[1][page needed] Until 1897 Oakthorpe, and its neighbours Measham and Donisthorpe, continued to form part of an extensive exclave of Derbyshire.

[4] This problem was a result of the sulphurous coal which lay beneath the village, which is capable of spontaneous combustion when exposed to sufficient air.

In September 1983, a property in School Street suffered substantial damage so the National Coal Board were notified and in 1984 they sank boreholes.

By the end of July smoke issued from a depression in another property in School Street so Leicestershire County Council decided to take action and engaged consultants who commenced monitoring procedures for subsidence temperatures and gaseous emissions, as well as borehole investigations to find out the extent of the fire.

Despite the NCB's reluctance to admit responsibility, at this point they did get involved and agreed to pay for the re-housing of residents, refurbishment of houses and the prevention of the fire.

The council consists of eight councillors, including Kelly Grove (the parish clerk) and Sue McKendrick (Chairman).

The results summarised the 6 main points that needed to be focused on to improve the livelihood of the community, these were: Transport, Healthcare, the Environment, Local Amenities, Youth and Crime/Safety.

Similarly, although 91% of the respondents are registered with a dentist, the average travel distance is ten miles therefore it was agreed a NHS service in the Parish was vital.

Crime and Safety is not currently a worrying issue for the villages in the parish as 92% of people generally feel safe at daytime and 84% at night, however residents would like to see the police patrol the area more frequently.