The council has been asking government to provide the evidence and analysis that informed its minded-to decision in July to create three unitary councils across this area. In the absence of a response, the county council has now formally issued a pre-action protocol letter that provides the legal basis for requesting the evidence and documents underpinning the government’s decision-making.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, shares his thoughts in the video above.

In September, the government announced a pause to review its minded-to decisions on LGR. The government is yet to update on the scope or timetable for this. The county council remains ready to engage constructively with the government on the review.

Its priority remains to secure future local government arrangements that protect vital services, are financially sustainable and deliver the best outcome for its communities.

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A gate has been installed at the Bayswater Road end of Shepherd's Pit Lane, in the parish of Stanton St John, with the aim of creating safer and more attractive routes for people walking, wheeling, cycling and horse riding, by reducing the impact of motor traffic.

Access will be maintained for residents, farmers, landowners, businesses and emergency services, with other through-traffic routed along the B4027 Wheatley Road and Bayswater Road, which was already the most direct way.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Quiet lanes are part of our commitment to making roads safer and encouraging sustainable travel. By removing through traffic, quiet lanes can reduce vehicle numbers and speeds, lower the risk and severity of collisions, and make minor roads feel calmer and safer for people who walk, cycle, wheel and ride horses.

“The Shepherd’s Pit Lane quiet lane was developed following local concerns about road safety and through engagement with the local community. It will now be trialed using the same locally led and evidence-based approach that will be applied to future quiet lane schemes across Oxfordshire.

“This trial is an opportunity to see how a ‘fully filtered’ quiet lane works in practice, gather feedback from local people and collect robust evidence before any decisions are made about its future. I would encourage anyone with an interest in the trial to share their views.”

The consultation will run for at least six months with the trial set to run for at least a year.

The Shepherd's Pit Lane trial is the first to be delivered through the council's new countywide quiet lanes policy and pilot programme, approved in May 2026.

As part of this policy, gates or bollards will be used in quiet lane trials, reflecting updated evidence that signage only lanes do not reduce traffic or speed enough to improve safety.

The Shepherd's Pit Lane trial was developed in response to local concerns about road safety and limited opportunities for safe walking and cycling between Stanton St John village and Oxford. It has been shaped by local engagement carried out during 2025 and 2026, including discussions with village residents, landowners and the parish council.

Throughout the trial, the council will monitor the scheme and gather evidence, including consultation feedback and monitoring data. At the end of the experimental period, the Cabinet Member will make a public decision on whether the measures should remain in place, be amended or removed.

Scheme information and the consultation survey are available on the county council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s Talk Oxfordshire.

ENDS

Notes to editors

· Visit the consultation webpage:

letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/shepherdspitlane_quiet_experiment2026

· The consultation survey will be open for at least the first six months of the trial, which will last for at least 12 months and a maximum of 18 months.

· The restriction is a locked gate with a 1.7m gap to allow people walking, wheeling, cycling and horse riding to pass through at all times. The restriction is located at the Bayswater Road end of Shepherd's Pit Lane and includes verge protection measures and signage. A reduced speed limit of 20 miles per hour is also in place.

· The measures will be implemented using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), where they can be tested in place. ETROs are used when it is difficult to assess the impacts of a scheme beforehand, but the cost of implementation is relatively low. At the end of the six-month period, the council assesses the impacts, including any letters of support or objections, and decides whether to confirm, cancel or extend the ETRO for up to 12 months longer (18 months in total) to allow further consultation and monitoring.

· Traffic surveys were undertaken in October 2025 and will be repeated as part of the monitoring process. During the trial, the council will monitor traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, road safety outcomes and local feedback.

· Oxfordshire County Council's new programme, approved by cabinet in May 2026, will pilot up to ten quiet lanes across the county using a consistent assessment, consultation and monitoring process. The county council continues to assess other applications before confirming which other pilot sites will go ahead.

· Oxfordshire's quiet lanes policy uses filtering rather than signage alone because evidence reviewed by the council, including Department for Transport evaluations and findings from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), found that sign-only quiet lanes generally deliver little or no reduction in traffic volumes or vehicle speeds. The evidence indicates that reducing through traffic is necessary to achieve meaningful safety, accessibility and active travel benefits.

· Learn more about quiet lanes by visiting our website: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/quiet-lanes-programme

The programme examined historical cases of child sexual exploitation in Oxford, including those connected to Operation Bullfinch.

A Serious Case Review conducted following Operation Bullfinch identified significant failings in the way agencies responded at the time. Oxfordshire County Council accepted the findings of that review and apologised for those failings.

The review led to significant changes across Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Police, health partners and safeguarding agencies. By the time the Serious Case Review was published in 2015, it reported that its key recommendations had already been implemented. 

Changes were made to strengthen safeguarding arrangements, improve multi-agency working, ensure that children and young people were listened to, and enhance the identification of and response to child sexual exploitation.

Protecting children remains our highest priority. Children's services in Oxfordshire have been inspected by Ofsted on multiple occasions over the past 12 years and have consistently been rated ‘Good’, with inspectors recognising effective partnership working and positive practice in safeguarding children, including the response to child sexual exploitation.

Today's safeguarding arrangements are very different from those that existed during the period covered by the programme. The council works closely with police, health partners, schools and voluntary sector organisations to protect vulnerable children and young people, support victims and survivors, and help bring perpetrators to justice.

We recognise that the programme may be difficult and upsetting for victims, survivors, their families and others affected by child sexual exploitation. We remain committed to listening to victims and survivors, supporting our safeguarding partners, and continuing to do everything possible to keep children and young people safe.

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Councillor Neil Fawcett, the Deputy Leader of the county council sent the letter of objection to the government setting out a range of serious concerns about the proposals at the MOD Bicester Site A,

The Home Office first announced the plan in the summer – giving local authorities less than 24 hours’ notice and with no prior engagement with local residents or partners.

In the letter Councillor Fawcett said: “This application gives limited consideration to the impact on nearby communities, despite acknowledging possible anxiety, protest, demonstration or disorder associated with a non-detained site.

“The proximity to the Buckinghamshire border also gives the proposals wider impact. Thames Valley Police, who have already had to engage with tensions before construction has begun, should be provided with additional financial support to keep people safe.

“The council has not seen a sufficiently developed community engagement plan from government to prevent and respond to misinformation and community tensions. Decisions of this scale must be developed transparently and in genuine partnership with local communities, which has not happened here.”

The letter raises objections including:

• Poor connections to surrounding settlements and lack of access to buses, footways, cycleways and street lighting
• Unresolved questions about flood risk, land contamination, wildfire, hazardous materials and risks relating to fire protection between temporary accommodation units.
• The lack of locally agreed arrangements for disease prevention and outbreak management alongside greater clarity on vaccination, prescribing, isolation capacity, contact tracing, room and occupancy and the availability of spare rooms should there be an outbreak.
• Questions about whether shared modular accommodation can remain safe and suitable during increasingly extreme temperatures.
• Insufficient detail on mental health support and privacy for people experiencing poor mental wellbeing or post traumatic stress
• The lack of clarity about the range, capacity and quality of welfare and health services that will be provided on the site nor how adult social care, safeguarding, public health, fire and rescue, hospitals, transport and other local services would be assessed, funded and mitigated – with the same concern applying to local voluntary and community organisations.

Oxfordshire County Council has “Council of Sanctuary” status, which involves a commitment to ensuring that anyone placed in the county by the Home Office is treated with basic dignity and humanity. The letter to government concludes: “Supporting people in need and standing alongside local communities are not mutually exclusive. A responsible accommodation policy must do both. In the council’s view this proposal does neither.”

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Eleven on-street sites in Berinsfield, Burford, Henley-on-Thames, Kidlington and Oxford were given the go-ahead at an Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member decision meeting on Thursday 3 September.

These sites are being delivered by the county council through a £4 million government funded programme to install more than 1,500 public chargers of different types by summer 2028. Most sites in the overall programme will be in off-street car parks, with the remainder on street.

Seven other on-street sites across Oxford, Shrivenham, Witney and Bampton were deferred, to allow time for more engagement and site assessment work.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Approving these first sites marks an important step in making electric vehicle charging more widely available across Oxfordshire.

“There is more work to do before some sites can move forward, but we need to achieve a balance between ensuring residents without EVs can continue to park and access essential amenities and providing a public charger service that encourages EV take-up.

“Reliable public charging is essential if people are to have the confidence to switch to electric vehicles. This is particularly important for residents without driveways and for rural and underserved communities, so that nobody is left behind.”

When finished, the programme will more than double the number of currently available public EV chargers in Oxfordshire ahead of 2030 when no new petrol or diesel vehicles can be sold in the UK.

The Oxfordshire EV infrastructure programme involves four strands of work:

• providing public chargers in council-owned car parks
• providing public on-street chargers
• allowing residents to apply for EV cable channels outside their homes
• and working with town and parish councils to install EV charging microhubs at community facilities.

The programme is designed to help the estimated 30 per cent of Oxfordshire residents who do not have a driveway or private off-street parking where they could charge an EV.

More than 700 responses were received during a formal traffic regulation order consultation on the first 18 on-street sites, held from 8 July to 7 August 2026. The council considered concerns about parking pressure, footway space, and the appearance of equipment in conservation areas before the decisions were made.

The network is intended to be reliable, easy to use and contactless. Most on-street units will be standard 7.4kW chargers so that residents without home chargers can charge their EVs at discounted energy rates while parked for several hours or overnight. There will also be a smaller number of rapid 50kw+ chargers installed in strategic locations and where the electrical supply allows.

Future proposed charger sites are still being assessed to make sure they are suitable, practical and carefully planned. This includes checking the detailed design, technical feasibility and electrical connections before any final decisions are made.

For more information about this release contact Oxfordshire County Council’s communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Notes to editors

• In Oxford, Binsey Lane, Cowley Road, Hamilton Road, and Whitehouse Road/Salter Close were approved, with Hockmore Street, Water Eaton Road and Cuddesdon Way approved pending additional work to establish that a minimum of 1.5 metres of space is left clear on the footway when equipment is installed.
• The Cuddesdon Way site is also dependent on whether an alternative off-street site can be delivered instead.
• Latimer Road was deferred to allow for further consideration of wider parking changes in the area and pending the council being unable to find better supported alternative local sites.
• The Phelps site in Kidlington was approved pending the council being unable to find better supported alternative local sites.
• Sites in Shrivenham, Witney and Bampton were deferred to allow for more local engagement.
• EV parking spaces proposed for Deddington will be decided upon at an October cabinet member decision meeting.
• EV parking spaces proposed for Carterton and Eynsham will not go ahead at this time.
• Installation of approved sites remains subject to detailed design, technical feasibility and electrical connection work.
• Connected Kerb is a partner investor in the programme and will install and operate on-street chargers, as well as chargers at Oxfordshire County Council park and ride sites and other county council car parks.
• Bicester firm EZ-Charge will install and operate charging hubs in participating city and district council car parks.

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All but the most westerly stretches of Oxfordshire were previously included in this warning. The Met Office extended this further west to cover the whole county and beyond.

Weather forecasts

The Met Office issues weather warnings when severe weather is expected. These give an indication of problematic weather that may be on its way to Oxfordshire

Advice in hot weather

The government provides the following advice on how to stay safe during hot weather. Anyone can become unwell if they get too hot. However, some people are at higher risk.

It is important to follow this guidance so that you are prepared for hot weather and can take action to cool yourself and your home. The NHS offers additional advice .

Heatwaves may increase the likelihood of seizures in people with epilepsy. The Epilepsy Society has some useful information on managing epilepsy during heat.

Water safety advice in hot weather

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has water safety advice related to avoiding getting into difficulty in the county’s waterways during the hot weather.

Road and driving conditions

If any roads are affected during this period of extreme heat they will be listed on our road closures in severe weather webpage. National Highways are offering travel advice in hot weather.

Advice from district councils

This includes information on work undertaken with the homeless.

• Vale of White Horse District Council

• South Oxfordshire District Council

• Oxford City Council

• Cherwell District Council

Thames Water incidents

Thames Water regularly updates its list of water related incidents in the region.

Power outages

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks list power outages at any one moment.  You can zoom in and out of the map on this page or search by postcode.

As well as improving bus travel in the town, where congestion has historically affected journeys, the changes make it easier for people to walk to bus stops, shops, businesses and the rail station.

Oxfordshire County Council’s project, funded through the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan programme, provides a longer running lane along Cherwell Street and optimised traffic signals at the George Street and Bridge Street junctions.

Pedestrian crossings have also been improved and nearby drainage and gully infrastructure cleaned.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Connectivity, said: “I’m delighted that work on the Cherwell Street improvement project is now complete on time and that people can begin to experience the benefits it will bring. I’d like to thank residents, businesses and everyone who uses this route for their patience during construction.

“Cherwell Street is a main gateway into Banbury town centre and an important route for local bus services. These improvements will help buses move through the area more efficiently, improving reliability for passengers and helping make public transport a more attractive choice.

“The project has also delivered safer and more accessible pedestrian crossings, making it easier for people to get around the town centre and connect with local shops, services and Banbury station.

“These improvements are an important part of our wider commitment to creating a transport network that is safer, more reliable and supports sustainable travel across Oxfordshire.”

Construction started in January 2026.

Surfacing and road lining works finished on 17 July, and the new permanent traffic signals have just been tested and installed.

The Cherwell Street scheme forms part of the council’s wider commitment to creating a healthier, more accessible and attractive county where journeys are quicker, more connected, more flexible and more reliable.

Ends

Notes to editors

The Cherwell Street bus service improvement project focused on Cherwell Street, between the George Street and Bridge Street junctions, and the Bridge Street and George Street junctions themselves.

The completed project includes:

· a longer running lane along Cherwell Street for left-turning vehicles, including buses, travelling north-bound into Bridge Street (west)

· optimised traffic signals at the George Street and Bridge Street junctions to reduce delay for buses and cars

· improved pedestrian facilities with new, safer, and more direct crossings

· and lining and signing work to improve traffic flow, safety, and overall road user experience.

The project is largely funded by the Department for Transport's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) programme and improvements to bus service reliability and journey times were core requirements.

Additional money from local developers (known as Section 106 contributions) funded crossing facility and signal improvements at the Bridge Street junction.

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The Department for Transport has confirmed personal injury collision and casualty statistics for Great Britain. The trends are very encouraging for Oxfordshire.

