Oxfordshire County Council News
Browse news and stories about Oxfordshire County Council – the local authority for the county of Oxfordshire responsible for delivering services like social care, education and transport to the county’s 600,000+ residents.
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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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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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Bus operators welcome council’s review of Oxford congestion measures
Bus companies have welcomed Oxfordshire County Council’s plans to explore temporary congestion-busting measures, including a £5 daily charge for drivers on six key routes across the city.
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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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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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Petition against temporary Oxford congestion charge gains momentum
More than 1,500 people have signed a petition opposing Oxfordshire County Council’s plans for a temporary congestion charge in Oxford, just 24 hours after it was launched.
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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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Updated: City council leader slams county’s temporary congestion charge proposal
The leader of Oxford City Council has strongly criticised Oxfordshire County Council’s proposals to introduce a temporary congestion charge on several key city roads, citing a lack of engagement with businesses, residents, and the city council.
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Temporary congestion charge proposed for Oxford as council seeks urgent fix for traffic crisis
A £5 daily congestion charge could be introduced on key roads in and around Oxford this autumn, as Oxfordshire County Council looks to ease the city’s growing traffic crisis ahead of long-delayed infrastructure upgrades.
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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.
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Plans unveiled for Greater Oxford Council as local government faces major reform
Oxford City Council has unveiled proposals for a new Greater Oxford Council as part of a major local government shake-up, aiming to bring planning, transport and housing decisions closer to the communities they affect.