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  • 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.

Verification number for petitions

If you live in the district of South Oxfordshire, you can legally petition the council to hold a referendum to change our governance.  Under the Local Government Act 2000, the petition has to be signed by at least 5 per cent of residents living within the district.

The verification number for 2025 is 5816 – this number is applicable from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Please note, there is a short period of time when there is one of two figures that can be used. This is between publication of the number and 31 March that same year. During that time, the alternative number that can be used is the one that was published the previous February. Councils must use the lower of these two numbers as the verification number for any petition submitted during that period.

For more information, please download our publication of verification number document.

The verification number for the previous year (1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025) was 5676.

Contact us - Electoral services

01235 422600
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)

South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE