Young people from across the county came together with political and democracy experts on Thursday 29 October for Oxfordshire County Council’s latest Pizza and Politics event. 

58 young people took part in the event, held in partnership with the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. It focused on the theme “Votes at 16” and helped participants build the knowledge and confidence to become active citizens and engage in democracy. 

Young people heard from speakers working in politics, government, education and voter engagement, learnt about their personal journeys and discussed the issues that mattered to them. They also discussed how proposals for Votes at 16 could work in practice, including voter registration and access to information to support informed voting choices. 
 

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Young people deserve opportunities to understand how democracy works, ask questions and make their voices heard. With votes at 16 on the horizon, helping them feel informed, confident and ready to take part is more important than ever. 

“Pizza and Politics gave young people a welcoming space to meet decision makers and democracy experts, share their views and learn how they could influence the decisions that affect their lives. It was fantastic to hear their ideas and see the conversations they sparked.” 
 

Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government, said: “Democracy is strongest when all people feel empowered to participate, question and make their voices heard. We were delighted to welcome young people from across Oxfordshire to the School, giving them the opportunity to engage directly with political leaders and experts, share their views and explore the issues that matter to them. 

“This partnership with Oxfordshire County Council is a wonderful example of how we can bring our commitment to better government and public leadership to life in our local community.” 

Speakers included: 

• Calum Miller MP for Bicester and Woodstock 
• Will Yates, Private Secretary to Minister for Early Education Paul Waugh 
• Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Councillor for Bicester East and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People 
• Esmat Jeraj, Head of Voter Engagement at the Electoral Commission 
• Melisha John, Chief Executive of My Life My Say 
• Professor Ben Ansell, University of Oxford 
• Professor Maya Tudor, Blavatnik School of Government 

The council worked with schools and partners to bring together young people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including children in care and pupils from areas with higher levels of deprivation. 

Pizza and Politics events form part of Oxfordshire County Council’s Future Generations Programme. They are designed to help young people understand local democracy, meet decision makers and take part in discussions about the issues and services that affect them. 

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The events, part of Oxfordshire County Council’s Future Generations Programme, are designed to help those aged 11 to 18 understand local democracy and encourage them to participate in politics.

Following the success of the first pilot event back in November, young people were joined at County Hall in Oxford, Edmonds Park Pavillion in Didcot and Banbury Children and Family Centre by county council directors and councillors from across the political spectrum in Oxfordshire who shared their experiences.

MP for Didcot and Wantage, Olly Glover, and MP for Banbury, Sean Woodcock, also took part in the events, providing an overview of their roles as MPs and answering the young people’s questions.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, who attended the Oxford and Banbury events, said: “I would like to thank our young people from across Oxfordshire who attended our pizza and politics events across the county. I was inspired by their questions and contributions, which were insightful and eye-opening, and will ensure that young people's voices continue to be heard as part of our future generations programme of work.”

The agenda included an introduction to local and national government, a vibrant question and answer panel session between young people and politicians, and themed discussions.

Participants had the opportunity to ask questions throughout, discuss important issues, and share their thoughts on various topics linked to different services the county council provides.

The events form part of the county council's Future Generations work, which seeks to put the wellbeing of future generations at the heart of all decision making.

Councillors passed a motion back in March 2023 with cross party support setting out a commitment to considering the wellbeing of Future Generations in all decision making.

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The pizza and politics session was open to all in Oxfordshire aged 11 to 18. It aimed to help them get an understanding of local democracy and encourage them to get involved in politics.

Attendees were also joined by Cabinet Member Councillor Pete Sudbury, Councillor Charlie Hicks, Champion for Future Generations, and other councillors and members of staff, who shared their experiences.

Austin Isles and Alfie Walker, who are both 15 and go to Marlborough School, Woodstock, joined the session. Both of them had been to a number of events previously.

“In particular I was interested in the green belt and how land could be effectively used for the new Oxford United stadium,” said Alfie.

They both feel it’s important for young people to get more involved in politics at both a local and national level to influence change when they are old enough to vote.

“By having an interest it can help you to have more knowledge when it comes to voting when you turn eighteen,” Austin added.

Alfie agreed: “It allows people to get their voice out from a young age so by the time that they are old enough to take things into their own hands, they'll already be experienced.”

Aiman Shah, who is 17 and attends The Swan School in Oxford, was also at the event, the first one of its kind she has been to.

“I do politics at A Level so I thought this would be a good link and also I think it's just quite good for young people to have a say in what happens in local government,” she commented.