Analysis of the data indicates that people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on Oxfordshire’s roads fell by around 18 per cent compared with the previous year. Across the Thames Valley area as a whole, KSIs appear to have increased by approximately 20 per cent over the same period.

The KSI measure is generally regarded as the most robust indicator within the provisional dataset because serious and fatal collisions are more consistently reported and recorded than lower-level incidents.

In February 2022, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved funding to support the roll-out of 20mph schemes in communities across the county at no cost to town and parish councils. Since then, more than 275 communities in urban and rural areas have requested and implemented 20mph measures.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This is extremely encouraging. Oxfordshire is bucking the wider Thames Valley trend, with serious and fatal casualties falling significantly at a time when neighbouring areas are seeing increases.

“This shows the approach we have taken in Oxfordshire is working. We have made a conscious decision as a county to take speed seriously because lower speeds save lives, reduce the severity of injuries, and make our communities safer and healthier places to live.

“Our ambition is for Oxfordshire to become known as the county that takes road safety seriously. Whether someone is walking to school, cycling to work, catching a bus, or driving through one of our towns and villages, everyone deserves to get home safely.

“The growth in support for 20mph schemes across the county shows that communities understand the benefits. These measures are not about stopping people getting around; they are about creating streets that feel safer, calmer and more welcoming for everyone.”

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “"These figures show real progress and the positive impact of our Vision Zero programme.   Day by day, week by week, year on year, more people in Oxfordshire are getting home without harm from road collisions.  The patterns are good across all indicators.

"There is more to do, and we continue to need more enforcement of the law.  To achieve Vision Zero requires more year-on-year work.  That's why we are working to tackle issues on particular A and B roads, working with our town and parish councils, and will be putting forward more proposals through the year."

The Notice of Election was published at County Hall on Wednesday, 29 July 2026 and on the council’s website by the county council’s Chief Executive, Martin Reeves, in his role as the council’s Returning Officer.

The election will be held on Thursday, 3 September 2026.

Key dates in the election timetable are:

• Friday 7 August 2026 – Statement of Persons Nominated (by 4pm).
• Monday 17 August 2026 - Deadline to register to vote (by 11.59pm) - Register to vote - GOV.UK
• Tuesday 18 August 2026 - Deadline to apply for a postal vote or amend an existing postal vote (by 5pm).
• Tuesday 25 August 2026 - Publication of notice of poll - who is standing and where polling stations will be for this election. At 5pm the same day, the deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate or a proxy vote.

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The council’s cabinet will be asked on Tuesday, 14 July to approve the progression to “due diligence” of the purchase of the farm. This will be discussed in closed session.

The details of the purchase and price must legally remain confidential until due diligence is complete at which point it would return to cabinet to be openly debated.

The move would be financed through borrowing. Income generated during the lifetime of the operation of the farm would cover the costs and provide additional revenue for services.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation said: “This scheme would involve an up-front cost but it would be covered by the amount of money it would generate for the council while at the same time making a material contribution to our own future carbon management.

“This combination of  support for the council’s climate objectives and the prospect of long-term financial returns is why we want to look further in to progressing the potential scheme. There would be future opportunities for the council and the taxpayer to avoid costs.”

Although the solar farm would export electricity to the national grid rather than directly serving the local community, the associated planning permission requires the developer to provide community benefit funding. This is expected to support local community groups, education and related initiatives.

The scheme would generate approximately 52,000 MWh of renewable electricity per year, meaning a reduction in reliance on fossil-fuel based energy, supporting national as well as local decarbonisation targets. It would offset approximately 2,600 tonnes of CO2E by 2030 and between 25,000 and 36,000 tonnes over its operational life.

Councillor Laura Gordon, Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, said: “Oxfordshire County Council has set ambitious climate targets. This purchase would enable us to generate renewable energy exceeding our own expected usage and keep us on track to reach net zero by 2030. We are already seeing the effects of climate change in weather patterns and we need to explore all options to reduce emissions.”

The council needs to make savings of at least £15.5m in 2027/28, rising to £22m in 2028/29, as well as achieving all existing savings, to manage cuts to its funding announced by the government earlier this year.  

A balanced budget for 2026/27 was set in February 2026 with warnings that future years would become more difficult because of government decisions to change formulas governing the distribution of funding – with some councils receiving more and others less.

However more savings will be required as inflation in the wider economy or demand for the council’s services increases the council’s costs beyond existing the assumptions built into the budget. The cabinet will receive a report at its meeting on Tuesday, 14 July detailing these risks and other updates known at this stage.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, said: “The government has already cut Oxfordshire’s grants. However like any responsible organisation we forward plan and anticipate risks which may emerge. There are a number of these which could exacerbate an already difficult situation that is not of our making locally.

“The county council has a long track record of responsible financial management. We have consistently set aside contingency budgets to deal with uncertainty about demand and other risks. 

“We know there are risks in the wider economy – everybody knows from their own household budgets or from running a business that inflation remains a persistent problem in the economy. When prices keep rising this also increases the cost of the council’s services.

“As we look towards setting our budget for 2027/28 we are already planning carefully and looking at options to reduce expenditure and make savings. We must balance budgets for services that the council is responsible for to the funding that we expect to be available. People will hear more detail about this in autumn and winter. We will protect frontline services as far as we can.

“We recognise that there are areas of the country with higher levels of deprivation than our own, and it is right that the people in those places receive the support that they need. However, it is disappointing that councils like Oxfordshire will see real terms reductions in grant funding as a result and it leaves us more exposed when extra pressures arise.

“The government also assumes that we would set Council Tax rises at 4.99 per cent each year giving us no real flexibility locally.”

What are the risks being presented to cabinet?

• Demand for children’s social care continues to rise along with the cost of placements driven by a lack of capacity in the market nationally. The government has indicated it will take action to manage excessive profits by children’s social care providers, but it is unclear how this will be implemented.
• National changes are planned to the Better Care Fund, which was introduced in 2013 to enhance the integration of NHS and council social care services across the country. There is potential for the council to experience lower funding as a result of changes.
• The government is currently planning a fair pay agreement in adult social care to address national recruitment and retention issues. This will be implemented in 2028. The implementation of this represents an as yet unquantified costs risk for adult social care services.
• Integrated Care Boards across the country are operating under significant financial pressure. This increases the potential for unfunded pressures emerging which could impact adult social care services because a number of vital services are jointly funded by local authorities and the NHS.
• The impact of continued inflationary pressures in the UK economy on council services and on the setting of the National Living Wage – which remains unknown.

Road closures will be in place on sections of Bridge Street East, Bridge Street West, Concord Avenue, Cherwell Street, George Street, Britannia Road and Lower Cherwell Street.

Vehicles will need to follow a diversion route around the works area, but pedestrian access will be maintained, with clearly signed routes. Emergency services have been notified.

No work will take place on Saturday 11 July or Sunday 12 July, when the road will reopen with temporary traffic lights in operation. 

All work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled. Once resurfacing is complete, the new traffic signals will be tested, while temporary traffic lights will continue to operate at the junctions until all work is finished.

Notes to editors

For more information about the improvements, visit the Oxfordshire County Council Cherwell Street bus improvements webpage where a diversion map is also available.

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The High Court has awarded an injunction to Oxfordshire County Council to prevent the continued unauthorised placement of flags on or near the public highway.

Each named defendant has given an undertaking in the court not to put up flags in Oxfordshire, not to encourage others to do it or abuse people taking them down. The hearing took place at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday, 23 June.

The application aimed to stop repeated interference with the highway and the council’s legal duties as highway authority. It relates to a series of incidents involving named individuals associated with the organisation known as Raise the Colours.

This includes the unauthorised placement of flags on highway infrastructure, amounting to a criminal offence. It also includes trespass, obstruction of the highway, and incidents where council teams, contractors and residents have faced confrontation or harassment when items are removed.

This activity has created clear road safety and public safety risks and caused distress in local communities.

A civil injunction is a court order that requires an individual or organisation to stop specified activities. If granted, it would prohibit further unauthorised installations on or near the highway and allow the council to take enforcement action if the order is breached.

The application follows months of sustained activity involving the placement of flags on or near the public highway without permission. This has continued despite a formal legal notice in March 2026 requiring it to stop and further pre-action letters sent to named individuals in May 2026.

Residents across Oxfordshire, from Adderbury to Wallingford, have complained to the council about safety risks, intimidation and distress linked to this activity. Council teams have also been subject to abuse and harassment when removing unlawful flags.

The council has a legal duty to keep the highway safe and ensure that public spaces are safe and inclusive. The ongoing scale and persistence of the behaviour by Raise the Colours has created safety risks, caused distress within communities, and led to abuse and intimidation directed at council teams and residents. The council has a duty to act to protect those affected.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We’re pleased with this result. The injunction helps protect our residents and our workforce and supports our responsibility to keep the highway safe.

“This is not, and never has been, about the flag. We proudly fly the Union Flag and St George’s flag at County Hall and we fully support the right of residents to display their own flags – including to show their support for the England football team.

“However, the behaviour we’ve seen from Raise the Colours is nothing to do with national pride or with support for the England team during the World Cup. It’s unlawful behaviour, which has put people at risk and caused fear within our communities for almost a year.

“We have a clear responsibility to keep people safe and ensure our public spaces are welcoming for everyone. That’s why we’ve taken this action and why today’s decision by the court provides clarity and protects our colleagues and communities.”

More information can be found on our website along with supporting documents .

A government consultation for local government reorganisation (LGR) closed in late March with three options on the table for potential future structures. This followed the government’s invitation in February 2025 to submit proposals for a unitary council or councils in areas of England that currently have two-tiers of local authorities (counties and districts), as is the case in Oxfordshire.

The options are:

1. A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council responsible for all services for Oxfordshire residents.
2. Two unitary councils:
   • Oxford and Shires Council created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire.
   • Ridgeway Council created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse and the unitary council of West Berkshire.
3. Three unitary councils:
   • Greater Oxford Council – covering Oxford and its immediate surroundings
   • Northern Oxfordshire Council – covering most of the existing Cherwell and West Oxfordshire districts.
   • Ridgeway Council – covering most of the existing South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts combined with West Berkshire.

It will not be known whether there will be one, two or three unitary authorities for Oxfordshire until the government announces its ‘minded-to’ decision, which is its preferred, provisional decision before it’s put into law. This announcement is expected before the parliamentary summer recess, which starts on 16 July.

Leaders and chief executives of all councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire said: “Since the start of the year, colleagues across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire councils have been working together within a joint programme to prepare for what comes next. Following the statutory consultation, we have been collaborating to gather a variety of data and information so we are ready to move forward, whichever option gets the go-ahead from government.

“We are also thinking through the potential implications of each option, planning for how we would deliver services under one, two, or three new unitary councils to ensure we are ready to support our communities and colleagues through the changes ahead. 

“Whatever change government proposes, our priority is to make sure we continue to deliver high-quality services to the people we serve during transition and beyond.

“Similar changes from two-tier local government to unitary councils have happened in many other parts of the country or are in progress. We will follow good practice as we plan ahead collaboratively during the remainder of 2026, 2027 and early 2028.”

Bringing all services together under one roof through LGR will mean residents will benefit regardless of which option the government decides to take forward. They will only need to contact one council, no matter where they live, duplication will be reduced and money saved. This money can be reinvested in the local services residents rely on. Existing town and parish councils will still provide very local services to their communities.

When the government announces its ‘minded to’ decision, it will be followed by a structural changes order (SCO), expected later in 2026. This will set out the legal basis and process for moving to the new council(s) arrangements.

From that point, the existing councils will enter a transition period, working together to prepare for the new structures. This will include the election of a shadow authority or authorities in May 2027. This shadow body(ies) will act as a temporary council(s), making key decisions and preparing for the new organisation(s). The existing councils will continue to deliver services up until vesting day. The new council or councils will officially come into effect on vesting day, which is expected to be on 1 April 2028.

A balanced budget for 2026/27 was set in February 2026 with warnings that future years would become more difficult because of government decisions to change formulas governing the distribution of funding – with some councils receiving more and others less.

More savings will be required if inflation in the wider economy or demand for the council’s services increases the council’s costs beyond existing assumptions built into the budget.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, said: “The situation we are in is not of our making locally. The county council has a long track record of responsible financial management. We have consistently set aside contingency budgets to deal with uncertainty about demand and other risks. 

“Our year end position for 2025/26 shows the value of this approach as we have been able to balance our budget and manage the pressures being experienced in our services.

“However, budget changes needed to balance the budget for 2026/27 and future reductions to our funding mean we will not have this level of flexibility again. We also know there are risks in the wider economy – everybody knows from their own household budgets or from running a business that inflation remains a persistent problem in the economy. When prices keep rising this also increases the cost of the council’s services.

“Looking towards setting our budget for 2027/28 we are going to need to plan ahead and look at options to reduce expenditure and make savings so we can balance budgets for services that the council is responsible for to the funding that we expect to be available. People will hear more detail about this in autumn and winter. We will protect frontline services as far as we can.

“We recognise that there are areas of the country with higher levels of deprivation than our own, and it is right that the people in those places receive the support that they need. However, it is disappointing that councils like Oxfordshire will see real terms reductions in grant funding as a result and it leaves us more exposed when extra pressures arise.

“The government also assumes that we would set Council Tax rises at 4.99 per cent each year giving us no real flexibility locally.”

The council’s cabinet will receive a report later this month detailing how service pressures of close to £10m have been managed in 2025/26. In July, the cabinet will be presented with a report setting the scene for the 2027/28 budget process. Updates on the forecast position for 2026/27 will be shared with cabinet throughout the financial year.

Quiet lanes are designated roads where motor traffic is restricted to make it safer for people to walk, wheel, cycle, wheel and horse ride. By removing through traffic, quiet lanes can reduce vehicle numbers and speeds, lower the risk and severity of collisions, and make minor roads feel calmer and safer. Access is maintained for residents, farmers, businesses and emergency services.

Picture: Leader of Oxfordshire County Council Tim Bearder on Shepherd's Pit Lane

Several quiet lanes already exist in Oxfordshire, and the new approach in Oxfordshire is an enhancement to existing Department for Transport policy, going beyond traditional signage-based lanes to achieve the safest outcomes.

New lanes will only be introduced where there is strong local support, including from parish and county councillors, for the measure and a suitable alternative route for motor traffic.

Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Quiet lanes are about making sure local roads work for the communities that live there, not as cut-throughs for traffic they were never designed to carry. 

“This new approach will help us to prioritise walking, wheeling, cycling and horse riding, and give us a clear and consistent way to provide quiet lanes where there is strong local support. We will use evidence to make sure schemes are safe, effective and sensitive to their surroundings. By piloting schemes first, we can get them right before any permanent decisions are made.

“I look forward to working with parish and town councils and local councillors on this locally led and innovative programme.”

Oxfordshire’s new quiet lanes will prioritise physical measures supported by reduced speed limits, typically to 20mph.

All new schemes in the pilot will include:

• physical measures to prohibit through traffic, such as gates and bollards
• quiet lane signage
• speed limit changes

Overall journey times for drivers are usually only slightly affected because suitable alternative routes must be available.

The council will now work with parish and town councils and local councillors to identify and pilot new sites.

Each scheme will be subject to statutory consultation, which will allow measures to be tested in practice, evidence to be collected and designs refined before any permanent decisions are made.

More information

• The term “quiet lane” is often used to describe a road where signage alone indicates suitability for walking, wheeling and cycling. However, evidence shows that sign only approaches do not reliably reduce traffic volumes or speeds. For more information visit TRL's website.
• Quiet lanes also connect bridleways with public rights of way, benefitting horse riders.
• All newly proposed quiet lanes schemes will be assessed using a standard countywide framework considering safety, traffic levels, availability of alternative routes, environmental benefits and community support.
• Pilot schemes will be delivered using experimental traffic regulation orders (ETROs) and will be subject to statutory consultation.
• The quiet lanes programme is funded through a county council capital allocation.
• The council will invite parish and town councils and local county councillors to express an interest in the scheme and identify any suitable local routes.

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He has summed up the feeling of a continued sense of loss following the deaths of Firefighters Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, and a well-known member of the public, Dave Chester. He thanks everyone for the outpourings of kindness and support shown over the last 12 months.

Please watch the chief fire officer’s video. The words he delivers are re-produced below.

Chief Fire Officer Rob MacDougall

As we approach one year since the heartbreaking event on 15th May 2025 at Bicester Motion, I wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to Jennie Logan, Martyn Sadler and Dave Chester.

That evening, we lost two of our friends and colleagues, Firefighters Jennie and Martyn - alongside Dave, a well‑known and valued member of the Bicester community. Their loss is something that stays with all of us.

We know how deeply cared for, loved and respected Jennie, Martyn and Dave were to everyone who knew them. 

I want to thank you, our communities, for the outpouring of kindness and support that has been shown in their honour.

The compassion shown by so many people over the last year is something we will never forget. Thank you.

In planning how the first anniversary is honoured, we’ve been speaking with the families and our firefighters at Bicester.

We ask on behalf of them and us that you respect the private arrangements in place to pay tribute to Jennie, Martyn and Dave are respected.

We know that so many people across the nation will want to show their support. I encourage you to take a moment on the 15th to quietly reflect on the tragedy that unfolded a year ago and caused the devastating loss of Jennie, Martyn and Dave. It will forever be a reminder of what we ask of our firefighters and our emergency service colleagues.

I am still so grateful to all of the emergency services who attended Bicester Motion twelve months ago; the professionalism shown by every single blue light responder was exemplary and is something we will not forget. Thank you.

Firefighters at stations across the country have been invited, through their services, to quietly mark the first-year anniversary with a minute silence, within their own fire stations, at the time of call which was 18:39 this Friday.

Alongside the loved ones for Jennie, Martyn and Dave we will also be holding a private remembrance service.

From all of us at Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service, thank you for your continued care, respect and understanding. 

We know that the families and our colleagues at Bicester Fire Station feel your support and kindness and this has been a great comfort as we continue to come to terms with our loss. 

 

Thank you.

The future of Oxford’s Castle Quarter looks bright after Oxfordshire County Council reached an agreement to purchase the lease at the site.

This follows expert independent advice that the deal represents a sound long-term investment for taxpayers, while creating the conditions to accelerate regeneration in a strategically important part of Oxford city centre.

It also supports a coherent approach to the western arrival into the city, sitting alongside the re‑imagining of County Hall as a hotel and the wider transformation underway around the railway station.

In 2005 the Council decided to sell a long-term lease for Castle Quarter to enable major investment in and redevelopment of a site that had previously operated as a prison for many decades.

That investment successfully transformed the site and brought new activity into the city centre. Since then, the mix of uses at Castle Quarter has continued to evolve.

While some elements, including the Malmaison Hotel, continue to perform strongly, others offer clear scope for renewal and further investment, particularly given the site’s location between the railway station, Westgate and Oxford’s historic core.

As existing freeholder of Castle Quarter, Oxfordshire County Council seized the opportunity to purchase the lease when it became available. Following careful consideration and having taken advice from legal, financial and property experts, it was determined that the deal represented an exceptional opportunity.

The prospect of delivering strong financial returns for taxpayers in future years, alongside the potential to drive regeneration within the area, made the decision compelling.

Cllr Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “This is an exciting moment for Oxford city centre, but it is not a decision the council has taken lightly. We have carried out thorough due diligence and sought expert advice to make sure the risks to the taxpayers and the county council are low while the prospects for real benefits are high.

“When the opportunity arose to purchase the lease, we looked closely at the financial, legal and commercial implications. The clear conclusion was that returning the lease to the county council as the existing freeholder was the right decision, with good prospects for both the city centre and public funds.

“Combined with the transformation currently underway in and around the railway station, this creates an opportunity to refresh and boost the Castle Quarter and support positive change to the western approach to the city centre.

“The site is very close to Westgate, the city centre attractions, the railway station and the new hotel that will replace County Hall. The ingredients for success are clear to see and there is excitement about the change that can now begin to be delivered.

“We are operating in a challenging financial environment and so it’s really important the council makes prudent, well‑evidenced decisions. This decision allows the county council and a successor council or councils after local government reorganisation to influence very positive change in the city centre while delivering a strong financial return to support the delivery of frontline services.”

The new leader for the council’s Liberal Democrat group is Councillor Tim Bearder. There will be an extraordinary general meeting of the council on a date to be set to elect a new leader. In the interim, the current Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Cllr Neil Fawcett, will lead the authority.

Cllr Leffman is only the third leader of the county council since a cabinet system for local government was introduced in 2001. 

She said: “It has been a huge privilege to serve as leader of the county council since 2021. I have very much enjoyed the role and the connections that I have been able to make with people all over the county, in all walks of life.

"However, now is the time for me to stand down. In May 2027, we will be having elections for the new unitary council or councils, and as I will not be standing for election, it is right that I hand over the leadership in the run-up to these elections. I do intend to remain as a member of cabinet.

“I know that while welcoming new members the cabinet will continue to steer Oxfordshire through local government reorganisation, devolution and the financial challenges that are facing many councils

“We will also want to re-dedicate ourselves to our priorities based around climate action and sustainable economic growth.”

With Councillors Andrew Gant, Judy Roberts and Jenny Hannaby leaving cabinet there are new faces on the decision making body of the council to replace them. Cllrs Gareth Epps, Rebekah Fletcher, Laura Gordon and Judith Edwards have joined cabinet.

The new line up is as follows:

• Cllr Neil Fawcett, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources
• Cllr Laura Gordon, Cabinet Member for Future Economy and Innovation
• Cllr Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People
• Cllr Gareth Epps, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action
• Cllr Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation
• Cllr Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Transport Management
• Cllr Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adults
• Cllr Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities
• Cllr Judith Edwards, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Each year in May the council holds its annual meeting and that is the right time for changes to be considered on cabinet. Sometimes councillors decide it is the right time to step down and we thank them for the tremendous amount of work they have put in on behalf of the people of Oxfordshire.

“That is certainly the case for Cllrs Gant, Roberts and Hannaby who have each dedicated themselves to their portfolios with distinction. We are incredibly grateful for their efforts and look forward to continuing to work for them as they represent their own individual parts of Oxfordshire as county councillors.

“Meanwhile we have the pleasure of welcoming newcomers to the cabinet and we look forward to working with them on all of the challenges and opportunities the council faces.”

The new Chair of Oxfordshire County Council for the 2026/7 year is Councillor Ted Fenton who represents Bampton and Carterton South at County Hall.

Councillor Fenton, 63, was voted in to the role at the Annual Meeting of the county council on Tuesday, 12 May. His chosen charities for the year will be Oxfordshire Air Ambulance and Oxfordshire Royal British Legion.

The Vice Chair for the 2026/7 year will be Councillor Roz Smith.

Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, King’s College London (BD, AKC), and Magdalene College, Cambridge (PGCE) Cllr Fenton moved to West Oxfordshire in 1985 to join Cokethorpe School. During 35 years there, he held roles including Director of IT, Senior Tutor, Director of Studies, and later Senior Administrator, transitioning from teaching Religious Studies to IT and academic administration.

Councillor Fenton was elected to West Oxfordshire District Council in 2015 (Bampton and Clanfield) and to Oxfordshire County Council in 2017 (Witney West and Bampton). In 2025, he was re-elected to represent the new division of Bampton and Carterton South.

He has been married to Hilary since 1998, he has three stepchildren, several young granddaughters, and a grown-up grandson. He retired early in 2020 to spend more time with family. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and practising the piano.

Cllr Fenton said: “It is an honour to have been elected by my fellow councillors to chair the council for this municipal year. I am looking forward to the next 12 months and to the challenge of chairing the council. As Vice-Chair of the council last year I have an insight into the role and thus I am well prepared.”

About the role of Chair

As the ceremonial head of the council, the chair must be a serving county councillor but must remain politically impartial. A new chair is elected each May at the annual general meeting of the county council, which this year was on Tuesday 21 May.

Ceremonial duties performed by the chair include:

• being the politically impartial civic leader of Oxfordshire
• promoting the objectives and services of the county council and Oxfordshire
• acting as an ambassador for the county council and Oxfordshire
• fostering community identity and pride

Key responsibilities include:

• presiding over meetings of the full council
• accepting invitations on behalf of the county council to attend events
• inviting individuals and representatives of key organisations to events at County Hall and other venues.

Free park and ride bus travel was introduced on 29 October to support the temporary congestion charge, which has been implemented as an interim measure while Botley Road remains closed, preventing the start of the traffic filter trial. 

The continued offer of free park and ride bus travel is one way that income from the council’s temporary congestion charge scheme could be spent. Other proposed initiatives that could also be funded by the temporary scheme include:

• Free weekday park and ride parking for NHS and school staff working in Oxford for nine months from 1 June 2026, for work travel.
• Free weekday bus travel for NHS and school staff working in Oxford for nine months from 1 June 2026, for work travel.
• Hospital express park and ride services for 12 months from 1 October 2026.
• Active travel infrastructure, including pedestrian crossings, side road entry treatments, and secure cycle parking.
• Free bus travel for six months per participant in the council’s Connect to Work programme for 2026 - 27.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management said: “The temporary congestion charge is giving residents and visitors to the city faster journeys, cleaner air, reduced traffic and safer streets. 

“I’m very pleased that we’re now able to discuss how we invest further in giving people more choice and convenience when it comes to getting to and around Oxford, including to major hospital sites. 

“It’s my hope that some lasting benefits from the temporary congestion charge will also support the transition to the traffic filters trial after Botley Road reopens.” 

The free park and ride bus travel offer is currently set to continue until 31 May 2026.

Up to two adults and three children with a valid park and ride parking ticket are able to claim free travel to and from park and ride sites in the city. The tickets must be obtained from the bus driver at a park and ride site, and are valid on any Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company or Thames Travel bus that stops at a park and ride site in Oxford, not just named park and ride services. 

Further details about proposed initiatives will be made available when confirmed by cabinet.

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This notice requires an individual or organisation to stop a specified activity. The council has taken this action following the repeated installation of flags on or near highways without consent.

If the group does not comply with the letter, the council will consider all available options to include, but not limited to, civil and criminal proceedings against the organisation and individuals affiliated with it to prevent further unauthorised action.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The scale and persistence of this activity is affecting communities across Oxfordshire.

“We are proud of our diverse communities in Oxfordshire and of being the first county council to be awarded Local Authority of Sanctuary status. We proudly fly the Union Jack and St George’s flags, which are visible symbols of democracy and unity.

“However, the widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of patriotism. It is an act of intimidation and division that is having a real and damaging impact on our communities.

“Our residents report feeling distressed, unwelcome and unsafe in their own neighbourhoods. Our teams removing the flags, together with residents who have challenged the individuals installing them, have been subject to abuse and threatening behaviour. This is totally unacceptable.

“The council has a responsibility to act where behaviour undermines community cohesion and the safe and inclusive use of public spaces. That is why we are taking firm action.

“We won’t hesitate to take further legal steps where necessary to protect residents and support the cohesion of our communities.”

The Liverpool-Oxford partnership aims to connect and activate the Oxfordshire and Liverpool City Region innovation ecosystem, providing a coherent UK pathway from research and company creation through to scale-up, industrialisation and global market growth, supporting the national industrial strategy to drive forward economic growth and productivity for the UK.

The MoU was signed at a special Liverpool-Oxford partnership event by Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram and Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council.

Held at the University of Oxford’s Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, the event celebrated Liverpool and Oxford’s established record of engagement and collaboration across key areas of research and innovation, including physical sciences and health and life sciences.

Speaking at the event, university leaders were excited by the national opportunity to deepen the Liverpool-Oxford partnership through tackling global challenges related to climate change and health by strengthening collaboration in chemistry and materials science research and exploring priority areas within life sciences, including vaccines development, infection prevention and control, neurosciences and women’s health.

The partners will explore new areas of collaboration underpinned by complementary strengths and place-based assets, including research and innovation projects to drive forward impact across the heritage, creative industry and social science sectors. The partnership aims to advance entrepreneurship and knowledge exchange through shared events, programmes, and the co-development of student- and academic-led venture creation activities.

The partnership also seeks to deepen collaboration in innovation-led growth by connecting Oxfordshire and the Liverpool City Region as complementary ecosystems. The Liverpool-Oxford partnership will support firms, talent, intellectual property, and investment to be retained and grown domestically, while attracting additional domestic and international investment aligned to complementary sector strengths. This supports delivery of the UK Industrial Strategy and national growth mission, while formalising academic and research partnerships between the two universities.

During the visit, the delegation also visited Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. Building on Liverpool’s long‑established and highly successful collaboration with STFC’s Daresbury Campus, the visit explored how these partnerships can naturally extend to Harwell’s world‑class facilities, clusters and research infrastructure. The delegation also toured Diamond Light Source to see the cutting‑edge national capabilities that could further support Liverpool’s growth ambitions. 

