Latest news


April 6, 2021
Phased re-opening for leisure facilities in southern Oxfordshire
Following government advice that leisure centres can start to reopen from 12 April, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils and their leisure contractor GLL, which runs the Better leisure centres across the districts, have agreed on a phased approach to re-opening. As the centres vary in size and offer different facilities, they […]

April 1, 2021
Update from South Oxfordshire District Council
An update following the statement issued on 30 March. The council has received notification that Bioabundance CIC has made an application to the court seeking to overturn the judge’s decision to refuse permission to proceed with an application for judicial review against the council’s decision to adopt the Local Plan 2035. We await notification from the […]

March 30, 2021
Statement from South Oxfordshire District Council
The Council has received notification that The Honourable Mr Justice Dove has refused the application by Bioabundance CIC for permission to proceed with an application for judicial review against the Council’s decision to adopt the Local Plan 2035. In refusing the application, the judge ordered Bioabundance CIC to pay the Council’s costs. Bioabundance CIC has […]

March 26, 2021
Leader’s Report to Council – 25 March 2021
Council Leader Sue Copper delivered the following report to full Council at its meeting on 25 March: Covid update On Tuesday we reflected a year since the start of the first Covid lockdown. A press release was duly issued by our Council and on the website there is a message to the residents of South […]

March 26, 2021
South Oxfordshire will provide over £607,000 towards community facilities in Thame and Sonning Common
South Oxfordshire District Council has agreed to allocate £607,670 to improve sports and community spaces in Thame and Sonning Common. The council will give £340,000 to Thame Town Council and £267,670 to Sonning Common Parish Council using contributions that developers have paid as part of their agreements to build new homes in both locations. Thame […]

March 26, 2021
Councils to offer financial support to leisure provider
Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils have agreed to offer a financial support package to GLL, the leisure contractor that manages leisure facilities across both districts, subject to formal agreements being entered into. The leisure industry has been hit really hard by the pandemic having spent much of the last year closed […]

March 26, 2021
High voltage power lines to be moved underground and light pollution to be minimised in South Oxfordshire
In light of its priority to protect and restore the natural world, South Oxfordshire District Council has agreed to take action to try and minimise light pollution in the district, and to work with partners to see if some high voltage power lines could be hidden from view and moved underground.

March 26, 2021
South Oxfordshire Council agrees new actions to support the needs of local communities
South Oxfordshire District Council has agreed six new motions at its Council meeting last night [Thursday 25 March] on topics including the provision of primary care services, supporting local pubs and creating an action plan on neurodiversity. All six relate directly to the Council’s priority Theme in its Corporate Plan to improve economic and community […]

March 26, 2021
Councils agree to develop a joint South and Vale Local Plan
The two district councils in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse have agreed to develop a joint Local Plan for the area to reduce costs and help the councils meet their ambitious targets for making the two districts carbon neutral. Local Plans are used to help determine planning applications and set out how […]