Councillors felt they were left in the dark about the council’s decision to break its twinning agreement with Perm.

On March 4, the city council announced it would be ending its link with the Russian city until such a time as Russia ceases its invasion of Ukraine.

At Oxford City Council’s full council meeting on Monday, March 21, Independent councillor Sajjad Malik, who represents Temple Cowley, questioned why he was not contacted prior to the decision like other parties were.

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Deputy Leader Tom Hayes, who is also cabinet member for green transport and zero carbon Oxford, apologised and admitted it “slipped” his mind to contact Mr Malik.  

This was followed by sheriff and Green councillor Dick Wolff, who felt the decision should have been put forward at a full council meeting for debate and discussion.

Oxford City Council’s Labour leader Susan Brown said: “I’m not sure how much that would have helped in this particular circumstance because I think we needed to make a quick decision on this.

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“I think in light of the reports that were coming through from Ukraine it just felt wrong for us to be formally linked to Perm any longer.”

She added she did what she could to link with opposition groups to “make sure it was a cross party decision” but felt it needed to be made in “a hurry and before today”.

The snap decision by the council came hours after evidence was presented to the council by the Oxford Mail showing that engines for aircraft being used in the invasion of Ukraine had been made in Oxford's twin city. The city council's delay in severing links with Perm had been condemned by Ukranians and other human rights supporters in Oxford.

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