We asked, you said, we did

Street traders/businesses, district, county and town/parish councils, councillors, officers and members of the public for their views on our proposed amends to the Joint Street Trading Policy, which was last reviewed in 2011.

Since the policy was last reviewed, street trading has become more popular in the districts, which in turn, identified gaps within the policy.

The amendments included updates to community and charity events, markets and single-use plastic. We also proposed to include advice we currently give to applicants who wish to trade from multiple sites.

The consultation ran for a six-week period until Tuesday 26 November 2024.

We received 49 responses to the survey.

• Most responses (88%) were received from members of the public.
• 2% of responses were received from a street trader/business.
• 71% of respondents expressed agreement with the proposed changes to the decision-making section of the policy.

You can view all the key findings in our consultation summary report, along with an officer response to the comments received.

The results of the consultation were presented to the council’s General Licensing Committees in February 2025. The committee reports included details of changes made to the proposed policy following feedback from the consultation. The Committees considered the results of the consultation and the proposed policy and agreed to approve it to take effect from 1 April 2025.

Members of the public, town/parish councils and district councillors for their comments on proposed changes to selected polling districts and places within South Oxfordshire from 13 September until 25 October 2024.

As a local authority, we have a statutory duty to review the polling districts and places for UK parliamentary consultations at least once every five years.

We received 120 responses to this consultation, of which 98% were from members of the public.

The most selected polling place to comment on was Henley Leisure Centre (29%).

More details on the consultation results, including all comments received, are available in our summary report.

The feedback received was reviewed and presented to the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee on 18 November 2024. The committee agreed to all the changes which were included in our final recommendation.

Most proposals made in the consultation have been adopted, apart from a few exceptions which are detailed within the consultation summary report.

The Elections Team have proceeded to implement the agreed changes which were actioned to take effect before the next election in May 2025.

Members of the public, town/parish councils and district councillors for their comments on proposed changes to selected polling districts and places within South Oxfordshire from 13 September until 25 October 2024.

As a local authority, we have a statutory duty to review the polling districts and places for UK parliamentary consultations at least once every five years.

We received 78 responses to this consultation, of which 97% were from members of the public. 

• 66% of respondents chose to comment on the Corn Exchange in Faringdon, whilst 10% of respondents commented on The Beacon in Wantage and Shellingford Community Hall making them the second most selected polling places.

More details on the consultation results, including all comments received, are available in our summary report.

The feedback received was reviewed and presented to the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee on 13 November 2024. The committee agreed to all changes which were included in our final recommendation.

Most proposals made in the consultation have been adopted, apart from a few exceptions which are detailed within the consultation summary report.

The Elections Team have proceeded to implement the agreed changes which were actioned to take effect before the next election in May 2025.

Residents living in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse, who use the waste services, to provide feedback on the services.

The survey included questions about the waste and recycling collection service, street cleansing, food waste service, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, and bins, as well as actions the councils should focus on.

The survey ran for six weeks until 23 April 2024.

We received 252 responses to the survey.

Some of the key outcomes are below.

• Overall, 86% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the waste and recycling collection service. Respondents were satisfied with the reliability of the service i.e. collecting on the correct date (86%), the state their bins have been returned i.e. not damaged (66%) and how the collection team returned their bins to the correct location (54%).
• 82% use the food waste collection service, while 12% do not and 6% sometimes use it.
• 36% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with street cleanliness and 40% with road sweeping across the districts.
• 62% of respondents didn’t know the following five stages form part of the waste management hierarchy: 1. reduce the number of things we buy, 2. reuse and repair, 3. recycle, 4. energy recovery or incineration and 5. disposal or landfill.

You can view the full survey summary report here.

We have used the survey to form part of our annual report to the Joint Scrutiny Committee on the performance of our waste and street cleansing contract provider, Biffa Municipal. 

In addition, information received is being used to help form our 2025/26 communications plan.  

For comments on the Garsington Neighbourhood Plan that was submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council in February 2023.

In June 2023, a public consultation on the draft plan was carried out. The draft plan, documents and results were published and submitted to an independent examiner.

The examiner issued a Clarification Note which set out initial comments on the submitted plan and areas where further clarification would be helpful. As a result, modifications were proposed to the plan.

South Oxfordshire District Council then invited comments on the significant modifications in February 2024 for a 6-week consultation period.

You can view further information about the consultation on the Garsington Neighbourhood Plan Page.

6 responses were received to the significant modifications consultation.

Click here to view the comments received. 

On 5 September 2024, residents voted on whether they agreed or disagreed with the adoption of the Garsington Neighbourhood Plan. The official results were:

• Votes in favour of adopting the neighbourhood plan (YES vote): 369 (95.6%)
• Votes against adopting the neighbourhood plan (NO vote): 17 (4.4%)
• Turnout: 386 (27.5%)

Garsington Neighbourhood Plan was adopted on 24 October 2024.

