A call for Oxfordshire and Berkshire to be in the next wave of Strategic Authorities
The Cabinets at South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have supported the submission of an Expression of Interest (EOI) to government for a Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) in the Thames Valley region.
Councillor David Rouane, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said:
“Oxfordshire and Berkshire together make sense for a strategic authority. These areas share deep connections and complementary strengths that can underpin a successful partnership. Our priority is to ensure that any future arrangements reflect these natural ties and deliver real benefits for our communities.”
Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said:
“This is about starting a conversation with government on how devolution can work best for our region. No decisions have been made on the final geography of a future Strategic Authority but we want to see one that builds on the strong links between Oxfordshire and Berkshire, giving clarity and confidence to our residents and businesses while unlocking opportunities for sustainable growth.”
The expression of interest will be signed by a number of councils in the area already involved in local discussions about a future Strategic Authority for the Thames Valley although there is not yet agreement on which areas would be included in the final geography.
Cllr Rouane added, “Swindon has expressed an interest in joining with this MSA but our view is that this would not be appropriate for several reasons: it is not part of the Thames Valley police or health infrastructure, its economy is not integrated with ours, and its commuting patterns look west rather than east.”
Cllr Thomas added, “The Thames Valley is a well-established and coherent region – it has a long history of working collaboratively across the full range of sectors. Swindon has never been part of that so it would not make sense to include it now.”
Cllr Thomas has also written to Cllr Liz Leffman, the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, confirming the Vale’s support for the expression of interest, and her views on the best geography for a Thames Valley MSA.
A Mayoral Strategic Authority is a new type of regional body that brings together several council areas and is led by a directly elected mayor. Its purpose is to take on powers and funding from central government so that big decisions about things like transport, housing, skills and economic development can be made locally rather than in Westminster.
The government wants every part of England to be covered by a Strategic Authority because it believes this will help drive economic growth and improve public services. These authorities can plan across a wider area than individual councils, making it easier to coordinate investment in roads, rail, housing and jobs. They also give regions a stronger voice when negotiating with government and attracting private investment.
Local councils would still provide day-to-day services like social care, waste collection and leisure facilities. In Oxfordshire, the government is also intending to reorganise those local councils into new unitary councils. Three proposals for how these unitary councils would work in the area have been submitted to the government last week.
For more information on the joint Expression of Interest, visit reading.gov.uk/devolution
