen.
Cllr Jim Campbell Oxford City Council
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