Interim proposal

Our proposal for local government reorganisation in Oxfordshire.

The government asked councils in Oxfordshire to submit an interim proposal(s) for local government reorganisation by 21 March 2025, with a full proposal by 28 November 2025.

On 19 and 20 March, cabinets and executives at the six Oxfordshire councils considered a proposed response.

Each of them agreed the proposed joint response to government that sets out, how local authorities in our area 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

A single county unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council (providing all services to Oxfordshire residents). This is our preferred option.
Two unitary councils:
- Oxford and Shires Council (previously referenced as North Oxfordshire Council) created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire.
- 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.

Our proposal for a single unitary

Our preferred option is for a single unitary council across Oxfordshire.

One council: Your Oxfordshire

Why we believe a single unitary is best

Stronger, simpler services

A single council for all Oxfordshire will create stronger, simpler services that are cost effective, connected and closer to communities.

Cost-effective

A single countywide unitary council simplifies services for residents, businesses and investors and makes them stronger with clear accountability – one set of councillors, one chief executive, one set of services, one senior management team, one set of buildings and one front door to access services.
Bringing services together under one council offers the best value for money for residents and will save £28 million per year for five years.
Money saved from creating simpler services can be reinvested into strengthening them.

Closer to communities

One unified council will create stronger, simpler services closer to the communities we serve.
A single unitary will provide both the scale and financial resilience that Oxfordshire needs and greater decision making closer to the communities that we serve in partnership with town and parish councils.
We support the development of a single unitary council for Oxfordshire, one that doesn’t separate Oxfordshire’s residents, businesses and institutions from the county they are in or moves boundaries from the places and communities they recognise.

Connected

Our county is highly connected, from school transport right through to how our economy works and beyond. We will maintain and strengthen that connection through a new, progressive single council for all Oxfordshire residents, businesses, institutions and investors.
We already deliver services to over 750,000 residents.
We provide 85 per cent of local government services in Oxfordshire, including 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.
We will 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 inclusive growth across the Oxford to Cambridge corridor.
One council means less disruption for services including those delivered in partnership, such as health.

You can read the letter Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, wrote to Local Government Minister Jim McMahon to explain our interim proposal further.

The letter adds that a single county unitary could swiftly unlock devolution for the region.

Further information and documents

You'll find all documents and further information on the proposals on our wider web pages.

The next stage

Oxfordshire councils will have further detailed discussions so we can submit final proposals by 28 November 2025. The government will then decide what form of unitarisation Oxfordshire will adopt.

In parallel with other partners, all Oxfordshire councils will continue collaborating to propose a mayoral strategic authority to the government as part of the national devolution programme.