Skip to content
  • We are changing key software we use for Waste, Envirocrime, Environmental Protection, Private Sector Housing, Community Safety and Food and Workplace Safety  − therefore, it may take a little longer to respond to some enquiries and some of our online forms may not be available for a short period.  We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Chair of the council

The Chair of Vale of White Horse District Council for 2025-26 is Cllr Oliver Forder and our Vice Chair is Cllr Jill Rayner.

The Role of the Chair

The Chair is the ceremonial head of the council. They must be a serving councillor but are politically impartial. The Chair cannot be a member of the council’s Cabinet.

Ceremonial duties include: 

  • being the politically impartial civic leader of the Vale of White Horse council area
  • promoting the objectives and services of the district council
  • acting as an ambassador for the district council
  • fostering community identity and pride.

Key responsibilities include:

  • presiding over meetings of the full council
  • accepting invitations on behalf of the county council to attend civic and charitable events
  • raising money on behalf of the Chair’s chosen charities.
An image of Cllr Forder (right) presenting a cheque to Oxfordshire Mind  

Chair’s Charities

During his year in office, Oliver has chosen to support two local charities, Oxfordshire Mind and Host Abingdon.

Oxfordshire Mind is an independent charity that is affiliated with the national Mind association. The charity has been campaigning for better health care in Oxfordshire for over 50 years. They offer practical support on wide ranging issues such as housing and benefits, well being and food banks as well as listening and sign posting to other mental health services.

Host Abingdon work to welcome refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who have come to Abingdon and the surrounding area.  They offer help and friendship as well as practical help in finding accommodation, financial support and education.  The charity also gives advice and support to host families.   

About Oliver

Oliver is serving his second term as Chair, having previously held the role in 2025 to 2026. During his previous term, he represented the district council at 40 events across Oxfordshire and raised £4,000 for his chosen charities. Oliver will continue to champion residents and local groups, highlighting the many initiatives that support and define local communities as well as ensure their voices are heard in council deliberations.

Oliver was educated at Westcliff High School for Boys in Essex and Lincoln College, Oxford. His primary career was in investment banking, working in London, the USA and Germany. He was a director of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and headed their office in Munich. Subsequently, he founded a company which specialised in arranging finance for complex international banking transactions. He also helped run a company which arranged wine trips to France.

He was Chair of Governors of a comprehensive school in Essex from 1989 to 2001.

He was elected to Halstead Town Council in Essex in 1991, to Sudbury Town Council in Suffolk in 2011 and 2019, and Vale of White Horse District Council in 2023.

On a personal level, Oliver is married to Elspeth. He has a son, a daughter and three grandchildren growing up in Abingdon. He is a keen historian and an avid follower of cricket.

Please contact the Chair’s PA using the details below if you have any questions.

Contact us - Chair of the council

01235 422082
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialling)

chair@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE

Related information