Labour's high hopes of Oxford return

Labour is hoping to win Oxford back

By Jackie Storer BBC News Online political staff

Boarded up windows, tumbledown garages and gardens littered with sofas and discarded mattresses do little to improve the image of Barton.

The small suburb, on the outskirts of Oxford, is the ugly sister the city would rather forget.

I do not see how helping 70 and 80 year old ladies cut their grass is encouraging a dependency culture

Alex Hollingsworth
Labour Party

For years, Barton has tried hard to shake off its rough image.

But according to Alex Hollingsworth, leader of the Labour group in the city, the area is not being helped by its Liberal Democrat/Green coalition council.

Labour was the city's dominate party for 20 years, until its face was smacked by the May 2000 elections.

Rundown facade

Now it sits in unhappy opposition with 21 seats. The party is hopeful that by pointing out the "chaos" caused since its dismal ousting, the electors will "see sense" and return to the fold in their droves.

Councillor Hollingsworth, who is standing for the Barton and Sandhills ward, blames at least two Lib Dem/Green policy decisions for Barton's plight.

"They introduced a charge for collecting bulky items of rubbish, such as a sofa or mattress. The result is we have had a rise in fly tipping," he says.

Sue Holden: Opinions of Barton are unjustified

"It ends up with the whole area looking run down. It has been very, very damaging, particularly in areas like Barton and we intend to reverse that decision as soon as we possibly can.

"The council had a service for its pensioner and disabled tenants which helped them out with their gardens if they weren't able to look after them.

"It kept them neat and tidy and it stopped gardens getting overgrown, but it was cancelled this year."

Housing problems

"I do not see how helping 70 and 80 year old ladies cut their grass is encouraging a dependency culture."

When BBC News Online visited Barton it was hard not to notice its rundown facade.

A boarded up sheltered housing block stands near some redundant looking garages. Some are burnt out, while attempts have been made to pull bits of others down. Glass is scattered on the ground.

The outside perception of Barton is it not just a slum area, it's a no go area

Sue Holden
Newsagent

Mr Hollingsworth, 33, says: "There are more than enough empty garages in reasonable condition.

"Surely it would be better to clear away derelict garage sites and develop them for housing? That was a Labour policy that we were working on two years ago.

"Housing is a huge problem in Oxford. We are talking about 1,250 homeless families who are housed in temporary accommodation paid for by the local authority."

Skill shortage

"We have also got house prices going through the roof. Hospitals are having problems getting staff.

"Two bus companies in Oxford both have to whack their wages up to recruit because the cost of living is so high.

"We have more than 100 empty council properties. The majority are waiting redevelopment and refurbishment. Nothing is happening. It is enormously frustrating."

Hollingsworth: Wants pensioners to have help with their gardens

Some people have tried to make an effort to prettify their properties, while others have seen the dumping of one item as an excuse to accompany it with their bags of dirty nappies.

But Mr Hollingsworth, a publisher, is quick to stress: "The vast majority of people here are hard working, socially minded people."

Sue Holden, a newsagent for 30 years in Barton, agrees.

"The outside perception of Barton is it is not just a slum area, it's a no go area," she says.

"It is very unjustified, this is actually quite a close knit community for this part of the country."

Investment

Mrs Holden, 54, should know. She is the chief organiser of Sink or Swim (SOS), a campaign to build a swimming pool and leisure centre for the area's residents.

Back to politics and Mr Hollingsworth blames the Lib Dem/Greens for having "lost control" of the council Budget.

He claims the collection of rent and council tax has declined sharply.

He insists: "We need to maximise opportunities to develop bits of land that the local authority owns. We have to face up to the difficult decisions of where we put houses.

"We should maximise brownfield sites."

Labour's other plans include investing money in Oxford's leisure centres, launching a campaign against anti-social behaviour and aggressive begging and expanding and improving the number and variety of shops.

Mr Hollingsworth adds: "We are aiming to win this election and I think we have got the best programme on which to do it."

Other candidates for Barton and Sandhills ward:

Prudence Mary Prior Dailey, Conservative

Raymond Leslie Hitchins, Green

Michael Wade McAndrews, Labour

Pallas Athene Reiss, Green

Jane Wyatt, Liberal Democrat

Jeremy Mark Duncan Wynne, Liberal Democrat.