“I think it's cool to meet people who have the same interests as me because I think we all came here for like similar reasons.”

Aiman found the event to be a big confidence booster and was particularly inspired by the councillors who shared their stories and passion for politics with the young people.

She continued: “I think the main takeaway was just seeing these councillors and how passionate they are about their roles.

“This has really boosted my confidence too. So if I keep attending things like this, hopefully I will become a more confident person, and it will a good experience to put on my personal statement because I'm in the sixth form.”

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of the Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment & Future Generations, said: “We want to develop and strengthen youth engagement with local democracy, and hearing the voice of young people in Oxfordshire, which the pizza and politics event was a crucial part of.

“As holder of the climate and environment portfolios, I am painfully aware of the burdens we are passing to these young people, to clear up the problems we have left unsolved. We are leading the way on laying the foundations of their ability to succeed”.

“In this time, more than any before it, it is important that young people have their voices heard, particularly on the matters that affect them most. Even if they aren’t old enough to vote yet, there’s plenty of ways to get involved in politics and make a difference.

“It was an inspiring experience to meet with young people from all over the county. I hope that the event has inspired them to get involved in local democracy, both now and in the future.”

Councillor Charlie Hicks, Oxfordshire County Council’s Champion for Future Generations, said: “Pizza and politics is a part of our new work promoting the wellbeing of future generations – to ensure all the decisions the council makes are in the interests both of people alive today, but also for the whole life-course of people who are children today and those yet to be born.

“This is an approach started by the Welsh government and we are following in their footsteps as the first council in England to put future generations at the heart of our work.

“I'm so pleased that the pizza and politics event was such a success. We heard young people's priorities for what matters most to them, which is an important counterbalance to the voices that we hear most often in the council chamber.

“I'm looking forward to furthering our youth engagement and democracy work so that every young person in the county feels comfortable to come forward and let councillors know what matters to them.”

Future Generations Fortnight will continue as an annual programme of engagement events to encourage, support and inspire young people to make their voices heard and have a greater influence on decision making in Oxfordshire.

Councillors passed a motion back in March 2023 with cross-party support setting out a commitment to considering the wellbeing of Future Generations in all decision-making.

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The health and social care connections roadshow will be hosted by the local NHS – led by Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) – in partnership with the county council, which is responsible for the provision of statutory adult social care services.

Working with partners including Age UK Oxfordshire, the Oxfordshire Play Association and Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action, the roadshow will visit a range of pre-existing community events, as well as smaller gatherings, to have conversations with people about their experience of health and care services in the county.

Karen Fuller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Adult Social Care, said: “The way that health and social care is being delivered in the county is changing. The council’s adult social care services and local NHS work as one ‘Team Oxfordshire’, helping to support more people to live as independently as possible, closer to home. It’s something we call the Oxfordshire Way.

“We’re committed to getting out and about this summer, visiting as many residents as possible, listening to their experiences and learning from them to help develop a system that’s fit for the future.”

As well as hearing from residents, senior leaders will be offering an insight into the future of health and social care, including talking through the newer services being delivered closer to home. These include:

• Discharge to Assess – a programme that supports people to return home from hospital as soon as they are medically fit to do so, including the provision of immediate support at home to help with a person’s continued recovery.
• Hospital at Home – providing clinical support, that was traditionally only available in a hospital setting, in a person’s home.
• Urgent Community Response – a combination of services providing urgent care at home rather than going to A&E.
• Integrated Neighbourhood Teams – bringing traditional services from primary and secondary care, including GPs, pharmacies and mental health services, together with social care providers and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, making sure there is coordinated, patient-centred care to support people safely at home.

Dan Leveson, Place Director for Oxfordshire at Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, said: “We know that change can be difficult, but we also know from our positive experience with engagement around Wantage Community Hospital, that taking the time to meet the public and listen to them makes a real difference.

“These community engagement events are a real priority for us this summer and I look forward to meeting as many people as possible to talk about health and social care.”

An up to date list of places where the health and social care connections roadshow is visiting can be found on the BOB ICB webpage.

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The recommendations of the Street Voices Citizens’ Jury on transport, health and climate change was heard at Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet on 21 February.

Led by, and in collaboration with, colleagues at Oxford University, the jury brought together 16 people broadly who were representative of the population of Oxford to explore issues relating to the question “how can we travel where we need to in Oxford in ways that are good for health and the climate?”

