Your County Councillor
About Paul-Austin and Banbury Grimsbury & Castle
Paul-Austin Sargent is the elected Oxfordshire County Councillor for Banbury Grimsbury & Castle — representing the neighbourhoods of Grimsbury, Neithrop, Nethercote and the Ruscote Estate on Oxfordshire County Council.
A councillor who listens
Paul-Austin Sargent is the Oxfordshire County Councillor for Banbury Grimsbury and Castle. Elected to serve the communities of this division, he is committed to being an accessible, hard-working representative who puts residents first.
Campaigning for better roads, supporting local families, or holding the council to account on planning and environment, Paul-Austin brings energy and dedication to every issue he takes on.Paul-Austin is interested in gardening, country walks with his dog, Woody, sketching, going to the gym and fine dining.
Core Values
Accountability
Holding Oxfordshire County Council to account and ensuring decisions are made transparently and in the interests of local people.
Community first
Putting the needs of Banbury, Grimsbury and Castle residents at the heart of every decision, from highways to housing.
Accessibility
Being available to constituents — attending local events, holding surgeries, and responding to every enquiry personally.
Action
Not just raising issues but following them through — working with officers, partners and residents to get things done.
Oxfordshire County Council
As a County Councillor, Paul-Austin represents the Banbury Grimsbury and Castle Division on Oxfordshire County Council — the authority responsible for a wide range of services across the county. He attends full council meetings, scrutiny committees, and works directly with council officers to progress casework and local issues.Paul-Austin represents you if you live in Nethercote or in the following roads:
Alma Road, Beaulieu Close, Bluecoats Close, Brinkburn Grove, Broome Way, Brunswick Place, Calder Close, Canterbury Close, Castle Street, Causeway, Centre Street, Chandos Close, Cheney Road, Chetwode, Colville Walk, Compton Road, Coopers Gate, Cocklington Green, Cricketers Fields, Danesmoor, Daventry Road, Dean Close, Delapre Drive, Earlstoke Close, East Close, East Street, Edward Street, Evenlode, Fergusson Road, Fisher Close, Fowler Road, Fraser Close, Fulwell Close, Garden Close, Gibbs Road, Grimsbury Drive, Grimsbury Green, Grimsbury Square, Grimsbury Wharf, Hamilton Close, Higham Way, High Furlong, Howard Road, Levenot Close, Longelandes Way, Manor Road, Marshall Road, Meads Farm Lane, McKeevor Place, Merton Street, Middleton Road, Neithrop Avenue, North Street, Northcot Lane, Nursery Drive, Nursery Lane, Old Grimsbury Road, Padbury Drive, Parklands, Penhill Road, Portway, Princethorpe Drive, Priory Vale Road, Ruscote Avenue, Ruscote Square, School Lane, School View, South Street, Southam Road, Stanier Place, St Leonard's Road, Stroud Close, The Byeway, Verney Road, Victoria Place, Vineyard Close, Walton Gardens, Warwick Road, Waterloo Drive, Waterworks Road, Webb Close, Wellesley Close, Wellington Avenue, Westminster Way, West Street, Winchester Close, Windrush and Woodfield.
County council areas of responsibility
- Highways, roads and transport
- Planning and development
- Fire & Rescue
- Trading Standards
- Adult social care
- Children's social care
- Schools
- Libraries
- Family centres
- Waste management
- Health & wellbeing oversight
- Environment and countryside
- Community safety
- Broadband and digital infrastructure
- Flood risk management
- Quarrying and minerals extraction
- Economic development
- Licensing of hazardous sites
- Blue Badge Scheme
- Parking
Banbury Grimsbury & Castle Electoral Division
Focus areas
Paul-Austin has developed particular expertise and interest in three areas that he believes are central to the wellbeing of communities across Banbury and North Oxfordshire. Paul-Austin is the shadow portfolio holder for Public Health and Inequalities.
Public health
Championing preventative health measures and ensuring residents have access to the services and support they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives.Paul-Austin has recently championed mental wellbeing, cancer care and substance misuse.
Community safety
Working with police, partners and local organisations to make Banbury, Grimsbury and Castle safer places to live, work and raise a family. He is working with Trading Standards, Public Health, Fire & Rescue, Community Cohesion officials and NHS Trusts to champion less silo thinking and the delivery better, more responsive services.
Environment
Pushing for pragmatic policies, that protect our natural and built environment. He is determined to protect and enhance our green spaces and campaigns for local and national government to take its environmental responsibilities seriously for future generations. Paul-Austin has recently set up the Forest of Banbury project.
Scrutiny & regulation
Paul-Austin currently sits on the following committees, where he holds decision-makers to account and contributes to shaping policy across Oxfordshire and the wider region.Overview & Scrutiny Committees are fundamental in local government as their purpose is to review, monitor, and evaluate the decisions, policies, and performance of the executive and council officers. Their main role is to hold the council and its leadership to account by scrutinising plans before they are implemented, assessing the impact of decisions, and making recommendations for improvement. They also monitor the performance of services and can investigate local issues to help resolve problems and shape better policies for the community.Paul-Austin has chaired a number of Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council committees.
Planning and Regulation Committee
Core responsibilitiesMinerals and Waste: Acting as the local planning authority for quarrying, mineral extraction, and waste management sites across Oxfordshire.County Applications: Deciding on planning applications submitted directly by the county council (such as for schools, libraries, or new roads). Enforcement: Reviewing and deciding on formal legal actions against unauthorized developments or breaches of planning conditions related to minerals, waste, or county-owned sites
Oxfordshire Joint Health Scrutiny Committee
The Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee is a joint body involving multiple councils in Oxfordshire. It meets regularly to review and scrutinise health-related matters, including planning, provision, and operation of health services in the County.
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Joint Health Scrutiny Committee
The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (BOB HOSC) is a regional body consisting of 19 councillors that scrutinizes the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care System, reviewing regional health plans and cross-boundary patient services.
Rooted in Banbury
Paul-Austin is deeply connected to the communities he represents. He regularly attends local events, meets with community groups, and works alongside the Cherwell District Council and Banbury Town Council to ensure the voice of Banbury Grimsbury and Castle is heard at all levels of local government. He believes that good local government starts with listening — and that the best solutions come from working co-productively with organisations, businesses and residents.
Get in touch
Have a local issue or want to share your views? Paul-Austin wants to hear from you.