ALL of Oxford’s roadworks will be carried out by the city council after it and the county council both agreed to an innovative move.

The city council’s trading company, Oxford Direct Services (ODS), will do the work, taking over from the county council’s contractor Skanska. ODS already looks after Oxford’s minor roads.

All of Skanska’s work in other parts of Oxfordshire will continue unaffected.

At the county council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Labour councillor John Sanders said the plan was ‘sensible, efficient and simple’ – but said the city should still be given more money than rural areas.

He said the present formula based on mileage rather than usage favoured roads in divisions represented by Conservative councillors.

But cabinet member for finance David Bartholomew urged Mr Sanders not to be drawn into an argument over the state of the roads.

He said: “Getting into a Pothole Championship is not productive. We all think our roads are the worst.

"There is no political bias here.

"Officers looking at roads do not go: ‘Conservative area, Labour area.’

"They’re looking at roads, making logical decisions. This is not a political battle.”

£1.56m has been set aside for the next financial year – but at least £2.9m would be required to bring all city roads up to standard, council officers have said.