Archive for category: News

A note from SODC:

“Diligent financial management has ensured that South Oxfordshire District Council can deliver a balanced budget for 2025-26 and marks the first time in nine years that the council hasn’t needed to dip into its reserves.

District councillors have approved a 2025-26 budget that ensures continued investment in public services, including crucial housing and infrastructure projects and guaranteeing support for vulnerable residents, despite the ongoing challenges of an unstable national economy.

Major funding is to be made available to support the purchase of more affordable housing across South Oxfordshire.  Having already committed £10 million to provide more safe, secure and compliant housing, purchased under the Local Authority Housing Funding (LAHF) schemes, the district council has now committed to make a further £10 million available to support the council’s long-term ambitions to meet local housing need.

South Oxfordshire District Council has so far purchased 27 properties under the LAHF scheme, the majority of which will provide genuinely affordable and energy efficient houses and apartments available for rent.

Councillors also approved funding to secure the future of the council’s Community Hub on an ongoing basis.  This valued service provides practical support and advice for those with cost-of-living concerns or who are finding life difficult.

Since launching in 2020, the Community Hub has supported thousands of residents across the district and provided more than £800,000 in vouchers and grants to households experiencing financial hardship. This has ensured people were able to pay vital energy bills and afford household essentials and food.  A further £200,000 has been awarded to local voluntary and community organisations, helping them continue their invaluable support provided to residents.

£590,000 will be made available through council grant schemes to support community projects such as improvements to public facilities, energy upgrades, local events and tree planting.

The council continues to fund an ongoing programme to improve the district’s leisure centres, including major decarbonisation projects at Henley Leisure Centre and Abbey Sports Centre and new equipment for Didcot Wave’s Spin Studio. Money for these projects comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 funding the council has secured from developers of new homes.

South Oxfordshire District Council receives just six per cent of the total council tax that its residents pay each year.  The rest is divided between Oxfordshire County Council (77 per cent), Thames Valley’s Police and Crime Commissioner (12 per cent) and local town/parish councils (five per cent). 

South Oxfordshire’s council tax is currently the 10th lowest among all shire district councils nationally and is less than half the equivalent charge in neighbouring Oxford City.

To view the 2025-26 South Oxfordshire District Council budget, visit the 13 February 2025 Council meeting agenda page.”

Fun games, badminton, football and pickleball are just some of the free and low-cost activities available for children and their families to enjoy this February half-term, hosted by South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils.

Two free community days are taking place at Long Furlong Community Centre, Abingdon, on Tuesday 18 February and Thame Leisure Centre on Wednesday 19 February. Come along and try a new sport and enjoy a mix of activities for all ages provided by the councils’ Active Communities and Better Leisure teams.

In Abingdon, enjoy fun games, football, seated exercise, and family activities like the Xplorer challenge and New Age Kurling. Over in Thame, take part in football, multisports, dance, seated exercise, table tennis, and much more.

The activities are expected to be very popular so, where required, residents are encouraged to book now to avoid disappointment.

There’s plenty of family fun this half-term at Cornerstone Arts Centre inDidcot, with craft workshops and live theatre for all to enjoy. Children can get creative by decorating their own photo frame on Wednesday 19 February from 11am to midday. Families can enjoy an exciting evening as award-winning magician James Phelan presents his new show, The Dreamer, on Saturday 15 February.

For the Taylor Swift lovers of the family, The Beacon in Wantage is the place to be. The Eras Experience hits The Beacon during half term on Friday 21 February, with a tribute to Taylor Swift’s music.

For a full run down of what’s on and details on how to book, visit southandvale.gov.uk/holidayactivities  

The February / March 2025 issue of the Parish Notes is now online here.

In the year 2000 the parish council asked Di Eaton and Jan Gooders to republish a book they’d written a while earlier on the history of the parish.

The original book required much research to uncover local history along with some wonderful images; readers could clearly see that their efforts bore fruit.

As the book is now out of print the authors have given the parish council permission convert and upload the files in downloadable PDF format to this website.

It’s a good read and is available free of charge here.

Due to the high likelihood of serious volumes of snow, followed by rain, the decision has been taken to cancel the parish walk tomorrow, 5 January.