‘Oxfordshire deserves better’ amid leadership ‘farce’

The meeting was held to elect a new leader, a week after an annual meeting where the 2026/27 cabinet was announced only to be thrown into flux again hours later by the resignation of Liz Leffman.

New Liberal Democrat group leader, Tim Bearder, has now been elected as council boss, but before that, councillors from across the political spectrum slammed the administration for the uncertain position the authority had been left in amid multiple cabinet reshuffles.

Ms Leffman served a five-year term as leader, guiding the authority since May 2021 in a Liberal Democrats, Greens and Labour Party coalition called the ‘Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance’.

She continued into majority administration following the 2025 election, and most recently in a minority following resignations in recent weeks.

Tributes have been paid to her time in post, but at Wednesday morning’s meeting, councillors shared their disappointment about the circumstances surrounding her resignation, with several calling for an apology.

Liz Brighouse (Labour group leader) said she had “never, ever, ever experienced anything like this before” in her 30 years as a councillor.

She said the timing of the resignation left council officers in a “totally untenable position” and the authority in a “shambles”.

Ms Brighouse added: “I find it absolutely despicable that democracy has been treated in the way it has been treated here.”

She called the situation a “farce”, which prompted laughter from the newly appointed transport boss, Gareth Epps (Lib Dem).

Oxfordshire County Council annual meeting, May 12 2026 (Image: Isabella Harris/NQ)

Liam Walker (Conservative group leader) said: “This situation demonstrates a complete disregard to fellow councillors for council tax payers and for Oxfordshire County Council itself.

“So today we gather not because of the necessity for the county but because of the internal instability and political mismanagement of the Liberal Democrats.”

He added: “They’re dropping like flies.”

Emma Garnett (Green) wants a report to find out how the situation came about.

She thanked Ms Leffman for her leadership but criticised the short notice of the meeting, saying “one of our colleagues is literally undergoing cancer treatment and has had to come in from Banbury to have a democratic say in this”.

Ms Leffman stated: “It is my choice, entirely my choice to stand down.”

Extraordinary meeting of Oxfordshire County Council May 20 (Image: Isabella Harris/NQ)

Leader of Oxfordshire County Council Liz Leffman (Image: NQ)

She said she had decided “some time ago” as she will not be standing in the 2027 elections.

Ms Leffman also took a swipe at councillors criticising the timetable of her departure, saying: “It was quite entertaining to hear both the Conservatives and Labour criticising us for having to manage our leadership”.

Reflecting on her time as leader, she said: “I have not only had an extremely exciting five years, learning much more than I ever imagined I would know about this county, but also seen some quite remarkable changes since we started as an administration in 2021.”