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Oxfordshire and the Liverpool City Region both have remarkable strengths, but also shared challenges. This exciting and ambitious agreement reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the UK’s innovation economy by working in genuine partnership, learning from one another, combining our assets, and ensuring that innovation delivers real benefits for our communities. By working together at scale and at pace, we can create clearer pathways for businesses to grow, scale and succeed here in the UK - enabling good growth, creating high quality employment, and securing a more prosperous future for residents across both regions.”

Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, said: “Anchored around two world leading universities, the signing of this Liverpool-Oxford MoU reflects our commitment at the University of Liverpool to tackle global challenges through research, innovation and partnerships in key areas such as materials discovery, infection resilience and therapeutics innovation. This strategic partnership also recognises a shared national opportunity and challenge: to ensure that high-growth UK businesses, intellectual property, talent and investment are retained, scaled and industrialised within the UK.”

Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said: “This partnership signals a new era for yet deeper collaboration between our two vibrant cities. By connecting the outstanding research, innovation and talent in our regions, we can support companies tackling the greatest challenges of our time to start, stay and scale-up in the UK. This will unlock opportunities for current and future generations and contribute to sustainable economic growth that delivers shared prosperity for all.  I personally look forward to the journey ahead and the outcomes that this collaboration will achieve for our communities in Oxford, Liverpool and beyond.”

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “For generations, the Liverpool City Region has been an engine of change - from powering the first industrial revolution to shaping breakthroughs in modern science. That spirit of innovation hasn’t gone anyway. It’s alive and well here and it’s centra to my vision to build the stronger, fairer economy our people and businesses deserve.”

“I’ve set a clear ambition for the Liverpool City Region to invest 5% of our GVA into research and development by 2030 because I want the next big breakthrough, the next world-leading business, the next life-changing discovery to create jobs and opportunity right here at home.

“This partnership with Oxford is the next step on that journey. By linking two places with world-class brands, we can back British innovation, attract investment, and make sure that great ideas don’t drift overseas but are developed, scaled and rooted here in the UK.”

“This is a nationally significant collaboration that will deliver benefits far beyond Liverpool or Oxford - showing what’s possible when regions come together to drive growth and innovation, strengthen our economy, and position the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future.”

Sebastian Johnson, Director of Ecosystems at the Harwell Joint Venture and ARC Group, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Steve and the wider Liverpool delegation to Harwell on the day the new Oxford–Liverpool MoU was signed. With such strong collaboration already in place between Liverpool and STFC’s Daresbury Campus, extending that partnership across Harwell’s clusters and facilities creates a powerful opportunity to accelerate innovation, deepen industry engagement and drive impact for both regions.”

Paul Vernon, Executive Director of Business and Innovation at STFC, said: “This partnership demonstrates how the UK’s research and innovation strengths can unite to tackle the world’s most urgent challenges. At STFC, across our national facilities, including at Harwell and Daresbury Laboratory in the Liverpool City Region, we are proud to support collaborations that translate world-class science into real-world impact for our society and economy. By bringing together the talent and capabilities of Liverpool and Oxfordshire, this partnership will accelerate discovery, support industry and bring new technologies to market, strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in science and innovation."

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Lyn Lacey, a dedicated Oxfordshire carer for more than 27 years, was invited to meet Their Majesties The King and Queen at a reception at Windsor Castle yesterday (Wednesday 11 February 2026).

Now aged 77 and living in Banbury, Lyn has spent nearly three decades opening her home and her heart to support others.

The reception, hosted by the King and Queen, shone a light on carers and their contributions to health and social care in the United Kingdom.

Shared Lives is where an adult or young person needing support is matched with a carefully approved Shared Lives carer by their local scheme. That relationship creates a stable foundation, connections in their community and a sense of belonging.  

People typically supported by Shared Lives include those with learning disabilities, care leavers, people with dementia, and people who need short term support, such as during mental ill health or after a hospital stay.

Oxfordshire County Council funds and supports the Shared Lives scheme locally, working with Shared Lives Plus, a UK membership charity and national network that supports Shared Lives schemes, to ensure carers like Lyn have the resources and guidance they need to make a difference.

Lyn’s invitation follows recent recognition at the Shared Lives Plus Awards, where she and the people she supports were named Highly Commended in November 2025. Shared Lives Plus were so impressed by Lyn’s dedication that she was at the top of their list when considering who should attend the reception.

Lyn was accompanied by her Shared Lives Social Worker, Nikki Oleksiw. Her son, Adam Lacey – originally approved to support Lyn and now a Shared Lives carer in his own right for the past 20 years – was also in attendance, representing how the next generation is continuing the Shared Lives model.

Across 27 years and six months as a Shared Lives carer, Lyn has provided both short term and long term arrangements, and currently supports three young men who have lived with her for several years.

A qualified nurse, former care home manager, midwife and magistrate, Lyn brings compassion, structure and resilience to her role.

She treats those she supports as family, advocating with professionals, supporting day to day appointments and creating opportunities to live happy, fulfilling lives. That includes adventurous holidays such as trips to South Africa and Barbados that expand horizons, alongside encouragement to find employment and pursue personal goals.

Lyn said: “It’s a real honour to care for people with different needs and to provide compassion and stability in their lives. Shared Lives is a fantastic way to achieve this, and carers deserve recognition for the work they do.

“It’s a team effort with our social workers. Choices matter, and helping people take part in their community, enjoy work and have a sense of purpose is so important.

“There are challenges, but with great support we overcome them together. I hope the love and positivity we share will inspire others to join our amazing Shared Lives family.”

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Lyn embodies the very best of Shared Lives: compassion and the belief that everyone should have the chance to thrive in their community.

“Her decades of dedication have changed lives, and it’s fantastic to see Oxfordshire’s carers recognised on the national stage.

“My heartfelt thanks to Lyn, Adam and all our Shared Lives families for the difference they make every day.”

Oxfordshire County Council is always looking to recruit more Shared Lives carers. Read more about Shared Lives and how you can get involved.

ENDS

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Her comments came at the budget-setting meeting of the council on Tuesday, 10 February. The council has been able to deal with a budget shortfall of £5.4m while still investing extra in adult social care (£14m), children’s services (£19m), highways, libraries and other services.

However, the authority already knows that it will need to find further savings of at least £15.5m from 2027/28.

The government will cut grant funding by £27.2m by 2028/29 and assumed the council will make up most of the difference with maximum council tax rises. The effect of this is that the county council will have to put up council tax by 4.99% each year only to see a lot of this money immediately being subtracted by the government and sent elsewhere.

Cllr Leffman said in her speech at the meeting: “We recognise that there are areas of the country with higher levels of deprivation than our own, and it is right that the people in those places receive the support that they need, but this government has failed to recognise the pressures and challenges that we and other county councils face in delivering critical services across a wide rural area.

“In spite of the constraints, and because we have managed our finances very carefully over the past few years, we have not only been able to balance the budget for 2026/2027 but have included investments that will make a difference to the things which are of greatest importance to our residents.

“I am confident that with the investment that we are making in our highways network, with our surface dressing programme for example, along with the new Highways Asset Response Teams that have been out and about in Oxfordshire since the autumn, we will see a significant improvement in the forthcoming weeks and beyond.

“Flooding has become a regular event in many parts of the county thanks to climate change, and we have recognised the importance of tackling this. 

“The decision last year to clear all our gullies on an annual schedule has revealed that much of our drainage system is in urgent need of repair, following years of neglect.

“We therefore propose to allocate £2 million in our capital budget to repairing our drainage system, bringing the total to be spent on our drains and gullies in 2026/2027 to £3.2 million.

“Our library refurbishment programme will continue, with an investment of £550,000 in Didcot coming next, following successful refurbishments in Chinnor, Henley and most recently Witney, where 200 new registrations for library tickets were received in the week following its reopening.”

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We face great pressure because of funding cuts and demand pressures, and there is still lots of uncertainty in areas like SEND provision. Money is being redistributed away from Oxfordshire and other areas on a large scale by the government.

“However, we are confident not only that we are setting an ambitious balanced budget for next year, delivering services to residents, but also that we are ready to face the more difficult years ahead.”

Note to editors

By 2028/29 there is a reduction of £24.1m in funding from central government compared to 2025/26. Within that there is an increase of £3.1m in funding for the Families First Partnership that the government will expect the council to use to fund new investment and activity in preventative services for children’s social care. Excluding that, the underlying reduction in grant funding is £27.2m

People in Oxfordshire are being urged to have their say as part of a statutory government consultation on the future of local government in the county.

The consultation launched today (Thursday 5 February) and will run until 23:59 Thursday 26 March.

There are three proposals being consulted on for Oxfordshire. Oxfordshire County Council is backing its One Oxfordshire proposal, which is for a single countywide unitary council – Oxfordshire Council. There are two other proposals – one proposing two unitary councils and the other three councils. Both of these include West Berkshire.

One Oxfordshire will create stronger, simpler services that are closer to communities, connected and cost effective.

It will bring all services together under one roof, protect high‑performing social care, simplify and improve services through better coordination and save £63 million every year. One Oxfordshire will give residents one front door to access services, stronger local decision‑making, and a unified voice that can drive investment, innovation and sustainable growth.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The government’s call for local government reform is both timely and necessary. One Oxfordshire offers a once in a generation opportunity to build a stronger, fairer and more ambitious future for the county.

“It is the only proposal that fully meets government criteria with the scale, efficiency and resilience to save the most money and withstand future financial shocks; the stability to protect and improve critical services; and the simplicity residents want.

“It will bring together all council services across Oxfordshire to create a new single authority, Oxfordshire Council, with the strength and voice to activate exciting and enduring change.

“We will reduce duplication, protect our critical services and have the scale to focus and invest in prevention and early help, tackling inequalities and homelessness.

“By bringing together all the levers of local government into a single, resilient authority, we can unlock the full potential of our people and places, drive innovation and deliver the high quality services our communities deserve.

“We urge people to have their say and take this opportunity to support our positive vision for the future.”

One Oxfordshire will strengthen local democracy through robust neighbourhood governance with a stronger partnership with town and parish councils and a set of new area committees. Local voices will be heard, with clear accountability and a single set of councillors operating at the heart of their areas.

A single unitary council for Oxfordshire will not separate Oxfordshire’s residents, businesses and institutions from the county they are in or move boundaries from the places and communities they recognise.

Oxfordshire County Council already delivers services on a countywide footprint to over 750,000 residents, providing 85 per cent of local government services by expenditure in Oxfordshire. These include adult and children’s social care, some education services, public health, fire and rescue, libraries and museums, roads and transport, trading standards, waste disposal and recycling.

One single council for Oxfordshire will avoid splitting critical services up and means less disruption, including those delivered in partnership, such as health. It will also avoid the costly and risky separation of high-performing services, particularly in adult and children’s social care rated “good” by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. We will protect and improve these critical services.

One Oxfordshire will streamline and coordinate strategic planning and housing across the whole of the county, delivering more homes in the right places and overcoming the failures of fragmented governance.

A single countywide unitary council simplifies services for residents, businesses and investors and makes them stronger with clear accountability – one set of councillors, one chief executive, one set of services, one senior management team, one set of buildings and one front door to access services. Money saved from creating simpler services can be reinvested into strengthening them.

One Oxfordshire offers the quickest, most cost effective and safest route to a safe, legal and confident new council, one that is ready to transform from day one.

What are the three options

1. A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council. This is our preferred option.
2. Two unitary councils – Oxford and Shires Council and Ridgeway Council.
3. Three unitary councils – Greater Oxford Council, Northern Oxfordshire Council and Ridgeway Council. 

How to have your say

Visit oneoxfordshire.org.uk to find information on all three proposals and how to have your say.

Councillor Judy Roberts, council officers and the Environment Agency met with Layla Moran MP and Anneliese Dodds MP to discuss the condition of the bearings, concrete and temporary propping beneath the bridge and the potential impact of future lane closures or weight restrictions.

The rail bridge is a key part of the southern bypass, carrying around 50,000 vehicles a day and connecting essential science, technology and business locations across Oxford. The bridge is also a crucial part of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme, with its replacement designed to better allow flood water to pass through.

Oxfordshire County Council is working to secure central government funding for the bridge replacement after a £71 million funding gap was identified last year.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action said: “Replacing Kennington rail bridge is essential for the future resilience of our local road network and the continued growth of science and technology opportunities. Without its replacement, traffic crossing the bridge may be restricted, greatly impacting local businesses and residents.

“A new bridge is also a vital part of the Oxford Flood Alleviation scheme, with the bridge design allowing more capacity for flood water and working as part of the scheme to protect from future flooding.

“The support today from both MPs underlines our shared commitment to ensuring the bridge is replaced as soon as possible. We will continue to work with our MPs and other partners to secure central government funding.”

Layla Moran, the Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: “Kennington Rail Bridge is absolutely critical to Oxford’s transport network and to major local projects like the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme and the Cowley Branch Line. If the bridge continues to deteriorate, the impact will be severe – restricting traffic, clogging up the local road network, and putting vital projects at risk.

“That’s why I’m making the strongest possible case to Government for the remaining funding needed to replace the bridge. The priority must be to act now, prevent disruption before it happens, and deliver a long-term solution for the whole of Oxford.”

Dame Anneliese Dodds, the Member of Parliament for Oxford East, said: “As I've said in Parliament to Government ministers, the replacement of Kennington Rail Bridge is essential for local people to be able to keep getting around but also for local jobs, homes and our environment. I'll keep pushing to ensure the bridge is replaced and the Oxford Flood Alleviation scheme is unlocked.”

Oxfordshire County Council wrote to the chancellor and the secretary of state for transport last year, emphasising the need for financial support from the Department for Transport’s new £1 billion Structures Fund to close a £71 million funding gap in the bridge replacement and improvement project.

The estimated full cost of the project, currently £180 million, has increased due to engineering challenges and inflation in the cost of construction materials. The remaining cost is being met by the council and the Environment Agency.

The rail bridge, built in 1965, needs to be replaced in a way that allows continued access, under traffic management, throughout the construction period.

A water main and fibre optic connections need to be diverted away from the bridge and overhead electricity cables need to be considered during work.

The site also includes a busy passenger and freight railway line and access needs to be planned carefully in advance.

If full funding is secured, Oxfordshire County Council plans to deliver a package of improvements including replacing the rail bridge, building better walking and cycling routes and a new eastbound bus and park and ride lane.

