Plans to charge car-owning householders in Oxford to park outside their own homes have been given a big thumbs-down by the people who represent them.

The scheme, a policy of Conservative-run Oxford- shire County Council, has angered Labour-run Oxford City Council so much that its decision-making executive is making a fresh attempt to force a rethink.

As well as writing to County Hall, the city council will also contact the 16 county councillors who representing Oxford, asking them to state publicly where they stand on the issue.

But we can save them the trouble.

The Oxford Mail can reveal that 14 of the county councillors representing Oxford residents are against the scheme. The other two Val Smith and Larry Sanders were unavailable for comment.

The county council wants to charge some 9,000 residents in 16 zones including Headington, Blackbird Leys, Jericho and Summertown an annual levy of £40 a permit (for up to two cars), £80 for a third and £120 for a fourth.

This would guarantee an income of at least £360,000, at a time the authority is encouraging motorists from outside Oxford to park free at 600 on-street spaces in the city in evenings and on Sundays, which could cost it £700,000 in income a year.

The county council claims existing residents' parking zones were run at a loss of £123,000 last year, but Alex Hollingsworth, the leader of Oxford City Council, has disputed this.

In 2004-5, the latest figures available, Oxfordshire County Council paid Control Plus £1.3m to run and enforce on-street parking in Oxford, but made £1.6m from parking meters and £1.1m from fines.

Mr Hollingsworth said: "What we're trying to do is make sure the facts are in front of as many people as possible, before that decision is made. The crucial thing is the claim the scheme runs at a loss and needs this to break even it's not true."

Consultation will last for 28 days and every household in existing and proposed zones will get details.

Richard Dix, the county council's assistant head of transport, said: "The council's policy is that residents' parking schemes cover the cost of administration and enforcement.

"Charges for permits are not unusual, Oxford is one of the very few towns in the country which has residents' parking schemes where charges are not made."