Oxfordshire council to debate Labour plan to kick out leader

Councillor Liz Brighouse, leader of the county council Labour group, has submitted a motion of no confidence for the leader of the council, Liz Leffman, which is due to be debated at a meeting tomorrow.

Ms Brighouse says among the shortcomings of the current Lib Dem-Green-led council are its failure to "keep members and parents abreast of its improvements to its SEND provision" as well as its "perceived conflict of interest on the lease of 'the Triangle' to OUFC".

Liz Brighouse. (Image: Oxfordshire County Council.)

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The motion resolves that the current leader of the council should be "removed".

Speaking to us, Liberal Democrat cabinet member for Community & Corporate Services, Neil Fawcett, said: "I think the motion is complete nonsense – I don’t want to dignify it with anything more than that."

Neil Fawcett. (Image: Other.)

Leader of the Conservatives on the county council, Eddie Reeves, said: "This is the right motion from the wrong political party at the wrong time.

"We disagree profoundly with how the council has been run since 2021 – both by the current Lib Dem-Green alliance and the coalition with Labour that preceded it.

"However, to bring down the council’s leadership just eight months before the next set of countywide elections is deeply irresponsible.

Eddie Reeves. (Image: Oxfordshire County Council.)

"It will make no difference on policy – all of which is now set in train following Labour’s budget amendment – and it will serve only to disrupt the 4,500 staff who work for the council and the many more thousands of residents who depend on its services.”

Ms Brighouse says the motion is "much more systemic" than just being focussed on "the main issues" and it's about "leadership issues".

She added: "We have got a minority administration in Oxfordshire.

County Hall. (Image: Ed Nix.)

"They simply ended the work with the labour party and carried on as if they’re still in control.

"It’s a one-party administration – the Lib Dem-Green party."

Green councillor and deputy leader of the council Pete Sudbury said: "Councillor Leffman has led this council through significant change.

Pete Sudbury. (Image: Other.)

"Under her leadership we have worked as a strong and united team. The council has received no fewer than 21 awards over the past year.

"Most recently we have been recognised with an award for our innovative work in children’s and adult’s social care and have been rated top among county councils for our decarbonisation programme.”

Conservative councillor Ian Corkin said: "It’s clear to me that this is an entirely self-serving motion by Councillor Brighouse, which she hopes following their grubbing at the polls in last Mays City elections, will distance her group from the worst excesses of the administration at next May’s County elections.

Ian Corkin. (Image: Oxfordshire County Council.)

"It’s the ultimate demonstration of the arsonist complaining about the size of the blaze, and if passed, would further destabilise a council that after three years of Liberal, Labour, Green chaos, is on its knees."

Ms Brighouse responded to the Conservatives' comments saying she can "understand where they're coming from, bless them" as she can see "how upset and unhappy they are at having lost their seats in Oxfordshire and becoming an irrelevance almost nationally".

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About the author

Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county. 

She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.

Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi