Woman becomes first Bulgarian to lead district council

A NEW leader of South Oxfordshire District Council has been chosen.

Councillor Maggie Filipova-Rivers, a Liberal Democrat and ward member for Goring, was unanimously elected unopposed at a meeting of the council on Thursday last week.

She succeeds Councillor David Rouane, who had been in the role since October 2021.

Cllr Filipova-Rivers said: “Councillor Rouane, our outgoing leader, has done an incredible job to get the council on a steadier financial footing, especially as local government finance is really difficult.

“It’s really incredible what we have achieved under Cllr Rouane’s leadership. I personally am really honoured to be in a position now to build on that work.

“I am slightly scared, I have to say. But, as we are going through such profound structural change in local government at the moment, our work is going to be really important over the next few months.

“I’m trying to find my way and hit the ground running.”

She also told of her pride at being the first Bulgarian to lead the council, adding that this was “pretty unique”.

Cllr Filipova-Rivers has served the council since 2019, when she was first elected, and joined the cabinet immediately, as deputy leader and portfolio holder for housing and communities.

She said: “Since 2019, the baptism of fire has never finished. When you’re on the council, you learn something new every day. You are challenged every day.

“I know this council, I love this council. I think local government can and should be a force for good, despite the challenges and pressures that exist.

“We have convening power, we can work in partnership, we have a platform and we do have resources to be able to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”

Cllr Filipova-Rivers said one of the biggest challenges she anticipates is national government wanting district and county councils to merge into one unitary body.

She said: “The challenge is to keep services like housing and social care from being impacted.

“These are services that support the most vulnerable in our communities. It’s ensuring that local government remains local.”

One of Cllr Filipova-Rivers’s proudest achievements on the council is gaining more “control” over public services.

She said: “We are, as an administration, not ideologically opposed to outsourcing where it makes sense.

“But we have reversed some of that and as a result, we believe that public services are more flexible, we’re able to provide them at a lower cost. That’s something we’re really proud of.”

Cllr Filipova-Rivers thanked Cllr Rouane for his “dedication and vision”. She said: “Cllr Rouane’s leadership has guided us through significant challenges and achievements, always with a focus on improving the lives of our residents and protecting our environment.

“We cannot promise that the world will become easier overnight, but we can promise to meet the challenges ahead with competence and compassion.

“My door will always be open to any councillor, officer or resident who wants to work together. We have an important few months ahead of us, and we can make them count.”

Cllr David Rouane, has previously served as the cabinet member for housing and environment for two-and-a-half years before that and will remain a councillor, serving Didcot North East.