AN OPPOSITION leader has said plans to scrap the top unelected position of the county’s biggest authority could be derailed at a vote.

On Friday, Oxfordshire County Council revealed chief executive Joanna Simons would step down in June after almost 10 years in the post.

The authority said it would not replace her, but Conservative leader Ian Hudspeth added it would be subject to a full council vote.

Now Labour group leader Liz Brighouse has said her party could seek to unite with the Liberal Democrats, Greens and independent councillors to block the move.

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The Conservative-independent alliance that currently controls the county council relies on the votes of three independents for a majority.

Ms Brighouse said: “We remain deeply concerned about the difference between the political role of leader and that of management.

“We will carry on fulfilling our role as the opposition and if anything comes along that we think threatens services, then we will speak out against it. At the moment, I think Oxfordshire needs a chief executive.”

The move to abolish the chief executive position could potentially save the county council the £217,640 it pays Ms Simons, including salary, pension contributions and bonuses.

And council leader Ian Hudspeth said yesterday that despite taking on extra responsibilities, he would not be seeking an increase in his own allowance, set to reach £29,000 this year.

On Friday, he said that Ms Simons’ responsibilities would likely be devolved to the council’s four directors, as well as to himself, but that no firm decisions had been made.

He said: “My job is very demanding already and so I would be looking for a system where we don’t need a chief executive.

“There may be times where I would be involved in major managerial decisions but I am sure those would fall mainly to directors.”

Abolishing council chief executives has been endorsed by Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles as a way of cutting costs.

But a cross-party group of MPs last September said that merging the role with the council leader risked confusing “two quite separate functions”.


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