Local Government Reform – Unitary Councils

Residents are being encouraged to have their say on the proposals for how councils may change across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.

The Government has made it clear that the current structure of county and district councils will be replaced by unitary councils that deliver all local services under one roof. This would represent a major reorganisation that could affect everything from road maintenance and rubbish collection to social care and planning decisions. Proposals need to be submitted to Government by 28 November 2025.

The Government has said that any new unitary councils must:

• Serve a population of around 500,000
• Be more efficient
• Deliver high-quality services
• Support devolution
• Enable stronger community engagement
• Be developed collaboratively between councils

Proposals

There are three proposals being developed in response to Government’s requirement for structural reform.

• A partnership of councils — including West Oxfordshire, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse, and West Berkshire — is developing a proposal to replace the current two-tier system of district and county councils with two new unitary councils as shown in the map below. Public engagement on this option runs from 4 to 16 July 2025.
  Its too late now to attend one of the drop-in clinics but there’s more information available in this document (PDF below). You can also find out more and give feedback online via the twocouncils.org website: https://tinyurl.com/4t4wr6hk
• Oxfordshire County Council are proposing a single unitary authority covering the whole of Oxfordshire. More information is available here: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/local-government-reorganisation-and-devolution/interim-proposal

• Oxford City Council are proposing three Unitary Authorities covering the North, South and Greater Oxford areas, on the basis that Oxford City needs a different sort of governance to the shires around it. More information here: https://mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/documents/s75532/Annex%204%20-%20Option%203.pdf

Map of Proposal 1

Proposal 3 is similar except that Oxford city and the Greater Oxford area forms a third Unitary council.