For comments on the Beckley and Stowood Parish Neighbourhood Plan that was submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council in February 2023.

In March 2023, a public consultation on the draft plan was carried out.

The draft plan, documents and responses were published and submitted for examination.

The Independent Examiner advised the District Council that a package of modifications was required to the Plan to ensure that it meets the basic conditions.

The district council prepared an updated Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening considering the significant modifications proposed by the independent examiner.

South Oxfordshire District Council then invited comments on the significant modifications in January 2024 for a 6-week consultation period.

You can view further information about the consultation on the Beckley and Stowood Neighbourhood Plan Page.

18 responses were received to the significant modifications consultation.

Click here to view the comments received.

The council determined on 4 July 2024 that the Plan, as modified by the Examiner’s recommendations, should proceed to referendum.

A referendum was held on Thursday 5 September 2024 and 78.3% of those who voted were in favour of the plan.

Beckley and Stowood Neighbourhood Plan was adopted on 24 October 2024.

Members of the public, taxi drivers and proprietors licensed by the district council for their views on a nationally recognised method to calculate taxi tariffs from 31 January until 19 February 2024.

At the request of the trade, we also proposed changing the start time of Tariff 2 from 10pm to 11pm to ensure it remains fair and reasonable for both passengers and hackney carriage proprietors and drivers.

We received a total of 26 responses for Vale of White Horse.

• 65% of respondents represent a driver/proprietor licensed by the district council.
• 35% of responses were received from individuals/members of the public.
• 38% agreed with the proposed Tariff, whilst 27% expressed disagreement.

Once the consultation period concluded, we collated and reviewed all the responses received.

We received 7 objections to the tariff which meant the matter was referred to Cabinet for review. Some of those who disagreed with the tariff did so because they felt it was too high, some felt it was too low. The Cabinet set a tariff with some changes made to the consultation tariff timings to reflect suggestions from the trade association.

Consultation Report and Taxi Fares Webpage

Members of the public, taxi drivers and proprietors licensed by the district council for their views on a nationally recognised method to calculate taxi tariffs from 31 January until 19 February 2024.

At the request of the trade, we also proposed changing the start time of Tariff 2 from 10pm to 11pm to ensure it remains fair and reasonable for both passengers and hackney carriage proprietors and drivers.

We received a total of 53 responses for South Oxfordshire.

• 66% of respondents responded on behalf of a driver/proprietor licensed by the district council.
• 34% of respondents were received from individuals/members of the public.
• 60% of respondents disagreed with the proposed Tariff, whilst 34% did not provide an answer. 6% expressed agreement.

Some of the comments made, for example those members of the public asking why fares were higher on Sundays, shall be considered and explored further during future reviews. 

Once the consultation period concluded, we collated and reviewed all the responses received.

We received 32 objections to the tariff which meant the matter was referred to Cabinet for review. Some of those who disagreed with the tariff did so because they felt it was too high, some felt it was too low. The Cabinet set a tariff with some changes made to the consultation tariff timings to reflect suggestions from the trade association.

Consultation Report and Taxi Fares Webpage

For comments from the public and stakeholders following the submission of the Steventon Neighbourhood Plan Submission to South Oxfordshire District Council from Thursday, 7 December 2023 to 11.59pm on Thursday, 1 February 2024.

You can view further information about the consultation on the Steventon Neighbourhood Plan Page.

9 responses were received to the consultation.

Click here to view the comments received. 

Vale of White Horse District Council appointed an Independent Examiner, to review whether the plan met the basic conditions required by legislation and whether the plan should proceed to referendum.

• The council determined on 1 July 2024 that the Plan, as modified by the Examiner’s recommendations, should proceed to referendum.
• A referendum was held on Thursday 5 September 2024 and 97.3% of those who voted were in favour of the plan.

Steventon Neighbourhood Plan was adopted on 23 October 2024.

For comments from the public and stakeholders following the submission of the Binfield Heath Neighbourhood Plan to South Oxfordshire District Council from Thursday, 7 December 2023 to 11.59pm on Thursday, 25 January 2024.

You can view further information about the consultation on the Binfield Heath Neighbourhood Plan Page.

9 responses were received to the consultation.

Click here to view the comments received. 

South Oxfordshire District Council appointed an Independent Examiner to review whether the plan met the basic conditions required by legislation and whether the plan should proceed to referendum.

• The council determined on 16 July 2024 that the Plan, as modified by the Examiner’s recommendations, should proceed to referendum.
• A referendum was held on Thursday 5 September 2024 and 95.4% of those who voted were in favour of the plan.

Binfield Heath Neighbourhood Plan was adopted on 24 October 2024.