Watchfield Parish Council Page

23/06/2026

23/06/2026

Bin days staying the same, but collection times may change across South Oxfordshire and the Vale
Residents across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are being reminded to put their bins by 6am on their scheduled collection day, ahead of route changes starting later this month.
From Monday 29 June 2026, the district councils are making small changes to waste and recycling rounds to improve the efficiency and reliability of the services.
While every household's scheduled collection day will remain exactly the same, the time that crews arrive on each street may change. Vehicles may arrive earlier than usual, so residents should put their bins out by 6am on their scheduled collection day to avoid missing a collection. If possible, people are encouraged to put their bins out the evening before, provided they do not block pavements or footpaths.
Residents can check what day their bins will be emptied via the councils' new BinDays web app at southandvale.gov.uk/BinDays

Cllr Sue Cooper, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: "We're making some small route changes to help ensure we continue to deliver an efficient and reliable bin service for our residents. This may mean vehicles arriving earlier than usual, so please remember to put your bins out by 6am on your collection day or the evening before, if possible."
Cllr Robert Clegg, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Climate Action and Nature Recovery at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: "Residents won't see any changes to the day their bins are collected, but they may notice our crews arriving earlier than usual. We don't want anyone missing their collection, so please present your bins by 6am, or the evening before your collection."
For more information about the districts' waste and recycling collections, visit southoxon.gov.uk/recycling or whitehorsedc.gov.uk/recycling

23/06/2026

Adverse Weather warning from the Met Office. This is in effect from 09:00 Wed 24 Jun 2026 and 21:00 Thu 25 Jun 2026.

18/06/2026

WPC Councillors have been working hard to tidy and clean a vacant allotment plot on the school allotments. It is now cleared and already has a new tenant, who has made a great start in planting for the summer!
The Allotments are looking great, thank you to our tenants for all of their hard work!!

18/06/2026

WPC have installed a new dog waste bin by the 'Yellow Brick Road' at the top of Lysnader Crescent, SN68DF.
Please help us keep Watchfield tidy and pick up after your dog!

18/06/2026

Support and information for your communities from OCC.

This regular update is packed with information that you may find useful to pass onto your communities.

How it works
We've pulled together marketing campaigns and communications information in one place - so you can access everything you need for your newsletters, community conversations and social media activity.

Take a look at the initiatives below to see if you think your communities should know about it.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Be kept up to date with the latest from Oxfordshire County Council by following us on WhatsApp:

Follow our WhatsApp news channel for the latest news, alerts, and more from across the county – straight to your phone.
Stay ahead with traffic updates, follow our WhatsApp travel channel for the latest travel alerts, road closures and disruptions.
Alternatively, why not follow us on BlueSky? .bsky.social
Highways information
There is lots happening to raise awareness of the work of the highways team.

Follow our new LinkedIn showcase page for regular updates on highways maintenance.
Don't forget our place pages. These will continue to evolve but are designed to help residents understand what's going on in their area and how it contributes to the bigger picture for Oxfordshire.
Take a look at our highways blogs and share links where you feel it might be useful.
For pre-prepared wording, explainer videos and graphics to help you share information with your communities, visit our highways communication portal.

Surface dressing - for the latest dates visit the surface dressing page on our website.

Grass cutting - to see where we'll be in the coming weeks, visit the grass cutting page on our website.

Gully cleaning - to see where we'll be this month, visit the cleaning drains and gullies section on our website.

Potholes - Please continue to report any issues you see: https://fixmystreet.oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Household Waste Recycling Centres

Did you know that 60% of items that go into the non-recyclable waste (general waste) bin at our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) can be recycled?

To help us recycle even more we are asking people to separate recyclable items in their waste either before they go, which will speed up their visit or when they are on site. For this wave of our 'sort your waste' messages we are focusing on items that regularly end up in the non-recycling bin.

Connect to Work

We're proud to support Connect to Work – a free, voluntary, government-funded programme that supports people with disabilities, health conditions, or complex challenges to get into work – and stay in work.

We're looking for employers and referrers who want to make a real difference. If you're committed to social responsibility, inclusive workplaces, and helping people overcome barriers to employment, we'd love to work with you.

If you are an employer, we can support your recruitment needs by matching suitable candidates and offering tailored in-work support for your staff.

If you are a stakeholder or referrer, we are happy to provide more details on how Connect to Work can support those you work with.

Sign up now to find out more about this exciting programme
Warm Homes Local Grant

Please help us promote the Warm Homes Local Grant scheme, which offers fully funded home upgrades for eligible low‑income households across Oxfordshire (including air source heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage, and insulation).

For many off‑gas homes relying on oil, prices can rise suddenly and make heating costs unpredictable. Upgrading now can help make homes more efficient and cheaper to run.

Spring and summer are the ideal time to get work done. We're wanting to encourage residents to act now, while the weather is warmer and installers are available, so that everything can be ready before colder weather sets in.

Footsteps - pedestrian safety

Footsteps is a fire and rescue service child pedestrian safety programme. It's designed as a short, step-by-step guide and videos for parents and carers to use, to help them teach young children the skills they need to use the road safely.

By following Footsteps, parents and carers can support children to become safer, more confident pedestrians.


Homewise is a tool created by Energy Saving Trust that offers you impartial energy saving advice tailored to your home, lifestyle, and budget. It will show you which energy efficiency improvements and renewable technologies could boost your energy efficiency and cut your bills. It also highlights funding opportunities and home upgrade schemes delivered by Oxfordshire councils.

Having a comfortable home really matters, especially as we get older. As we start to need a bit of extra help, it can be hard to know where to begin.

