Skip to content
  • Advance notice of major council IT system maintenance from 24 May (for around one week): we are carrying out planned essential maintenance work on the council’s IT systems. During this time, the majority of our online services will be unavailable. Where relevant, planning consultations will be extended by 14 days. We will update this banner message as the work progresses. − During this time you can still contact us for other enquiries via our enquiry form or by phone. We apologise for any inconvenience. Find out more information on this work.

Emma East

Henley with red white and blue bunting across the road

January 19, 2023

Taxi driver convicted and fined for offering rides illegally at Henley Regatta 

A Buckinghamshire hackney carriage driver has been convicted of illegally plying for hire at Henley Regatta.  On Friday 13 January, Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard how during last year’s  Regatta, officers from South Oxfordshire District Council spotted Zaheer Ahmed Choudhry’s vehicle parked on double yellow lines on Thameside in Henley.  Officers identified Mr Choudhry’s vehicle as […]

image of an empty shopping trolley in a supermarket

January 17, 2023

Help is at hand for people finding it hard to pay for food and energy bills

The Household Support Fund scheme has opened again for people finding it hard to cope with the rising cost of food and energy bills. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have reopened the scheme to help households meet the costs of life’s essentials. The fund is initially open for applications to help […]

Row of Houses

December 21, 2022

Time to plan the right future for our districts 

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have agreed a revised timetable for the creation of their Joint Local Plan.  Both authorities are working to create a Joint Local Plan, which will seek to deliver the councils’ ambitions for zero-carbon, sustainable development and genuinely affordable homes in the districts up to the year […]

Image of Henley and bridge

December 21, 2022

Private hire driver convicted and fined for offering rides illegally at Henley Regatta

A private hire driver has been convicted of illegally plying for hire and driving without the right insurance at Henley Regatta. On Friday 16 December, Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard how during the regatta, officers from South Oxfordshire District Council and neighbouring councils spotted Mr Mohammed Tula Miah’s vehicle parked on double yellow lines on Friday […]

Lit up taxi sign

November 24, 2022

Unlicensed taxi driver convicted and fined for driving unsafe vehicle

A former taxi driver has been ordered to pay almost £2,000 after admitting to driving an unsafe vehicle while his own licence had expired.   On Friday 18 November at Oxford Magistrates’ Court, Mr Saqib Zamaan, 50, of Riversley Court, Reading, pleaded guilty to illegally driving a licensed hackney carriage vehicle when his own hackney […]

A row of houses on Great Western Park in Didcot

November 24, 2022

New strategy and plan approved for more affordable homes

Plans to help provide genuinely affordable homes in South Oxfordshire have been approved. A new housing delivery strategy and action plan was agreed by Cabinet Members at South Oxfordshire District Council at a meeting earlier this month. As part of the plans, the council hopes to deliver some of their own social housing in the […]

image of Oak Tree Health Centre

November 10, 2022

Nearly £900,000 given to local communities for local improvements

South Oxfordshire District Council has released almost £900,000 to help pay for local community improvements in the district in the last six months. The funds came from a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – money that’s collected from developers as a condition of their planning permission to build new homes in the area.  Since April, the […]

Row of shops in Thame

November 7, 2022

Nearly £6.5 million awarded to help local businesses

More than 2,000 businesses have received a much-needed relief award totalling almost £6.5 million to help reduce their business rates thanks to South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils. In total, £6,471,842 was allocated to businesses, using the government’s Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF), to help organisations that were unable to receive previous […]

Xplorer logo

October 19, 2022

Free fun for all the family this half term 

Children of all ages and their families will have plenty of activities to keep them busy this half term across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.  South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have set up a range of free and low-cost activities for residents to take part in.  Xplorer  There […]

The garden party set up in the courtyard area outside Cornerstone.

September 23, 2022

Ideas wanted following this year’s successful Didcot Garden Party

Over 1,200 people are estimated to have joined this year’s successful Didcot Garden Party to watch free performances, play cricket, football and rounders, and take part in skating sessions in Didcot and surrounding villages.   To help families facing rising costs, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils hosted a series of fun, free […]