Witney News
The latest Witney news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
West Oxfordshire Fly-Tipping: 11 Fines, 107 Investigations
West Oxfordshire council has issued 11 fly-tipping fines of up to £1,000 this year, and cameras cut fly-tips by 96% at one Eynsham hotspot. How to avoid a fine.
More stories
Chipping Norton
Henry Cornish Care Centre Closure: Have Your Say By 21 Oct
The county wants to close Henry Cornish Care Centre, Chipping Norton: its 14 council beds were a third full and cost £460,000 a year. Say by 21 October; Cabinet decides 1 December.
Charlbury
Charlbury Walking Plan: 38 Schemes, Have Your Say By 29 Oct
The county's draft Charlbury plan lists 38 walking and cycling schemes, led by a Forest Road gateway by the station and a Pooles Lane traffic ban. Comments close 29 October.
West Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire Social Rent: 65% Rule, Say By 9 Oct
New West Oxfordshire estates would have to make 40% of homes affordable, and at least 65% of those social rent. Comments on the plan close Friday 9 October.
Woodstock
Woodstock Library: New Hub Planned for Hensington Road
Woodstock is to get a new library and community hub on the Hensington Road site, empty since 2018. Both councils will co-chair a working group to speed it up.
Witney
Woodford Way Car Park: Up to 60 Social Rent Homes Planned
Up to 60 social rent homes could go on part of Woodford Way car park in Witney, with Soha Housing. A planning application is pencilled in for July 2027.
Crime
Witney Crime Falls to a Two-Year Low: 100 Reports in August
Police logged 100 crimes in central Witney in August, the fewest in two years, and violent crime fell 17% over the year. Carterton went the other way.
Food hygiene
West Oxfordshire Food Hygiene: All 29 September Ratings a 5
Every food hygiene rating published for a September inspection in West Oxfordshire was a 5, from a Witney takeaway and cafe to Burford's Angel. Full list of 29.
Roadworks
Witney High Street 24/7 Closure Ended 9 Oct: What Applies Now
Witney High Street's 24/7 closure was published as ending on 9 October. Phase 2 works run to November and the county has not yet said which traffic arrangement applies now.
Woodstock
Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock Wins National Sandford Award
The Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock has won the Sandford Award for heritage learning, valid to 2031, one of 29 sites in the UK and Ireland this year.
Buses
Witney Buses: New S1A Means One Every 15 Minutes to Oxford
Witney now has up to six buses an hour to Oxford. The 20 September shake-up adds a new S1A, school runs to Burford, and takes the S2 out of Eynsham village.
Police
Chadlington Sheep Theft: Police Say No Sheep Were Stolen
Thames Valley Police has closed its investigation into a reported sheep theft near Chadlington. No sheep were stolen: farm staff had miscounted the flock.
Witney
Witney Boundary Review Approved: Proposals Due 31 December
Councillors agreed on 16 September to start redrawing Witney's town boundary. Four neighbouring parishes are invited to propose changes by 31 December.
Witney
Witney 3G Pitch Plan Due Early 2027; Play Area Loses Site
The West Witney 3G application slips to early 2027, and the Windrush Place adventure play area needs a new site: Deer Park Woods is ruled out.
Jobs
West Oxfordshire claimants: under-25s up 24% to 260
260 under-25s were claiming in West Oxfordshire in August, up 24% in a year and more than twice the UK rise. The county's net increase was only 30.
House prices
West Oxfordshire house prices fall again: £418,586 in July
The average West Oxfordshire home was £418,586 in July, down 1.6% on the year, the fifth month of annual falls, while Oxfordshire as a whole rose 2.4%.
Witney
Witney Parking: 50 More 12-Hour Spaces at Marriotts Walk
Levels 6, 7 and 8 at Marriotts Walk would go to a 12-hour maximum stay, adding 50 long-stay spaces. Parking stays free. The council agreed to consult on 9 Sept.
West Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire Citizens Advice Won Residents £721,217
Citizens Advice helped 4,695 West Oxfordshire residents last year and won them £721,217. The council is raising its grant 22% after a £141,370 shortfall.
Witney
Witney MP Charlie Maynard Wins Rivers and Seas Award
Charlie Maynard took Thames Water's £3bn plan to the Court of Appeal and won the Rivers and Seas Award. The district's 19 overflows spilled 677 times in 2025.
West Oxfordshire District Council
West Oxfordshire Council Abolition Paused: Elections Return
West Oxfordshire District Council will not close in April 2028 for now, and a district election is back on for 6 May 2027 after the government paused the plan.
Witney
Witney Town Boundary Review: The £50,000 Plan in Full
Approved on 16 September: the £50,000 review that could redraw Witney's boundary with four parishes, and why any change waits until 1 April 2029.
Witney
Witney Needs 1,412 More Primary Places by 2043
Witney needs 1,412 more primary places and 786 secondary places by 2043. More than half of West Oxfordshire's £604m infrastructure gap is schools.
Witney
Witney EV Charger Plan Deferred, Carterton's Refused
Church Green goes back for more talks with Witney Town Council. Carterton and Eynsham are refused outright, and only Burford's Barns Lane is approved.
Witney
Witney 370 Homes: Appeal Lodged After 18-Month Wait
Hallam Land has gone to the Secretary of State over 370 homes at Peashell Farm, Downs Road, after West Oxfordshire failed to decide the plan in 18 months.
Witney
Witney Youth Grants: £28,500 Shared by Nine Groups
Witney Town Council has awarded £28,500 in Youth Services Grants to nine organisations, from £12,000 for Home-Start to £500 for a sailing session.
Witney
West Oxfordshire Local Plan: 2,100 Homes on Witney's Edge
Three areas around Witney are down for 700 homes each. Comments close on 9 October, and the Corn Exchange drop-in is on Tuesday 1 September.
Witney
Electric Blanket Testing Witney: Free Checks on 8 October
More than a third of blankets tested last year failed. Free county checks reach Chipping Norton on 24 September and Witney on 8 October, booking first.
Carterton
Carterton School Streets Start 2 Sept, 73% Opposed
Four Carterton roads close to most cars at school run times from 2 September, enforced by camera. In the county's consultation, 73% of 342 responses opposed it.
Witney
Witney West End Parking: Permits Now £70 a Year
Parking on West End needs a resident's permit from 17 August, at £70 a year and two per household. Witney Town Council objected and was overruled.
Jobs
West Oxfordshire unemployment: under-25s at a 4-year high
250 people aged 16 to 24 in West Oxfordshire were claiming in July, the most since December 2021. It is the only Oxfordshire district where young claims rose.
House prices
West Oxfordshire house prices fall again: £416,425 in June
West Oxfordshire prices fell 1.5% in the year to June to £416,425, while Oxfordshire as a whole rose 3.1%. Full figures by property type and district.
Woodstock
Woodstock Open Air Pool: 8,436 visits, nearly triple 2025
Woodstock's outdoor pool took 8,436 visits in June and July, against 3,039 last year and 1,570 in 2024. Heated water runs until 30 August, the season ends 27 September, adult swim £6.75.
Planning
Witney planning: councillors to decide 3% from 31 October
From 31 October your ward councillor can no longer send a planning application to committee. West Oxfordshire expects committee decisions to fall from 5% to about 3%, and its 24-member committee breaks a new cap of 13.
Witney
Blind Tiger Witney: plan to turn closed bar into jeweller's
The Market Square cocktail bar is permanently closed and a plan to turn the unit into a jeweller's shop is open for public comment until 31 August 2026.