Street lighting improvement remains priority in Oxfordshire

A £41 million street lighting improvement programme continues to be part of Oxfordshire County Council’s investment plan, as the authority releases spending plans.

The council says that residents of Oxfordshire could see highway improvements, new school buildings and energy-efficient street lighting as a result of a £1 billion investment over the next ten years, as part of the county council’s budget.

In the Capital Programme, the £41 million street lighting improvement programme continues to be part of the investment plan, with traditional lanterns to be replaced with more energy efficient LED lighting, saving money in the long-run.

Capital funding will also highway repairs and building work continue to assist the council meet its obligations, such as creating extra school places - as opposed to the normal revenue budget which covers funding for the costs of day-to-day services. As such, nearly £20 million will be invested to increase the provision of school places for children with special needs in the county, including rebuilding Northfield School in Oxford with more pupil places.

However, amid spending pledges, the council has also warned of the ongoing pressures the authority faces, especially in caring for a growing number of children at risk and social care concerns. The council’s children’s social care budget has increased annually – more than doubling in ten years. Moving forward, the council’s budget for adult social care could increase by £5 million in 2019/20, with further annual increases reaching nearly £6 million by 2022/23 to increase support for the growing number of older and disabled people.

Oxfordshire County Council has also identified savings of £50 million from changing the way services are delivered in the region, promising to review the digital technology needed to make the council run more effectively and efficiently, including improving online ‘self-service’ HR and finance systems used by staff. As part of the partnership with Cherwell District Council, legal services for the two councils are being joined up.

Ian Hudspeth, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “There are many exciting projects to improve journeys, street lighting and schools, and I look forward to seeing them take shape as part of our proposed £1 billion investment programme for Oxfordshire. We have already spent £10m this year on upgrading highways so drivers, pedestrians and cyclists should see a real difference in the coming years. Our overall aim is to support and sustain our thriving local economy, which is why we are planning this long-term investment.

“Pressure on funding for day-to-day council services remains for all councils, including here in Oxfordshire. We will continue to face difficult financial choices so that we can continue to fund services for the most vulnerable children and adults in our communities. Financial prudence will continue to be required to meet these pressures. We shouldn’t be scared of working with the voluntary sector. Some of those organisations are providing really good outcomes and local ideas. We should be enhancing those and supporting the voluntary sector and not just seeing it as an add-on.”