Leader’s statement – 15 July 2026

16 July 2026

Cllr Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, delivered her Leader’s statement to Council at the meeting on 15 July 2026.

It is a pleasure to address council at this early hour, and I am grateful to you for making the decision to bring this meeting forward, so we can all be part of something tonight if we choose to, returning home, or perhaps to our local pub or football club, to cheer England’s men on.

With all the talk of the World Cup, it may be easy for some news stories to play second fiddle, but to us, the news that we are expecting the government to make its announcement on Local Government Reorganisation tomorrow, has been our focus.

This moment has been described as the most significant change to local government in over half a century, and so I wanted to recap the possibilities ahead of us and reflect briefly on what all of this means.

As you know after the deadline to submit plans last November, the government has been considering three proposals for Oxfordshire.

At Vale, we worked closely with colleagues at West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire, Cherwell and West Oxfordshire to develop a positive proposal for two new unitary councils that we believe would balance the need for local accountability while meeting the government’s requirements for scale and financial resilience.

In contrast, the county council put forward a proposal for a single large unitary council for the whole of Oxfordshire. The city council put forward a proposal for three small unitary councils based around an expanded city to be called Greater Oxford, which would include absorbing nine Vale parishes that sit in the Green Belt.

Our proposal was the only one supported by more than one council, working in partnership, in the way that we will continue to do whatever the outcome tomorrow.

And this is one of the reasons that I firmly believe that our proposal for two unitary councils is the best way forward for our communities – many of you agree with me, some of you might not. We have made a strong case backed up by the views of our communities, but as we have always said, the decision here ultimately lies with the government.

I am sure everyone has heard rumours one way or another, and I am sure we have all been on tenterhooks, speculating on the outcome, as the date of the announcement has been pushed further and further back, until we reach the very last day of the government’s agreed timetable, the very last day parliament sits before the summer recess, waiting to hear our fate.

I have no firm indication of what the outcome is likely to be tomorrow, but whatever the government announces, I am absolutely determined that the Vale will begin work immediately to ensure that our residents, businesses and communities are at the forefront of conversations to develop the new unitary council or councils.

I am sure each council will react differently to tomorrow’s announcement, some taking it better than others. On a personal level, I will obviously feel disappointed if our proposal is not chosen, knowing the amount of work that has gone into it; understanding the concerns of residents who have expressed their worries about being swallowed up or ignored; and strongly believing that our model struck the balance allowing for local accountability and financial stability.

However, come tomorrow afternoon, when the announcement is made, I will put these feelings aside, as we will all have a job to do. I want to assure everyone here tonight, officers throughout the council, and residents across the Vale, that we want a well-managed, collaborative approach to transition that will smooth the way forward for a strong new council for our region.

Even if the decision is not our preferred option, we will work positively and collaboratively with all Oxfordshire and West Berkshire colleagues towards that goal with determination.