The Government has asked all areas with two tier councils – County and Districts such as Oxfordshire to put forward proposals for one tier unitary authorities, to simplify local government and increase value for money for council taxpayers. This will affect all the residents of Oxfordshire.

There are three proposals on the table for Oxfordshire - a single county-wide unitary authority, two councils and three councils, including ‘Greater Oxford’.

Increased Costs and Council Tax – Reduced Value for Money 

The three council option including ‘Greater Oxford’ would be the most expensive for council taxpayers -

·         Setting all the services up in triplicate would increase costs

·         The population at 240,000 would be less than half the Minister’s recommendations of 500,000 + to make efficiency savings, making costs per person higher.

·         There would be additional high set-up costs for 80% of services currently provided by the County Council e.g. adult social care, SEND, education, highways

Increasing Urban Sprawl, Destroying The Countryside and Nature Depletion 

‘Greater Oxford’ would annex 48 rural Green Belt parishes surrounding Oxford, cutting up the surrounding District Councils and some parishes, so they can develop, an additional 43,000 to 67,000 new houses by 2040 in this Green Belt Countryside on the edge of Oxford.  This would increase urban sprawl, destroy more Green Belt, which protects both Oxford City and the countryside, while harming habitats, wildlife and rural communities.  The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and this would make it far worse, fuelling climate change and threatening fragile SSSIs. For existing residents doubling the population of Oxford, and the increase in cars would make travel round Oxford and commuting into the city much more difficult and lengthen journeys considerably.

 Delivery of Services 

Currently the County Council delivers approximately 80% of services with expenditure in 2024/5 of £1,439 million on adult social care, SEND, education, highways, transport, fire and rescue etc. Oxford City Council spent £246 million last year providing about 20% of services - planning, housing, rubbish collection etc.  Oxford City Council has no experience or expertise of setting up and delivering County services or delivering to rural communities.

Rural Communities Outnumbered 

Oxford’s population is 165,200.  The rural parishes it wishes to annex have a population of about 74,800 so they would be outnumbered by Oxford City and have no control over what happens to their communities and countryside.   

Oxford City's plan based purely on growth in the City is unrealistic, unsustainable and does not solve the access problem for commuters into Oxford. The other two proposals are much better aligned with Government aims. They would bring a far more holistic approach to bringing in growth, efficiencies and opportunities to Oxfordshire

These proposals go to Minister at the end of November.

PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION TO REJECT THE ‘GREATER OXFORD’ UNITARY AUTHORITY