One Oxfordshire

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.

A proposed response was considered and agreed by cabinets and executives at all Oxfordshire councils on 19 and 20 March. This outlined three options for Oxfordshire.

The county council’s preferred option is for one single unitary council for Oxfordshire.

We have asked residents, businesses and partners for their views on a single council for Oxfordshire over the summer. This feedback was used to help shape our One Oxfordshire proposal (pdf format, 15 MB).

This will be considered by our Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 12 November and Cabinet on 13 November. If agreed, it will be submitted to government by 28 November.

Why One Oxfordshire?

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

Closer to communities

One Oxfordshire will strengthen local democracy through robust neighbourhood governance. We will bring decision making closer to communities through a stronger partnership with town and parish councils, a set of new area committees, a communities unit and the development of modern charter trustees. Local voices will be heard, with clear accountability and a single set of councillors operating at the heart of their areas.
A single unitary council for Oxfordshire will not separate Oxfordshire’s residents, businesses and institutions from the county they are in or move boundaries from the places and communities they recognise.

Cost-effective

Bringing services together under one council offers the best value for money for residents and will save £63 million per year for five years.
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.
Money saved from creating simpler services can be reinvested into strengthening them.
One Oxfordshire offers the quickest, most cost effective and safest route to a safe, legal and confident new council, one that is ready to transform from day one.
Only One Oxfordshire has the scale, stability and resilience to withstand significant future financial challenges. We will use this to maximise the opportunities for economic growth and improved outcomes offered by public sector reform and devolution.

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 on a countywide footprint to over 750,000 residents, providing 85 per cent of local government services by expenditure in Oxfordshire. These include 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 protect and improve critical services such as adult and children’s social care, SEND and homelessness now and in the future. One single council for Oxfordshire will avoid splitting these critical services up and means less disruption, including those delivered in partnership, such as health.
By bringing other services together under one roof we will also improve them, including waste and recycling; housing, planning and growth; community safety; and climate.
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.

Further information and documents

There is further information to support our One Oxfordshire proposal.

What happens next

During November, scrutiny committees, cabinets, councils and executives across all Oxfordshire councils will be asked to debate and approve the proposals. If agreed, these proposals will then be submitted to government by 28 November 2025.

Following submission, there will be a statutory consultation giving residents and stakeholders the opportunity to share their views before any decisions are made. The government is expected to announce its decision in late spring or early summer 2026.

We expect that in May 2027, elections will take place for a shadow authority (or authorities) – a temporary governing body established during the transition period to a new council. A new council(s) will potentially come into effect on 1 April 2028.