A guide to council services over the Christmas and New Year period when the council offices are closed to the public.
Housing
July 16, 2025
Council’s lettings service helps hundreds of people stay local
A long-standing lettings service run as not-for-profit in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has helped over a thousand people find affordable homes locally so far, and many landlords find new tenants.
May 19, 2025
Reducing need for temporary accommodation part of new homelessness consultation
Minimising the use of temporary accommodation* which can be disruptive to people’s lives, especially for children, is one key aim of proposed updates to how councils tackle homelessness in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse. Increasing the provision of genuinely affordable, long-term homes remains a core focus of South Oxfordshire and Vale of […]
February 25, 2025
Councils offer help to bring empty homes into use
Property owners are being offered support to bring empty homes back into use, to help meet local housing needs.
February 17, 2025
Have your say on how we provide homes to those in most need
Proposed changes to the way social housing in the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire is allocated for those in the most need will speed up help for homeless households to move into long-term accommodation. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils are inviting people to take part in a public consultation […]
October 16, 2024
Have your say on proposed changes to council tax premium for long-term empty properties
Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils have launched a public survey on proposals to reduce the minimum timeframe to charge a council tax premium on long-term empty properties.
October 9, 2024
Councils prevent rise in local homelessness despite an increase in demand on services
As global attention turns to World Homeless Day, Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils have managed to keep local homeless levels low despite an increase in demand on services.
July 31, 2024
Councils purchase 45 homes for those in need
A new era for genuinely affordable, high-quality, council-owned housing has begun in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.
October 10, 2023
The Vale steps up to help families who supported the UK’s military operations in Afghanistan
An innovative new arrangement will support the welfare of families from Afghanistan who have contributed to the UK’s military operations in their country. Families who had put themselves at risk by working and fighting for the UK, were forced to flee their home country when the Taliban regained control. Since then, many of them have […]
October 9, 2023
Joint leaders’ statement to mark World Homeless Day – 10 October
The following is a joint statement by the leaders of Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils, Cllrs Bethia Thomas and David Rouane to mark World Homeless Day on 10 October: “As international attention focuses today on homelessness, we believe everyone should have somewhere they feel safe and secure that they can call […]
March 17, 2023
Councils challenge Oxford City’s plan for high housing numbers
South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse district councils have both responded firmly to Oxford City Council’s consultation that appears to be attempting to exceed the city’s remit and force more development across Oxfordshire’s rural countryside.
