SODC is transforming its operational side to tidy up and make more efficient it IT and interfaces between customers and officers. It should result in carbon savings in terms of a) enabling more home working and indeed reducing the numbers of staff needed b) reducing the use of paper c) reducing computer-server energy use.
Category: General Updates
SODC and Vale Oppose Enterprise Zones
At SODC, councillors are opposed to the new lawless enterprise zones and will not be seeking one for South Oxfordshire (or Vale of the White Horse).
Bathing water status is being sought at Wallingford Beach
Bathing water status is being sought at Wallingford Beach and up and down river along South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) land. There has been some misunderstanding with Wallingford Town Council (WTC) members that resulted in the possibility of two applications being put in to DEFRA. The two councils are working together to try to ensure […]
Oxfordshire Regional Nature Park
Bioabundance, a Community Interest Company in Oxfordshire, sees the creation of a regional Nature Park as a unique opportunity to secure big gains for nature and to pilot the countryside access and co-ordination of nature and landscape action that is needed to get the best out of our Countryside. The Park covers 113 km2 in […]
Insane housing numbers!
Even more housing is dictated for Oxfordshire in its draft plan to 2050. We and others are joined calling for peer review of the insane housing numbers. https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19675254.calls-review-huge-county-development/?ref=ebln
Crumbling bridges
The 15th century Abingdon Bridge has a loose stone. It is unsafe. Repairs are underway and traffic has been reduced to one-way. The bridge has been taking too much traffic – and yet 3000 houses a mile down the road (and a further 1700 in Berinsfield at the other end of the road) are planned […]
Hundreds of campaigns across Britain to save countryside
Ros Coward in the Guardian looks at the national scale of environmental protest and cites the National Grassroots Campaign Map. Local groups across the country are battling “against huge unsustainable housing developments engulfing small towns; against the loss of greenbelt or protected wildlife areas; and against hypocritical councils who declare a climate emergency in one […]
Oxford Mail covers appeal to get court hearing
Lawyers for Bioabundance are seeking an oral hearing to reverse the court’s initial refusal to allow a statutory review of South Oxfordshire’s Local Plan. Read today’s article 6 April 2021 Read article from 3 April 2021
BBC covers our appeal for court hearing
Bioabundance has taken steps to reverse the court’s refusal to accept its challenge of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan. In filing an appeal, Lawyers state that the case is ‘clearly arguable’ and deserves a full hearing. Read the full story
Oxford City Council shows support for our national park plan
In the meeting on Monday 22 March Green Councillor Dick Wolff introduced a motion for the city council to issue a statement of support for national park to the northeast of Oxford. Instead, Council unanimously adopted an amendment to ‘consider a statement of support’ on the grounds that it is a relatively new idea. The […]