Making Oxfordshire greener, fairer and healthier
Oxfordshire County Council’s plan to make Oxfordshire a greener, fairer and healthier county has been approved by councillors.
The council’s Strategic Plan 2025-28 sets out a vision for shaping strong and connected communities, healthy places to live, and a thriving local economy that benefits everyone.
It details nine headline projects with specific goals in areas that residents have said are important to them, from a more responsive approach to road repairs to greater provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The plan was approved at the 4 November meeting of the county council.
Of the nine headline projects, three are focused on a greener Oxfordshire – creating better spaces for residents and visitors in town centres; working with transport partners towards a countywide integrated bus and rail offer; and creating two dedicated highways response teams to tackle issues in priority areas.
Three projects focus on a fairer Oxfordshire – rolling out a network of family hubs; helping people overcome barriers to employment through initiatives like Connect to Work; and supporting young people leaving care into employment.
The final three focus on a healthier Oxfordshire – increasing the number of children who reach a good level of development at age five; delivering more specialist school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND); and supporting an expanded and coordinated programme of youth provision.
Councillor Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Our vision is clear: we want Oxfordshire to be a place where everyone has the opportunity to live well, where communities thrive and where our local economy benefits all of our residents.
“This plan is about delivering meaningful change over the next two years, building on our county’s strengths, tackling the challenges we face and delivering on residents’ priorities.
“We are committed to leading the way on climate action so that communities can enjoy cleaner air, a healthier environment and greater resilience in the face of a changing climate. Significant progress has already been made, but we know there is much more to do in this, the defining challenge of our time.
“Fairness is at the heart of our approach. Oxfordshire is a prosperous county but not everyone shares this. We are determined that everyone should be able to access the opportunities our county has to offer.
“Health and wellbeing underpin everything we do. We want all of our residents to be happy, healthy and safe. Our plan sets out how we will work with NHS partners, the voluntary sector and local communities to help children get the best start in life, create opportunities for young people to reach their full potential, and support older people to age well and stay independent for as long as possible.”
Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.