A CONSERVATIVE councillor had to ask her Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green Party colleagues for permission to demolish her garage.

South Oxfordshire District Council member Caroline Newton submitted her application to replace the garage with a new home office to her own council, and it was then discussed by the planning committee on Wednesday night.

Ms Newton explained that the garage at her home in Britwell Salome, near Wallingford, was structurally unsound, then she told the committee: “You will appreciate that Covid has demonstrated to all of us that it is quite good to have a good home office environment these days.”

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Labour Party councillor for Didcot Celia Wilson questioned whether the new building would be carbon-neutral and Ms Newton replied and said the building would have solar panels.

She added: “The energy we use in our property is renewably-sourced.”

The plans were only discussed at the meeting because of a council policy that any application made by a council member must go before the planning committee.

In the end, the committee gave Ms Newton their approval.

South Oxfordshire District Council, which was previously Conservative-led, was 'taken over' by the Lib Dems and Greens at last year's local elections.