For further information, please contact Oxfordshire County Council’s communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Notes to editors

Kennington improvements

Kennington rail bridge is part of the A423 Southern Bypass. The bridge was built in 1965 and needs to be replaced due to age-related deterioration and the need for an eastbound bus lane.

·       The structure was passed to Oxfordshire County Council as part of a de-trunking order made by the secretary of state in 2003. Subsequent inspections carried out by the county council identified corrosion and over-rotation of the bearings. Replacing the corroded bearings is not possible due to the construction form of the bridge.

·       The bridge lies above the same rail section affected by the 2023 Nuneham viaduct closure, which disrupted national freight and passenger services. 

·       The bridge has been propped at its piers since 2016 to increase its weight bearing capacity and is regularly surveyed and monitored. The most recent inspection was conducted in August 2025.

·       The A423 Kennington improvement programme includes:

o   the replacement of Kennington rail bridge

o   improved facilities for cycling and walking

o   a new eastbound bus lane – also for use by vehicles travelling to Redbridge park and ride

o   increased capacity of the Hinksey streams for flood alleviation

o   maintenance work on the Kennington road bridge.

·       In October 2024, the county council received planning permission for the improvements. Detailed design work, construction methodologies and all necessary surveys are now nearly complete. Design work revealed that costs would increase due to several factors including:

o   Inflation driving up the cost of materials, labour and specialist construction services.

o   The need for complex temporary work to ensure the existing structure remains stable during reconstruction and the road remains open to traffic.

o   Utility diversions including a complex two-stage Thames Water pipe diversion.

·       Funding for the A423 Kennington improvements comes from multiple sources, including Oxfordshire County Council, the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the Department for Transport, and the Environment Agency (through the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme).

Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme

The A423 Kennington improvements are closely linked to the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (OFAS), a major flood defence project led by the Environment Agency which will create a new stream with a wetland wildlife corridor to reduce flood risk in the city and surrounding areas.

The scheme will pass beneath the new Kennington rail bridge, and the new bridge design allows flood water to flow back into the Thames. The scheme will also significantly reduce the flood risk on the Botley and Abingdon Roads as well as the main railway line that will keep Oxford open for business.

Oxfordshire County Council is a key delivery partner, and the scheme is funding the flood alleviation elements of the Kennington project. 

Department for Transport Structures Fund

The £1 billion Structures Fund was announced by the chancellor in June 2025 as part of a national initiative to repair and renew transport infrastructure and road networks across the UK. The fund is designed to support local authorities in addressing critical infrastructure needs, such as the replacement of ageing bridges and viaducts, ensuring the resilience and safety of key transport routes for communities and businesses.

ENDS

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We welcome Ofcom’s decision to investigate the platform under the Online Safety Act. Safeguarding residents and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion are central to the county council’s responsibilities, and these principles extend to how and where we communicate online.

The council regularly reviews its use of social media to ensure our channels remain effective and accessible for residents. In recent months, we have seen that X has become less effective as an engagement channel and has contributed to a less safe online environment for local communities.

As a result, we have reduced our activity on X and focused on sharing council news and information through other social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram as well as newer channels such as WhatsApp.

Following a recent internal review of our social media channels, we can confirm that we will be withdrawing from the X platform.

Public bodies have a responsibility to stand up against hate and abuse, particularly when it targets women and girls. Social media can be a powerful tool for engagement, but only when it is properly regulated and moderated.

Where platforms fail to provide a safe and respectful space for communities, we must make clear and principled choices about how we communicate.

We will continue to use our other social media channels and our website to keep people informed and engaged.

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Nextdoor
• Blue Sky
• WhatsApp
• WhatsApp travel
• YouTube

The routes of the B3, 488 and 489 buses have been updated to drop passengers directly outside the station entrance.

These changes to Banbury’s local bus network will improve journeys between Banbury town centre, the rail station, Cherwell Heights, Bodicote, Longford Park and Chipping Norton.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “This is a major step forward for joined up travel in Banbury, strengthening our local bus network and making it easier for everyone to connect between bus and rail.

“Travel hubs like the rail station are vital to Banbury’s continued growth and prosperity, offering safer, sustainable and more convenient travel options and supporting our ambition for Banbury to be a thriving, accessible town.

“I am so pleased that the long-awaited Tramway Road project is almost complete, with one more drop off area being constructed this spring. This is about providing residents and visitors with the reliable, future-ready services our communities deserve and enabling greater use of public transport for everyday journeys.”

Residents can familiarise themselves with the new B3, 488 and 489 routes and timetables by visiting Stagecoach Bus’ website. The changes came into effect on Sunday 4 January 2026.

Chris Hanson, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, said: “We’ve made targeted changes to the B3, 488 and 489 services to better meet the needs of passengers travelling to and from Banbury station. By adjusting routes and timetables to take advantage of the new access via Tramway Road, we’re improving reliability, punctuality and day to day convenience for our customers. These service improvements are about delivering practical, dependable connections and making public transport a more attractive choice for local journeys.”

Oxfordshire County Council working with its contractor M Group Limited started construction of the Banbury Railway Station access improvement project in October 2024, with the provision of new bus stops and a bus only route along Station Approach Road north a central part of the project.

Work has now been completed on a new roundabout, a new section of Tramway Road and a Tramway Road footpath. New drainage, surfacing, lighting, fencing and landscaping have also been installed in the station west car park A, along Station Approach Road north and in the station forecourt.

The west car park reopened in December, providing access to standard, disabled and enlarged parking bays at the back of the station.

The last phase of construction, which involves a new drop off facility planned for land to the south of the new roundabout, is expected to be built in spring 2026, subject to land agreements.

Notes for editors

Updates to the Banbury bus routes and timetables can be found on Stagecoach Bus’ website.

·       Service B3: Now connects Banbury town centre, Banbury Railway Station forecourt, Cherwell Heights, Bodicote, and Longford Park. Buses will run every half an hour, starting at 6.36am and ending at 7.50pm, Monday to Friday; every half an hour starting at 7.06am and ending at 7.43pm on Saturday; and every hour starting at 8.12am and ending at 6.12pm on Sundays.

·       Services 488 and 489: Now link Banbury with Chipping Norton, providing revised routes that serve the Banbury railway station forecourt using Tramway Road and Hightown Road. These services will no longer call at George Street, High Street, or Banbury Cross, but continued hospital connectivity is assured using stops on Hightown Road. Buses will run roughly once an hour, starting at 6.01am and ending at 7.07pm, Monday to Friday; once an hour starting at 6.16am and ending at 5.42pm on Saturday; and roughly once every two hours starting at 8.01am and ending at 5.42pm on Sundays.

Photo

1. From left to right: Paul Wooster, Area Manager, Chiltern Railway; Trevor Bayliss, Operations Manager, Witney Depot, Stagecoach West; Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action; Chris Hanson, Managing Director, Stagecoach West; Councillor Liz Leffman, Charlbury and Wychwood, Leader, Oxfordshire County Council; Chris Dyer, Head of Service, Transport & Property Infrastructure Delivery, Environment & Highways, Oxfordshire County Council.

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The expression of interest  sets out a shared ambition for an MSA – a new combined authority led by a directly elected mayor and made up of a number of councils – to secure new powers and funding for the area. This would enable local councils to plan and deliver more integrated and effective transport, infrastructure, the right type of housing – with an emphasis on social housing – creating the conditions for faster, more inclusive growth across the region.

The MSA will make decisions that positively impact communities and businesses across the wider region, with local councils continuing to deliver critical and wider public services for the benefit of all residents.

Councils across the region debated the expression of interest in their meetings during November and December. The letter submitted to government was signed on behalf of these authorities by Councillor Mary Temperton, Leader of Bracknell Forest Council and Chair of the Berkshire Prosperity Board, and Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council.

Councillor Mary Temperton, Leader of Bracknell Forest Council and Chair of Berkshire Prosperity Board, said: “Signing the expression of interest is an important step forward in our local devolution journey and together we hope that this will provide a compelling case to government for sustained investment in the region. I am looking forward to continuing the productive discussions that have been taking place and developing our plans with government.

“Our aim with the MSA is that it will help boost the local economy and improve services that are really important to our residents, like transport and housing as well as boost jobs. It will also be an opportunity for our area to take charge of big infrastructure projects which make a real difference to lives locally.”

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We have a once in a generation chance to seize the opportunities that devolution offers. By coming together as a strategic authority, our councils can better coordinate resources and expertise to deliver the support our residents need. Our collaboration will support innovative businesses, expanding access to skills training, affordable homes, and a modern, joined-up transport network – ensuring everyone benefits from new opportunities and an improved quality of life.

“A Thames Valley MSA will harness the collective strengths of the region to unlock unparalleled prospects for inclusive and sustainable growth. It provides a unique opportunity to shape our urban and rural places ensuring lasting benefits for current and future generations.

“I look forward to continuing further discussions with councils and government on realising our vision.”

The Thames Valley MSA will be designed to speed up delivery, attract investment and strengthen one of the UK’s most productive and innovative regional economies. The ambition is for a strategic growth partner for neighbouring authorities where joint working will be beneficial, for example councils linked to the Oxford - Cambridge corridor.

Council discussions will now continue, including with government, with detailed proposals being developed in the coming months for consideration by local councils and partners.

For further information visit www.reading.gov.uk/devolution.

The ‘One Oxfordshire’ proposal is built on a robust, evidence-based case for change. It offers the scale, efficiency and financial resilience needed to deliver lasting improvements for the county – without disruption to critical frontline services. 

Alongside the proposal the council is publishing a letter to government that focuses on the importance of whole county planning to achieve sustainable development. It also makes the case as to why West Berkshire should not be included as part of an Oxfordshire unitary authority.

Councillor Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The One Oxfordshire proposal will bring all council services together, making life simpler for residents and securing a brighter economic future for everyone in our county. Multiple councils would mean more duplication, higher costs and less money for frontline services.”

Independent analysis confirms that a single unitary council for Oxfordshire would save over £63 million annually, with total net savings of £163 million by year five – the highest savings of all three proposals. These will be achieved by bringing services together, removing duplication across six councils and transforming service delivery. This money can be reinvested in the services residents rely on, from roads and schools to social care and community support.

One Oxfordshire will protect critical services such as adult and children’s social care, provision for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and fire and rescue, avoiding the costly and risky process of separating them across several unitary authorities.

Local democracy will be strengthened through robust neighbourhood governance, with local councillors operating at the heart of their communities together with town and parish councils and new area committees, ensuring decisions are made closer to the communities they affect.

One Oxfordshire is directly aligned with government policy on public sector reform, devolution and economic growth, and meets all the criteria set by government when it proposed reorganisation.

The proposal is underpinned by extensive engagement with residents, businesses and public sector providers and responds directly to their priorities and concerns. It preserves Oxfordshire’s established identity and geography, maintaining the county’s strong sense of place while unlocking new opportunities for inclusive growth, and it provides a single front door for residents and businesses to access all services.

The One Oxfordshire proposal ensures the new council will be able to drive sustainable economic growth, make significant investments and take meaningful action to reduce inequality, thanks to the strength and resources of a single, larger authority.

A council for all Oxfordshire can balance the growth of a thriving city with the enhanced economic impact that highly connected market towns and villages can generate in a knowledge economy that is spread right across the county.

Cllr Leffman added: “Our proposal is designed to put communities first – delivering the benefits of scale while ensuring local voices remain central to decision-making. It builds on Oxfordshire’s strength as an economic and innovation powerhouse – the home to world-leading science, technology and business.

“Our county’s economic success is built on the connections between places like Harwell, Milton Park, Culham, Oxford University and Bicester Motion. These assets are spread across Oxfordshire, and our proposal will help us work together as one county so that every community can benefit from new jobs, investment and opportunities.

“A single council will give Oxfordshire a stronger voice when working with government and investors, helping us secure the funding and powers we need to keep our economy growing. By planning for the whole county, we can make sure that new homes and transport links are delivered where they’re needed most and that no community is left behind.

“Recent problems with local plans have made it harder to protect our communities from unwanted development. With One Oxfordshire, we can create a single, strong plan for the whole county, helping us build the right homes in the right places and protect what makes Oxfordshire special. Dividing planning responsibilities would risk repeating past failures and slow down progress.

“By keeping services together, we avoid the disruption and risk of splitting up support for adults, children and families. This means continuity and stability for those who rely on social care, SEND provision and fire and rescue services. We would seek to build on already strong foundations by joining up services like housing, leisure and children’s social care as well as planning, economic and transport. 

“As one council we would be able to ensure consistent service provision across the county. Resource and need are not evenly distributed, and smaller authorities would not be as equipped to deal such issues.

“Our proposal is focused on what’s best for Oxfordshire. We have not included West Berkshire because our priority is to ensure all parts of Oxfordshire remain resilient and successful.

“Only a single, unified council can protect critical services and unlock Oxfordshire’s full economic potential. By working together as one county, we can deliver the services, homes and jobs our residents need, and ensure Oxfordshire remains a national leader in inclusive growth and innovation.”

What options are being proposed?

The proposal to be put forward by Oxfordshire County Council is joined by two other options being developed by other councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. The full list is below.

1. A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council . This is the county council’s preferred option.
2. Two unitary councils:
   1. Oxford and Shires Council created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire.
   2. Ridgeway Council created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse and the unitary council of West Berkshire.
3. Three unitary councils:
   1. Greater Oxford Council – covering Oxford and its green belt.
   2. Northern Oxfordshire Council – covering most of the existing Cherwell and West Oxfordshire districts.
   3. Ridgeway Council.

The government is reorganising all two-tier areas in the country and has asked for proposals to be submitted by 28 November 2025. Consultation will take place in the new year, with a government decision expected in summer 2026. New local government structures would come into place in April 2028.

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Dean Farrell, who also serves as Witney CSS’s climate action champion, is participating in the eight week programme alongside students from across the globe. The course explores cutting-edge climate science and includes a group project component.

He hopes to focus his main project on Oxfordshire County Council’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

Dean’s journey began with carbon literacy training. The council offers the nationally recognised carbon literacy training to any interested staff to support all non-environmental professionals with understanding of how their role can support meeting climate action targets.

This training sparked a deeper interest in climate action for Dean. Encouraged by his team leader, Selina Crozier, Dean applied for the Oxford course, and, despite initial doubts, was thrilled to be accepted.

