Local News

Councillor Bernie Tiller has been impressed with what he’s seen so far Brackley’s town mayor wants to celebrate the joy being brought to the town by the festive decorations on display at people’s homes. Councillor Bernie Tiller has been impressed with the creativity of the displays adorning houses, so he’s launched Brackley’s 2025 Christmas Lights […]

The move should save money for the taxpayer and is more manageable for communities The Banbury House Hotel will cease being used as asylum seeker accommodation before the end of February 2026.   Notice has been given to the owner. Residents currently staying there will be moved by the Home Office to other parts of the […]

Baroness Amos said nothing could have prepared her for the scale of unacceptable care The head of a probe into maternity care in England says that what she has seen so far “has been much worse” than she had anticipated. Baroness Amos is chairing a review into the care offered to mothers.   The provision in […]

The number of firefighters at Banbury Station would be reduced by four Firefighters from across Oxfordshire have been protesting outside County Hall in Oxford this morning over proposals to reorganise the service.   A consultation is currently underway with the potential to close some stations.   Here in Banbury the number of firefighters at Cope Road would […]

A council tax premium charge of 100 percent on top of the regular council tax bill will be payable by Esme Kenney, Local Democracy Reporter Second homes in North Oxfordshire will be charged extra council tax from next April, in a bid to address housing shortages and bring properties back into use. Cherwell District Council […]

The three-day festival returns next August The line-up for next summer’s Cropredy Festival has been announced with Mercury Prize nominated Turin Brakes and local comedian Matt Bragg amongst those joining Fairport Convention at the three-day event. Rock royalty Soft Machine and Fairport regular Richard Thompson are included in the bill. Cropredy Primary School’s folk class […]

The gritter drivers chose the winners from 1,480 entries The 30 gritting lorries which will help keep Oxfordshire’s roads safe this winter have been named, with leaders, writers, scientists, musicians, locations and sports stars inspiring pun-tastic creativity. Wartime Prime Minister “Sir Winston Chur-chill” and his Woodstock birthplace of “Blenheim Pal-ice” made the cut, along with […]

Councillors call for detailed plan of how to deal with the issue There’s a fear that people’s lives could be put at risk if action isn’t taken following a fire at a block of garages on Evenlode in Banbury. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue were called to the blaze in the garages on November 22.    Thanks […]

Sean Woodcock says the current solution has fallen short in delivery for rail passengers Banbury’s MP has taken up the issue of how far pedestrians have to walk to access the train station following the multi-million pound station access improvement scheme. Sean Woodcock has added his voice to calls for drop-off points on the southern […]

“It’s not needed, it’s about making money” An outline planning application to build up to 50 houses off the Sibford Road in Hook Norton has been approved, despite an initial call for the application to be refused. Ashberry Strategic Land applied to develop the site, north of Bourne Lane.   35 percent of the homes would […]