South Oxfordshire

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Template:About Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox settlement South Oxfordshire is a local government district in the ceremonial county of Oxfordshire, England. Its council is temporarily based outside the district at Abingdon-on-Thames pending a planned move to Didcot, the district's largest town. The areas located south of the River Thames are within the historic county of Berkshire.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of six former districts, which were abolished at the same time:<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

The two Wallingford districts had previously been part of the administrative county of Berkshire, whilst the other four districts had been in the administrative county of Oxfordshire. The new district was originally given the name "Wallingford".<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref> The shadow authority elected in 1973 to oversee the transition requested a change of name to "South Oxfordshire", which was approved by the government before the new district formally came into being in 1974.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

The River Thames flows for approximately 47 miles through South Oxfordshire,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> forming the historic county boundary between Berkshire and Oxfordshire. It is also joined by the River Thame within the district. A characteristic of the rivers within the district is that they have wide floodplains with few houses on them so that fluvial flooding is a lesser problem than flash flooding.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Towns in the district are Didcot, Henley-on-Thames, Thame, Wallingford and Watlington.

Villages

See List of civil parishes in South Oxfordshire

The larger villages in the district include:

Population change and distribution

South Oxfordshire population pyramid

The 2001 Census recorded a population of just over 128,000 in the district. This was an increase of 7% since 1991. By the 2021 Census, the figure had risen to over 149,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Much of the district is rural in nature, with the land in agricultural use and around 70% of the district has a green belt or AONB designation (The northeast of the district forms part of the Oxford Green Belt). 50% of the district's population lives outside its four main towns of Didcot, Henley-on-Thames, Thame and Wallingford. Template:Clear left

Governance

Template:Infobox legislature

South Oxfordshire District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Oxfordshire County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Since 2008, the council has shared staff with neighbouring Vale of White Horse District Council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Political control

The Liberal Democrats have held a majority of the seats on the council since the 2023 election.<ref name="BBC 2023 election">Template:Cite news</ref> Despite having a majority, they at first continued a coalition with the Green Party that they had formed after the 2019 election.<ref name="BBC 2019 election">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=oxfordmail17637546>Template:Cite news</ref> However, in May 2025 the Liberal Democrat group chose to end the coalition with the Greens and take full control.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The first election to the district council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:<ref name=compositions>Template:Cite web (Put "South Oxfordshire" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>

Party in control Years
Template:Party name with colour 1974–1976
Template:Party name with colour 1976–1995
Template:Party name with colour 1995–2003
Template:Party name with colour 2003–2019
Template:Party name with colour 2019–2023
Template:Party name with colour 2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Ann Ducker<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 2003 21 Sep 2014
John Cotton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 16 Oct 2014 Apr 2018
Jane Murphy<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Party name with colour 19 Apr 2018 May 2019
Sue Cooper<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Party name with colour 16 May 2019 7 Oct 2021
David Rouane<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Party name with colour 7 Oct 2021

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:<ref name="BBC 2023 election" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Party Councillors
Template:Party name with colour 21
Template:Party name with colour 8
Template:Party name with colour 3
Template:Party name with colour 3
Template:Party name with colour 1
Total 36

The next election is due in 2027.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Elections

Template:Main Since the last full review of boundaries in 2015, the council has comprised 36 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

Premises

The council was initially based in various premises across the district in Henley, Thame, Wheatley, Wallingford and Didcot inherited from its predecessor authorities.<ref>1975 Telephone Directory, South Oxfordshire District Council: Headquarters at St George's House, Wallingford, area offices at West Hill House, Henley / Stone Hall, High Street, Wallingford / Churchill House, Broadway, Didcot / London Road, Wheatley.</ref> In 1981 the council moved to a purpose-built headquarters on Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, near Wallingford.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 15 January 2015, an arson attack destroyed the district council's main offices in Crowmarsh Gifford.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As the fire started in the early hours of the morning there were no fatalities or injuries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Immediately after the fire, the council was temporarily based in Abingdon, in the neighbouring Vale of White Horse district.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From later in 2015 until 2022 the council was based at Milton Park, sharing a building with Vale of White Horse District Council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Council initially intended to return to Crowmarsh,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but in October 2020 it was announced that both councils plan on relocating to a new building in Didcot, to be built on a site known as Didcot Gateway opposite Didcot Parkway railway station, aiming for completion in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2022 the councils vacated Milton Park and returned to Abingdon, again on a temporary basis, whilst waiting for the Didcot Gateway scheme to be ready.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In July 2025, the council decided to stop any new work on the Didcot Gateway project because of the impending Local Government Reorganisation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Media

In terms of television, the area is served by BBC South and ITV Meridian broadcast from the Oxford transmitter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, southern parts of the district which includes Henley-on-Thames is served by BBC London and ITV London broadcasting from the Crystal Palace transmitter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Radio stations for the area are BBC Radio Oxford, BBC Radio Berkshire (covering Henley-on-Thames), Heart South, and Greatest Hits Radio.

Local newspapers are Oxfordshire Guardian, Oxford Mail and Henley Standard.

Recycling

South Oxfordshire has consistently one of the best recycling rates in England, coming top of the league table of the percentage of waste sent for recycling, reuse or composting in 2022/23<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 2023/24, with 62.9% of waste now recycled.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The local authority has been placed at or near the top of the league table for over a decade.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Energy consumption

In May 2006, a report commissioned by British Gas<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> showed that housing in South Oxfordshire produced the 5th highest average carbon emissions in the country at 7,356 kg of carbon dioxide per dwelling.

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References

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