Now two weeks into the programme, Dean describes the experience as intellectually challenging and deeply rewarding.

Dean said: “This opportunity means a great deal to me. It’s not just about learning, it’s about proving to myself that I belong in this space. I’m proud to be part of something that could make a real difference.”

Dean plans to share his learning with colleagues and the people supported at community support services across the county through presentations, newsletter articles and social media updates. His goal is to make climate science accessible and relevant to local communities, while highlighting the council’s sustainability efforts.

Selina, Team Leader in Oxfordshire County Council’s Adult Social Care team, said: “Dean is living our organisational values ‒ showing ambition, responsibility, and a real drive to make a difference. We’re incredibly proud of him.”

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Dean’s achievement is a fantastic example of how individual ambition aligns with our wider organisational goals. His commitment to climate action reflects Oxfordshire County Council’s determination to reach carbon neutrality by 2030 and embed sustainability into everything we do.

“By sharing his learning with colleagues and local communities, Dean is helping to turn strategy into action and inspire others to play their part in creating a greener future.”

Dean’s story is a powerful example of personal growth, community leadership, and the council’s wider commitment to climate action.

Learn more about Witney Community Support Service, and the activities and services it provides to help people stay healthy and independent.

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A future for local government in Oxfordshire that would deliver stronger and simpler services, which are closer to communities, connected and cost effective, and mean no disruption for critical frontline services – is to be considered by councillors.

Oxfordshire County Council’s ‘One Oxfordshire’ proposal for bringing services together under one unified council will be discussed at Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 12 November and Cabinet on 13 November.

Submissions for the future shape of local government must be made to government ministers by 28 November.

One Oxfordshire sets out a strong, evidence-based case for change: a single unitary council that will save over £63 million annually, with total net savings of £163 million by year five. These savings will be achieved by bringing services together, removing duplication across six councils and transforming service delivery.

Under the proposal critical services such as adult and children’s social care and provision for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will be protected, avoiding the costly and risky process of separating them across several unitary authorities.

Local democracy will be strengthened through robust neighbourhood governance, with local councillors operating at the heart of their communities together with town and parish councils and new area committees, ensuring decisions are made closer to the communities they affect.

The proposal is directly aligned with government policy on public sector reform, devolution and economic growth, and is underpinned by engagement with residents, businesses and public sector providers. It meets all the criteria set by government when it proposed reorganisation.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “One Oxfordshire sets out a bold vision for a stronger, fairer and more ambitious future for every resident and business in the county. By bringing together all council services into one single financially resilient authority, we can unlock the full potential of our people and places, drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and deliver  high quality services our communities deserve.

“A single unitary would simplify services for residents and businesses, with one front door to access everything, from social care and housing to planning and public health. It would provide more equitable service delivery across the county, with residents in every part of the county able to benefit.

“Under this proposal there would be one set of councillors, one chief executive, and one set of buildings. Bringing services together under one council offers the best value for money for residents, and money saved from bringing services together could be reinvested into strengthening them and providing headroom to deliver transformation and further savings. It would preserve the established identity and geography of Oxfordshire.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver a stronger and more prosperous future for Oxfordshire. One Oxfordshire will provide the scale and stability to withstand future financial shocks, the efficiency to maximise value for money, and the ambition to deliver real and lasting benefits for every resident and business.”

What options are being proposed?

The proposal to be put forward by Oxfordshire County Council is joined by two other options being developed by other councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. The full list is below.

1. A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council (responsible for all services for Oxfordshire residents). This is the county council’s preferred option.
2. Two unitary councils:
   1. Oxford and Shires Council (previously referenced as North Oxfordshire Council) created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire.
   2. Ridgeway Council created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse and the unitary council of West Berkshire.
3. Three unitary councils – with a unitary city on expanded boundaries (referred to as Greater Oxford) as well as northern and southern unitaries, also including West Berkshire.

A statutory invitation from the government was issued to all councils in two-tier areas encouraging them to work with each other and partners in the development, and joint submission of proposals to bring together local government services new unitary councils. It was confirmed in July that the final date for submissions would be 28 November.

Community groups across Oxfordshire can now apply for a share of £773,000 in funding to help residents live well and independently in their local areas.

Launching today, the 2025/26 community grants programme builds on the success of previous years and will once again be delivered in partnership with Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA), Community First Oxfordshire (CFO), and Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF).

Last year, 104 community projects across Oxfordshire received crucial funding.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Community groups play a vital role in supporting and connecting people. They are often the first to step in with practical, compassionate support when people need it most.

“This funding helps these groups to grow their impact and continue delivering the kind of activities that enable people to thrive close to home, whether that’s tackling loneliness, improving wellbeing, or helping people stay independent for longer.

“It’s a key part of our Oxfordshire Way approach, which puts prevention and community at the heart of adult social care.”

Larger Community Capacity Grants – £5,000 to £20,000

The first funding stream is the larger Community Capacity Grant, which welcomes applications from community groups seeking between £5,000 and £20,000 from a total pot of £503,000. Administered by OCF, this programme is aimed at more established groups looking to make a significant impact through their work.

This funding stream opens today, 12 September 2025.

Last year, 24 groups received funding through this stream, with OCF also securing an additional £84,000 from private donors to support a further seven community groups.

One of last year’s beneficiaries was Maymessy, an empowering cooking and wellness centre near Wantage.

Awarded £19,866, Maymessy has been working with local GP practices to deliver social prescribing activities for older widowed men, a group particularly vulnerable to loneliness.

Participants have learned to batch-cook fresh meals, grown their confidence in the kitchen, and, most importantly, built new connections that have enhanced their overall wellbeing.

Anna Richards, Maymessy Coordinator, said, “We’re incredibly grateful to Oxfordshire County Council and the Community Capacity Grants programme for supporting our work with older widowed men.

“This funding has enabled us to run meaningful cooking and wellness sessions that not only teach practical skills but also foster connection, confidence, and resilience. It’s been heartening to see participants form new friendships and rediscover joy in everyday routines.”

Connected Communities Fund – up to £5,000

The second funding stream is the Connected Communities Fund, managed by OCVA and CFO. It offers grants of up to £5,000 from a total fund of £270,000 and opens for applications on 16 September 2025.

Intended for grassroots groups, the fund is issued on a rolling basis with no closing date, designed to be quicker than a formal grant process. OCVA and CFO provide advice and support alongside the funding process.

Last year, Great Company Drama Group received £3,000 from the Connected Communities Fund to expand its drama sessions for adults aged 18+ who are neurodivergent or have learning disabilities.

Based at Chipping Norton Theatre, the group runs three ten-week terms annually, helping members build confidence, discover new talents and form lasting friendships. The funding has enabled 60 participants - including those previously on a waiting list - to join the sessions.

Vanessa Managhan, Take Part Director, said: “Our sessions help build confidence, spark friendships and bring lots of fun.

“Thanks to the Connected Communities funding, we’ve been able to open a second group to meet demand – we’re incredibly grateful to OCVA, CFO and Oxfordshire County Council for making it possible.”

Community groups may apply to only one of the two funding pots: either the Connected Communities Fund or the Community Capacity Grant. Applications sent to both funds will not be accepted. Please read the criteria and eligibility for each fund to see which best fits your project.

How to apply

Groups hoping for between £5,000 and £20,000 can apply online at OCF.

Community groups looking to apply for up to £5,000, alongside additional support from OCVA and CFO, can find more information online.

More details, including the specific criteria and tips for a successful application, can be found here.

More information

• Oxfordshire Community Foundation is a charity that builds thriving communities through effective philanthropy. According to Oxfordshire Community Foundation, “Local donors choose to work with OCF because we bring an in-depth understanding of the needs in the county and priority issues, alongside trusted relationships with our network of grassroots delivery charities and community groups. We champion this vibrant local charity sector as a crucial way to combat issues such as homelessness, educational inequality, and loneliness and isolation, awarding around £2 million in grants annually.”
• Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action helps people to help others by supporting and empowering volunteers, networks, partnerships and non-profit organisations, both big and small. They provide training, advice and support to help Oxfordshire’s diverse voluntary and community sector flourish.
• Community First Oxfordshire is a community development charity which helps groups and individuals to identify issues that affect them and find their own solutions. Community First Oxfordshire supports and advises volunteer-led actions in Oxfordshire, helping hundreds of volunteers fulfil many roles in their communities. It supports the principles of asset-based community development and believes that stronger, more sustainable communities are built using the skills and gifts that people already have.

Read more about Oxfordshire County Council’s Oxfordshire Way strategic vision on its webpages.

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Oxfordshire County Council’s adult social care service has been awarded a ‘good’ rating following a planned inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

The CQC report, published today, highlights the strength of the council’s Oxfordshire Way vision, which supports people to live well and independently within their own communities. The report also commends the council’s positive partnership working with the NHS and the voluntary and community sector, which is central to the strategy.

The council’s teams were praised for their person-centred approach, with a focus on building relationships and trust to better understand residents’ needs.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “I’m delighted to confirm our ‘good’ rating following the CQC inspection and congratulate everyone involved in achieving this positive outcome.

“The report highlights our clear vision for adult social care in Oxfordshire and the strong partnerships that help us to keep improving services for residents. This rating reflects a well-integrated service working at scale with NHS and social care partners.

“I also want to recognise the dedication of our care workers. Their commitment is absolutely central to this rating.”

CQC local authority assessments have been a statutory requirement for all councils with a responsibility for adult social care since April 2023, as part of the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place between Monday 13 and Friday 17 January 2025 and involved meetings and focus groups with members of the council’s adult social care team, councillors, external partners and people who draw on the service.

The report also highlighted several strengths in the council’s service, including:

• A well-managed transition process for young people moving into adulthood, with conversations described as “aspirational and ambitious”.
• Strong relationships with community and voluntary sector partners, enabling the council to better understand and plan for local needs.
• Marked improvements in safeguarding, with long-standing cases reduced from 286 to just 18 within a year.
• Effective reablement services, with 77% of people regaining full independence following support, demonstrating strong outcomes in helping residents recover after hospital discharge.

This latest rating follows the council’s children’s services also being graded ‘good’ by Ofsted in April 2024, reflecting Oxfordshire’s commitment to delivering high-quality support across all age groups.

Oxfordshire County Council remains firmly committed to strengthening adult social care. Findings from the recent CQC assessment will play a key role in shaping ongoing improvement plans.

To ensure services are responsive, inclusive, and continually improving, the council will continue working closely with partners, care providers, the voluntary and community sectors, and, most importantly, residents, their families, and carers.

Listen as Cllr Tim Bearder explains what makes adult social care in Oxfordshire so successful.

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Residents, businesses and organisations in Oxfordshire can share their views on a proposal for six temporary congestion charge locations for cars in Oxford, in a survey open until 3 August.

Oxfordshire County Council is unable to start its traffic filters trial until Botley Road reopens. In response to this delay, the proposal aims to reduce traffic and improve travel during Network Rail’s extended closure of Botley Road.

The proposed temporary congestion charge is intended to improve bus services and make travel by car easier for those with permits, including community health and care workers, carers, blue badge holders, and traders. Once Botley Road reopens, the council plans to implement the traffic filters trial and the temporary congestion charge would end.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We believe the proposed temporary congestion charge could have a significant positive impact on people’s travel in and around the city by strengthening local bus services and reducing overall traffic. It’s our response to calls for urgent improvement from bus companies and others.

“I’d like to encourage residents to read through our proposal and tell us about how it might make a difference to them. I’m very keen to understand the impact of the scheme and also to see feedback on some of the details being outlined.”

Under the proposals, starting from autumn 2025, cars without a permit would pay a daily charge of £5 to pass through the six designated charge locations on Oxford roads. Cars with permits or day passes would be exempt from the charge, while all vehicles other than cars would also be able to pass through the locations at all times without being charged.

Traffic signs would clearly mark the locations of the charging cameras to make drivers aware of where the charges apply.

The scheme would make use of the existing infrastructure and back-office systems intended for traffic filters. Any surplus income from the proposed scheme would be used to fund travel improvements like cheaper bus tickets and parking at park and ride sites.

The county council is asking for people to share their views and give feedback on the level of charge, proposed permits, and priorities for improvements that could be funded by the scheme.

Feedback will help shape proposals that will be presented to the council’s cabinet in September, when it will make a decision on whether to introduce the scheme. If approved, the scheme could be in place later this year.

For more information and to provide your feedback, visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/congestionchargeconsultation.

Online question and answer events will be publicised and open to all. Paper copies of the survey are available at Oxfordshire libraries and from County Hall in Oxford.

The proposed scheme aims to:

• reduce traffic
• make bus journeys faster and more reliable
• allow for new and improved bus routes
• make walking and cycling safer
• reduce local air pollution
• improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.

More information is available on the council’s website

Permits

The temporary congestion charge would only apply to cars. All other vehicles would not need to pay a charge and would not need a permit.   

Permits would be available for certain groups, including community health and care workers, carers, blue badge holders, and mobile traders - exactly the same as for the planned traffic filters trial - allowing them to pass through the charge locations without incurring a charge. 

A new central permit area would be created (zoom in to the purple area within the light blue area on the map). Permits would be available for residents, their visitors and commuters in this central area where car drivers would have no option but to pass through a charge location.

As with the planned traffic filters trial, residents in the wider Oxford permit area would be eligible for 100 day passes each year, while residents in the Oxfordshire permit area for 25 day passes each year, allowing for free travel through the charge locations on residents’ chosen days. Each day pass would allow travel through all six charge locations as many times as you like on that day. 

All permits would be free and valid for 12 months unless stated otherwise.

Without a permit, car drivers could choose an alternative route or pay the daily charge.

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Ben Arthur Eltham, of Chalbar, Denchworth Road, Grove, near Wantage, had previously pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court of dishonestly entering into contracts for projects where he charged for materials he did not purchase and for failing to finish work. The work he did carry out was of poor quality.

He also began work on properties without the necessary applications according to building regulations and failed to have work inspected at the required stages, despite assuring clients that this had been done.

Eltham, 41, was sentenced on Friday 30 May to 40 months imprisonment.

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: The vast majority of Oxfordshire’s builders complete their work on time and to their customers satisfaction. When this is not the case and traders take money for inadequate work and misuse funds intended for materials before lying to their clients about why projects are delayed, then our trading standards works hard to give residents as much protection as possible from such rogue traders.”

At the time of the offences, committed between 2021 and 2023, Eltham was trading as Ben Eltham General Builder and JFE Building Contractor.

