County council asks for thoughts on the proposal for one single unitary council for Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire County Council has launched a survey to ask local people for thoughts about its proposal for a single unitary council for Oxfordshire as part of wider local government reorganisation across the country.
The county council is proposing one unified council for Oxfordshire that will create stronger, simpler services that are closer to communities, cost effective and connected.
This includes protecting and enhancing key frontline services like social care for children and adults, and public health, which are currently delivered at county scale.
Bringing services together under one council also offers the best value for money for residents and the initial estimate is that it will save £27 million per year.
In December 2024, the government announced that it wanted to move away from two-tier local government structures. It invited councils in Oxfordshire, and other two-tier areas, to develop proposals for new unitary structures and submit these by 28 November 2025.
To help inform the development of these proposals, residents, businesses and organisations are now being asked for their views.
Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “It is our view that a single unitary council for Oxfordshire will create stronger, simpler services closer to the communities we serve. This one council will enable services to be delivered more equitably across Oxfordshire, with residents in every part of the county able to benefit.
“A single countywide unitary council will provide both the scale and financial resilience that Oxfordshire needs and bring decision making closer to communities by partnering with town and parish councils.
“Our county is highly connected, from school transport right through to how our economy works and beyond. We believe we can maintain and strengthen that connection through a new, progressive single council for all Oxfordshire residents, businesses, institutions and investors.
“This is an ambitious county which is home to a globally leading critical mass of science, technology, learning, intellect and innovation.
“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 inclusive growth that benefits everyone across the region.
“A single countywide unitary council simplifies services for residents, businesses and investors and makes them stronger with clear accountability. There would be one front door to access all services from social care, to housing, public health, community safety, planning and everything in between. There would be one set of councillors, one chief executive and senior management team, and one set of buildings.
“One single unitary council for Oxfordshire means no disruption for existing countywide vital frontline services, including those delivered in partnership, such as adult and children’s social care and public health.
“We encourage people to give us their views in the coming weeks.”
What options are being proposed?
- A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council (responsible for all services for Oxfordshire residents). This is our preferred option.
- Two unitary councils:
- Oxford and Shires Council (previously referenced as North Oxfordshire Council) created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire.
- Ridgeway Council created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse and the unitary council of West Berkshire.
- Three unitary councils – with a unitary city on expanded boundaries (referred to as Greater Oxford) as well as northern and southern unitaries, also including West Berkshire.
Have your say
You can have your say at www.letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk
The survey is open until Sunday 27 July.
Next steps
The views provided by residents, businesses, institutions and investors will help inform the final proposal, which needs to be submitted to government by 28 November 2025. The government will then decide what form unitarisation will take in Oxfordshire.
In parallel, all Oxfordshire councils, with other partners, will continue collaborating to propose a mayoral strategic authority to government as part of the national programme of devolution.
More information is available on the county council’s dedicated webpages for LGR and devolution.
Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.