Gavin Walton, Author at South Oxfordshire District Council

Important changes to planning, land charges and mapping services

We are updating the software behind our Planning and Land Charges services, to ensure it remains reliable, supported, and able to meet future service needs.

An illustration of a Halloween scene showing five costumed figures—a child in a grey cat suit, a man as a mummy, two people in white ghost costumes, and a woman dressed as a witch—standing on a wooden floor. They hold pumpkin baskets and jack-o'-lanterns against a wooden wall background decorated with black bats and spiders.

October 16, 2025

Five frightfully good ways to save waste this Halloween

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are urging residents to enjoy a spooktacular Halloween without letting waste come back to haunt them. Every year, thousands of pumpkins and costumes end up in the bin after just one night of fright. But with a few simple swaps, we can all help save money, […]

a picture of the red Volkswagen Polo, left on the B4526

October 15, 2025

Man ordered to pay over £2,300 for abandoning damaged car

A man from Cholsey has been ordered to pay more than £2,300 after abandoning a damaged vehicle in Goring Heath, following successful action by South Oxfordshire District Council. Matthew Butlin, of Rothwells Close, Cholsey, was found guilty at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 3 October, after failing to respond to repeated notices and requests for […]

The image is taken from a slightly elevated position, from a cctv camera across the road. Foreground: A set of traffic lights is prominently visible on the right side of the frame. The lights are black and appear to be showing a red signal in this view (though the lamps themselves are dark). The road surface immediately in the foreground has white road markings, including a solid white stop line and dashed lane markings. Mid-Ground: The centre of the image is dominated by a mini-roundabout, indicated by a painted circle with white arrows pointing clockwise around it. Numerous other white dashed lines indicate lanes and pedestrian crossings leading into and out of the roundabout. To the left of the roundabout, there is a raised kerb with a small, tiered planter area. A blue circular sign with white arrows (indicating a mandatory direction of travel) is mounted on a pole near the kerb. Background (Left/Centre): A single-story or ground-floor shop is visible behind the roundabout and raised kerb. The shop has an awning and its signage says

October 9, 2025

Safety boost as town centre CCTV goes fully digital across South Oxfordshire

Five new high-definition CCTV cameras have been installed in Didcot town centre, completing a £160,000 project to digitise town centre CCTV cameras across the district.

an illustration of 4 people doing gardening

October 8, 2025

Brown bin permit holders can have extra garden waste collected this Autumn

Brown bin permit holders can have extra garden waste collected for free, on their normal scheduled collection day only, between 27 October and 7 November.

The main subject of the photograph is a trailer filled with scrap metal and large waste items, parked on a wet, paved street. The trailer has high, light grey or silver metal sides and is heavily loaded with junk, including what appears to be part of a washing machine, various metal pipes, black engine parts, and a small white appliance (perhaps a microwave or mini-oven) visible near the foreground. In the background, there is a typical street scene with two-story brick and painted houses, parked cars, and traffic signs.

October 1, 2025

Illegal scrap metal dealer ordered to pay more than £1,100

A scrap metal dealer has been ordered to pay more than £1,100 after being found operating without the required licence. Thomas Shurety, 26 years old of 1 Hillside View, Chinnor, Oxon, OX39 4DE, pleaded guilty at Oxford Magistrates’ Court, on 19 September 2025, to failing to produce the required documentation relating to waste and scrap […]

The image is a horizontal banner displaying four distinct, framed images against a teal and green background decorated with faint, white line-art drawings of various objects like sports equipment and theatrical masks. The four framed images are: First Image (Left): A photograph of a smiling, bald man with a beard and a colourful, spotted shirt. He is holding a large ruler and is surrounded by cartoon characters, including a small boy's face peering up from the bottom left and a girl standing next to him on the right. The background is an orange-yellow colour. Second Image (Center-Left): A cover for a book or resource titled

September 29, 2025

Enjoy an action-packed half-term across South Oxfordshire and the Vale

From theatre shows and craft workshops to outdoor adventure challenges and family fun days – there’s something for everyone this October half-term! Families across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse can look forward to an exciting week of free and low-cost activities from 25 October to 1 November. Free and low-cost outdoor activities, […]

A close-up, low-angle photo showing a heavily soiled floor beneath what appears to be a commercial kitchen counter or piece of equipment. The floor is covered in a thick layer of dark grime, grease, and various pieces of trash. In the foreground, there are two large, dark, matted clumps of debris. A yellow pipe with some rust is visible at the top of the frame.

September 15, 2025

Hotel owner ordered to pay £29,000 after ignoring hygiene notices

The owner of a hotel in Thame has been ordered to pay more than £29,000 after admitting failing to comply with two improvement notices after a series of significant hygiene issues at the premises in 2023. Ravinder Singh Takhar, of Templewood Lane, Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to nine breaches of Food Safety and Hygiene […]