Conservatives proposing another free parking trial and retaining fortnightly bin collections
19/02/2026
The changes would be paid for with less money for projects such as solar installations
A free weekend parking trial, more street cleaning in Banbury and increased support for homeless veterans are amongst the proposals from Conservative Cherwell District councillors as part of the budget changes they are putting forward next week.
On Monday the full council will meet to agree a budget for the next twelve months. The controlling Liberal Democrat group have already backed down over plans to remove funding for Banbury Museum in their proposed budget following a public outcry.
The Conservative Group are suggesting a number of further changes, including ensuring fortnightly general waste bin collections continue. The Lib Dems are considering changing this to three weekly collections.
A further trial of free parking during the weekends would be undertaken this December and January. (The Council has previously run free parking trials during the Conservative’s time running the authority, although the impact of that was never made public.)
The Conservative proposals would see garden waste subscriptions frozen in 2027 and more money would be spent on homelessness prevention support, targeted at veterans.
Elsewhere extra cash would be spent on town centre street cleansing and rural kerbside litter picking.
The total cost of the Conservative changes would be £250,000 and they would balance the books by reducing the proposed Strategic Development Fund by this amount. Here, the Lib Dems currently have £400,000 earmarked for projects such as solar installations, consideration of a river / canal leisure corridor and creating cultural spaces.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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