From working out what support is available to understanding the cost of care, there's a lot to think about. That's where our living well at home guides come in. They're designed to make things clearer and help people find the right support at the right time.

Download more information to help spread the word
Oxfordshire SEND support

Families often feel overwhelmed when they worry about their child or young person's development or are navigating support for the first time.

This toolkit helps schools, early years settings, health professionals, community organisations and partners communicate clearly and consistently about the support available for children and young people with SEND in Oxfordshire.

We encourage everyone who is eligible for an NHS Health Check to take advantage of this opportunity when invited. It's a great way for people who are aged between 40 to 74 without a pre-existing medical condition to stay on top of their health and wellbeing.

Download more information to help spread the word
You might also be interested in...

Gambling affects millions of people across the UK. It can affect anyone, at any time, from all walks of life, and is caused by products designed to keep you using them. If you or someone you're close to is experiencing gambling harm, know that you are not alone and it is not your fault.

For advice and support in Oxfordshire visit Oxfordshire Gambling Harms Service

Join us on 18 August at Blenheim Palace for a relaxed, family-friendly walk celebrating Oxfordshire's foster carers. This free event is open to all. Come along to show your support or learn more about fostering.

Find out more or reserve your spot

16/06/2026

Vale of White Horse District Council media release -

Residents invited to shape the future of local parish arrangements
15 June 2026
Residents in two areas of the Vale of White Horse are encouraged to have their say on proposals which could change how their communities are represented in the future.
Earlier this year, the Vale of White Horse District Council asked for views on a range of potential changes for local parish arrangements. Following that initial consultation, the council's Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee reviewed all feedback and identified two proposals to take forward.
Residents are now asked to share their views on these final proposals:
a boundary change between Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor parish and Fyfield and Tubney parish, and
grouping Appleton with Eaton Parish Council and Besselsleigh Parish Meeting under one parish council.
How to take part
Residents can view the full details of the proposals and submit their feedback through the council's online survey at whitehorsedc.gov.uk/CommunityGovernance
The consultation is open until Thursday 23 July 2026.
Anyone who can't access the survey online should contact 01235 422 425.
Councillor Neil Fawcett, Cabinet Member for Legal and Democratic at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: "These proposals are about ensuring strong and effective representation for our communities. The people who live in these parishes know their areas best, so their views are essential in helping us understand how these changes could affect them."
If the proposed changes are approved by the committee, the intention is that they would come into effect in time for the scheduled local elections in May 2027.

Find and participate in activities run by Join the conversation - South Oxfordshire & Vale of White Horse

11/06/2026

Oxfordshire and West Berkshire councils collaborating ahead of local government announcement

Councils across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire are working closely together to prepare for a key government announcement expected in July regarding the future shape of local government in the area.

Government consultation for local government reorganisation (LGR) closed in late March with three options on the table for potential future structures. This followed the government's invitation in February 2025 to submit proposals for a unitary council or councils in areas of England that currently have two-tiers of local authorities (counties and districts), as is the case in Oxfordshire.

The options are:

1. A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council responsible for all services for Oxfordshire residents.

2. Two unitary councils:

Oxford and Shires Council created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire.
Ridgeway Council created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse and the unitary council of West Berkshire.

3. Three unitary councils:
Greater Oxford Council – covering Oxford and its immediate surroundings
Northern Oxfordshire Council – covering most of the existing Cherwell and West Ridgeway Council – covering most of the existing South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts combined with West Berkshire.

It will not be known whether there will be one, two or three unitary authorities for Oxfordshire until the government announces its 'minded-to' decision, which is its preferred, provisional decision before it's put into law. This announcement is expected before the parliamentary summer recess, which starts on 16 July.

Leaders and chief executives of all councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire said: "Since the start of the year, colleagues across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire councils have been working together within a joint programme to prepare for what comes next. Following the statutory consultation, we have been collaborating to gather a variety of data and information so we are ready to move forward, whichever option gets the go-ahead from government.

"We are also thinking through the potential implications of each option, planning for how we would deliver services under one, two, or three new unitary councils to ensure we are ready to support our communities and colleagues through the changes ahead.

"Whatever change government proposes, our priority is to make sure we continue to deliver high-quality services to the people we serve during transition and beyond.

"Similar changes from two-tier local government to unitary councils have happened in many other parts of the country or are in progress. We will follow good practice as we plan ahead collaboratively during the remainder of 2026, 2027 and early 2028."

Bringing all services together under one roof through LGR will mean residents will benefit regardless of which option the government decides to take forward. They will only need to contact one council, no matter where they live, duplication will be reduced and money saved. This money can be reinvested in the local services residents rely on. Existing town and parish councils will still provide very local services to their communities.

When the government announces its 'minded to' decision, it will be followed by a structural changes order (SCO), expected later in 2026. This will set out the legal basis and process for moving to the new council(s) arrangements.

From that point, the existing councils will enter a transition period, working together to prepare for the new structures. This will include the election of a shadow authority or authorities in May 2027. This shadow body(ies) will act as a temporary council(s), making key decisions and preparing for the new organisation(s). The existing councils will continue to deliver services up until vesting day. The new council or councils will officially come into effect on vesting day, which is expected to be on 1 April 2028.

11/06/2026

WPC Extraordinary Meeting
11.06.2026, 19:30hrs
Watchfield Village Hall

This is run by the Parish Council but we want to build a resource for everyone involving events, clubs, services, societies and information. We want everyone to feel involved in Watchfield. Parish Council meetings are always on the first Thursday of the month and open to the public, except during th...

11/06/2026

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime