Witney Urban District was created under the Local Government Act, 1894 and superseded the Witney Local Board and Witney Burial Board. The district was co-terminous with the township and civil parish. Since 1894 the township has extended its boundaries as follows:
1898 - Under the Oxford (Witney Urban District and Township) Confirmation Order, to include parts of Hailey, Curbridge and Cogges.
1932 - Under the Oxfordshire Review Order, to include parts of Cogges, Curbridge, Ducklington and Hailey.
1963 - Under the County of Oxford (Witney Urban District) Confirmation Order to include a further part of Curbridge.
1968 - Under the County of Oxford (Witney Urban District) Confirmation Order, to include a further part of Hailey.
Under the local government reorganisation in 1974, Witney Urban District was abolished and Witney Town Council set up. At the same time the area became part of the new West Oxfordshire District.
In common with other rural and urban district councils, amongst its many responsibilities Witney UDC was responsible for public health, housing, rating, planning, building regulations, water supplies, sewerage, some roads, (during World War One) Miltary Tribunal proceedings and (during World War Two) evacuation.
In addition to the main records of the District Council, the archive includes the surviving records of its predecessors, Witney Burial Board, (UDC4/2) and Witney Local Board (UDC4/3). It also includes two account books of the Bailiffs of Witney (town officials associated with both the manorial and borough courts of Witney ) (UDC4/1).
The collection was originally catalogued as Witney UDC (accession numbers 1572 & 1616). Recatalogued by Rachel Hancock with additional records from accessions 3633, 4367, 3722, 4637, 4670, 4863 & 5544. Date completed: July 2015.
Further Witney Burial Board material was received from Witney Town Council as accession 6453 in April 2016. Catalogued by Hannah Jones, September 2016.