Devolution plan 'could see £27m saving' for councils

A plan for devolution in Oxfordshire will be submitted to government after the county council's cabinet agreed on proposals.

It will say that a new mayor for the region should cover Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Councillors will also make the case for one unitary council for the whole of Oxfordshire - which it said could save taxpayers £27m a year.

The final decision will be made by central government, and the council's Liberal Democrat leader, Liz Leffman, said: "All we can actually do is make our best case for each of those options."

The government announced in December 2024 proposals to abolish district councils and introduce large mayoral combined authorities in England.

The changes will be the most significant reforms to local government since 1972.

Some areas have been "fast-tracked" - meaning they will not have planned elections this May and will instead push on with reorganisation and devolution.

Oxfordshire was not successful in its bid to be included in the fast-track scheme but has been told by the government to prepare plans for reorganisation, with changes set to be in put in place in 2028.

Oxfordshire County Council will tell the government that its "preferred geography" for a new mayoral authority will include Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Beneath a directly-elected regional mayor, there will be one or more unitary authorities covering Oxfordshire.

The council's report sets out options for one, two or three councils covering the county - with the latter two options also including West Berkshire in a "Ridgeway Council".

Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet has backed the idea of a single council for Oxfordshire.

In the authority's report, Ms Leffman said: "This council would create a single front door for all local authority services across the historic and recognised county of Oxfordshire, delivering high-quality, value-for-money and responsive services to residents, businesses, institutions, visitors and investors."

That position puts her at odds with other district councils in the area, which want to see a model with more than one council covering Oxfordshire.

West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils have proposed they form a new authority because of their "strong demographic and economic similarities" and "significant historical ties".

Oxford City Council's leader Susan Brown said there should be "separate councils for central, northern and southern Oxfordshire together with West Berkshire to reflect our distinct geographies".

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