Cllr Ruth Smith
@labourruth.bsky.social
Councillor on WODC and WTC. Leader, Witney Town Council. Witney East ward. Fairness, climate, sewerage, active travel. Labour & Co-operative. Happy to interact here. Please email me at my cllr address for casework.
But I cannot get behind any redefinition of seeking asylum in the UK.
We need swift and good processes, decent residential welcome centres and onwards housing (build it!) and a system built on dignity not trauma. *Immigration must be discussed and solved separately from asylum.*
We need swift and good processes, decent residential welcome centres and onwards housing (build it!) and a system built on dignity not trauma. *Immigration must be discussed and solved separately from asylum.*
November 16, 2025 at 9:45 AM
But I cannot get behind any redefinition of seeking asylum in the UK.
We need swift and good processes, decent residential welcome centres and onwards housing (build it!) and a system built on dignity not trauma. *Immigration must be discussed and solved separately from asylum.*
We need swift and good processes, decent residential welcome centres and onwards housing (build it!) and a system built on dignity not trauma. *Immigration must be discussed and solved separately from asylum.*
Sometimes the good news just doesn't get past the dispiriting headlines. 🎭 Opportunities in the arts. 🍿👨🎤🎸Good thing!
Keir Starmer: "I want to build a Britain where every young person has the chance to succeed by doing what they love.
That’s why we're expanding the Creative Futures programme, supporting young people into careers in the arts.
Opening doors to jobs in music, theatre, broadcasting and more."
That’s why we're expanding the Creative Futures programme, supporting young people into careers in the arts.
Opening doors to jobs in music, theatre, broadcasting and more."
November 16, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Sometimes the good news just doesn't get past the dispiriting headlines. 🎭 Opportunities in the arts. 🍿👨🎤🎸Good thing!
Reposted by Cllr Ruth Smith
ICYMI yesterday, our hacks to beat the congestion charge. You'll never believe number 12!
(Are we doing it right?)
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
(Are we doing it right?)
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
Twelve easy hacks to beat Oxford’s congestion charge
Don't want to pay? We got you. Here's the tea on how you can avoid the congestion charge entirely, and still visit all your favourite places in the city centre. Here's the official website, but our ha...
oxfordclarion.uk
November 7, 2025 at 7:22 AM
ICYMI yesterday, our hacks to beat the congestion charge. You'll never believe number 12!
(Are we doing it right?)
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
(Are we doing it right?)
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
I am in Derby today, under my own steam, for the @publicissues.bsky.social Joint public Issues Team conference, For Goodness Sake #ForGood25 about social justice and action. I am keen to learn more about the Constituency Action Network jpit.uk/can
November 8, 2025 at 11:34 AM
I am in Derby today, under my own steam, for the @publicissues.bsky.social Joint public Issues Team conference, For Goodness Sake #ForGood25 about social justice and action. I am keen to learn more about the Constituency Action Network jpit.uk/can
It's West Oxfordshire District Council today. We are just finishing our preparatory meetings. You can watch the public meeting here westoxon.public-i.tv/core/portal/...
I have a motion asking for Work Experience to be promoted better within West Oxfordshire,
I have a motion asking for Work Experience to be promoted better within West Oxfordshire,
Home - West Oxfordshire District Council streaming
Home - West Oxfordshire District Council streaming
westoxon.public-i.tv
October 1, 2025 at 12:27 PM
It's West Oxfordshire District Council today. We are just finishing our preparatory meetings. You can watch the public meeting here westoxon.public-i.tv/core/portal/...
I have a motion asking for Work Experience to be promoted better within West Oxfordshire,
I have a motion asking for Work Experience to be promoted better within West Oxfordshire,
It's the last day of Witney Feast 2025. Nice write up in the Oxford Mail.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2546790...
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2546790...
Oxfordshire's biggest funfair draws large crowds despite 'atrocious' weather
The funfair - which dates back 800 years and is Oxfordshire's biggest - opened to large crowds who braved the 'atrocious' weather.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk
September 16, 2025 at 10:08 AM
It's the last day of Witney Feast 2025. Nice write up in the Oxford Mail.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2546790...
