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Lib Dem alliance expected to continue in West Oxfordshire

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Following yesterday’s local elections, the current arrangement of the Lib Dems linking up with Labour and the Greens is expected to continue.

There were 16 wards being contested – a total of 16 out of 49 seats – with the election count held at Windrush Leisure Centre in Witney.

READ MORE: Control of Oxford City Council hangs in the balance

Vote counting started at about 10am today and all the results were in shortly after 1pm.

Council leader Andy Graham said he hoped the current arrangement would continue, and all parties are now expected to discuss the leadership of the council, with an official announcement next week.

Mr Graham said: “We have no reason to believe that the current arrangement with Labour and the Greens will not continue.

“This is what our residents want – they have had enough of the noise and rhetoric of national politics and want local outcomes to be delivered.”

Mr Graham added that he hoped to continue as leader of the council, once this had been approved by the Lib Dem group and the authority.

Following Thursday’s election, there are now 20 Liberal Democrat councillors, 16 Conservative, eight Labour, four Green Party and one Reform UK.

Prior to the election, there were 21 Liberal Democrat councillors, 13 Conservatives, 10 Labour, four Green, and one Reform UK.

Tammy Abarno with fellow Conservatives (Image: Andy Ffrench)

Of the 16 seats up for election this time round – about a third of the council – seven were won by the Liberal Democrats, seven by the Conservatives, one by Reform UK, and one Green Party.

Mr Graham added: “We have improved services and voters want us to come up with creative solutions.

“Council offices were not being used at Wood Green and now the space is being used for businesses and there is a community cafe on site, so business and the community has been brought together.”

Mr Graham said he was pleased that a major project to upgrade Witney High Street, led by the county council, was getting under way.

The project will enhance the town centre with wider footpaths, better crossings and a more welcoming public space.

The scheme will upgrade the town’s High Street and Market Square to encourage visitors and improve access for walking, cycling and wheeling, while complementing the town’s historic character.

Work is expected to conclude by the end of the year.

Mr Graham added: “Now this scheme is being delivered we will finally see the improvements we want to see for pedestrians and businesses.”

Voter turnout was higher than last time – 45.9 per cent compared to 39.6 per cent at the district council election in 2024.

Tammy Abarno said she was delighted to win the Carterton South ward for the Conservatives.

Green Party group leader Rosie Pearson (Image: Andy Ffrench)

And Green Party group leader, Rosie Pearson, was re-elected for the Brize Norton and Shilton ward.

Duncan Enright, deputy leader of the council, and leader of the Labour group, said he was disappointed for the Labour councillors who lost their seats.

“The Labour group wants to carry on doing its best for West Oxfordshire’s towns and villages,” he added.





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Beckhams facing battle for upgrades at Cotswolds home

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Posh Spice and David Beckham have submitted plans to build a new oak balcony at Maplewood Barn, in the 44th application they’ve made since renaming the home they bought a decade ago.

In that time David and Victoria Beckham have been embroiled in numerous rows with neighbours and accused of ‘drip-feeding’ development there.

READ MORE: Katy Perry forced to cancel gig ahead of Blenheim Festival

And the latest scheme has raised accusations of ‘hypocrisy’ after they had previously accused a neighbour wanting a balcony at their London home of spoiling their privacy.

FILE PICTURE - Victoria Beckham. // Posh and Becks are facing a fresh planning battle over a new balcony at their Cotswolds home - years after they objected to a neighbour wanting to build one. The celebrity couple have submitted plans to build the oak structure at Maplewood Barn - which is the 44th application they've made since renaming the home they bought a decade ago. In that time David and Victoria Beckham have been embroiled in numerous rows with neighbours and accused of 'drip-feeding' development there. And the latest scheme has raised accusations of 'hypocrisy' after they accused a neighbour wanting a balcony at their London home of spoiling their privacy. Documents submitted on behalf of the Beckhams said the latest scheme involved replacing the Victoria Beckham (Image: SWNS)

Documents submitted on behalf of the Beckhams said the latest scheme involved replacing the “Crittall-style screen and doors” and installing an “oak balcony to the western elevation.”

They wrote: “The proposed replacement Crittall-style screen and doors, together with the new oak-framed balcony to the west elevation, have been carefully designed to consider the character and significance of Maplewood Barn and its listed setting.

“The works are to the modern west range constructed as part of the approved barn conversion and will not result in the loss of, or harm to, any historic fabric associated with the original Grade II listed buildings.

“The replacement glazing will match the existing design, proportions, and colour, ensuring visual continuity with the existing barns, while the oak balcony introduces a simple and sympathetic addition that reflects existing timber detailing within the development.

READ MORE: Plans to house 1,200 migrants in Oxfordshire sparks ‘serious concerns’

“Given the small scale of the proposals, and their location within a later addition to the dwelling, it is considered that the works preserve the special architectural and historic interest of the listed buildings and their setting.”

