The Mayor of Witney has penned a letter of condolence to His Majesty the King and all the members of the Royal Family expressing the sympathy of the Town Council and residents of Witney on the sad passing of Her Majesty the Queen.

The letter speaks of the Queen’s devoted service across 70 years, “an  achievement that seems almost unimaginable to most.” and that she will be missed by many all around the world.

It also mentions the Queen’s fondly remembered visit to Witney in 1959.

There is mention of the Book of Condolence and the letter then finishes, “Our thoughts will be with the King and his family throughout this challenging time. With heartfelt and deepest sympathy.”

Crowd and Cadets

Complete the bingo card and claim a FREE Active Travel pencil! All entries will be in the draw to win a family ticket to Oxford Bus Museum.

Witney Town Council are set to celebrate World Car Free Day with a range of activities planned for Thursday 22nd September. World Car Free Day is celebrated all around the world, with towns and cities allowing people to experience streets free of motor traffic.

Whilst Witney Town Council are not closing any roads on the day, we are promoting Active Travel and have a number of activities organised. Traditionally we have hosted activities for children on the Market Square, however, International Car Free Day falls on a Thursday this year, and since that is market day in Witney, we are unable to use the space for street games.

We would still like to reach out to Witney children, and raise awareness of Active Travel, with that in mind we have produced ‘Active Travel Bingo’ – an eye-spy and task based worksheet to encourage children to engage in the outdoor environment on their way to school and at any other Active Travel opportunities during the week of Car Free Day. Please find a copy of the bingo card and entry form here.

Any child* completing the sheet is eligible to collect a FREE Active Travel pencil from our town centre office. All completed forms will be entered in a prize draw, one entrant will be randomly selected to win a family ticket to Oxford Bus Museum, worth £15.

Please join Witney Town Council in encouraging car free travel for the day of 22nd September.

*Any primary school aged child resident in Witney, or attending primary school in Witney.

Closing date 30th September 2022.

Why do we have a new logo?

The logo is part of the planned rebranding project (visual identity) which forms part of the Town Council’s Communications Strategy. It is also part our ongoing move towards greater accessibility which is driven by new website legislation.

The Town Council was established in 1974 and adopted the Town Crest to use on its official documents. The use of the Town Crest was not exclusive to the Town Council and has been used by other organisations in the town.

As we have moved into the digital age it has become apparent that we need a logo that is scalable and suitable for use across a variety of digital and print formats, that also depicts some of the town’s history. Our new logo provides an instantly recognisable way to identify Witney Town Council documents and social media accounts.

Like many other local authorities, the town we serve has seen considerable change over the last ten years and some of the demands and challenges we face have transformed the ways in which we work and how we deliver our services. In almost 50 years our logo has not evolved to reflect this and  our rebranding aims to address this.

The logo depicts three distinctive buildings, St Mary’s Church, the Buttercross  and the Town Hall, and incorporates the pascal lamb which features on the town crest and in the stained-glass window above the door of the Corn Exchange. The colours are inspired by traditional Witney blankets.

We will implement the new branding on our social media and documents and other items will be rebranded as they need replacing.

The latest edition of the Witney Town Council Newsletter has been published. The Summer 2022 edition can be viewed here.

Witney now has a Park Ranger.

The role is a new post, which has come about as a result of a review and restructure following the adoption of the ambitious Open Spaces Strategy.

Whilst the role will be primarily centered around the Lake and Country Park, the Council also has a significant tree stock which requires maintenance and future planning.

The Park Ranger role is also key to bringing fresh ideas forward to the Council to assist with meeting its objectives and aspirations.

Among the actions specified in the strategy are:

• Drawing up and adopting a comprehensive arboriculture plan;
• Identifying and implementing possible re-wilding areas;
• Preparing an improvement and upgrade plan for angling facilities at the Lake and Country Park;
• Preparing and adopting a comprehensive and improvement plan for the Country Park and Lake area.

Our ranger, Carl, will also be working to maintain and enhance existing habitats and promote safe use of the town’s open spaces.  He comes to Witney Town Council with a lot of experience, having previously worked for Oxford City Council, where he was one of a team looking after more than 30 parks and green spaces covering more that a 1000 acres.

Carl is very friendly and approachable and feels strongly about an integration of conservation and recreation. He places importance on the provision of areas where everyone can get the best experience possible.

There is an opportunity to meet him at the lake on Saturday 20^th August between 9am and 12 noon.  Please come along and say hi. He would love to know what you think of the lake and meadows area.

This Press Release has been issued by Oxfordshire County Council.

Witney brings in widespread 20mph speed limits

 Town becomes first to take advantage of council’s £8 million programme

Read the story on the Oxfordshire County Council website or below:

Just over a week after Wales voted to make 20mph the default speed limit in residential areas to create safer, healthier, and quieter streets, an Oxfordshire town is following suit and implementing new 20mph restrictions.

