The councils in Oxfordshire have announced that they have launched a new charter, which will enhance local democracy for communities across the county.
As the first of its kind to include all three tiers of local government, the charter will improve how the authorities work together, having been co-produced by all three levels. This brings the added benefit of meaning that it is flexible enough to empower councils to work better, instead of creating further burdens through specific operational commitments.
As a voluntary framework, the charter will work to the following aims:
- Outlining mutually agreed principles and commitments
- Recognising and acknowledging the importance of local councils in supporting communities
- Underpinning of Oxfordshire councils will collaborate for better outcomes for communities
County Officer at the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils, Lucy Dalby, said:
“This charter is a very positive step to achieving better partnership working between Oxfordshire councils. Since OALC instigated the idea of a charter, we have ensured local councils have been consulted directly. It has been wonderful to see so many councils engaging enthusiastically with this process and we want to thank every councillor, clerk and officer who has contributed.
“This work does not end with the launching of the charter – we will remain involved as this work moves forward, and the real and impactful changes needed for partnership working to reach its full potential. Councils will also continue to have the opportunity to feed in to how the charter is implemented.”
As part of the development process, town and parish councils supported an extensive engagement process, to ensure that needs and priorities of local councils were reflected.
Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, also commented:
“While other parts of the country have charters like this one, none of them cover all three layers of local government. The fact that we do in Oxfordshire is a testament to the grass roots nature of our local democracy.
“This is now a great platform to build on and I am excited about changes that are already underway to improve how we work and communicate with our local councils.”
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