A planning document image linked to the proposed balcony at David and Victoria Beckham's home in the Cotswolds. // Posh and Becks are facing a fresh planning battle over a new balcony at their Cotswolds home - years after they objected to a neighbour wanting to build one. The celebrity couple have submitted plans to build the oak structure at Maplewood Barn - which is the 44th application they've made since renaming the home they bought a decade ago. In that time David and Victoria Beckham have been embroiled in numerous rows with neighbours and accused of 'drip-feeding' development there. And the latest scheme has raised accusations of 'hypocrisy' after they accused a neighbour wanting a balcony at their London home of spoiling their privacy. Documents submitted on behalf of the Beckhams said the latest scheme involved replacing the A planning document image linked to the proposed balcony at David and Victoria Beckham’s home in the Cotswolds (Image: SWNS)

No public comments have so far been submitted but it comes six years after the Beckhams fought a furious planning battle with neighbours at their Holland Park home in London over renovation plans – including their desire for a balcony.

In 2020 they eventually lost the battle to stop the neighbour drastically updating a posh property close to their £31million townhouse.

The celebrity couple had expressed concerns that the neighbour’s architect was creating a whole new patio area including a balcony on the first floor, which may have overlooked their back garden.

Amended plans were approved when a council officer’s report dismissed any privacy fears.

Please legal - FILE PICTURE - David and Victoria Beckham's home in the Cotswolds. // Posh and Becks are facing a fresh planning battle over a new balcony at their Cotswolds home - years after they objected to a neighbour wanting to build one. The celebrity couple have submitted plans to build the oak structure at Maplewood Barn - which is the 44th application they've made since renaming the home they bought a decade ago. In that time David and Victoria Beckham have been embroiled in numerous rows with neighbours and accused of 'drip-feeding' development there. And the latest scheme has raised accusations of 'hypocrisy' after they accused a neighbour wanting a balcony at their London home of spoiling their privacy. Documents submitted on behalf of the Beckhams said the latest scheme involved replacing the It’s the latest in a string of upgrades to the couple’s Cotswold home near Great Tew since they bought the sprawling property in 2016 (Image: SWNS)

READ MORE: New Oxfordshire Lidl supermarket to ‘give shoppers more choice’

At the time they stated: “There are no concerns with the impact of the proposal on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers in terms of light, sense of enclosure, noise or privacy.”

The couple have also been involved in multiple rows over work at their Grade-II listed country house at Maplewood Barn, near Great Tew in Oxfordshire

Since buying the three listed barns for £6,150,000 in 2016, they have added a new driveway and gates, an additional garage outbuilding, tennis court, treehouse, security hut, extension to the garage outbuilding and a landscaped pond.





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13 nostalgic old photos from June 2006 in Oxfordshire

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This Oxford Mail archive gallery of pictures show shots mostly taken by staff photographer Jon Lewis in the summer of 2006.

From the city to the towns and villages of the county, this collection shows a range of summer fun from two decades ago.

Anna de Buriatte, six, in the Spacehopper race at Cokethorpe School Mini Olympics, June 2006Anna de Buriatte, six, in the Spacehopper race at Cokethorpe School Mini Olympics, June 2006 (Image: Jon Lewis)

READ MORE: Thunderstorms as red weather warning issued for Oxfordshire

End-of-term school events feature in this collection, with school plays and sports days both featured.

Pictures of friendly World Cup rivalry between opposing team’s fans show not much has changed in some respects over the past 20 years.

Take a look back through this Oxford Mail archive gallery to be transported back to June 2006.





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Oxford motorcyclist arrested for ‘drug driving’ as 10 bikes seized

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Thames Valley Police’s roads policing department focused operations on two-wheeled vehicles in Oxford today, Sunday, June 28, catching multiple riders committing driving offences.

One of them was a rider who was allegedly ‘drug driving’, who was arrested for the offence.

READ MORE: Plans to house 1,200 migrants in Oxfordshire sparks ‘serious concerns’

Police said six other vehicles were seized for having no insurance and two for having no road tax, with more than one of them delivery riders who had to ‘complete their deliveries on foot’.

Oxford police motorbike operationPolice said ‘more than one’ of the motorbikes seized by police in Oxford belonged to a delivery rider (Image: Thames Valley Police)

Officers said: “We’re sorry if this meant your zesty beverages were slightly warm on arrival.”

Two other seizures were for e-bikes being ridden illegally, one of which was clocked travelling at 56km/h without any pedalling from the rider.

READ MORE: Oxford United match rescheduled after request from police

Oxford police motorbike operationOne e-bike rider was clocked travelling at 56km/h with no pedalling (Image: Thames Valley Police)

A spokesperson for the force said: “Our advice – tax and Insure your vehicle, don’t drive if you’re not licenced and don’t use an e-bike capable of travelling at the national speed limit.

“Failing that, we’ll catch up with you later in the week and take your vehicle off your hands – for a small fee of course.”

Laws on riding e-bikes in the UK state that they must have pedal assist only power, a power limited of no more than 250 watts and should travel at a maximum of 15.5mph, or 25km/h.





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