The government has today (16 July) announced that Oxfordshire and West Berkshire’s seven existing councils will be replaced by three unitary councils from 1 April 2028 as part of its plans for local government reorganisation (LGR).
The new councils will be:
- Greater Oxford Council – covering Oxford and its immediate surroundings.
- Northern Oxfordshire Council – covering most of the existing Cherwell and West Oxfordshire districts.
- Ridgeway Council – covering most of the existing South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts, combined with West Berkshire.
Three proposals were presented to government in November 2025 by Oxfordshire and West Berkshire councils – a single county unitary, two unitary councils and three unitary councils.
These councils have been working together since the start of the year to plan and prepare for the future of council services, regardless of which option the government chose. This work has also been focused on ensuring services continue without disruption for residents.
The government ran a statutory consultation in February 2026 on the options with local stakeholders, residents and businesses invited to have their say. Each of the proposals submitted included fully costed options for the government to consider. The results of the consultation have been published today on the government’s website.
Over the next two years, the existing councils will continue working together to prepare for the new arrangements, keeping people informed as plans develop ahead of April 2028.
The full details of the three-unitary proposal can be found on 3councils.org