Welcome to Epwell’s Village website
Our village lies on the ironstone downs of North Oxfordshire, about seven miles to the west of Banbury, close to the county boundary with South Warwickshire and to the northern reach of the Cotswold escarpment.
The website holds lots of useful information about village events, organisations, services and Epwell’s fascinating history.
News items and events coming soon will be mentioned on this page. To suggest items contact editor@epwell.com
VILLAGE NEWS
EVENTS
Epwell walking group Last Monday of month 10.30 to 12.30 am Meet at VH
Coffee mornings Second Wednesday of month 10.30 am to noon Village Hall.
Whist Evenings Village Hall Tuesdays once a month 7- 10 pm £5.
PARISH COUNCIL NEWS
Road Closure coming up
Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice – S14 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
Temporary Road Closure and “No Waiting” restriction at Epwell, B4035 to Broomhill Farm
In the interests of public safety, it will be necessary for Oxfordshire County Council to close the road and impose a ‘No Waiting’ restriction as detailed above to facilitate pre-surfacing dressing works
A temporary Notice is being made to implement the temporary closure and will operate on 03 November 2025 up to and including 04 November 2025. This will operate between 07:30 and 16:30.
Further details Poster and map
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School Admissions Poster for Reception Applications
As part of the application process for Reception entry to infant and primary school, OCC are advertising the need for parents and carers of children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 to apply for a school place.
Parents and carers can apply from 4 November 2025 to 15 January 2026 for a Reception place at primary or infant school for entry to school in the 2026/27 academic year.
If parents or carers have any questions, they should be directed to the primary application web page which has all the information they need plus a link to the online application form:
www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/primaryadmissions
The School Admissions Team can be contacted direct on 01865 519800 Option 2
or at admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Applications can be submitted from 4 November 2025 and the deadline for receipt of completed school applications for Reception is 15 January 2026.
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Parish Council meetings – Agenda and Minutes
Next PC meeting on Monday 10th November 2025 at 8pm. Agenda
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Local Government Re-organisation
Following the publication of the Government’s English Devolution White Paper last December, it was proposed that areas in England with the current three tier system (Parish/Town, District and County) would be abolished in favour of a two tier Unitary governance structure.
Parish and Town Councils will remain the first tier of Local Government, but the upper District / County tiers will be amalgamated in some way.
Following this announcement the ‘key players’ of the Districts and County in the area have been asked by Central Government to put together proposals on how they would envisage running the new authority / authorities.
There are three proposals:
• Cherwell, West and City (City and Shires) and South and Vale and West Berkshire (Ridgeway) who are working together as Two Councils – https://twocouncils.org/
• Oxford (Greater Oxford) – https://greateroxford.org/
• County Council (Oxfordshire) – https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/local-government-reorganisation-and-devolution/interim-proposal
NEW GOVERNOR REQUIRED AT SIBFORD GOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL
Sibford Gower Primary School are looking for a new governor.
Further details here.
Notification of Governor vacancy
Trustee appointed Governor application form (pdf)
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WALKS
From Epwell. To Swalcliffe and back.
Local walks websites Shutford circular walks
DEFIBRILLATOR
At side of Village Hall. To activate you should call 999 and state location of the Village Hall. OX15 6LA. You will be given a code. Thereafter follow the instructions given by the device.
NEWS FROM THE LOCAL AREA
There are Community Choirs and Choral Societies
one based in Shenington, meeting on Wednesdays,
another in Brailes rehearsing on Sundays. See Brailes website
Stour Singers in Shipston rehearse on Thursdays 7.30 pm in Shipston. See their website.
Cherwell Choral Society meet on Tuesdays. See their website.
Cherwell District Council News
Banbury Vision 2050
See Reference section under Parish Council
EPWELL ECHO current issue
Note that it has been compressed and so the quality is slightly reduced from the printed version
REPORTING PROBLEMS
For roads go to : FixMyStreet
For other things like fly tipping use https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/report
PLANNING NOTICES CAN BE FOUND AT
https://planningregister.cherwell.gov.uk/