The Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss a progress update on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Oxfordshire. Councillor Liz Leffman, the Leader of the Council, was invited to present the update, and the committee was asked to consider the report and make recommendations to the Cabinet. Councillors were also scheduled to discuss petitions and public addresses.

Local Government Reorganisation Progress Update

The committee was scheduled to discuss a report providing an update on the council's work on LGR, following the publication of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. The report covered background information, the benefits of a 'one unitary' proposal, assessment against statutory requirements, engagement with stakeholders, and next steps.

The report stated that all councils across Oxfordshire had been working together on initial options, and that a plan had been submitted to the government outlining three proposals:

• A single unitary council for Oxfordshire.
• Two unitary councils: Oxford and Shires Council, and Ridgeway Council.
• Three unitary councils: Greater Oxford Council, Northern Oxfordshire Council, and Ridgeway Council.

The report noted that the county council was actively developing only the single unitary council option.

The report stated that the government had provided guidance within the statutory invitation for LGR, including:

• A minimum council size of 500,000 or more.
• Delivery of high quality and sustainable services.
• Enabling devolution to a Strategic Authority.
• Empowering neighbourhoods.
• Being informed by a level of engagement.

The report noted that the ultimate decision would be the Secretary of State's, based on the merits of each proposal and matters arising from the statutory consultation.

The report also mentioned the progression of establishing a Mayoral Strategic Authority and the significant and costly undertaking of delivering LGR and devolution. A budget of £10 million had been set aside to fund these changes, but increases to that budget would be needed to cover further costs.

The report stated that the three pillars that have guided the development of the single unitary council proposal are: closer to communities, connected, and cost effective.

The report included an assessment against statutory invitation requirements for LGR, including:

• Size/council footprint: The population of Oxfordshire is approximately 750,000, meeting the minimum requirement.
• High quality and sustainable services: A single unitary council would facilitate public sector reform and deeper partnerships.
• Enable Devolution to a Strategic Authority: A single unitary council would provide unified leadership and strategic coherence.
• Empower Neighbourhoods: Oxfordshire County Council's established community wealth building approach reconnects local people with the places that generate wealth.
• Be informed by a level of engagement: Internal and external engagement has been pursued, guided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The report detailed internal and external engagement activities, including online surveys, street interviews, business engagement sessions, meetings with local MPs, and engagement with voluntary and community services. Feedback gathered from these engagements had been incorporated into the council's preparation of the final proposal.

The report outlined the next steps in the LGR process, with a deadline of 28 November 2025 for final proposals. The County Council's Cabinet was scheduled to meet on 13 November to agree on its preferred option for reform, and this committee was scheduled to meet on 12 November to review any recommendations arising from this session.

The report also detailed corporate policies and priorities, financial implications, legal implications, staff implications, equality and inclusion implications, sustainability implications, and risk management.

The report included several annexes, including letters from His Majesty's Government, further detail on LGR engagements, a report on neighbourhood governance in Oxfordshire, and a summary of the local government reorganisation process.

The report recommended that the committee note the progress of LGR, evaluate the progress of the LGR programme, and make recommendations to the Cabinet as the committee sees fit.

Annexes to the LGR Report

The LGR report included several annexes:

• Annex 1 - Letter from His Majestys Government 3 June 2025 - This letter from the government provided feedback on the council's interim LGR plans, noting that any final proposal should set out a single, clear option and geography that covers the whole area. The letter also commented on population sizes, impacts on crucial services, collaboration between councils, and engagement with neighbouring areas.
• Annex 2 - Letter from His Majestys Government 6 February 2025 - This letter formally invited councils to develop a proposal for local government reorganisation, setting out the criteria, guidance, and timeline for the process.
• Annex 3 Further Detail On LGR Engagements - This document provided further detail on the LGR engagements, including summaries of resident engagement, school focus groups, postal survey feedback, local businesses engagement, local MP engagement, council staff engagement, local council engagement, voluntary and community service engagement, and public sector providers engagement.
• Annex 4 CfGS Neighbourhood Governance - Final Report 1 - This report, commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council from the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS), explored how neighbourhood governance might evolve following local government reorganisation in the county. The report examined potential models for local-level governance arrangements, setting out different options for how a future council or councils might connect with the needs of its residents at the most local level. The report stated that permanent arrangements for neighbourhood governance can only be made by a new authority, or authorities, once they are set up, following a council reorganisation.
• Background Paper 1 REMind Resident Perceptions Of LGR - Exec Summary - This document provided an executive summary of resident perceptions of LGR, based on a series of focus group discussions conducted by REMind Research in July 2025. The summary noted that there was minimal awareness of future local government reorganisation, except among older residents, and that on balance, the benefits of establishing a single countywide unitary authority were generally seen to outweigh the concerns, provided those concerns were properly addressed.

Petitions and Public Addresses

The committee was scheduled to receive any petitions and hear from members of the public who had requested to speak on an item on the agenda.