Residents in Oxford, Oxfordshire, are being invited to share their views on proposals to change how local councils are run in the area. A seven‑week statutory consultation, opened on 5 February 2026 and running until 26 March 2026, asks whether the current “two‑tier” system (where services are split between city/district and county councils) should be replaced by single‑tier “unitary” councils.
The consultation is hosted on the GOV.UK portal and seeks feedback on three competing proposals. These include a single unitary council for the whole of Oxfordshire; a two‑unitary model; and a three‑unitary model. Two of the submitted proposals (the two‑unitary and three‑unitary proposals) include a version of the “Ridgeway” council that would bring parts of West Berkshire into the new arrangements.
The reorganisation process follows the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which establishes a national framework for devolution and is driving local reorganisations. The councils’ proposals estimate that reorganisation could deliver efficiencies – BBC reporting cites an estimate that anticipated savings would reach about £48.5 million a year (after five years of operation) — though that figure is an estimate attached to the proposals rather than a guaranteed government saving. The reorganisation is also linked to a wider Thames Valley devolution ambition: local leaders say a devolution deal could, if agreed by government, help unlock significant investment for the region (the leaders’ materials cite a figure of up to £18.7 billion for the Thames Valley economy by 2040 as part of that long‑term ambition).
Oxford City Council has described the proposals as the biggest change to local government in 50 years and says the outcome would affect who residents vote for and how services are delivered locally. Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “This is a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to change how our local councils work… It is vital that residents have their say on which model best serves our city’s unique needs.” (Oxford City Council statement, Feb 2026.)
The consultation closes at 23:59 on 26 March 2026. Ministers have said they expect to consider responses and make decisions in summer 2026; if a proposal is approved, transitional arrangements are expected during 2027–28 and new unitary councils would take on full council roles from April 2028.
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