Chair of the council

The responsibilities of the chair of the council.

About the chair

The chair is the ceremonial head of the council. The chair must be a serving county councillor but must remain politically impartial. A chair must not be a member of the Cabinet.

Ceremonial duties include:

  • being the politically impartial civic leader of Oxfordshire
  • promoting the objectives and services of the county council and Oxfordshire 
  • acting as an ambassador for the county council and Oxfordshire
  • fostering community identity and pride.

Key responsibilities include:

  • presiding over meetings of the full council
  • accepting invitations on behalf of the county council to attend events
  • inviting individuals and representatives of key organisations to events at County Hall and other venues.

Chair, Councillor Mark Lygo 

Councillor Mark Lygo is a County Councillor for Marston & Northway Division and is also an Oxford City Councillor for Churchill Ward.

He is the Chair of County Labour Group, sits on the corporate parenting panel, Vice Chair of OCC JCC for the uniform members of the fire service, and is a Well-being Champion for the County. 

He has raised money for many local charities.  Married with two children. Hobbies include tennis/football/running/swimming, reading and culture events.

Vice Chair, Councillor Ted Fenton 

Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, King’s College London (BD, AKC), and Magdalene College, Cambridge (PGCE) Ted moved to West Oxfordshire in 1985 to join Cokethorpe School. Over 35 years there, he held roles including Director of IT, Senior Tutor, Director of Studies, and later Senior Administrator, transitioning from teaching Religious Studies to IT and academic administration.

Councillor Ted Fenton was elected to West Oxfordshire District Council in 2015 (Bampton and Clanfield) and to Oxfordshire County Council in 2017 (Witney West and Bampton). In 2025, he was re-elected to represent the new division of Bampton and Carterton South.

Ted has been married to Hilary since 1998, he has three stepchildren, several young granddaughters, and a grown-up grandson. Ted retired early in 2020 to spend more time with family in France, though travel has been limited due to COVID and his wife's Alzheimer's diagnosis.

In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and practising the piano, when no one has to listen.                  

Events

If you would like to invite the Chair to an event, email  chair@oxfordshire.gov.uk