He was contracted to complete work for five customers, primarily in the Wantage area, on garage conversions, extensions and remodelling projects.

There was a distinct pattern to the projects undertaken by Eltham. Work initially progressed well but soon slowed, and it would become difficult for his customers to reach him.

His clients were given increasingly implausible reasons why no work was being carried out and, in some cases, the work was never finished years after starting.

Investigations found that instead of ordering materials and paying staff to carry out the work, Eltham was spending considerable amounts on gambling, holidays and social events.

Davina continued: “We always advise anybody looking for a reliable trader to get a number of detailed quotes, check with friends and family for trusted recommendations and consider a trading standards’ approved trader from our Buy With Confidence scheme.

“People should proceed with caution when agreeing payment for large scale building projects. Paying in instalments is entirely sensible but when the payment schedule is too heavily weighted towards the beginning of the work, as was the case with Mr Eltham, this can be a warning sign and can leave customers heavily out of pocket with little work completed.

“The same applies when making significant down payments for items like fitted kitchens and bathrooms, glazing and heating systems. Always ensure there is proof orders have been made to avoid incurring the expense of having to re-order if an unscrupulous trader uses the money to cover other spending.”

Any Oxfordshire resident that has concerns about activity of this nature should report it using the national consumer helpline 0808 223 1133

People living or travelling in Eynsham are being asked for their views on a draft local cycling and walking infrastructure plan for Eynsham and surrounding villages until 24 June.

The plan will help to identify positive changes for the village’s walking and cycling network, improving accessibility and connections with the surrounding area including: Begbroke, Botley, Cassington, Farmoor, Freeland, Hanborough, South Leigh, Stanton Harcourt, Swinford and Yarnton over the next 10 years.

Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways for Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Walking, wheeling and cycling for journeys as part of daily life can help retain health, increase happiness and enable connection with nature.

“We make numerous short journeys around our neighbourhoods every day to the shop, doing the school run, catching a bus to work, and visiting friends or family in nearby streets or villages.

“We have routes we follow frequently. We might even have shorter routes we avoid because a road or path feels too narrow or is harder to cross. I’d like to hear from people where their trips could be improved by making small changes like a marked cycle route, a wider pavement, a level pathway or a properly accessible crossing point.

“These changes, however small, can connect a travel network that we can all benefit from and enjoy.”

Residents can take part by visiting the council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire, and adding a pin and comment to the online map. People can also email comments to placeplanningnorth@oxfordshire.gov.uk or write to Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL¹.

All responses will be collated and reviewed once the engagement has closed, and a draft plan of improvements will be created and shared for public feedback later this year. A final plan developed from this will then be recommended for formal adoption as council policy and used to help bid for funding to deliver the improvements.

Notes to editor

• ¹Residents who wish to write to the council should address their envelope with Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL as one line in the middle with ‘Eynsham LCWIP’ written in the top left corner.
• Measures in the central Oxfordshire travel plan and Oxfordshire’s local transport and connectivity plan are designed to make Oxfordshire a better place for everyone.
• Local cycling and walking infrastructure plans (LCWIP) are designed to
  • identify cycling and walking infrastructure improvements for future investment in the short, medium and long term
  • ensure that consideration is given to cycling and walking within local planning and transport policies and strategies
  • make a case for future funding for walking and cycling infrastructure.

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Assembly participants were selected by a randomised sortition process to broadly represent Oxfordshire residents. They came together to address the challenge question of: ‘What steps do we need to take so Oxfordshire's transport system enables our county's health, economy, and environment to thrive in 2050?’. Thirty four residents committed 45 hours of their time, including nine in-person discussion and engagement sessions at County Hall in Oxford, delivered by experts in deliberative democracy, MutualGain. 

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “I would like to thank members of the assembly for the huge commitment they have made to learning about and considering the issues we face in meeting some of our ambitious transport targets. I was struck by the sense of responsibility that I felt in the room on Sunday and I look forward to considering the assembly’s recommendations in detail. I am very thankful for their valuable contribution throughout this whole engagement process.”

Participants were asked to provide recommendations towards achieving the vision and targets set out in the council’s local transport and connectivity plan in ways that best meet the needs and preferences of the people of Oxfordshire and other stakeholders. Their recommendations were presented live at the end of the process to representatives from the council and are published on the council’s website (agenda item 9.)

Assembly members heard from over 40 experts during their learning and deliberation, including academics, businesses representatives, community representatives, travel and transport specialists and council officers, who provided wide-ranging information and covered different perspectives. The assembly discussed implications for the whole county and a portion of the overall time was focused on the central Oxfordshire travel plan area. 

The process that council officers propose for responding to the assembly’s recommendations uses a structured framework to ensure fair and thorough consideration. A full report of the citizens’ assembly and the council’s response to the assembly’s recommendations will be considered by the council’s cabinet in July 2025. 

Subject to consent, it is hoped that the council can continue to work with assembly participants. 

The council will publish more detailed information on what the assembly covered, including evidence givers’ presentations and films (where consent has been obtained), to coincide with the publication of the final report of the assembly in July 2025. 

More information about the assembly is available on the council’s website at oxfordshire.gov.uk/CitizensAssembly

More information

Oxfordshire County Council aims to create a net-zero travel and transport system that enhances quality of life, supports the local economy, and protects the environment.

Key targets include:

• Reducing 1 in 4 car trips by 2030
• Achieving a net-zero transport network by 2040
• Minimising road fatalities by 2050

A citizens’ assembly is a broadly representative group of residents who are chosen by democratic lottery. Citizens’ assemblies follow agreed standards and usually adopt a three-step process whereby participants:

• learn by hearing evidence from a wide range of experts and questioning these;
• deliberate with one another, carefully considering what they have heard and weighing up the pros and cons; and
• reach collective recommendations on what they think should be done, with each recommendation aiming for 80 per cent agreement across all assembly members.

Recruitment to the council’s travel and transport citizens’ assembly was led by the Sortition Foundation. Forty Oxfordshire residents were selected by democratic lottery to take part against broad quotas designed to reflect the population make-up of the county in terms of geography, demographics, driver status and attitudes towards climate change. Of the 40 residents selected, a core group of 34 assembly members attended every meeting.

The assembly process is overseen by an independent advisory board whose duties included helping to make sure the information discussed by participants was accurate and balanced and that the recommendations are considered by stakeholders and policymakers.

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Innovative ideas have been identified by county councillors all over Oxfordshire in response to the Government’s national £250 million cash fund to implement changes to roads and transport networks.

There’s set to be a focus on encouraging residents to walk and cycle, with the county council linking up with district councils, Oxford City Council and other partners on the work. In terms of longer-term recovery, the use of public transport will be encouraged as part of the county-wide strategy.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment Cllr Yvonne Constance and Cycling Champion Cllr Suzanne Bartington recently asked all 63 county councillors covering every part of the county for their ideas on what should be done.

Enthusiastic responses were received as the council seeks to make sure that every town and village will benefit from how the funds are invested.

Of the responses submitted, there is particularly clear support for measures including:

• Wider roll-out of 20 mph speed zones where supported by residents
• The introduction of school streets to restrict motor vehicles around schools at certain times of day
• Improved cycling infrastructure such as more cycle-only lanes in every town
• Additional cycle facilities such as more secure cycle racks at rural bus stops

Oxford is already well positioned to benefit from the work done as a result of its Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), which has identified steps to maximise the uptake in cycling and walking across the city.

Cllr Yvonne Constance said: “The immense challenges of coronavirus have disrupted our transport network. However there are now opportunities to rethink the way we travel and a chance to make strides towards sustainable and zero emission transport. There’s a real chance to do things differently, helping more people to walk, cycle and travel in sustainable ways.

“By working with councillors across the county on adapting our transport infrastructure and options we can alter the way people think about travelling. This could all lead to much-needed improvements in air quality as well as supporting a sustainable recovery from the pandemic.”

“The county council will work to ensure people have access to the facilities and information they will need to take advantage of the adapted infrastructure that is planned.”

Specific steps will be announced shortly - some will be implemented in June, with further changes to be made between July and September.

The precise allocation and terms for the county of the £250 million government fund is still to be confirmed. The county council will work with the district and city councils to use this funding as widely as possible to address the active transport measures under consideration for the benefit of residents.

The sites at Alkerton, Ardley, Dix Pit, Drayton, Oakley Wood, Redbridge and Stanford in the Vale have been extremely busy since they opened at 8.00am this morning but Cllr Constance said it was encouraging that residents had understood the importance of the social distancing measures the Council had introduced.

“We were committed to get these seven sites open and we knew today would be very busy with people bringing in their essential waste. As expected, traffic queues have built up but our residents have played their part by being considerate and adhering to the revised site layouts.

“We know things at the recycling sites will be busy for the foreseeable future, so I hope people will continue to be patient. My main plea to residents is to consider whether they can wait a few days or longer before visiting their nearest site. The more we can stagger waste coming in, the less traffic will queue and the easier it will be for everyone.”

The council asks residents to remember:

• You should only visit the site if you cannot safely store your waste at home.
• Revised opening hours: All sites will open at 8am and close at 4pm to allow them to be cleaned for the following day. Please do not arrive before 8am.
• For an initial period, no hire vans or trailers will be permitted onto sites.
• Vehicle numbers and parking bays are reduced on site, and once the maximum is reached the site will operate on a one-out one-in basis. PLEASE NOTE the potential for long delays and queues.
• Please follow any instructions given by traffic marshals to ensure queues are managed safely
• We will continue to charge for non-household waste brought to sites and this will be by contactless card payment only. If you are unable to pay by contactless means you will not be able to deposit non household waste at the site.
• Residents must self-police and abide by social distancing of two metres from site teams and other residents at all times.
• Site teams will be there for guidance only and will not be able to assist residents in unloading their waste.
• Only one resident is permitted out of the vehicle, unless it is to remove a heavy load which would otherwise be unsafe to remove. Visits are best made by just one person per vehicle.
• In line with Public Health England guidance, residents who are vulnerable, or who are showing symptoms which may indicate coronavirus, should not visit household recycling centres.

Specific rules and restrictions will vary by site. Please refer to the county council website before leaving home to familiarise yourself with these and to avoid frustration and delay:

www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wastereopenquestions

Oxfordshire County Council is about to launch a public consultation on the proposed range of transport improvements in Didcot and surrounding areas that will support the creation of new jobs and homes.

The consultation will open on Thursday 19 March. Work on these infrastructure improvements follows the successful funding announcement for £218 million from Government in March 2019 known as the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF). Although the funding for the transport improvements has been announced, Oxfordshire County Council is currently in the final stages of negotiating the details of the funding agreement with Government.

As part of this consultation, public exhibitions were planned across various locations in the local area over the last two weeks in March. Unfortunately, due to the advice from Government with respect to Coronavirus (COVID-19) these have been cancelled. However, residents and businesses can view the plans and submit feedback online until 30 April 2020.

If you know anyone who does not have access to the internet and you think would be interested in this consultation, we would appreciate your help in telling them about it. They can call us on: 07392 318945 or 07833 401067 to discuss the proposals and request printed copies of the consultation materials.

The funding will substantially improve the county’s transport infrastructure, including a new river crossing between Didcot and Culham. The improved infrastructure would enable the development of new housing and employment areas using good sustainable design, supporting improved conditions for cycling.

The four schemes are:

1. A4130 road widening from A34 Milton Interchange towards Didcot
2. A new “Science Bridge” over the A4130, Great Western Railway Line and Milton Road into the former Didcot A Power Station site, back to the A4130 near Purchas Road
3. A new Didcot to Culham River Crossing between the A4130 Northern Perimeter Road at Didcot and A415 near Culham Science Centre
4. A new Clifton Hampden Bypass between A415 near Culham Science Centre and B4015 Oxford Road north of the village.

Since the previous public exhibition events in November 2018, Oxfordshire County Council has been working to address previous comments and updating the design work. The online consultation will show the latest scheme designs and provide an opportunity for local people to comment on these.

All schemes include new and/or improved high quality walking and cycling routes which will give people real travel choice. The lack of suitable crossings over the railway line and river coupled with the success of the Science Vale area has resulted in heavy congestion. The lack of crossings have resulted in limited alternatives to the private car.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, which submitted the HIF bid, said: “This funding will support the creation of new houses including affordable homes and will improve transport links including walking and cycling routes. It is a big boost for Oxfordshire and underlines our commitment to ensuring that the infrastructure is in place to support new homes. The work will mean that the new homes will be supported by infrastructure that will connect residents with main routes whilst allowing them to avoid surrounding villages.”

How to respond:

The online public consultation will start on Thursday 19 March 2020 and close on Thursday 30 April 2020 (closing at 11:59pm). Please follow this link for more details: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/didcotupdate

Since March 2014, same sex couples have been able to choose whether to make a civil partnership or to marry, but this has not been open to opposite sex couples until now.

As the local registration service provider, Oxfordshire County Council is now ready to serve the community with Civil Partnerships for opposite sexes. The first in Oxfordshire will be held on 2 January 2020. Oxfordshire County Council’s Registration Service reports that 34 couples have registered to make a civil partnership since the changes went live on 2 December 2019. Details of the service offered by the council can be found at:

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/community-and-living/births-deaths-and-ceremonies/weddings-and-other-ceremonies

A civil partnership is a legally recognised relationship between two people and offers many of the same benefits as a conventional marriage. Couples in a civil partnership will benefit from the same rights as married couples in terms of tax benefits, pensions and inheritance. Couples who choose a civil partnership are not required to have a ceremony and the relationship is formed once the couple and their witnesses sign a legal document known as a schedule.

At one of the first civil partnerships to be held in Oxfordshire, Richard Alldred and Amey Richardson said:

“We have been together for 28 years now and although we are in a stable, loving relationship, we lacked rights as a single, cohabiting couple. We wanted legal recognition of our relationship which the new mixed sex civil partnership offers.”

Cllr Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, Cabinet Member for Education & Cultural Services, said:

“Couples have had to wait a long time for this change and it is very welcome. I am delighted that every couple will now have equal rights and will be able to choose between a marriage or a civil partnership, depending on their personal choice and wishes.”

“Given the inadequate response from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government to the concern of this Council regarding the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway, this Council asks the Leader to write to the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Highways England in the following terms:

Oxfordshire County Council will work with Highways England on the development of the vision for the English Economic Heartland and the Oxford to Cambridge Arc on the understanding that they will expedite the realisation of the East West Rail Link.

