Cherwell
Cherwell is 590km2 in area; it offers a unique and successful combination: its fine rural landscape provides some of the most attractive and picturesque scenery in Oxfordshire, whilst thriving commercial and industrial centres brings prosperity and economic strength in a highly accessible and desirable location.
Cherwell is a relatively affluent area but there are significant differences in wealth distribution. Banbury in particular has pockets of severe deprivation, second only to Oxford in the county. Other forms of deprivation derive from rural isolation. 137,600 people live in Cherwell. Over 62% of the population live in the principal centres of Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington; the rest in more than 70 smaller settlements between 50 and 3,500 people. 85% of the district is attractive farmland and 14% lies within the Oxford Green Belt, contributing to making Cherwell the 12th least densely populated district in the South East. So Cherwell's population faces both urban and rural challenges. Banbury, Cherwell's urban centre, is an industrial town whose services, which include the Horton Hospital, support a large rural hinterland which stretches beyond Oxfordshire.
Cherwell's population increased by almost 12% between 1991 and 2001 and by a further 4.5% since. Growth predictions of a further 8% by 2016 and a cumulative 15.6% by 2026 are significantly higher than regional and national rates. Most of the recent growth has been in Banbury and Bicester and this will continue. Bicester's population is projected to grow by 13.8% between 2001 and 2016. The rapid growth across the district will put pressure on the local infrastructure.
Cherwell's population profile is changing. The 2001 Census showed that 3.9% of the district's population was of non-white ethnic origin. These low numbers were generally highly dispersed, apart from higher concentrations in some Banbury Wards. 2006 estimates indicate that the non-white population has grown to 5.9% overall. In 2001 7.5% of the population considered themselves to belong to a group other than white British. By 2006 this had grown to 10.7%. Experience suggests that this growth comes and continues to come from migrant workers from Polish and other Eastern European communities.
Cherwell now has the highest proportion of 0-15 year olds in Oxfordshire. By 2031 the population is forecast to age dramatically, with numbers in each of the over 65s, over 75s and over 85s bands increasing by at least 23 percentage points more than national rates, and by more than 47 percentage points in the case of the over 85s.
Priorities for Cherwell include:
World class economy
- Raise the standards in schools and colleges with vocational as well as educational qualifications, to meet the needs of Cherwell's businesses.
- Improve educational achievement, particularly in secondary schools where outcomes are sometimes below county and national averages. This problem is highlighted in Bicester where there is a marked migration of pupils either to outside of the county or to private schools.
- Work to attract further mid and high-tech as well as knowledge-based industries to Cherwell with a view to providing more local, attractive employment opportunities. The employment mix in Cherwell means that earnings from Cherwell workplaces are 3.9% below the national average, but residents’ earnings are, however, above national averages.
- Make it easier for you to get where you need to go. Cherwell residents travel further to work than people in the rest of the South East and nationally. It should be noted that many people in the north of the district tend to look towards Banbury rather than Oxford.
- Increasing the number of affordable homes remains one of Cherwell's top priorities. The 2007 median house price to income ratio is 8.9, up from 7.7 in 2005, above both South East and English averages.
Healthy and thriving communities
- Help you feel safe in your home and community, working to reduce further the very low levels of crime in Cherwell. Overall crime levels dropped by 13.2% between 2003/04 and 2007/08 (a real reduction of 794 reported crimes), compared with a 10.9% reduction across the Thames Valley. However, in 2006 residents felt less safe than those in any other Oxfordshire district in terms of being alone and walking alone during the day or at night.
- Registration with GPs is low in parts of North Oxfordshire.
- Co-ordinate, improve and provide more diverse and accessible health provision and advice through improved education, partnership working, better local access and increased choice.
- Reduce teenage conception rates as Cherwell has a high and rising rate with four out of six Banbury wards in the highest 20% in England in 2005.
- Improve local services and opportunities in rural areas. 11 rural wards in Cherwell have areas that feature in the 10% most deprived nationally for barriers to housing and services.
- Develop the unique characters of Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington and engender a sense of pride, belonging to the community and heritage.
- Improving the quality of life for all, particularly older people, the young, disabled people and ethnic minorities recognising and supporting the important role of the family, carers, voluntary sector and faith communities.
Environment and climate change
- Protect and enhance our environment, wildlife habitats and the countryside.
- Protect and enhance our built environment. It should be noted that Cherwell has a rich built heritage, with approximately 3,000 listed buildings (8.6% of the South East's total) and 54 conservation areas.
- Reduce carbon emissions. Per capita carbon dioxide emissions in Cherwell in 2004 were significantly higher than regional and national levels, although domestic emissions were the lowest in Oxfordshire.
- Improve further our already high recycling rates (48% of domestic waste was recycled in 2007/08) so that we can reduce the amount of landfill waste.
- Prepare for and respond to the effects of climate change.
- Conserve resources and reduce energy consumption.
Local Development Framework
The Local Development Framework (LDF) will support and facilitate the delivery of the aims within the sustainable community strategy.Find out more at www.cherwell.gov.uk.
