District Councillor Report July 2023
District Councillor Report July 2023
Sam Casey-Rerhaye
Let’s talk rubbish – we want to know what residents think of our waste services
We’ve launched a new survey to find out what residents think about our waste and street cleaning services. We will use the feedback to find out what aspects of our waste service people are happy with as well as the areas where we could do better.
Residents can complete the waste survey online now.
Comments are open until Monday 10 July 2023. Please do help spread the word with your local networks and share our social media message on your pages and local Facebook groups throughout the next month.
If anyone has questions or requires the survey in an alternative format (for example large print, Braille, audio, email, Easy Read and alternative languages) they should email waste.team@southandvale.gov.uk or call 01235 422146
Rural England Prosperity Fund
More than £1.2m is being made available to help improve the rural economy across our district. We’ve secured funding from the government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund, which can be used to provide a boost to projects such as creating rural business hubs, setting up community energy schemes and diversifying farm businesses beyond agriculture.
Any organisation with legal status will be able to apply for the funding when it opens in the Autumn this year. This will include public sector organisations, higher and further education institutions, private sector companies, voluntary organisations and registered charities
Before the application process begins our Economic Development team wants to understand which organisations might apply and for what type of project, and so is asking anyone interested to send an Expression of Interest in the run up to the funding scheme opening later this year.
There are more details on the scheme on the South REPF page.
Anyone with questions about the scheme please email business.support@southandvale.
Air Quality Survey
We’ve launched a survey on the council’s new joint Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP). The AQAP sets out proposals for the next four years to improve air quality in the districts. This includes the good news that most places have seen a consistent reduction in one of the main measured pollutants: nitrogen dioxide
Wallingford, Watlington and Abingdon have seen the levels of the pollutant nitrogen dioxide fall below the national objective level over the past three to five years so it is proposed they will no longer be designated Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in the future. Air quality monitoring will continue at those places.
Look on our website for the AQAP survey.
How to save energy costs in community buildings
The Climate and Biodiversity team is inviting local community organisations to an online forum on making cost savings through improving energy efficiency in community buildings such as local sports clubs, village halls and parish buildings.
The event will include speakers detailing their experience of making changes to their community buildings. There will also be information on the practical and financial support the councils can offer.
The event will take place ONLINE from 6pm - 7pm on Tuesday 11 July – groups should email climateaction@southandvale.
Please pass on to any groups who run a community building.
Planning ‘surgeries’ for town and Parish councils
The planning team holds monthly surgeries for members of town and parish councils to discuss can general planning queries. To book their 15-minute online meeting they should use this planning surgery link.
If there are any questions, please contact Emily Hamerton emily.hamerton@southandvale.
