Leaders’ Report
Wednesday 11 February 2026
Thank you all for being here tonight. I am really glad that we are in a new home, and am looking forward to our next meeting being live-streamed – providing the openness and transparency that I know we as councillors welcome.
Obviously the big news tonight is our budget and we are all, I am sure, incredibly grateful to the team who have been able to steer us through this long and very detailed process with care and clear prudential advice which has yet again allowed us to “balance the books”. We have done this since our administration took over in 2019 and have kept this council on a sound financial footing ever since, under the watchful eye of Cllr Crawford, and now for the first time, Cllr Colemen – thank you both.
I am proud that even with the continued pressures from central government, tightening our belts has become a way of life, but we are still able to invest in our district and provide our residents with quality services that really make difference to people’s lives, our communities and our environment.
This year I am particularly grateful to the Green group and Cllr James’ suggested amendment that has recognised a need to address the underspend of the Disabled Facilities Grant. Coming to us to address in Cabinet, we were able to properly consider the suggestion, and include it in our budget tonight. I hope it will make it a difference to those vulnerable residents it may help in future.
It is constructive politics like this that I think we all should welcome and encourage as much as possible.
The budget done, our work continues both inside and outside the chamber and I am looking forward tonight to hearing our motions debated this evening. There are many different influences that act on our council, many unfortunately outside our control. SESRO will make a huge difference to the district, and could it change irrecoverably should it be pushed through by government. Other changes will affect the structures that we have become familiar with and which serve a function – everything at the moment from the police services to the national health service, and independent groups like Healthwatch, and of course the very structure of local government itself.
Last week we saw the launch of the consultation on Local Government Reorganisation, and this is something we are able to throw ourselves into wholeheartedly, not because we are able to make a final decision on this process, but because we our proposal of Ridgeway and Oxford and Shires Councils in one that we firmly believe will be the best for our residents, bringing the best value, the best services and the best outcome to our region.
On Monday we had a productive and encouraging forum with town and parish council representatives. More than 60 representatives joined the session to discuss how the new unitary councils should be set up to enable and empower towns and parish councils to influence decision-making. Our proposal is built on foundations of locality-working and ensuring our communities are a crucial part of the future of local government in our areas. Monday’s session was a positive step towards that future, and there will be more opportunities for towns and parishes to be part of the process very soon.
The forum was part of a wide-reaching engagement process going on to help our communities understand what LGR means for them, how we think our proposal works for them, but also to reassure them that whichever model the government ultimately chooses in the summer, we’re here to ensure our communities are a central and integral part of what comes next.
So while the last few months have been busy, preparing the budget to come to council, the next few will equally busy, meeting with stakeholders to continue the conversation with businesses, residents and communities at all levels to make sure we are getting this right for the future.