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2546790...
The Gallopers Service to bless the Feast is earlier this year - today it's at around 12:45pm at the carousel. There will be a procession from the church you can join in or meet on the field. And the fair opens today!
September 14, 2025 at 9:25 AM
The Gallopers Service to bless the Feast is earlier this year - today it's at around 12:45pm at the carousel. There will be a procession from the church you can join in or meet on the field. And the fair opens today!
This is an excellent analysis of the "flag" situation.
It's a blog post designed for school leaders but explains what is going on in terms we can all understand. And gives some helpful talking points for all of us, whatever our current standpoint.
www.thebelongingeffect.co.uk/flags-when-p...
It's a blog post designed for school leaders but explains what is going on in terms we can all understand. And gives some helpful talking points for all of us, whatever our current standpoint.
www.thebelongingeffect.co.uk/flags-when-p...
Flags: When Patriotism Becomes Politics | Belonging Effect
We have all seen them. Driving up the motorway, crossing a roundabout in town, suddenly there it is: the Union Jack, or the red-and-white St George’s Cross.
www.thebelongingeffect.co.uk
September 7, 2025 at 3:12 PM
This is an excellent analysis of the "flag" situation.
It's a blog post designed for school leaders but explains what is going on in terms we can all understand. And gives some helpful talking points for all of us, whatever our current standpoint.
www.thebelongingeffect.co.uk/flags-when-p...
It's a blog post designed for school leaders but explains what is going on in terms we can all understand. And gives some helpful talking points for all of us, whatever our current standpoint.
www.thebelongingeffect.co.uk/flags-when-p...
Yes! That's my mayor! So lucky to be working with a mayor with such heart and professional experience.
Andy Bailey piece at @labourlist.bsky.social
labourlist.org/2025/09/refu...
Andy Bailey piece at @labourlist.bsky.social
labourlist.org/2025/09/refu...
'Supporting refugees doesn't come at the expense of tackling poverty' - LabourList
Welcoming refugees and tackling poverty at home are not competing goals. They go hand in hand.
labourlist.org
September 5, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Yes! That's my mayor! So lucky to be working with a mayor with such heart and professional experience.
Andy Bailey piece at @labourlist.bsky.social
labourlist.org/2025/09/refu...
Andy Bailey piece at @labourlist.bsky.social
labourlist.org/2025/09/refu...
The safest place for fossil fuels is in the seabed/ground. They have caused enough harm already. Anyone who wants to extract more of them and burn them has no interest in solving the planet's problem, just in lazy and irresponsible short-termism. 🌍🌎🌏🌡️🙏
August 31, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The safest place for fossil fuels is in the seabed/ground. They have caused enough harm already. Anyone who wants to extract more of them and burn them has no interest in solving the planet's problem, just in lazy and irresponsible short-termism. 🌍🌎🌏🌡️🙏
Date for your Sept diary - Wed 3rd, 6-8pm, Corn Ex, Witney Bus Users Meeting. This was a huge success last year. Come and feed into the continued improvement of bus services.
August 7, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Date for your Sept diary - Wed 3rd, 6-8pm, Corn Ex, Witney Bus Users Meeting. This was a huge success last year. Come and feed into the continued improvement of bus services.
"Pro-immigration counter-protesters approached by the BBC declined to speak."
1) Not necessarily pro-immigration, rather, pro-treating people well.
2) SPEAK! Change the narrative. 🤦♂️
Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel in Norwich area.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
1) Not necessarily pro-immigration, rather, pro-treating people well.
2) SPEAK! Change the narrative. 🤦♂️
Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel in Norwich area.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel in Norwich area
A BBC reporter at the scene says the demonstration was largely peaceful, but noisy.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 26, 2025 at 8:17 PM
"Pro-immigration counter-protesters approached by the BBC declined to speak."
1) Not necessarily pro-immigration, rather, pro-treating people well.
2) SPEAK! Change the narrative. 🤦♂️
Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel in Norwich area.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
1) Not necessarily pro-immigration, rather, pro-treating people well.
