Olivia Churchill
Latest news and stories
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REC chief Neil Carberry appointed OBE for Services to UK Employment and Business
Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), has been awarded an OBE for his outstanding contributions to employment policy and the UK recruitment industry. A respected leader with past roles at the CBI, ACAS, and the Low Pay Commission, Carberry has long championed effective labour market strategies.
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Controversial Watlington Relief Road faces further delay amid planning issues
Plans for the £11.1m Watlington Relief Road have been delayed again as Oxfordshire County Council seeks an extraordinary planning meeting later in July. The proposed road aims to reduce traffic in Watlington, support housing development, and promote sustainable travel.
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Government injects £2.5bn funding into East West Rail connecting Oxford and Cambridge
The government has confirmed a £2.5 billion investment in East West Rail, a major infrastructure project connecting Oxford and Cambridge. The new funds, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves during the Spending Review, will help complete the line through Bicester, Milton Keynes, and Bedford.
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Oxford City Council confident of funding Cowley Branch Line despite review silence
Oxford City Council says it remains confident of securing funding to reopen the Cowley Branch Line, despite the project being absent from the government’s recent spending review. The scheme, which would add two stations near Oxford Science Park and ARC Oxford, depends on a £20 million local contribution.
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Petition against Oxford’s £5 congestion charge gains 6,500 signatures in three days
A petition opposing Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 congestion charge has gained nearly 6,500 signatures in just three days. The charge, targeting key roads between 7.00am and 7.00pm, is part of a temporary plan ahead of a traffic filter trial. Critics call it “unfair,” citing the current cost of living.
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“Little Lungs, Big Impact” kicks off at Oxford’s Serco-run leisure centres
More Leisure Community Trust (MLCT), in partnership with Serco Leisure, has launched the “Little Lungs, Big Impact” initiative to ban smoking and vaping near entrances of its leisure centres in Oxford. The campaign prioritises children’s health by reducing their exposure to second-hand smoke.
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Oxfordshire Museum launches journey through the major Ice Age exhibition
The Oxfordshire Museum is launching a major summer exhibition, Ice Age: Mammoth Quest. Visitors can explore dramatic Ice Age climate shifts, dress as ancient animals, and try hands-on archaeology in this family-friendly event features rare artefacts, including remains from Europe’s last known mammoth.
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County council has launched a consultation on new part-night street lighting proposals
The consultation, open until 06 July on the council’s Let’s Talk Oxfordshire platform, focuses on how part-night lighting would be implemented rather than where it might be introduced.
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Lib Dems defend congestion charge plans after criticism over election silence
The Liberal Democrats are under fire for failing to mention plans for a £5 congestion charge during their successful Oxfordshire County Council election campaign.
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Oxfordshire equips teaching assistants as career advisors for SEND education
Oxfordshire County Council is training existing teaching assistants to become career advisors for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). These advisors will support students across seven specialist schools, aiming to improve their education and career prospects.
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Oxford MP criticises county council’s congestion charge plans as “knee-jerk solution”
Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds has criticised Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 congestion charge as a “knee-jerk solution imposed from outside”.
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Business group voice fierce opposition to Oxford congestion charge plans
The Oxford Business Action Group says the scheme will damage small businesses already struggling amid economic pressures, branding it a “tax to drive around Oxford”.
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Interactive map of roads in Oxford that could get a temporary congestion charge
Explore the roads in Oxford that could face a temporary congestion charge on our interactive map.
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Oxford secures £21m government boost for city-wide low-carbon heat network
Oxford is set to launch a city-wide low-carbon heat network with £21m in government funding and an initial £100m from developer 1Energy. The Oxford Energy Network could grow to £500m, cutting carbon emissions by 15,000 tonnes annually and reducing fossil gas demand by 10%.
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Brianna Dale promotes volunteering in Oxford for National Volunteers’ Week
Brianna Dale, a National Management Trainee at Oxfordshire County Council, is inspiring others to give back during National Volunteers’ Week. Discover her journey from moving to Oxford to volunteering with local charity Jacari, where she tutors refugee and migrant children in English.
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Great Big Green Week returns to Oxfordshire with £5,000 in local grants
Dozens of events are happening across Oxfordshire from 7–15 June as part of Great Big Green Week, the UK’s largest celebration of community climate action. Oxfordshire County Council has awarded £5,000 in grants to nearly 30 groups, funding activities like wildlife workshops, upcycling, and eco-gardening.