A COUNCIL has voted to stop its chairman speaking to the press on behalf of the parish.

Blackbird Leys Parish Council held an ‘extraordinary meeting’ on Friday night to discuss whether chairman, Robert Davies, was allowed to hold interviews with the media.

The majority of councillors voted against Mr Davies speaking on behalf of the parish.

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The item listed on the agenda was ‘to agree for the chairman to speak about the regeneration project on behalf of the parish council and the residents' – but councillors did not agree.

The unexpected meeting was called after Mr Davies was asked by BBC Radio Oxford to do a pre-recorded interview regarding the Blackbird Leys regeneration project.

The chairman had also been asked by this paper to comment about the regeneration project and whether any members of his parish had expressed concern about it – which he did.

The debate was unusual, as councillors on all councils are free to speak to the press on any subject they choose and do not need permission.

Mr Davies said: “This meeting has been called for me as the chairman to speak about this regeneration project on behalf of the parish council and the residents as one.

“We need the approval of the parish council for myself and any councillor to talk on behalf of the parish council in meetings and events.”

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A number of those attending the meeting took issue with the chairman speaking on behalf of Blackbird Leys.

However concerns were also raised about councillors not being able to speak to the press without going through the council first.

City councillor for Blackbird Leys Linda Smith, who sat in on the meeting, said: “I just find this whole meeting very peculiar really and the whole subject very odd.

“Obviously this is a free country and obviously anyone is entitled to express their views in public and entitled to give their views to the newspaper, or the media, and I would absolutely hate for anyone to feel gagged, that they couldn’t do that.”

Ms Smith said that it would be fine for Mr Davies to speak to the press if he made it clear he was giving his own views.

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Ex-parish councillor Mark Franks also disputed the idea that councillors had to go through the chairman to express their opinions.

Mr Franks said: “If I were still a councillor I would be a bit uncomfortable with the way the councillors are being straight-jacketed and expected to go through the chair and become this bureaucratic process rather than letting them express what they feel."

Despite the concerns, the majority of councillors voted against Mr Davies speaking about the regeneration project on behalf of the parish.

Three councillors voted against the motion, one voted for and two councillors abstained from voting.

Mr Davies said he ‘expected’ the result adding: “I thought it was possible a great opportunity after the webinars to get some more information, but these interviews will come about whenever they want to, I am very grateful you have all given great and valid viewpoints.”