Dream Oxford

On Sunday, at a hustings, candidates were invited to imagine their dream Oxford in 20 years' time. I struggle to imagine what a New Labour city might look like, and in a Tory city I can imagine you might want to pull Magdalen Bridge down and let the worlds of north and east Oxford drift apart. But a green Oxford . . that's easy!

How about (in no particular order):

> a quiet city without the roar of petrol and diesel engines

> . . . or the smell and air pollution

> a brilliant place to cycle, walk and get around by wheelchair/buggy. Reclaim the streets for kids. Maybe a tram system east-west and north-south.

> with no one in substandard accommodation, being ripped off by unscrupulous landlords or intimidated by neighbours

> thriving and varied grassroots cultural life of dance, music, poetry, theatre

> no commuters because everyone's able to find gainful employment and the shops and services they need within walking distance. Big local farmers' markets.

> no great disparities of wealth, with rich and poor moving in different worlds and never meeting

> perhaps our own Oxford currency so we can raise two fingers to the fairyland of the money system . . most people banking with the Oxford or Blackbird Leys Credit Unions

> open and transparent city and county government that puts genuine energy into building relationships with people, not imposing "consultations" on them; where at the click of a button people can see what their councillors are proposing and supporting (rather than being fed versions manipulated for party political ends)

> much stronger and better-attended Area Parliaments with a buzz about them, keeping the big players (including the City and County Councils themselves) in check

> the universities taking much more responsibility for their impact on East Oxford

> more rather than less green space, with the colleges granting better access to local residents (e.g. a cycle route into Oxford that doesn't have to go via the Plain/Magdalen Bridge . . .

> no corruption and bullying in local politics

> hydro power generation at Osney, Iffley, Wolvercote; attractive wind turbines to north, south, east and west rather than great ugly pylons striding across the view from Cumnor Hill

> a thriving hub of creative green technological innovation in small workshops and offices across the city (not dumped in green belt periphery)

> no one caught in the benefit trap - a Citizen's Income encouraging everyone to contribute to building a better city

> world-class palliative and end-of-life care for all who need it.

> the hospital wings and health centres, privatised under PFI, brought back into public ownership.

> a City of Sanctuary - a city that 'thinks global, acts local'

> so-called 'faith schools' teased away from the control of religious institutions (and private corporations) so that every school can be a 'school of faith and hope', and every parent, whether religious or not, can trust that their attempts to impart lasting values to their children won't be undermined by the school.

Where do I stop . . . . ?

I could go on . .