New rules, set in law, are now in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19. The latest data shows that the new variant of the virus is spreading very quickly and aggressively, and while there is no evidence that it causes a more severe illness nor that the vaccine won’t work against it, it does transmit more easily.
The increase in cases means an increase in pressure on our NHS, and by introducing a lockdown the government hopes to reduce the spread and therefore the number of people needing hospital treatment.
While this will be very challenging for many of us, the single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.
Information on the availability of our services and how they have been affected can be found on our website. You can also check the latest case numbers in the county and your district on our COVID-19 dashboard.
We want to hear what you think about our plans for spending on council services, for the coming year!
Next month, the county council's annual budget will be set - the process where we decide how our budget will be spent on different services.
Like all local authorities there are funding pressures, but our top priorities are protecting those in need and investing in services that will have a positive long-term impact for local communities.
We provide 80 per cent of the local government services (by expenditure) in the county - everything from fire and rescue to taking care vulnerable children and adults. And we're really proud of the services we deliver to you, the residents and businesses of Oxfordshire.
We want to hear what you think about our plans for your services and are running a consultation until 13 January so that you can have your say.
Your feedback is really important to help inform our decisions, so please complete our short questionnaire.
If you live in Cherwell, you can also have your say on the council's budget plans for next year. Its consultation closes on 8 December, so now is your last chance to take part!