Year: 2022

South and Vale logo

Residents urged to check their voter registration details

28th July 2022

Residents across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are being urged to check the details on a letter they will receive from their district council from the end of July.

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils will be sending a ‘Canvass Communication Form’ to all homes which requires the occupants to check the details of everyone over the age of 16 living there.  Local authorities need to do this each year to ensure the electoral register is up to date.  

The letter people receive in July/August will depend on whether or not records indicate that there has been a change in the registered voters at their property – for instance, if a registered voter recently moved in then that address will receive a yellow letter, but if the occupants have remained the same since the last election, they will receive a green letter.

What you need to do:

If your household receives a yellow letter:

Once you have checked the details, please visit householdresponse.com/southandvale to either confirm that everything is correct, or to update the information for your property.  You will need the two-part code on the letter to do this.  

If your household receives a green letter:

  • if the details are correct – you don’t need to do anything, you can simply keep the letter for your records or shred it and put it in your recycling bin. 
  • if the information is not correct – please visit householdresponse.com/southandvale to update the details for your property, you will need the two-part code on the letter to do this.  

In either case, the letter will explain exactly what you need to do – it is very important that you read it carefully. 

If you are required to either confirm or update your details, please do so as quickly as possible – this helps to ensure that the councils will not need to contact you again to confirm the information.

Mark Stone, Electoral Registration Officer for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, said: “When you receive your letter, if you need to update your details, please do this as soon as possible.  It’s very easy to do and only takes a couple of minutes, and it is also helps to ensure that people in your household will be registered to vote in next year’s local elections.”

For information about how our Elections team holds, uses and stores personal data please visit southoxon.gov.uk/electionsdata or whitehorsedc.gov.uk/electionsdata

Thames Valley Police logo

Summer Fire Safety

The hot weather has brought an increase in individuals lighting fires on grass areas across South & Vale. We would like to remind the public that these fires can cause damage & harm to those nearby & offer the following safety advice:

  • Help stop fires from starting by never lighting open fires in the countryside
  • Only use BBQ’s in safe, designated areas when in the countryside & don’t leave them unattended. Make sure they are fully extinguished & cold before disposal
  • Don’t light fires in close proximity to trees, bushes, livestock or property as the fire is more likely to spread should it get out of control
  • Extinguish cigarettes properly & don’t throw the end on the ground or throw them out car windows
  • Take rubbish, bottles & glasses with you when leaving the countryside as sunlight shining through glass can start fires

If you see a fire make sure you are out of immediate danger & report the fire immediately by calling 999.

30mph speed sign

Speed Data

27th July 2022

After three weeks at Appleton Common, the Parish Council is very pleased to report that we have had NO speeding on this part of the ( 60mph ) road, and the speeds are a lot lower than the Council thought there would be.

Inbound
Average speed: 22.36 mph
Top speed:         40.00 mph

Outbound
Average speed:   23.25 mph
Top speed:         47.00 mph

Met Office Red Warning Extreme Heat

15th July 2022

The Met Office have now issued a red extreme heat warning for Monday and Tuesday next week, covering parts of Oxfordshire. I have attached the warning to this email for you to see.

Level 4 – Emergency

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/heat-health/?tab=heatHealth&season=normal#?tab=heatHealth

There is a 100 % probability of Heat-Health Alert criteria being met between 0000 on Monday and 0000 on Wednesday in parts of England.

What to expect

  • Population-wide adverse health effects experienced, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to serious illness or danger to life. Government advice is that 999 services should be used in emergencies only; seek advice from 111 if you need non-emergency health advice.
  • Substantial changes in working practices and daily routines will be required
  • High risk of failure of heat-sensitive systems and equipment, potentially leading to localised loss of power and other essential services, such as water or mobile phone services
  • Significantly more people visiting coastal areas, lakes and rivers, leading to an increased risk of water safety incidents
  • Delays on roads and road closures, along with delays and cancellations to rail and air travel, with significant welfare issues for those who experience even moderate delays

You may find some useful information and links on the Oxfordshire County Council website. This can be found here: Hot weather across England – warnings and advice issued (oxfordshire.gov.uk)

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/heat-health/?tab=heatHealth&season=normal#?tab=heatHealth

There are also some useful links below for additional advice from the government.

Beat the heat: keep cool at home checklist – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Beat the heat: staying safe in hot weather – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For more information from the Met Office, click here.

For information on caring for children in the heat, click here.

Temporary Emergency Road Closure – Kingston Bagpuize – A415 Abingdon Road

14th July 2022

Oxfordshire County Council has been informed of a temporary emergency road closure on the A415 Abingdon Road whilst the forensic investigator to carry out some reconstruction work to establish positioning of vehicles involved prior to impact works are carried out for public safety reasons.

A temporary Emergency Notice is being made to implement the temporary closure and will operate on 14 July 2022. This will operate between 19:00 and 21:00.

A single Temporary Emergency Notice can last for 21 consecutive days maximum.

Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for those frontages within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works and liaison with the works supervisor.

For the notice, click here.

For the alternative diversion map in to Southmoor, click here.