The government is looking to simplify local government underneath the new mayors.
In areas where there are two councils, both councils would be abolished and replaced with a single 'unitary' council, which would be responsible for providing all local services.
What does this mean for Oxford?
Oxford currently has two councils:
- Oxford City Council - responsible for services such as planning, council housing, community centres, leisure centres, parks, and bin collections
- Oxfordshire County Council - responsible for services such as social care, children’s services, education, highways, public health, and the fire service
The government will replace these with a single council, which would be responsible for providing all local services for the Oxford area.
Oxfordshire’s six councils have been working collaboratively to develop proposals for new unitary structures.
The interim plan covers three options for unitary councils in Oxfordshire:
- Three unitary councils - with a unitary city on expanded boundaries as well as northern and southern unitaries, including West Berkshire – our preferred option
- Two unitary councils - A north Oxfordshire council (created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire) and a Ridgeway Council (created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse, and the unitary council of West Berkshire)
- A single unitary council for Oxfordshire - on Oxfordshire County Council’s existing boundaries
Oxford City Council is leading the proposal for three unitary councils, which you can read more about on the A greater Oxford page.
Next steps
The interim proposals were submitted jointly to the government on 21 March 2025. Full proposals will be submitted by 28 November 2025.
The government will decide on the structure of local government in Oxford, with the new unitary council or councils created by 2028 at the earliest.
