THE leader of Cotswold District Council has rubbished calls for his resignation after his vision for a council merger with West Oxfordshire was scrapped.

Last week Cotswold District Council announced it had abandoned joining the neighbouring district council after consultants Price Waterhouse Cooper said the plans were a waste of time and money.

Under the suggestions, the two councils would have traded under one banner, delivering most of its own services.

David Cameron had expressed an interest when the plans were first mooted in February.

But it was discovered through a feasibility study commissioned by cabinet members through PWC that complex legislation would make the move all but impossible without support from other public bodies.

A maximum of £25,000 was allocated in April with approval from members for the study, of which £4,000 was spent.

Now Liberal Democrats have challenged Cotswold District Council leader Cllr Lynden Stowe's decision-making and suggest he step down. Cllr Stowe branded the remarks as 'the usual Lib Dem nonsense'.

“It’s my job, as leader, to explore options that will deliver good council services at a low cost to Cotswold taxpayers," he said.

“It’s that challenge to existing structures that has saved Cotswold taxpayers more than £9million over the last eight years, protected all frontline services and allowed us to cut council tax.

“During that time Lib Dems have opposed virtually every efficiency measure. Wherever we seek out progress and improvement, the Lib Dems seek to undermine it.”

Liberal Democrat County Council Group Leader Cllr Paul Hodgkinson said:

“I’m very pleased that this mad idea for the Cotswolds to exit Gloucestershire County Council has been shelved. It had little support from residents and it has sadly wasted a lot of time and energy which should have been focused on delivering vital services. Some parish councils within my area had already written to Cotswold District Council expressing their opposition to the plans.”

“Given that this idea was cooked up behind closed doors by the Leader of CDC he should step down and make way for others who can repair the damaged relationships with other councils and public service providers in Gloucestershire. He has wasted our time and money on something which was not in his manifesto nor had been asked for by anyone."

Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown also voiced his approval the plans had been quashed.

He said: "I never thought this proposal had the potential to deliver effective and value for money local government services for my constituents. I am pleased that it has now been formally withdrawn.

"It is vital that we all now move forward in one direction to see if the devolution bid for the whole of Gloucestershire could deliver improved services, local government, policing, health services and economic development across the county,"

He also stated that a major flaw was that, legally, one council cannot cross two police force boundaries, in this case Gloucestershire and Thames Valley.

Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said the county could now concentrate on its devolution bid.

He said: “It’s great that Cotswold District Council recognises that the best deal for its residents is as part of Gloucestershire.

“We’ve been clear from the beginning that plans to cut up the county would push up costs for all taxpayers, and jeopardise services that people depend on.

“I look forward to Cotswold playing a full part in our campaign to get a great devolution deal for all of Gloucestershire, and I’m happy to see what I can do to help Cotswold District Council engage more effectively with the county’s LEP going forward.”