This month

Remembrance Day and Armistice Day

This weekend we’re marking Remembrance Day and Armistice Day to remember all those who fought and died in conflict. We also acknowledge those who continue to serve today to protect us and our freedoms.

Cllr Sally Povolotsky, the Chair of the Council, donated a wreath on behalf of the Vale of White Horse to the Poppies to Paddington campaign on Friday 10 November. Our wreath joins hundreds of others from around the country to be laid at the war memorial at Paddington Station.
 
On Saturday 11 November, there will be a national two-minutes silence at 11am to recognise Remembrance Day and Armistice Day. There are also various remembrance services being held across the district on Remembrance Sunday 12 November.

Opportunities to work at the May 2024 elections – register your interest now!

We’re looking for people to work at the May 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner Election.

If you or someone you know is interested in working either of the following paid roles, please get in touch as soon as possible and please encourage your friends and family to do the same:   

• Polling station staff – locations across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse, Thursday 2 May (from 6am until finish – likely to be around 10.30pm)  
• Postal vote staff – Abingdon, 22 April to 2 May (various shifts available) 

To register your interest, simply email electionstaff@southandvale.gov.uk.  Our Elections team will send all the information and ask you to confirm your availability for the various roles. 

For more information, visit whitehorsedc.gov.uk/electionjobs.

Please note, we are unable to offer the roles to people that work for or are connected with a political party. 

Donating old laptops to help people get online 

We were delighted to be able to donate 97 laptops to the Didcot based charity South Oxfordshire Food and Education Alliance (SOFEA) for use by people without easy access to computers.

SOFEA take used laptops and distribute them through the Getting Oxfordshire Online programme. They benefit people trying to get through the employment process, by helping them create CVs and filling in application forms.

If you know somebody who could benefit from the Getting Oxfordshire Online programme, or you could donate an old laptop (or unlocked mobile phone) then please get in touch with SOFEA. 

Winter focus

Practical tips and advice as we head towards the winter months

What to do if our waste collections are affected by bad weather

As winter begins to set in - if we get bad snow or ice in the district - it may not be safe for our trucks and crews to make their usual rounds. If we don’t manage to empty your bins on your scheduled day, please leave them out for two more days and we’ll do our best to come back.  If after three days we haven’t managed to empty them please bring them back in and we’ll empty them next time they’re due – if this happens, you’ll be able to leave extra waste out beside your bin.

For the latest information on any disruptions and what to do please visit our website, call the Biffa call centre on 03000 610 610 or follow our social media channels.

Have your say on how rural crime is affecting your community

There is still time to take part in our rural crime survey.

We want your views on how rural crime is affecting your area. We are particularly interested in understanding what rural crimes you are most concerned about and how they are impacting your neighbourhood.

Take part here.

The survey is open until 11.59pm on Tuesday 21 November 2023. The findings of this survey will inform our decisions and plans on how to tackle rural crime.

Climate and sustainability

Working together towards a sustainable future

We’re looking to help local businesses become more sustainable

If you run a local business, we’d like to hear from you. We’ve launched a survey to understand the challenges for local businesses to become more sustainable.

Working with Oxford Brookes University and funded through the UK Share Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) the study aims to create a programme of decarbonisation and sustainability support for businesses in our districts. This work will also help us to support businesses with the current cost of energy crisis.

Have your say here  the survey takes around 15 minutes to complete and feedback is helpful to make sure we can provide the right kind of support to help local businesses grow sustainably.

What does climate change mean to you?

The Oxfordshire Climate Action would like to hear your views so they can develop their website to better support local residents and businesses to tackle climate change – take the survey here. 

Free trees for schools and communities

The Woodland Trust is giving FREE trees to schools and communities. The Trust is currently taking applications for tree packs to be delivered in March 2024. Applications are expected to close in January, or sooner depending on stock availability. To apply see their website. 

Other News

Upcoming Thames Water events - proposed reservoir

Thames Water is hosting two local community information events in November for their proposed new reservoir located to the southwest of Abingdon. The events will be open to the public from 2pm to 8pm:

• Friday 10 November at War Memorial Hall, East Hanney
• Wednesday 15 November at Milton Hill House, Steventon

Find out more and register to attend on the Thames Water website.

You can read more about our position on the reservoir in our latest press release.

Have you tried the EV Car Clubs?

If you live in Abingdon or Wantage, now might be the time to try out the Electric Vehicle (EV) car clubs. For those days when you need a car – yours is in use by someone else in the family or in the garage – or you just fancy testing out an EV, then this is a great time to sign up for discounted membership of the car clubs which have a vehicle at council-run car parks at Abingdon and Wantage. More information on car clubs here. If you are a member of one of the car clubs we would love to hear about your experiences, please email us at climateaction@southandvale.gov.uk

The merriest pantomime in the land!

Come along to The Beacon this Christmas for a magical and merry production of Robin Hood by TaleGate Theatre Productions.

Join our hero deep in Sherwood Forest as he robs from the rich and gives to the poor. Will he rescue Maid Marion from the clutches of the money grabbing Sheriff of Nottingham? Packed with songs, slapstick and all the fairy tale magic of traditional pantomime.

Tickets are on sale now for Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 December at 2pm. To book visit The Beacon’s website or call the box office on 01235 763456.