THERE is no magic wand the city council or anyone else can wave to fix the problems Oxford’s outlying shopping areas face.

Indeed, the arguments about what exactly is wrong do not seem so easy to define.

Merely complaining there are too many coffee or charity shops doesn’t address why these stores have found vacant premises to move into in the first place or why they are seemingly able to turn a profit if others can’t.

But at least the city council, following representations from Headington’s Ruth Wilkinson, is grasping the nettle by having a proper review as the first step towards identifying what may be going awry.

It is a start but it has to be recognised that the city council will not be able to provide any long term fix acting alone.

We hear the usual ideas of dropping business rates and cutting local parking charges as the way to strengthen local independent traders and attract more shoppers – but it’s easier to throw out these ideas when they are not coming out of your revenue stream.

Ponder the reaction if the suggestion was thrown back at traders about cutting all prices by 30 per cent to pull in the punters.

What the council can provide is clear leadership towards a proper strategy, supported by businesses, to promote these areas as shopping destinations.

They face intense competition but their permanent health can only be achieved by a concerted programme that promotes them, rather than a quick fix.