Council leader slams Conservatives for walking out of meeting

A motion calling for free parking at park and ride sites led to confusion and heated debate at Oxfordshire County Council’s full meeting yesterday.

Tory councillor Liam Walker’s proposal for park and rides was amended by the council’s cabinet member for travel, Labour politician Duncan Enright.

READ AGAIN: Council meeting descends into chaos as Tories walk out

Following a second vote on the amended motion, Conservative councillors walked out of the meeting, which was scheduled to finish at 3pm but had overran.

The next motion on the agenda was set to call on the council to declare a ‘cost of living emergency’.

Liberal Democrat councillor Sally Povolotsky’s motion read: “Oxfordshire households face spiralling costs, with a large percentage not on mains gas, homes reliant on oil and bottled gas facing huge costs with no price cap or grants.

“This council therefore declares a ‘cost of living emergency’ and calls on the Government to urgently subsidise bus and train travel, to ensure that people can travel for essential education and work.”

After the failure to discuss the motion, the council’s Liberal Democrat leader, Liz Leffman, hit out at Conservative councillors, claiming they showed ‘disdain’ for the cost of living motion.

Oxfordshire County Council leader Liz Leffman. Picture: Ed Nix

She said: “I am absolutely appalled that every single one of the Tory councillors simultaneously stood up and walked out of the chamber because they didn’t like the outcome of one of their motions.

“This behaviour showed clearly their disdain for this incredibly important motion.

“The cost of living crisis in this country is impacting many families across Oxfordshire and will have ramifications on many of the services we offer as a council.

“I am deeply saddened that we didn’t get the chance to debate this motion and that our colleagues in opposition thought this action was an appropriate way to behave.”

Eddie Reeves, leader of the Tories at the county council, told the Oxford Mail ‘any suggestion we walked out of a cost of living crisis motion is a barefaced lie’.

Eddie Reeves, the Conservative leader at Oxfordshire County Council. Picture: Oxfordshire Conservatives

He added: “It was farcical and undemocratic that we should only have one speech on our motion before closing further debate.

“The meeting was scheduled to finish at 3pm but went on after that, therefore it was impossible to debate the motion, which we would happily have debated.

“I’m shocked the Lib Dems are pursuing this line.

“The motion will be brought back at the next council meeting in September and we’ll be happy to debate it then.

“It’s important we support all residents in Oxfordshire, especially the most at risk from the cost of living crisis.”

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This story was written by Liam Rice, he joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.

Liam covers politics, travel and transport. He occasionally covers Oxford United.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Liam.rice@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailLiamRice