Oxfordshire
Main towns: The City of Oxford is the main settlement. Other areas of significance are the towns of Banbury Abingdon, Bicester, Didcot and Witney.
Demographics: Oxfordshire is the most rural and least densely populated of all south east county areas, with about half of the population living in areas made up of less than 10,000 people.
The population is becoming more ethnically diverse. About 10 per cent of the population is from communities other than white-British. About 4.9 per cent of the overall population is from a black and minority ethnic (BME) background. The ethnic communities are found mostly in urban areas of Oxford City and the town of Banbury.
The proportion of ‘other white’ groups is growing at a significant pace, accounting for 5.2 per cent of the total population. The county has seen a significant migration from Eastern European countries.
Education and development establishments for the sciences and technologies make a major contribution to the locality. More than 28 per cent of the workforce is educated to degree level, which is well above the national average (20 per cent). The area has low levels of unemployment, while average weekly wages are 6.7 per cent above the average for England.
More than 95 per cent of the population are in employment. There are deprived areas, concentrated in the urban settlements of East Oxford, Banbury and Didcot, where educational achievement rates and lower than the rest of the county. Pass rates at GCSE level are about average while there is significant underperformance among ethnic groups.
Life expectancy for both men and women is above national averages, although the range of expectancy between the top fifth of wards and the bottom fifth is 77 years to 83.4 years - a gap of 6.4 years. Fear of crime is low while performance in reducing crime is mixed.
Population: Oxfordshire has a population of 635,000. The proportion of older people is increasing and the numbers of very elderly are expected to increase at an even higher rate.
Places of Interest: More than three-quarters of the land is devoted to agriculture and 25 per cent of the county is designated as areas of outstanding natural beauty, notably the Cotswolds, the Chilterns and the Berkshire Downs. The City of Oxford is a major tourist attraction with its rich heritage and world renowned University.
House/Flat Prices: The average property price in Oxfordshire today is £337,000. The average price five years ago, in 2004, was £230,200.
Planning issues: Plans for a waste facility are due to be decided by July 2009. An energy from waste plant near Bicester has been submitted by Viridor at its landfill and recycling centre in Ardley. The plans includes a new access road.
There is some concern over attempts to build 210 houses on an area behind The Street and Benson Lane in Crowmarsh. South Oxfordshire District Council rejected plans for 420 houses in December and before that a planned development of 200 homes was withdrawn. A third application is expected shortly.