Greens and Lib Dems call for city council to avoid property investments

Instead, the Green and Liberal Democrats on the council area advocating for investing more money in solar panels and wind turbines, and a retrofitting scheme to bring council houses’ energy efficiency up to scratch.

The city council is due debate whether or not its 2021/22 budget should be approved tomorrow night (Wednesday, February 17).

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The plans include an average £6.25 rise of council tax, to pay for £23.6m of spending on public services.

But Green and Lib Dem opposition councillors do not support some of the plans the Labour administration has, including a long term £20m investment in commercial properties like shops and offices.

Head of the Lib Dem opposition group, Andrew Gant, said: “We do not believe large-scale investment in commercial property is prudent in the current circumstances. Instead, we will invest in renewable energy, a tried and tested route in some other councils which delivers a real benefit to our commitment to the environment as well as a financial return.”

Andrew Gant

As well as investing in renewables, the Lib Dems suggested spending an extra £2.5m on retrofitting council houses to make them more sustainable.

It has also called for the council to start funding Experience Oxfordshire again after it cut funding to the official tourism promoted several years ago.

One cut the Lib Dems want to see changed is the council’s plan to reduce the number of planning committees in Oxford to just one, which they say would create a ‘reduction of democratic oversight’.

The Green group is calling for similar budget changes, and have suggested the council build its own solar farms, which it says would provide a ‘modest, but secure’ return on investment, and help Oxford meet its growing energy needs from renewables.

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But it also called for car parking prices and park and ride charges to rise with the rate of inflation over the next four years to create a ‘significant financial cushion’, which would be used to prevent some cuts in the current budget.

Green group councillor Craig Simmons said: “We were all ready to give the administration a free pass this year because of the pandemic and the parlous state of council finances as a result of it, but having seen their budget proposals there were certainly things we could not let go without trying to change, such as reversing cuts.”

Craig Simmons. Picture: Damian Halliwell

Ed Turner, the city council’s cabinet member for finance, said: "Both opposition parties are relying on "mystery millions" from solar energy schemes. Of course we will invest in solar energy if there is a business case for doing so, but there is not even a concrete scheme to evaluate.”

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He added: “It is surprising both parties are proposing a hike in car park charges at a time when businesses and residents are having such a difficult time."

Mr Turner added the council planned to fund Experience Oxfordshire through a Government grant, and already had plans for retrofitting houses in its budget.