THE decision to move a public meeting from north east Oxford to the city centre appeared to pay dividends yesterday.

About 30 members of the public attended the north east area forum, while only two went to the last meeting.

The forum covers Headington, Marston, Barton, Risinghurst and Headington Quarry, and is normally held in one of those areas.

But Oxford City Council controversially decided to move it into the centre to make it easier for people to arrive by bus.

Councillors held it at Oxford Town Hall in St Aldate’s during the day.

The forum discusses a different subject at every meeting, which yesterday was older people’s issues.

The previous meeting was held at Oxford Brookes University, Headington, in January.

Elizabeth Johnson, from Headington, said: “It’s the first time I’ve got to a meeting because it was at lunchtime and I was also able to get a couple of other people here for a change, so it worked well.”

Topics discussed ranged from concerns over bus routes to difficulties with pavements and accessing information.

Two Oxfordshire County Council officers were also on hand to answer questions about Dial-a-Ride, which has been cut from two buses in Oxford each day to one.