Skip to content
Council services over Christmas and New Year 2025/26

A guide to council services over the Christmas and New Year period when the council offices are closed to the public. 

Latest news

January 28, 2025

Shock at Network Rail’s disappointing announcement

Local residents and businesses will have reacted with shock at Network Rail’s admission that the Botley Road will be closed for another year and a half, that’s according to the Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council.

January 24, 2025

The county council must make its position on devolution geography clear 

Cllr Bethia Thomas, the Leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council has written to Cllr Liz Leffman, the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, urging her to move swiftly to explain her council’s position on a preferred geography for a Mayoral Strategic Authority. 

Road sign with flood warning and flooded road in the background

January 20, 2025

Environment Agency and government need to do more to prevent flooding in the Vale 

The decision to drop a scheme to improve flood defences in the Thames Valley has been branded ‘disappointing’, and the government should do more to protect communities, according to the Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council. 

January 10, 2025

Oxfordshire should move quickly on Local Government Reorganisation

It is in the interests of local communities that Oxfordshire is at the forefront of government plans to reorganise local councils. That was the message from the Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council as she welcomed a decision this week by the Cabinet at Oxfordshire County Council to write to the government requesting Oxfordshire be included in the ‘fast track’ for devolution and local government reorganisation.

Aerial photo of Milton Park

January 7, 2025

Simplified ten-day planning to power greener growth at Milton Park

Milton Park, the UK’s largest single ownership innovation community for science and technology, is poised to support thousands of new jobs sustainably.

December 19, 2024

Leader’s Report to Council – 18 December 2024

Well, they say that a week is a long time in politics and that has certainly been the case this week! I had been jotting down notes a week ago, and I had thought the focus of my update tonight would be the long-awaited confirmation that HIF1 would proceed, something Vale has long supported as […]

December 19, 2024

Members allowances to rise for first time in four years

Councillors hope a rise in allowances will open the door to a wider group of people being able to represent their local communities. Vale of White Horse District Council has agreed to a rise in councillor allowances for the first time in four years, following recommendations from an independent panel. However, councillors have agreed that […]

December 12, 2024

A statement from Cllr Bethia Thomas, Leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council 

This year seems to have galloped by and I can hardly believe we are now so close to Christmas! As I think back on the last 12 months, it’s definitely been another very busy year for us all.

December 11, 2024

Councils’ future plan takes next step forward 

A plan for the future in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has taken its big next step forward.  The two district councils have been working together to produce a Joint Local Plan (JLP), which aims to help meet their local communities’ need for affordable housing, jobs and infrastructure while tackling the climate […]

Close up of playing pitch

December 4, 2024

Vision for the future of sports pitches and leisure facilities approved

Published on Wednesday 4 December 2024 A vision for the future of sports and leisure facilities across South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Districts was top of the agenda last week. Both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are committed to creating healthy and inclusive communities. The aim is to support […]