Cllr Ruth Smith

The Christmas tree is going in at the Buttercross, on a cold and frosty morning.
Lights switch-on is Fri 28 Nov.

I am at the #TransDayofRemembrance vigil at the Corn Exchange, about to start at 6:30. Remembering lives tragically and avoidably lost. Holding everyone close and trying to keep people whole, seen and upheld. ,🏳️‍⚧️

But I cannot get behind any redefinition of seeking asylum in the UK.
We need swift and good processes, decent residential welcome centres and onwards housing (build it!) and a system built on dignity not trauma. *Immigration must be discussed and solved separately from asylum.*

Sometimes the good news just doesn't get past the dispiriting headlines. 🎭 Opportunities in the arts. 🍿👨‍🎤🎸Good thing!

Twelve easy hacks to beat Oxford’s congestion charge Don't want to pay? We got you. Here's the tea on how you can avoid the congestion charge entirely, and still visit all your favourite places in the city centre. Here's the official website, but our ha...

ICYMI yesterday, our hacks to beat the congestion charge. You'll never believe number 12!

(Are we doing it right?)
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...

A conference hall with people sitting at round tables and 3 screens with the For Goodness Sake logo.

I am in Derby today, under my own steam, for the @publicissues.bsky.social Joint public Issues Team conference, For Goodness Sake #ForGood25 about social justice and action. I am keen to learn more about the Constituency Action Network jpit.uk/can

and questions submitted about Madley Park playing fields, basketball at the outdoor court by Windrush Leisure Centre and tree felling. There are motions about asylum seekers, e-bikes, nature in the planning system and Israel-Gaza. It's an interesting one!

Home - West Oxfordshire District Council streaming Home - West Oxfordshire District Council streaming

It's West Oxfordshire District Council today. We are just finishing our preparatory meetings. You can watch the public meeting here westoxon.public-i.tv/core/portal/...
I have a motion asking for Work Experience to be promoted better within West Oxfordshire,

Oxfordshire's biggest funfair draws large crowds despite 'atrocious' weather The funfair - which dates back 800 years and is Oxfordshire's biggest - opened to large crowds who braved the 'atrocious' weather.

It's the last day of Witney Feast 2025. Nice write up in the Oxford Mail.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2546790...

Fair's open 🎠🎡

The Gallopers Service to bless the Feast is earlier this year - today it's at around 12:45pm at the carousel. There will be a procession from the church you can join in or meet on the field. And the fair opens today!

If I remember rightly, the author was a Didcot head teacher.

Flags: When Patriotism Becomes Politics | Belonging Effect We have all seen them. Driving up the motorway, crossing a roundabout in town, suddenly there it is: the Union Jack, or the red-and-white St George’s Cross.

This is an excellent analysis of the "flag" situation.
It's a blog post designed for school leaders but explains what is going on in terms we can all understand. And gives some helpful talking points for all of us, whatever our current standpoint.
www.thebelongingeffect.co.uk/flags-when-p...

And I will add: I also know many of the do-ers - those doing the work of caring and supporting but not writing about it. ❤️

'Supporting refugees doesn't come at the expense of tackling poverty' - LabourList Welcoming refugees and tackling poverty at home are not competing goals. They go hand in hand.

Yes! That's my mayor! So lucky to be working with a mayor with such heart and professional experience.
Andy Bailey piece at @labourlist.bsky.social
labourlist.org/2025/09/refu...

The safest place for fossil fuels is in the seabed/ground. They have caused enough harm already. Anyone who wants to extract more of them and burn them has no interest in solving the planet's problem, just in lazy and irresponsible short-termism. 🌍🌎🌏🌡️🙏

Date for your Sept diary - Wed 3rd, 6-8pm, Corn Ex, Witney Bus Users Meeting. This was a huge success last year. Come and feed into the continued improvement of bus services.

Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel in Norwich area A BBC reporter at the scene says the demonstration was largely peaceful, but noisy.

"Pro-immigration counter-protesters approached by the BBC declined to speak."
1) Not necessarily pro-immigration, rather, pro-treating people well.
2) SPEAK! Change the narrative. 🤦‍♂️

Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel in Norwich area.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Funding secured - 30 voted in favour of the leisure centre upgrades. ♻️💚🍃🏊‍♂️
But 5 Conservative councillors just voted against the decarbonisation project funding for Windrush Leisure Centre and 7 abstained 😯. It would take years to build a whole new centre. Ditch methane now!

I am at WODC Council discussing decarbonisation of the Windrush Leisure centre - committing the funds required. It's a £2m project funded 75% from government. It's soo worth it! Even for our love-hate 50 year old building. It will bring centre emissions down 60%!

Tuesday 22 July: Witney Corn Exchange, 2-8pm
Consultation event on the *policy* sections of the 2041 Local Plan, the plan that controls planning applications and other development of our area for the coming years.
See more online - yourvoice.westoxon.gov.uk/en-GB/folder...

Hundreds of MPs didn't vote at all.

These are the MPs who think organisations proscribed by the terrorism act should actually be terrorist organisations.
votes.parliament.uk/votes/common...

Opinion: Theresa May finally did something for women in her resignation speech This isn’t about forgiveness. And it isn’t about a woman ‘finally cracking up’, either

First female chancellor. We cry. No Biggie. It's a healthy response to pressure, frustration, disappointment and nastiness. Thatcher and May cried. Why the surprise today? www.independent.co.uk/voices/there...

This is HUGE

Biggest game in town for decarbonising the historic city centre & beyond

Counterpoint: new Public First research shows every UK resident working adult (on a full time equivalent basis) is £466 a year better off on average as a result of international students. So let’s just publicise that instead of levying them
www.publicfirst.co.uk/calculating-...

Yes, leadership is needed, not fear of shouty people or reactionary votes. The need to bring people with you because it's the right thing to try.

Had to. Nobody wants to see that.
But let's hope there's real funding, investment and debt cancellation soon, otherwise it's just another movement of the cliff edge.

Labour loses control of Cheshire council after councillors resign No party has a majority on Cheshire West and Chester Council after two councillors leave the party.

"Jimmy Shannon said he felt he had been prevented from speaking on behalf of disabled residents" That's an important factor - dissent must be allowed. For better policy.

BBC News - Labour loses control of Cheshire council after councillors resign - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...