Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution
Local councils are changing. We currently have two tiers of local government in Oxfordshire: district and county councils – these will be replaced by new unitary councils that will provide all local government services.
The government has confirmed that three new unitary councils will be created for Oxfordshire and West Berkshire from 1 April 2028.
The new councils will replace the existing county, district and city councils, bringing local services together under three new organisations. This change is designed to simplify how services are delivered and make it easier for residents to access support.
Find out which new council will serve your community and what this means for your area: 3councils.org
Devolution and Strategic Authorities
The work to create unitary councils is to help pave the way for new Strategic Authorities, which are larger authorities over an area of around 1.5 million people, usually led by an elected Mayor.
In December 2025 an expression of interest letter to create a mayoral strategic authority (MSA) within the Thames Valley was submitted to government following discussions and agreement by 13 councils within the region.
For further information visit www.reading.gov.uk/devolution.
LGR and Devolution formal correspondence
3 December 2025: Cllr Leffman responded to Cllr Thomas’s letter on the expression of interest to government.
3 December 2025: Cllr Thomas wrote to Cllr Liz Leffman regarding her Cabinet’s endorsement of Oxfordshire County Council’s expression of interest to government on a Thames Valley Mayoral Strategic Authority.
19 August 2025: Cllr Thomas wrote to Cllr Leffman urging a swift decision on agreeing Mayoral Strategic Authority geography.
13 May 2025: Council Leader Cllr Thomas wrote to Oxfordshire County Council Leader Cllr Leffman regarding potential MSA geography.
24 March 2025: Council Leaders of West Berkshire Council, South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse Council wrote a joint letter to minister Jim McMahon regarding the proposal for a new Ridgeway Council.
21 February 2025: Council Leader Cllr Thomas and South Oxfordshire District Council Leader Cllr David Rouane wrote a letter to West Berkshire Council Leader Cllr Jeff Brooks.
18 February 2025: Cllr Thomas wrote to Matt Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner with an update on unitary discussion with neighbouring councils.
17 February 2025: Council Leader Bethia Thomas wrote letters to the MPs Layla Moran, Olly Glover and Charlie Maynard updating them on discussions with neighbouring councils on unitarisation.
13 February 2025: Cllr Leffman sent a response to Cllr Thomas’s letter of 11 February.
11 February 2025: Cllr Thomas wrote a letter to Oxfordshire County Council leader Cllr Liz Leffman expressing a preference for Swindon not to join an Oxfordshire strategic authority.
