Oxford News
West Oxfordshire District Council scores strong quarter
West Oxfordshire District Council has reported steady gains across its priorities in the third quarter of 2025, from October to December, with strong results in planning, leisure, housing, and customer satisfaction.
Councillor Andy Graham, leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This has been another strong quarter for the Council.
“Residents are seeing reliable waste collections, high-quality planning decisions, growing leisure participation and record levels of customer satisfaction.
“We are also making real progress on major projects – from regenerating our town centres to decarbonising our leisure centres and investing in community groups and local businesses.”
Regeneration schemes and community investments made headway during the period.
At Marriotts Walk in Witney, new lettings were secured and public realm improvements advanced.
The Salt Cross Area Action Plan was adopted after receipt of the Planning Inspector’s final report.
This marked a major step towards delivering a sustainable, integrated community to tackle climate change and lower energy bills.
At Windrush Leisure Centre, a new low-carbon heating system was installed – a key milestone in the council’s decarbonisation project to reduce emissions from public buildings.
Leisure centre usage climbed to more than 237,000 visits during the quarter, with gym memberships rising from 5,200 to 5,668.
Twenty-two local schemes were supported through the Witney Community Insight Profile grant round.
The council’s Westhive Round 5, which funds community projects through a crowdfunding model, backed 10 new schemes and secured support to continue the approach for another three years.
Shop Front Improvement Grants continued to refresh high streets in market towns.
Plans for the redevelopment of Woodford Way also progressed, targeting new social housing and maintaining free parking in the town.
Frontline services remained robust.
Customer satisfaction reached 97 per cent, while planning performance exceeded national benchmarks.
The council determined 90 per cent of major planning applications and nearly 94 per cent of minor applications within target timeframes.
Councillor Graham said: “Where performance has dipped however small, we are taking clear and focused action.
“Our commitment is to keep improving while continuing to deliver the dependable, high-quality services that residents rightly expect.”
The council delivered 267 affordable homes, well above its target.
Waste collection services remained highly reliable, with missed bin rates lower than target.
Environmental health teams sustained full inspection rates for high-risk food businesses.
Although the report notes consistently strong performance, the council has identified a few areas for targeted improvement and put action plans in place to maintain standards across all operations.
The quarter three performance report reflects the council’s continued efforts to meet the goals set out in its Council Plan.
Uma Ali Sheikh has been named and shamed by the government in a new list published by the government department.
Information is published by the agency when a person or business has made at least one deliberate default on more than £25,000, according to HMRC.
The list is updated every three months before the information is removed after a year.
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Uma Ali Sheikh was investigated by HMRC and charged a penalty for either deliberate errors in his tax returns or a deliberate failure to notify a liability to tax.
The 50-year-old is listed as being a landlord based at Apt 4604, The Torch Tower, Al Sharta Street, Dubai Marina in Dubai.
HMRC says that between April 6, 2014 and April 5, 2019, he did not pay £261,252 worth of tax.
He subsequently paid a penalty worth £137,333.77.
His nationality is listed on Companies House as being British, meaning he is an expat.
Thames Valley Police had been investigating a report that a man committed indecent exposure at around 3pm on August 29 in Headington.
The incident happened in Cox’s Aly near the junction of Gladstone Road.
The offender was last seen walking towards Gladstone Road and is described by police as white, slim and around 5ft 10ins tall.
He had a baggy royal blue tracksuit on – with white stripes running up the sides – and has fair hair, police said in an earlier appeal.
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Police had issued an appeal at the time of the offence looking for witnesses or people with information.
However, seven months later, not enough evidence has been provided to find the culprit.
A police spokeswoman said on Monday morning (March 30): “This case has been filed, pending further information coming to light.”
Indecent exposure, a sexual offence, can see a punishment of up to six months in prison or a fine imposed by the court.
Offenders can also be put on the sex offenders register list, but in most cases this is if the victim is under 18 years of age.
Depending on its seriousness, cases can go to trial in crown court.
Police constable Edward O’Reilly previously said: “If anyone has any further information and witnessed this incident, we would also ask them to get in touch.
“If you have information, please call 101 quoting the reference 43250442508 or you can provide information on the online reporting pages.”
Food, beer and flower stalls attracted lots of shoppers to the Market Place on Saturday.
The local excellence market is held about six times a year, running alongside the regular Monday market.
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Among traders selling to shoppers were Abingdon Distillery, food and drink supplier Barbury Hill from Steventon, Natural Bread Company in Oxford, and Authentic Desi Food from Oxford.
The town council said in a statement: “Local excellence is a market at which local food producers, craft workers and retailers sell their goods in Abingdon Market Place.
“The market gives Abingdon shoppers the chance to sample foods, beers and crafts from Oxfordshire and nearby.
“The market starts at 9am and finishes at 2pm, sometimes later.
“Held on occasional Saturdays through the year, it is very popular with people who are at work all week and miss out on our weekly markets on Monday, or the local farmers’ market on the third Friday in the month.”
Rachel, who works at Abingdon Distillery, said it was a big year for the company as it looks forward to its Single Malt Oxfordshire Whisky going on sale in the autumn.
The next local excellent market is expected to take place on Saturday, May 30.
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