Plans for dozens of 30mph roads in Witney to have their speed limits lowered to 20mph have been approved. It becomes the first town wide location in the county to make the change as a direct result of Oxfordshire County Council’s 20mph policy change and associated programme which was announced earlier this year.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, approved the measures at a meeting on Thursday [21 July]. The changes are expected to be implemented and new signage installed later this year.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This is a landmark moment for our ambitious 20mph policy, which we are spending up to £8 million on over a three year period. Witney is the first and the biggest project we are undertaking in this phase of the programme and we believe these changes will make the town a safer, quieter, and less polluted place and will encourage more people to cycle and walk – reducing the county’s carbon footprint.”

Councillor Liz Duncan, Mayor of Witney and Chair of a Town Council Working Party set up to develop the scheme, said: “It is exciting to see this comprehensive 20mph scheme coming to our town, bringing improved road safety for residential streets, reducing the risks of death and injury. We have received many requests from residents for the reduced speed limit and this whole town approach will bring huge benefits.

“As well as safer streets, other similar schemes have seen reductions in traffic noise, better air quality and increased physical activity because with roads feeling safer, people are happier to leave the car at home and walk or cycle instead.”

The county council has been inundated with requests from towns and villages to bring in 20mph zones since it launched the policy in February. The first two phases of the project are now fully booked, although communities can still apply to be part of the third delivery phase which takes place in 2024 – 25.

Cllr Gant added: “Witney is just the start, and more than 70 other towns and villages will be benefiting from reduced speeds in the next financial year – followed by hundreds more in the next two years.

“The recent decision in Wales shows that 20mph is becoming the accepted speed limit for residential areas, and Oxfordshire County Council is at the forefront of bringing about that change. It is well-known that the survival rate for people involved in accidents increases as speeds are reduced.”

There is a clear link between the speed of traffic and the likelihood of accidents happening in which people are killed or injured. You are seven times more likely to survive if you are hit by a car driving at 20mph than if you are hit at 30mph.

The scheme is free to town and parish councils, with the county council funding sign-only changes for areas wishing to be part of the changes as long as locations meet the agreed criteria for 20mph restrictions.

Town and parish councils will be expected to fund any traffic calming measures or speed-activated signs that may be required to support the new limit in their areas.

Applications for 20mph streets and roads need to be supported by the parish or town council and by the relevant local county councillor. More information, including a timetable of where and when forthcoming projects are taking place, is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Oxfordshire County Council has already implemented five 20mph pilot sites to test the impact of the policy in Cuxham, Long Wittenham, Wallingford Central, Wallingford North, and Kirtlington. Early data has shown these measures have had a positive impact on reducing speeds.

While the council has been working alongside Thames Valley Police – who did not object to the 20mph proposals for Witney – the emphasis is on drivers adhering to the new limits through a change of mindset, rather than enforcement. It is hoped that as 20mph areas become more common, breaking the limit will become socially unacceptable for drivers.

The council is also committed to working with key stakeholders including bus, taxi, and haulage companies, as well as major businesses, throughout the process. Officers will work with the bus companies to ensure that the impact on services is minimal.

The changes, which had the backing of West Oxfordshire District Council as well as Witney Town Council, will also involve the reduction of some speed limits from 50mph to 40mph and from 40mph to 30mph around the town.

County council officers have said they will look to minimise potential street clutter by making sure only the legally required amount of signage is placed around the town.

The 20mph programme also fits in with the council’s vision zero policy, which aims to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from Oxfordshire’s roads by 2050.

Ends

For more information about this release contact Oxfordshire County Council’s communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk

A Town Council vacancy for the east ward of Witney has been published. Please see the notice below for further details.

Topic:

Time: Jun 21, 2022 18:00 London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82325284755

Meeting ID: 823 2528 4755

It might seem that summer has only just arrived BUT, can you help us to create a super new Christmas Light for Witney Town Council’s Christmas lights display?

The competition is open to any child currently at Primary School in Witney and we also welcome entries from children enrolled in Witney community groups, such as Brownies, Beavers and others, as well as entries from primary age children resident in Witney.

The winning design will be turned into a super-size 1.5m x 1.5m light, which will be installed on the Town Hall this year as an integral part of the town’s Christmas display.

The Town Council also displays some, still serviceable winning lights, from previous years.

Some tips for creating a good design.

• Fill the space with your Christmas themed design so that it touches the edge of the frame
• Keep it simple so that it can easily be created using lights.
• Choosing to design something we don’t currently have will improve your chance of having your design selected. We have a bauble, Christmas pud, star, robin, penguin and candy cane.

Pictured is Alice, last year’s winner of this competition.

Entries can be submitted by email, post or delivered to the Town Council office. A template and entry form can be downloaded from our website, or you can simply draw a square on a sheet of A4 paper. Please submit your entries to: info@witney-tc.gov.uk or Witney Town Council, Town Hall, Market Square, Witney OX28 6AG. Don’t forget to include your name, age, school, and your contact details with the artwork. The closing date for this competition is Friday 15th July.

Witney Town Council Christmas Light Competition 2022 template

We are really pleased to announce that our works team were able to procure the broken part very quickly and make the repair themselves. Great news.