The development of the railway line will ensure the delivery of the growth and housing required, without the environmental impact of a road cutting across the centre of rural England.

Building the Expressway flies in the face of Oxfordshire’s commitment to reduce the use of the car. An action which is necessary to tackle the Climate Change Emergency, which Local Government, including Oxfordshire, has signed up to.

Oxfordshire does not support the building of the Expressway irrespective of which route is chosen.”

The motion was carried with 36 in favour, 11 against and eight abstentions.

Background on the motion

The proposed routes for the new expressway have not yet been decided by Highways England and public consultation is still to be held on the proposals. The consultation was due to be held in Autumn 2019. This will now take place after the General Election.

Further information about the Highways England proposals are here.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cycling Champion, Councillor Suzanne Bartington, said: “The council’s successful funding bid means we will now be able to provide expert training to almost all school children, at their schools. Around 5000 each year for the next two years.

“High quality training makes children much more confident on the road and sets them on the course to become cyclists for the rest of their lives with all the health benefits that brings.

“Made up of six, 90 minute sessions usually spread over a week, it’s completely free of charge to both schools and pupils.”

The bulk of cycling training in the county is carried out by a 700-strong army of volunteer instructors under the Oxfordshire Cycle Training Scheme, which has been running for more than 40 years.

Training is offered to children from nine-years-old and up and is a mixture of learning about the Highways Code and practical ‘on the road’ tuition.

Said Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Road Safety Manager, Andy Ford, who manages it:

“This new money means we can help support our marvellous volunteers to expand the number of sessions but also bring in local, approved, paid providers where and when necessary.

“This way we get the best of both worlds, continuing to support and extend a long-standing community-based service but with added flexibility.”

Parents and carers who want their children to take part in training should contact their school’s head teacher.

A full council meeting of Oxfordshire’s county councillors approved the proposal today. Cherwell District Council’s full council meeting will now make its own decision at its meeting on July 16.

If agreed, Yvonne Rees, the joint Chief Executive of Cherwell and South Northamptonshire council would become the Chief Executive of Cherwell and Oxfordshire councils.

The principle of joint working had already been agreed by the county council’s Cabinet and Cherwell District Council’s executive on Monday 4 June.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to do things differently with opportunities to align our services. There are great opportunities to align housing and social care, public health and leisure and strategic and local planning

“We are keen to work with Cherwell to ensure its residents continue to receive good services. The county council also believes a joint arrangement would help to secure investment in the infrastructure needed to support increases in jobs and homes.

“The well documented problems in Northamptonshire created this unique opportunity for a county-district shared service arrangement. We now await the decision of the full council meeting at Cherwell District Council.”

A local government review in Northamptonshire following the county council’s financial problems led to Cherwell District Council deciding to end their partnership with South Northamptonshire.

Read the Council paper here (PDF).

Oxfordshire’s wedding industry is estimated to be worth around £63 million a year and one county council department is central to the success of this thriving economy – Oxfordshire’s Registration Service.

You’re born, you live, you die. They’re life’s three big certainties. And Alicja Gilroy has played an integral part in literally thousands of momentous events, seeing people at the pinnacle of happiness and the depths of despair.

You might not think it would be an Oxfordshire County Council employee at the heart of these life-altering occasions.

But Alicja is the county’s Superintendent Registrar and she, along with a band of 50 other registrars, is responsible for the recording of births, deaths, and civil marriages as well as carrying out a host of other legal ceremonies from civil partnerships, vow renewals, to citizenship events.

It’s a job she adores and a service of which she is passionately proud.

Her office at the Oxford Register Office in Tidmarsh Lane is packed with some of the service’s awards for excellence, items of memorabilia and photos with dignitaries – from the Princess Royal to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

And, of course, there’s a pot of special ink on her desk – the same stuff that’s been used on marriage certificates since registrations first took place on July 1, 1837. The ink goes darker with age, does not fade and is used for beautifully handwritten entries in a green marriage register.

“It’s such a privilege to do my job and I get the best seat at every wedding,” beams Alicja. “I simply love speaking to people and helping them whether they come to us through a birth, death or a marriage or partnership. Registrars can make such a difference to clients’ experiences. We can help ease the distress of a loved one,” says Alicja.

Death registrations are now taken using an online system but Alicja enjoyed handwriting the entries as it was therapeutic for the family to watch the details being so carefully recorded.

“I remember speaking to a family whose mother had died and discussing the occupation to record for her. It turned out the lady had been a seamstress to the Royal family.”

Alicja has responsibility for ensuring that all statutory services and ceremonies within Oxfordshire are registered and delivered in accordance within current legislations.

It’s an ever-shifting landscape.

In her 13 years as Superintendent Registrar, the mum of two from Bodicote has witnessed a sea-change.

The Civil Partnership Act was introduced in 2005 and Alicja conducted one of the first in the UK. A request came for a licence just hours after the act came into force on December 5 by a male couple. One of the partners was battling a terminal illness and it was his dying wish to have a ceremony that confirmed their love and commitment to one another with legally binding vows.

“I was close to tears during the ceremony,” recalls Alicja. “It was such a moving experience but I was so happy that we were able to grant that wish for them.”

In 2014 new legislation was introduced to allow the conversion of same sex civil partnerships to marriages.

A landmark legal ruling last week means that heterosexual couples could soon be permitted to have civil partnerships too.

Within minutes of the news breaking, an Oxford dad-of-four who had been with his partner for 40 years, was at the register office to speak to Alicja about when he could book a ceremony.

“Marriage and partnerships should be for everyone,” insists Alicja. “We don’t know when this might become law but it will certainly be popular with couples who don’t want to enter into marriage but want their relationship to be officially and legally recognised.”

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies in Oxfordshire– of which there were 2,412 last year - come in all shapes and sizes.

Themed weddings are popular and Alicja had conducted one in which all the guests were in all American Civil War costume.

She’s also married ‘Elvis Presley’ to a ‘Marilyn Monroe’ and had rabbits, dogs and even owls swoop in to present the rings.

Oxfordshire is fortunate in having more than 100 approved venues where people can marry or have a civil partnership and this attracts clients from all over the country bringing in millions to the local economy – supporting local businesses that provide cakes, flowers, photographers and venues for celebrations.

The Registration Service offers a Your Day Your Way package where couples can have an office ceremony followed by another in a venue of their choice.

As the daughter of Polish migrants who fled their homeland after the Second World War, citizenship ceremonies are another element to the job that Alicja has a particular interest in.

The ceremonies were introduced in 2004 and each week around 30 people from a multitude of nationalities take part in a ceremony at County Hall to become a British citizen.

Around 1,250 people became British in the last financial year. They all went through a stringent Home Office vetting procedure, meeting residency, knowledge of English and life in the UK requirements.

This week 17 nationalities were represented when. Each swore an an oath of allegiance or made an affirmation to respect the rights, freedoms and laws of the UK. At the end of the ceremony they received a certificate of British citizenship.

Before joining the registration team in 1999, Alicja used to work as a linguist for the Ministry of Defence, translating classified documents. She speaks many languages including Polish, French and Russian, but it is undoubtedly the language of love that she speak most fluently.

Registering marriages hasn’t changed for 181 years. The same ink and layout of the certificate has endured since early Victorian times.

It lists the names, ages, occupations and addresses of those getting married and the couple’s respective fathers’ names and occupations.

There’s not a mention of mothers anywhere.

“Ignoring mothers can be so distressing and upsetting. When a person has had no contact with a father their entire lives, there’s an expectation that the mother who has raised, nurtured and cared for them should be named on a certificate.

“But as things stand we cannot do that. I’ve had so many brides and grooms in tears over it. It really is time in the 21^st century and these days of equality that motherhood is properly acknowledged,” argues Alicja.

The find out more about a civil marriage or partnership ceremony

visit https://www2.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/births-deaths-and-ceremonies

FAMOUS BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS

Hatched: Actor Hugh Lawrie, U2 bass guitarist Adam Clayton, Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien, theoretical physicist Stehen Hawking, tennis player Tim Henman, celebrity chef Rick Stein, nine-time World Motorcycle Champion & Formula 1 driver Mike Hailwood, rally driver Jason Plato, supermodel Yasmin Le Bon, champion jockey Lester Piggott, ­Prime Minister Winston Churchill – and the famous fiveski – Quintuplet Russian sisters Elizaveta, Alexandra, Nadezhda, Tatiana and Varvara Artamkin who were delivered 14-weeks prematurely by cesarian at the John Radcliffe Hospital in 2007,

Matched: Former PM Tony Blair and barrister Cherie Booth, Former PM and Witney MP David Cameron, T’Pau singer Carol Decker, Cockney rocker Joe Brown, Beatles musician George Harrison, actor Ben Kingsley, BAFTA-winning film director Paul Greengrass, the Sultan of Brunei’s son Bandar Al-Saud, 1996 Grand National winner Mick Fitzgerald ­- and modern day celebrity couple Marvin Humes and Rochelle Wiseman, singers with JLS and The Saturdays.

Dispatched: Singer George Michael, author Agatha Christie (aka Agatha Mallowan), actor Ronnie Barker, singer Dusty Springfield (aka Mary O’Brien), record-breaker Sir Roger Bannister, Beatles producer George Martin and Morse creator Colin Dexter – while Gulielmo Giovanni Bazetti Kalabergo, an Italian living near Banbury who killed his jeweller uncle with a bullet through the head, was the last person to be publicly executed in the county in 1852.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“We are keen to work with Cherwell to ensure its residents continue to receive good services. The county council also believes a joint arrangement would help to secure investment in the infrastructure needed to support increases in jobs and homes.

“The problems in Northamptonshire have created this unique opportunity for a county-district shared service arrangement. I am confident that if we can reach an agreement that would be good for Cherwell and good for the rest of Oxfordshire.

The local government review in Northamptonshire has required the Leader and the administration of Cherwell District Council to reflect upon its future and to consider what is best for its residents. As a result, they are minded to formally end their successful partnership with South Northamptonshire, and are looking at future options that will best suit the interests of its residents.

Bodicote House - Cherwell District Council's HQ

Councillor Barry Wood, Leader of Cherwell District Council, said:

“This is a great opportunity to explore closer joint working with Oxfordshire County Council, putting our residents at the heart of service delivery. In Cherwell we already have a very successful track record of partnership working and welcome the possibility of a strong and innovative relationship with colleagues at the County.

"In line with our ethos we will consider all partnerships that fit with our culture. In short, we do not and will not, operate a ‘one size fits all policy’ – but take individual decisions based on customer need and evidence."

Joint working arrangements were formally agreed under what is known as a Section 113 agreement by the Cabinet of Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council on 4 June.

The exact arrangements for sharing services and joining up functions will need to be worked out in detail and then agreed separately by each council. The shared service arrangements would be implemented incrementally so that day-to-day services are not affected and new ways of working identified.

It is a statutory requirement that the Chief Executive, as head of paid service, is appointed by the full councils of each council and formal appointment processes will be followed. Peter Clark, chief executive of Oxfordshire County Council, has said he would step down if and when the joint working arrangement was agreed.

The proposed partnership is not connected to unitary reorganisation proposals, and would offer an innovative opportunity to make two tier local government more effective.

You can read the Cabinet paper on the joint working proposal here.

We have over 60 Community Action Groups across the county, the largest network of its kind in the UK. Around 80, 000 residents got involved in community action last year. Many of the projects help us reduce waste and carbon emissions, re-use items and recycle more. These groups of volunteers offer and exchange skills and services that we all need when trying to improve our environment and communities.

Unique network that keeps on growing

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Yvonne Constance, said “All these people are volunteering their time, energy and expertise for the good of the community and to increase sustainability. Oxfordshire County Council are very proud to support those who are coming up with creative ways to make Oxfordshire a better place to live.”

The project started in 2001 and the network just kept on growing. Now they organise over 2000 events per year with local people contributing 21,000 volunteer hours to the county. The Community Action Group Project offers support, advice and training to people setting up and running their activities and funding to get things off the ground. The CAG Project in Oxfordshire is currently funded by Oxfordshire County Council (£92,000 a year). The total financial output of the project is over £1.2 million which equates to an incredible 13:1 return on investment. The project also generated over £800,000 of income in grants, sales, donations and community-owned renewables.

Alice Hemming, Community Project Coordinator said: “Oxfordshire has such a strong network of community environmental groups due to the pioneering work of its citizens, and the leadership of the county council in supporting The CAG Project for many years. This has created a network that is unique in the UK, with thriving groups supported by shared resources (such as safety equipment, thermal imaging cameras, and apple presses) and staff mentoring, support and training.”

Thousands of events to choose from

In 2016/17, CAG Network activities led to 67 tonnes of waste being prevented and 52 tonnes of carbon emissions being avoided. Groups work in diverse areas such as carbon reduction, waste, transport, food, energy, biodiversity and social justice.

There are festivals like Tandem, food co-ops, community gardens, orchards and allotments, a farm-based programme for people with autism and learning disabilities, an eco-park, swap shops, as well as conservation and art groups. Through “Incredible Edible” initiatives people grow, cook and share healthy food locally. Food surplus cafes reduce waste by using surpluses that would have gone in the bin to make healthy nutritious meals using a pay as you wish system. SESI is a social enterprise which supplies organic, fair-trade and local food, as well as sustainable, locally made detergents which people can refill into their own container.

A recent example of the exciting work going on across Oxfordshire is Sustainable Didcot’s Repair Café. The first event last weekend was to match people who have broken household items with expert volunteers who love to fix things. Ed Polehampton from Sustainable Didcot explains, “We’ve been assembling a team of enthusiastic volunteers who have expertise in electrical items, computers, watches, clocks, and clothes and fabrics. We’ll also be able to glue broken things and sharpen tools. The volunteers are keen to share their knowledge, and we’re aiming for a relaxed social atmosphere with tea, coffee and cakes provided!”.

Similar “sustainable” groups exist in Blewbury, Kirtlington, Leafield, Wallingford, Wantage, Witney, Wheatley and Woodstock.

If there’s not already a Community Action Group in your area, you could be the spark that starts the action where you are. There are a whole range of ways to make a difference with your friends and neighbours. Some groups take action by working to prevent plastic pollution, others by insulating peoples’ homes or growing fruit and veg. You can see information on the existing Community Action Groups on our website. The CAG Oxfordshire Project is managed by independent environmental consultancy Resource Futures.

Check upcoming events here: http://cagoxfordshire.org.uk/events/