The Government has told councils in Oxfordshire it will proceed with a planned reorganisation that will abolish the county, city and district councils and replace them with three new unitary authorities in April 2028.
Decision holds despite local objections and political change
The announcement, originally made by the former Secretary of State on 16 July, has been reaffirmed by the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Ministers say they are moving from decision to delivery and will bring forward the necessary structural change orders to put the new arrangements on a statutory footing.
The county council leader had urged the new Prime Minister to reconsider the reorganisation after a change of ministers at Westminster. In a letter to the Prime Minister he asked for a review and for the previous decision to be reversed. That request has not been accepted.
“Local government reorganisation will put one council in charge of decisions in their area, speeding up the construction of new homes and infrastructure, improving public services and boosting regional growth to put more money in peoples’ pockets.”
The Government says the new model will transfer county and district responsibilities — including planning, transport and social care — to each of the incoming unitary authorities.
Which new councils will be created
| New authority | Notes |
|---|---|
| Greater Oxford Council | Will cover the city area and surrounding locality |
| North Oxfordshire Council | Will take in northern parts of the county |
| Ridgeway Council | To include parts of Oxfordshire and areas of West Berkshire |
The county had proposed an alternative single-unitary plan, often described locally as a 'One Oxfordshire' model, which would have combined district and county powers into a single authority covering the whole county. The Government has declined to pursue that option and instead opted for the three-council configuration put forward by Oxford City Council.
Local impacts and next steps
Officials say the structural change orders are the next legal step. Those documents set out the detailed arrangements required to dissolve existing councils and create the new bodies, covering issues such as transfer of staff, assets and statutory responsibilities.
For residents, the overhaul is likely to affect where decisions on housing, highways and adult social care are made, and which council delivers those services. Councils and partner organisations will now be expected to prepare transition plans and begin detailed implementation work ahead of the 2028 start date.
- Implementation timeline: New councils to begin in April 2028;
- Services affected: Planning, transport, social care and other county/district functions;
- Legal step: Structural change orders to be brought forward by the department.
Councillors and officials will face a compressed period of planning to ensure continuity of services during the changeover. Residents seeking further information should look for updates from the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government and from their existing councils as statutory orders and detailed plans are published.
