18 October 2024

Welcome to our October edition of South News.

We have a full roundup for you this month including a whole host of opportunities for residents to have a say. Alongside an important milestone for our Joint Local Plan, there are extra garden waste weeks coming up, a save the date for the Didcot Eco Fair at Cornerstone, exciting events this October half term and so much more!

In this edition:

• Draft plan on future development and infrastructure published
• Help us to ensure voting is accessible for everyone  
• Have your say: council tax on empty properties
• What are your priorities for Oxfordshire’s wildlife and nature?  
• Extra garden waste weeks  
• Do you know someone who needs help with their energy bills?
• Save the date for the Eco Fair
• Halloween fun this October half-term
• Fun for families at Cornerstone!

Have your say

Draft plan on future development and infrastructure published

We’ve reached the next stage of creating a plan for future development and infrastructure across our districts.

After receiving unanimous support from both Councils, the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Joint Local Plan draft document has now been published ahead of being submitted to the government for examination later in the year.

The plan will remain published for a six-week period, during which you can submit comments on the plan’s soundness and legal compliance and whether it meets the duty to cooperate.

After the six-week publication period has come to an end, the plan and the comments received will be submitted to the government in December to be examined by a planning inspector.

Visit www.southandvale.gov.uk/jlp to find out more.

Help us to ensure voting is accessible for everyone

We want to know what residents think of the proposed changes for some of our polling stations in South Oxfordshire.

As part of a statutory review, we’re looking at changing the locations of a number of our polling stations, to ensure they are accessible for everyone at future elections.

We’re particularly interested to hear from anyone who faced challenges in accessing a polling station during the 2024 General Election or Police and Crime Commissioner Election.

Have your say by visiting:

•  South Oxfordshire residents – southoxon.gov.uk/southpolling

• People can also send a written response to Electoral Services, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX143JE.

Comments are open until 25 October 2024.

Have your say: council tax on empty properties

We’ve opened a public survey on our proposals to change how council tax is charged on properties that remain empty for a long period of time.

Currently, we allow a maximum duration of up to two years for a domestic property to remain unoccupied and substantially unfurnished before an additional, council tax ‘premium’ charge is incurred, on top of the normal full 100 per cent charge.

Recent changes in legislation now allow councils to reduce this minimum timeframe from two years to just one year and we’re keen to hear what you think of us doing that in our district.

You can have your say via the survey online here.

What are your priorities for Oxfordshire’s wildlife and nature?

Oxfordshire’s local nature recovery strategy is nearly ready, but no one knows better which natural spaces could be improved, restored, or created than the people who are around them every day. That’s where you come in. Are the priorities right? Has anything been missed? The team would love to hear what you think.

Latest local news and updates

Funding available for a community project near you!

Our Councillor Community Grant is currently open for applications. Each South Oxfordshire district councillor has £5,000 to award to projects or services that offer community benefits in their ward area, budget permitting. For wards with multiple councillors, applications may be considered by all ward councillors together to determine funding. The maximum number of wards that can be applied to is five.

Those eligible to apply include town councils, parish councils, parish meetings, not for profit preschools and PTAs and local not for profit organisations.

Previously we have awarded projects to support the purchase of a defibrillator, refurbishments to community allotments, playgrounds and more.

You can find out more on our website, including previous projects we’ve funded, or contact your Councillor and tell them about how their grant can help you.

The deadline for applications is midday on Friday 29 November.

Waste and Recycling

Extra garden waste weeks

Residents who are subscribed to our brown bin garden waste service can have extra garden waste collected on their normal collection day between 28 October and 8 November.

Householders will be able to put out a maximum of up to four additional sacks of garden waste, per brown bin subscription, next to their brown bin.

To be eligible for collection, the extra waste must go in standard sized (60L) black refuse style sacks and should only contain natural garden waste such as cut grass, plants or branches.  It can also be placed in small boxes / containers totalling no more than a standard bin full.

People are asked not to leave out rubble or builders’ waste bags alongside their brown bins as these won’t be collected.