Groundbreaking charter deepens local democracy in Oxfordshire

A groundbreaking charter between councils all across Oxfordshire is to be launched on 15 July with the aim being to deepen and enhance local democracy across all of the county’s communities and improve ways of working between councils.

The Oxfordshire Councils Charter is the first of its kind in the country to include all three tiers of local government – parish/town councils, parish meetings, the city council, the district councils and the county council.

It has been co-produced by all three layers of local government working hand in hand and it is high-level and flexible enough to empower councils rather than create additional burdens with specific operational commitments.

It will be launched at the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils Annual General Meeting at County Hall on Monday, 15 July.

Lucy Dalby, County Officer at OALC said: “This charter is a very positive step to achieving better partnership working between Oxfordshire councils. Since OALC instigated the idea of a charter, we have ensured local councils have been consulted directly. It has been wonderful to see so many councils engaging enthusiastically with this process and we want to thank every councillor, clerk and officer who has contributed.

“This work does not end with the launching of the charter – we will remain involved as this work moves forward, and the real and impactful changes needed for partnership working to reach its full potential. Councils will also continue to have the opportunity to feed in to how the charter is implemented.”

Cllr Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “While other parts of the country have charters like this one, none of them cover all three layers of local government. The fact that we do in Oxfordshire is a testament to the grass roots nature of our local democracy.

“This is now a great platform to build on and I am excited about changes that are already underway to improve how we work and communicate with our local councils.”

The charter is a voluntary framework that:

• Outlines mutually agreed principles and commitments to support meeting the above aims.
• Recognises and acknowledges the importance of local councils in reaching and supporting residents and communities.
• Underpins how Oxfordshire councils work better together to deliver outcomes for residents and communities.

The charter is designed to be high-level and flexible enough to empower councils rather than create additional burdens with specific operational commitments. Oxfordshire chief-executive officers and leaders have provided oversight throughout the charter’s development.

The contents of the charter have been informed by an extensive engagement process with town and parish councils from across the county, capturing the needs and priorities of local councils, which are reflected in the principles and commitments.

The charter was endorsed by Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet in May and by Oxfordshire’s district councils in June.