A DISTRICT council has launched a campaign to stop Oxfordshire County Council's plans to create a unitary authority.

West Oxfordshire District Council has launched its Too Good to Lose campaign, stating that local services are at risk by the plans to disband the six district councils in Oxfordshire.

Councillor Carol Reynolds, cabinet member for car parking and transport, said: "The message from residents and businesses in West Oxfordshire is clear, they do not want to lose essential benefits such as free parking and low council tax which we have provided for many years.

"A remote single authority would not address local needs and our businesses and communities would suffer as a result."

Oxfordshire County Council is promoting ideas for the creation of a single unitary authority, One Oxfordshire and the campaign has been criticised by some local businesses.

Becs Hinds, who owns the Eden Café on Wesley Walk, Witney, said: “I have had excellent support from West Oxfordshire District Council, there is always someone to talk to who understands the town and I think we would lose that service if the county took over.

“There are a good number of independent businesses in Witney and they really benefit from free parking as customers have more time and so enjoy a better experience."

An Oxfordshire County Council statement said: "Running six councils is wasteful and inefficient.

"It costs £400k per week to run six councils, money which would be saved by creating one new council for the whole of Oxfordshire.

"That money saved could be spent on frontline services and keeping council tax down, not council bureaucracy.

"Without change, important local services could be reduced and some may be cut altogether."

The council added that One Oxfordshire would be responsible for 80 percent of the funds, with 20 percent devolved to newly formed area boards made up of local councillors elected to the new council, which would likely include free parking.

The council has described some of the claims made about the authority as 'myths' and has written an article in an effort to set the record straight at http://www.oneoxfordshire.org/myth-buster