Committee details

Objective

The purpose of this Working Party is to redefine and strengthen how Witney Town Council promotes Witney’s identity locally within Oxfordshire, nationally within England and Great Britain (UK), by exploring and celebrating the town’s character, heritage, and cultural significance. The Working Party will:

1. Identify and articulate Witney’s distinct identity; its history, values, traditions, and contemporary character and how these can be expressed.

2. Consider how to position Witney within wider contexts, highlighting its role and relevance at county (Oxfordshire), national (England and Great Britain) level.

3. Explore and develop initiatives that celebrate Britishness and national pride, ensuring that local expressions of identity contribute to and reflect broader cultural narratives.

4. Promote and celebrate culture in all its forms, including heritage, arts, community life, and civic pride, to foster a shared sense of belonging and recognition for all residents, irrespective of their background or ethnicity.

5. Encourage community engagement and collaboration, ensuring that the redefinition of Witney’s identity reflects the voices and aspirations of all residents, businesses, and institutions.

Through this work, the Working Party aims to create a coherent and inspiring vision of Witney that celebrates its past, embraces its present, and projects a confident, distinctive inclusive identity for the future, locally, nationally, and internationally.

The scope of the Working Party’s activities is defined by what the Town Council can lawfully facilitate and support within its available financial and staffing resources

Timeframe

An update from each meeting of the Working Party should be prepared for the Stronger Communities Committee meetings on the following dates and may include recommendations based on its work for ratification by the Council:

• 17 November 2025
• 26 January 2026
• 23 March 2026

Recommendations on the objectives above should be referred to the Council by 13^th April 2026 unless otherwise agreed by recommendation of the Working Party and agreement from the Stronger Communities Committee.

Constitution

Working Party rules fall under the remit of the Council’s Standing Orders and will only be properly constituted once the following criteria have been met:

a)      The number of Councillors on the working party will be six.

b)     The Chair of the working party will be appointed at its initial meeting and must be a councillor unless otherwise agreed.

c)      A minimum of three Town Councillors must attend each meeting for it to be considered Quorate.

d)     With the authority of Full Council, the working party can co-opt members of the public who have specific knowledge/expertise on the subject and/or relevant local users and stakeholders to assist the group.

e)     An officer of the Town Council should be present at all scheduled meetings and will prepare minutes/notes to be presented at the next scheduled Council meeting.

f)       All Members of Council are to be informed of any meetings of the working party; and can attend and ask for any relevant working party documentation.

g)      All meetings of the working party are to be fully accessible and open to members of the public, subject to any items of a confidential nature.

h)     Meetings will be held on an ad-hoc basis with the agreement of the Chair and Town Clerk (or their representative)

i)       The timing of the meeting shall be judged as appropriate by members of the working party.

j)       Any changes to these terms will be subject to confirmation by the Stronger Communities Committee.

It should be noted that the working party, nor its members can make decisions on behalf of Witney Town Council and any recommendations made will be subject to approval by the Stronger Communities Committee and the Full Council.

Likewise, no funding can be spent or committed by the working party nor its members without delegated authority or prior Policy, Governance & Finance Committee and Full Council endorsement.