Oxfordshire has been awarded "City Deal" status by the Government following a joint bid from Councils and Business. The deal will mean greater spending powers at a local level and increased funding for the local economy. Oxfordshire is one of only 19 bids to have been awarded this stated. Government have backed the plans because of the huge potential of our knowledge based economy and contribution to the national economy, especially in Science Vale. The Vale of White Horse District Council will now begin to work with other local Councils to develop the proposal to explore precisely how we can achieve our economic potential. Cllr Matthew Barber, Leader of the Vale said, "This is fantastic news for Oxfordshire. It is a great example of what can be achieved by local councils working in partnership, and it will give us greater local control over how money is spent by national agencies. One of the major improvements that we are seeking will be to address the transport bottlenecks across the county which are barriers to growth."