Interim proposals

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 following councils considered a proposed response.

Cherwell District Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxford City Council
South Oxfordshire District Council
Vale of White Horse District Council
West Oxfordshire District Council
West Berkshire Council

They discussed three options.

The submitted options

Each cabinet or executive in Oxfordshire endorsed a joint response to the government. In line with the criteria set out in the government's statutory invitation, the response sets out:

how local authorities in our area are collaborating to develop proposals for new unitary structures
information on each of the three options we are developing for Oxfordshire

Option one

A single county unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council (providing all services to Oxfordshire residents). This is the preferred option of Oxfordshire County Council.

Option two

Two unitary councils.

North Oxfordshire Council - created from the existing district councils of:

Cherwell
Oxford City
West Oxfordshire

Ridgeway Council - created from the existing district councils of:

South Oxfordshire
Vale of White Horse
West Berkshire

Option three

Three unitary authorities:

a unitary city on expanded boundaries
northern and southern unitaries
West Berkshire unitary

Why we believe a single unitary is best

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, explains in a letter to Local Government Minister Jim McMahon.

"(A single county unitary for Oxfordshire) is in the best interests of all our residents and aligns with the government's ambitions for local government as expressed in the white paper.

"Our proposal does not split up high risk services such as social care and education, nor does it separate Oxfordshire's communities, businesses and institutions from one another.

"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.

"Only a single county unitary can provide Oxfordshire with the necessary scale and financial resilience that it needs, yet at the same time remain locally responsive. 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 across the Oxford to Cambridge corridor."

"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."

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

The 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.