Bonn Square
From:
Ann Furtado
Date:
Jan 03 21:15 UTC
Short link
Bandying around the word democracy doesn't mean it's a decision that is
supported by the majority of the population. How many people was it who marched
against the Iraq war? It's the same with this forum which is called local
'democracy' but I'm sure only a tiny proportion of Oxford's population visit
it, let alone know about it.
Keeping up with what's going on locally is a full time job these days, and even
if one did read and respond to the so-called consultation on the redevelopment
of the Westgate, at the end of the day the responses always go down the route
of commerce as though the need to attract shoppers to Oxford was the only
conceivable way for the city to develop. As someone said in the Oxford Mail
comments today, Bonn Square suffers from 30 years of underfunded lack of
management. And as someone also said, what is to stop the druggies and other
undesirables moving back the minute it is finished when there is, once again,
no policing and no maintenance. People climb in the treetops because they feel
frustrated at not being listened to, local councillors may listen if your cause
marries with theirs but there's no guarantee. And even if they do listen, there
is often little chance of changing things at one of the numerous committees,
quangoes, talk shops and the like which substitute for genuine action now.
As someone who lives in one of the flood-threatened areas of Oxford, we see
just the same loop repeating itself founded on the same lack of action, funding
and accountability on the part of organisations, government bodies and council
officers.
.