2) SPEAK! Change the narrative. 🤦♂️
Hundreds of protesters gather at asylum hotel in Norwich area.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I am at WODC Council discussing decarbonisation of the Windrush Leisure centre - committing the funds required. It's a £2m project funded 75% from government. It's soo worth it! Even for our love-hate 50 year old building. It will bring centre emissions down 60%!
July 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I am at WODC Council discussing decarbonisation of the Windrush Leisure centre - committing the funds required. It's a £2m project funded 75% from government. It's soo worth it! Even for our love-hate 50 year old building. It will bring centre emissions down 60%!
Tuesday 22 July: Witney Corn Exchange, 2-8pm
Consultation event on the *policy* sections of the 2041 Local Plan, the plan that controls planning applications and other development of our area for the coming years.
See more online - yourvoice.westoxon.gov.uk/en-GB/folder...
Consultation event on the *policy* sections of the 2041 Local Plan, the plan that controls planning applications and other development of our area for the coming years.
See more online - yourvoice.westoxon.gov.uk/en-GB/folder...
yourvoice.westoxon.gov.uk
July 16, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Tuesday 22 July: Witney Corn Exchange, 2-8pm
Consultation event on the *policy* sections of the 2041 Local Plan, the plan that controls planning applications and other development of our area for the coming years.
See more online - yourvoice.westoxon.gov.uk/en-GB/folder...
Consultation event on the *policy* sections of the 2041 Local Plan, the plan that controls planning applications and other development of our area for the coming years.
See more online - yourvoice.westoxon.gov.uk/en-GB/folder...
These are the MPs who think organisations proscribed by the terrorism act should actually be terrorist organisations.
votes.parliament.uk/votes/common...
votes.parliament.uk/votes/common...
Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025 - Commons' votes in Parliament - UK Parliament
Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025
votes.parliament.uk
July 5, 2025 at 12:38 PM
These are the MPs who think organisations proscribed by the terrorism act should actually be terrorist organisations.
votes.parliament.uk/votes/common...
votes.parliament.uk/votes/common...
First female chancellor. We cry. No Biggie. It's a healthy response to pressure, frustration, disappointment and nastiness. Thatcher and May cried. Why the surprise today? www.independent.co.uk/voices/there...
Opinion: Theresa May finally did something for women in her resignation speech
This isn’t about forgiveness. And it isn’t about a woman ‘finally cracking up’, either
www.independent.co.uk
July 2, 2025 at 10:11 PM
First female chancellor. We cry. No Biggie. It's a healthy response to pressure, frustration, disappointment and nastiness. Thatcher and May cried. Why the surprise today? www.independent.co.uk/voices/there...
Reposted by Cllr Ruth Smith
This is HUGE
Biggest game in town for decarbonising the historic city centre & beyond
Biggest game in town for decarbonising the historic city centre & beyond
A low-carbon heat network for Oxford could provide alternative energy for the city’s historic buildings which, according to the City Council, are “incredibly hard to decarbonise without considerable cost or heritage impact”. Developer 1Energy has won £21m of Government funding for the project.
June 10, 2025 at 10:04 AM
This is HUGE
Biggest game in town for decarbonising the historic city centre & beyond
Biggest game in town for decarbonising the historic city centre & beyond
Reposted by Cllr Ruth Smith
Counterpoint: new Public First research shows every UK resident working adult (on a full time equivalent basis) is £466 a year better off on average as a result of international students. So let’s just publicise that instead of levying them
www.publicfirst.co.uk/calculating-...
www.publicfirst.co.uk/calculating-...
June 24, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Counterpoint: new Public First research shows every UK resident working adult (on a full time equivalent basis) is £466 a year better off on average as a result of international students. So let’s just publicise that instead of levying them
www.publicfirst.co.uk/calculating-...
www.publicfirst.co.uk/calculating-...
Had to. Nobody wants to see that.
But let's hope there's real funding, investment and debt cancellation soon, otherwise it's just another movement of the cliff edge.
