A COUNCILLOR is back home safely after having a heart attack.

Anthony Church, parish councillor for Northfield Brook, and could not make the monthly Blackbird Leys Parish Council meeting last week after the illness.

Parish Council Clerk Emma Kearney said: "I received an apology from Anthony Church.

"He had sadly had a heart attack and he is quite unwell, so he said to let you know.

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"He is hoping to be well enough for the planning meeting.

"He was in the JR on Saturday night, but he is out now.

"He has read everything for the meeting, and phoned me up, but I said I think you should give your apologies for this meeting.

"He enjoys the parish council stuff so much, so if anyone did want to give him a call and wish him well or send him an email that would be quite nice."

The monthly meeting discussed a range of issues, with a large part of the time being focused on the £100 million regeneration project planned to take place in Blackbird Leys.

One resident at the meeting said he was concerned about the number of new residents that would be living in the new flats, which would result in the loss of community space. Read more here: Who gets 'priority' in new Blackbird Leys development?

He said: "We understand the need for housing in Oxford, you can’t fail to spot that, but it does seem that this estate is asked to bear a large burden and I’d ask what are we getting for it? We get a reduced community space.

"There is something about this being done to us, rather than done for us."