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Opportunity for communities in Oxfordshire to influence how Growth Board works

Oxfordshire’s communities are being asked to give their views to help ensure growth is managed in the best way in the county.

The Oxfordshire Growth Board is made up of leaders from the county’s district councils, the city council and the county council. It focuses on strategic planning, economic development and sustainable growth.

There are also non-local authority members from various partners in the county such as the NHS, Oxford Brookes and Oxford University, the Local Enterprise Partnership (OXLEP) and the Environment Agency.

Individual districts are responsible for their own planning decisions and locations for development through their Local Plan.

But by working together in partnership, the Board is able to oversee large-scale projects across the county that benefit our communities, while also securing millions of pounds in Government funding to help improve people’s lives.

Cllr Sue Cooper, Chair of the Oxfordshire Growth Board and Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “The Growth Board has been running for five years now, and it’s vital it reflects and responds to the priorities of our residents.

“That is why we are encouraging everyone to fill out a brief survey looking at the way the Growth Board works and communicates.”

The survey asks for feedback on all aspects of the Growth Board, from how it is perceived, its priorities and membership, to how the board communicates and the format of its meetings.

The responses will be used as part of a review into the Board, which will also include feedback from workshops with district and county councillors as well as key stakeholders and the public.

Residents and community groups can take part in the survey here.

A report with recommendations will be presented to the Board in January.

The review is one of a number of items that were discussed at yesterday’s (Tuesday 24 September) Growth Board meeting.

A new timeline was announced for the Oxfordshire Plan 2050, allowing more time for all partners to work together to ensure the Plan is the best it can be for the county. To find out more about the new timeline, visit the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 website.

The meeting also saw an update delivered from each of the other Growth Deal workstreams – affordable housing, infrastructure and productivity.

Briefings were also given on the Oxfordshire Rail Connectivity Study and from England’s Economic Heartland on its Transport Strategy.

All of the meetings papers are available here.