Local News

A decision will be made today by Nadia Lincoln, Local Democracy Reporter West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has announced its intentions to alter the region’s climate change policy and scrap its net zero targets. The new Reform UK administration has said it wants to ‘refocus’ the council’s sustainability commitments and prioritise public resources towards delivering practical, […]

The run was one of a number of initiatives raising money in memory of a former teacher A teacher at the North Oxfordshire Academy has completed a full marathon – on the school’s athletics track! Matt North, who is Head of PE, completed 105.5 laps of the track as part of a series of fund-raising […]

Repaying a loan early has resulted in a windfall into this year’s budget The total amount of Cherwell District Council’s net debt fell by £21million in the three months up to June this year. At the end of March the Council’s net borrowing figure was £160million, but by the end of June this had fallen […]

The name WHSmith has been part of British life for 233 years The WHSmith name is set to disappear from Banbury town centre before the end of the summer. The retailer, which has been part of British life since 1792, was sold to Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital back in March. The new owners have now […]

Thames Water has seen customers’ daily demand for water reach levels last seen during the 2022 drought Thames Water is implementing a hosepipe ban for their customers, which will be in force from next Tuesday (July 22). The company says that following the driest spring in over a century and England’s warmest June on record, […]

On the second occasion the shop assistant chased him out of the store with a piece of metal shelving A Banbury man has been jailed for six years after carrying out a robbery and an attempted robbery at the same shop in the town. On May 2 at around 7.30am, Lucas Smith, who’s 28 and […]

The facility has been in use since June 2022 The cables which are used to charge electric vehicles have been stolen from the EV charging points at a Banbury town centre car park. The theft was spotted by Councillor Mark Cherry in the Calthorpe Street Car Park this morning. Councillor Cherry said: “I have reported […]

The group were involved in the theft of a number of horseboxes and other items Four men have been sentenced for stealing horseboxes and other property from rural areas including offences in North Newington, Turweston, Westbury and Fenny Compton. William Stokes Senior, 50, of Wokingham, received three-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted of conspiracy […]

The conditions are likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services With temperatures set to hit 33 Celcius in our area today the UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber alert for most of the England south of Manchester and Sheffield. They warn that the conditions are likely to cause significant […]

The Hillview Crescent unit isn’t closing, but maximising on what it does best The focus of the Katharine House Hospice shop in Hillview Crescent is set to change this summer. The unit will no longer serve as a shop, but instead become a donations centre, where people can drop off items that can be sold […]