Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council has responded to calls from the leaders of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse for clarity on the council’s geographical preference for a mayoral strategic authority.
In her response, Councillor Leffman said: “There is clear consensus among all Oxfordshire councils in wanting to move at pace towards devolution and we have communicated this ambition and commitment in our letter to government.
“The county council is committed to continuing to work closely with all our partners, in Oxfordshire and beyond, to identify the best approach to both devolution – and the creation of a strategic mayoral authority – and unitarisation for the best interests of all our residents across the county.
“I have been holding constructive conversations with leaders in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire for several weeks. My preference is for us to be able to form a strategic mayoral authority with those councils, but we have not yet reached an agreement.
“The geography of what a strategic mayoral authority could look like is one we will be discussing together at a meeting on 31 January in Oxford.”
Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, had written to Oxfordshire County Council’s Leader, Councillor Liz Leffman, urging swift action on clarifying the county’s position regarding the geography of a new Mayoral Strategic Authority.
Read more: Vale of White Horse leader urges county leader to clarify position on Strategic Authority
In the letter, Councillor Thomas expressed concern that uncertainty could delay progress on devolution and local government reorganisation. She opposed including Swindon in the authority, advocating for a focus on the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West (BOB) region or Thames Valley.
Meanwhile, Councillor David Rouane, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, rejected Swindon’s proposed alignment with Oxfordshire due to differences in health, police geographies, and economic stages and argued that Oxfordshire should form a new Strategic Authority with Berkshire and Buckinghamshire rather than Swindon.
Read more: South Oxfordshire leader advocates for strategic authority with Berkshire and Buckinghamshire
He cited shared identities, vibrant economies, and historical ties as key reasons, noting successful collaboration in areas like police and health authorities, and urged Oxfordshire County Council’s leader to clarify their position before the 31 January meeting.
