Oxfordshire County Council has reiterated its view that a single county unitary council should be the way forward for local government in the county when change happens in a few years’ time.
A single unitary authority for Oxfordshire would protect and enhance key services like social services for children and adults and public health, which are currently delivered at the county scale. It would also deliver greater cost-savings than having several smaller authorities.
Following a cabinet meeting in March endorsing this approach, a letter was sent to Local Government Minister Jim McMahon from Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council. It said that a single county unitary “is in the best interests of all our residents and aligns with the government’s ambitions for local government”.
The district and city councils have recently published more information about their alternative proposals for the future of local government in Oxfordshire.
“Following the election on 01 May, our cabinet now has slightly different membership but our view on this subject has not changed. We firmly believe a single council for all of Oxfordshire provides the best solution for our county and its residents. It will create stronger, simpler services that are cost-effective, connected and closer to communities.
“A single Oxfordshire council would mean no disruption to vital services like social care and education and maintains the strong links between Oxfordshire’s communities, businesses and institutions.
“Approximately 85 per cent of services in Oxfordshire are already provided on a countywide basis by the county council. This includes adult and children’s social care, some education services, public health, fire and rescue, libraries and museums, roads and transport, trading standards, waste disposal and recycling, economic growth and climate adaptation.
“A single county unitary would provide Oxfordshire with the necessary scale and financial resilience that it needs, yet at the same time remain locally responsive through an enhanced role for town and parish councils. We recognise that issues are always most effectively dealt with at the earliest stage and closest to the communities that we serve.
“This is an ambitious county with an economy built on that collective ambition and assets. It is critical to Oxfordshire’s future that we maintain the links between our great universities and organisations developing advanced technology, including on Bicester, Culham, Harwell and Milton Park campuses, so that our county can drive innovation and sustainable, inclusive growth.
“A single county unitary council offers clear accountability for all local government through a single group of elected councillors. There will be one chief executive, one senior management team and one workforce delivering on the priorities for all of Oxfordshire.
“There would be one front door to access effective and efficient services from social care to housing, public health, community safety, planning and everything in between. That is clear progress and we are calling on the government to encourage all councils across Oxfordshire to move at pace towards an early submission of our proposals.”
What options were Submitted to the Government in March?
Each cabinet or executive at Oxfordshire’s six councils endorsed a joint response to the government that set out how local authorities are collaborating to develop proposals for new unitary structures.
The response included information on each of the three options being developed for Oxfordshire, in line with the criteria set out in the government’s statutory invitation.
The options are:
- A single county unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council. This is the preferred option of Oxfordshire County Council.
- North Oxfordshire Council (now referenced as Oxford and Shires Council) to be created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire; and Ridgeway Council created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse and the unitary council of West Berkshire.
- Three unitary authorities – with a unitary city on expanded boundaries as well as northern and southern unitaries, also including West Berkshire.
Next steps
The county council will be engaging with residents, businesses, institutions and investors on its proposal later this month. This will help inform the final proposal, which needs to be submitted to the government by 28 November 2025. The government will then decide what form unitarisation will take in Oxfordshire.
In parallel, all Oxfordshire councils, with other partners, will continue collaborating to propose a mayoral strategic authority to government as part of the national programme of devolution.
