OXFORDSHIRE's equivalent of the Northern Powerhouse could result in life-altering decisions being imposed on people without their say.

That was the warning to the Oxfordshire Growth Board as its members met on Friday last week (October 30).

At its meeting last week, the board endorsed a document called the Oxford to Cambridge Arc Economic Prospectus, setting out the aims for the proposed boom region between the two English university cities.

But Michael Tyce, a member of the Oxford branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England warned about the 'withering away of local autonomy' if the Arc's own central Government leaders gained more power over the different areas included within it.

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The growth board is made up of the leaders of Oxfordshire's different councils and business representatives and usually discusses large projects linked to the £215m Oxfordshire Growth Deal.

The 'OxCam' Arc economic prospectus was published at the start of October, and sets out the stall for a plan to boost the economy in a region stretching across Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire.

Mr Tyce said the region was 'made up' and did not have the relevance that traditional counties like Oxfordshire had to people.

As he called on the Growth Board to reject the prospectus, the campaigner warned the Arc could become a sort of super council overriding the county authorities.

He said: "One thing is certain though, that if the prospectus is endorsed the Arc will acquire governance and structure.

"Arc governance would lead to the same outcomes as Planning for the Future and the new standard method would – the withering away of local autonomy and accountability and the imposition of central decisions."

Mr Tyce called of Oxfordshire's leader to do the same as Buckinghamshire County Council, which earlier this month pulled out of the Arc leadership group, an organisation set up to influence the Government's plans for the region.

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At the time, the Conservative leader of Buckinghamshire Council Martin Tett said council wanted 'to be in control of its own future economic development and housing decisions, rather than potentially have these imposed upon it by votes from other areas'.

But the Oxfordshire Growth Board was supportive of the Arc prospectus, with many members pointing out Government plans would go ahead with our without their input if they pulled out.

Growth board chairwoman Emily Smith said: "Endorsing the prospectus means Growth Board wishes to actively engage in the arc concept and not abdicate the responsibility."

Oxford Mail:

The A34 could be improved under the Arc plans

Meanwhile, Jeremy Long, who chairs the Oxford Local Enterprise Partnership warned that not backing the plan could lead to economic depression in the future.

Mr Long said: "There are many many examples both in the UK and internationally of regions that have gone from being extraordinarily successful and prosperous to falling behind as industry has change and as competition has opened up elsewhere."

And Ian Hudspeth said the Arc would help the entire UK economy recover from Covid because of the huge expected economic growth.

The Government-backed plan for the Arc includes ambitions for:

  • a full roll out of 5G across the region;
  • delivering an electrified East-West Rail link which runs between Oxford and Cambridge;
  • promoting 'mass rapid transit' systems to help people get around cities;
  • investing in apprenticeship schemes;
  • doubling the amount of land for nature;
  • and improvements on major roads across the area, including the A34 in Oxfordshire

However, this last point does not mean the controversial Oxford to Cambridge Expressway has been revived.

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By doing all of this the Government hopes to stimulate the economy across the Arc, doubling its Gross Value Added economic output to more than £200bn a year.

The prospectus lays out technology being developed in the region which is likely to bring in the cash, including research into fossil fuel-free air travel, space travel, and self-driving cars.

It also claims £4 will be returned for every £1 of Government investment in the region.