TIGHTER security measures at a council headquarters are making life more difficult for everyone, staff have said.

Oxfordshire County Council has tightened security at County Hall in Oxford following a series of protests both outside and inside the building against council cuts.

Where before members of public could walk the corridors freely to attend public council meetings and inquest hearings, now doors are locked and visitors can only get inside with a council chaperone.

One member of staff who asked not to be named told the Oxford Mail security had been tightened after a recent protest against county council cuts to children's centres where several protesting mothers went inside county hall and set up their own mock children's centre as part of their action.

The officer said: "It comes across as not a big deal, but it's massively affected us.

"Even some paid staff need to be escorted in now.

"County Hall is supposed to be open to the public, but if the doors are locked it's hardly public."

The county council denied the new measures had been prompted by the children's centre protests.

Spokesman Owen Morton said: "We are currently trialling some new arrangements to help manage access to parts of County Hall, including the Coroner’s Court, and to improve security for both staff and visitors.

"This is part of wider internal maintenance work at County Hall and has not been prompted by any specific incident – recent or otherwise. We will review arrangements in due course."