But let's hope there's real funding, investment and debt cancellation soon, otherwise it's just another movement of the cliff edge.
The government has announced that it will extend the statutory override that allows local authorities to keep their SEND spending deficits off their books
SEND: Government extends councils’ statutory override
Announcing a ‘phased transition process’ to reform the SEND system, the government will extend the mechanism that allows councils to keep their high-needs spending deficits off their books
www.tes.com
June 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Had to. Nobody wants to see that.
But let's hope there's real funding, investment and debt cancellation soon, otherwise it's just another movement of the cliff edge.
But let's hope there's real funding, investment and debt cancellation soon, otherwise it's just another movement of the cliff edge.
"Jimmy Shannon said he felt he had been prevented from speaking on behalf of disabled residents" That's an important factor - dissent must be allowed. For better policy.
BBC News - Labour loses control of Cheshire council after councillors resign - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - Labour loses control of Cheshire council after councillors resign - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Labour loses control of Cheshire council after councillors resign
No party has a majority on Cheshire West and Chester Council after two councillors leave the party.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 16, 2025 at 4:36 PM
"Jimmy Shannon said he felt he had been prevented from speaking on behalf of disabled residents" That's an important factor - dissent must be allowed. For better policy.
BBC News - Labour loses control of Cheshire council after councillors resign - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - Labour loses control of Cheshire council after councillors resign - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Cllr Ruth Smith
In the Thames Valley and wanting to celebrate @refugeeweek.bsky.social? Take a look at our list of events around the area - so many wonderful opportunities to celebrate refugees and the power of community. www.ccow.org.uk/events/
@refugeestogether.bsky.social @ctbi.bsky.social
@refugeestogether.bsky.social @ctbi.bsky.social
June 14, 2025 at 3:47 AM
In the Thames Valley and wanting to celebrate @refugeeweek.bsky.social? Take a look at our list of events around the area - so many wonderful opportunities to celebrate refugees and the power of community. www.ccow.org.uk/events/
@refugeestogether.bsky.social @ctbi.bsky.social
@refugeestogether.bsky.social @ctbi.bsky.social
TONIGHT! Première of a Witney film student's feature film - Los Banditos of Ducklington Lake. Shot in Witney. One night only. £5. Buy tickets here.
www.cornexchangewitney.org.uk/event/los-ba...
www.cornexchangewitney.org.uk/event/los-ba...
LOS BANDITOS! Exclusive Premiere Screening - Corn Exchange Witney
LOS BANDITOS! OF DUCKLINGTON LAKE (2025) THEY’RE THE FARMOOR RESERVOIR DOGS! Reluctant spy-wannabe Thomas Kitt is forced to team up with an American agent when an illegal real estate plot threatens th...
www.cornexchangewitney.org.uk
June 13, 2025 at 2:59 PM
TONIGHT! Première of a Witney film student's feature film - Los Banditos of Ducklington Lake. Shot in Witney. One night only. £5. Buy tickets here.
www.cornexchangewitney.org.uk/event/los-ba...
www.cornexchangewitney.org.uk/event/los-ba...
Theologian, Walter Brueggemann, died this week at 92. This blog post from Feb hits home in the public realm. An uncomfortable contrast of awakening vs woke, where none of us come out as the good guys.
This one pulls no punches.
Clanging bell of a symbolic capitalist (more of us than we care to admit - they order from Amazon, demand bike lanes and light rapid transit and nice parks....), or motivated by love?
churchanew.org/brueggemann/...
Clanging bell of a symbolic capitalist (more of us than we care to admit - they order from Amazon, demand bike lanes and light rapid transit and nice parks....), or motivated by love?
churchanew.org/brueggemann/...
Wake/Woke — Church Anew
To be “awakened” is to be able to recognize that our best certitudes are displaced and negated by the order of God’s love in and for the world.
churchanew.org
June 8, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Theologian, Walter Brueggemann, died this week at 92. This blog post from Feb hits home in the public realm. An uncomfortable contrast of awakening vs woke, where none of us come out as the good guys.