The University identified Headington as their preferred locality as an area clearly with the city but not part of a pre-existing low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) pilot scheme. 

The jury met over four weekends in June and July 2022 and made 41 recommendations. Already 25 of these recommendations have work being undertaken or under consideration. Themes included public transport, active travel, private vehicles and congestion, education and public engagement, and infrastructure.

The list in full is available to read by going to the cabinet agenda webpage.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel & Development Strategy, said: “We welcome the recommendations of the citizens’ jury. Travel, health and climate change are key issues for Oxford residents and will be for years. Many of the recommendations from this jury are already being acted upon and will provide us with crucial guidance to help us shape future policy in a way that reflects the needs of the wider population.” 

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, said: “The citizens’ jury was an opportunity for a diverse group of local citizens from different backgrounds and circumstances, and with different viewpoints, to have an honest conversation and work together to find solutions to critical issues that impact everyone – in this case transport, health and climate change.

“By working with colleagues at Oxford University, the citizens’ jury is completely independent of the council, which we hope reassures those involved that the recommendations reflect the local population.”

The Citizens’ Jury was supported by an advisory group of practitioners and researchers in relevant fields, as well as local politicians and campaigners. This helped to oversee the legitimacy of the process.

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The new approach was approved by the council’s Cabinet on 15 February. It seeks to put residents at the heart of decision-making to support strong, active and inclusive communities.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, said: “The Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance wants to lead positive change to make Oxfordshire a greener, fairer and healthier county. 

“We are committed to making decisions more openly and inclusively. It marks the start of a new longer-term approach to consultation and engagement that aims to engage with and listen to residents and other partners in a more inclusive way.

"Our new consultation and engagement strategy outlines this approach, which includes listening to what residents value most, involving them in conversations about the things that affect them, and then using that feedback to help shape or improve services.”

The strategy will shape how the council engages with residents on important issues and potential changes until 2025. It intends to incorporate existing good practice already in place within the council and outside to create opportunities that widen the council’s communications into two-way engagement and conversations.

As well as better engagement and listening to residents, the strategy will help increase input from groups such as young people and the digitally excluded. 

Plans mapped out in the new strategy include developing the council’s new online engagement platform (‘Let's Talk Oxfordshire’), holding four sounding boards* with children and young people and introducing a series of public engagement events called Oxfordshire Conversations, which will offer opportunities for residents to hear from and ask questions of members of the Cabinet.  

* A sounding board is a form of engagement which usually, but not always, provide a deep dive into a topic with group of children and young people. At the end of the sounding board a report is produced, quite often with recommendations co-produced by the group.

Sounding boards can include all or some of the following elements: presentations, question and answer sessions, whole room and roundtable discussions, interactive exercises, video booths, graphic facilitation etc.

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The county council is now asking for the views of residents and roads users in two new online exhibitions on the plans opening at 12 noon on 10 May until 30 May.

The delivery of infrastructure is key to supporting sustainable development in Witney, Eynsham and related new developments in West Oxfordshire. Since Oxfordshire County Council secured funding from the £102 million Housing Infrastructure Fund 2 (HIF 2) in 2019, it has been working on designs, surveys, stakeholder engagement and land acquisition.

The council is investing in six major schemes, which will deliver:

• a new park and ride
• an extension of the dual carriageway around Witney
• new bus lanes and junction improvements. 

The first exhibition covers the details of the access to Witney road improvement scheme at Shores Green. The second covers the A40 HIF2 smart corridor plans, which include the A40 dual carriageway extension, integrated bus lanes and work at Dukes Cut.

Recognising advice from government on COVID-19 safety, it is not possible to hold a public drop-in exhibition on the plans. Instead, the council is holding online engagement sessions to present the proposals and provide an opportunity for residents to ask questions and offer comments.

Members of the project team will be online to answer questions about the scheme using a series of online live chat events. These will take place on:

• 17 May about the A40 smart corridor
• 18 May about access to Witney
• Saturday 22 May covering both schemes.

Questions must be submitted in advance and visitors are urged to visit the council’s webpage to check the timings of these live events. Any questions that can’t be answered immediately will be responded to as part of an updated Frequently Asked Questions, so please check back to the webpage for these updates.

People who cannot visit the webpage will still be able to share their thoughts and questions during this time. A printed summary of the exhibition material is available for those with limited access to the web.

The exhibitions will be open from 12 noon on Monday 10 May to 23:59 30 May.

For any queries email a40corridor@oxfordshire.gov.uk or call 01865 792422.