None.

Public addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda, up to five minutes is available for each public address.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address must be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on Tuesday, the 4^th of November.

None received.

Councillor addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda, up to five minutes is available for each address.

The request should be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on Tuesday, the 4^th of November.

None.

The Scrutiny Committee met on 5 November 2025 at a Special Meeting to consider the Council’s Local Government Reorganisation Proposal. The report and recommendations will be published as a late supplement.

The Scrutiny Committee met on 5 November 2025 at a Special Meeting to consider the Council’s Local Government Reorganisation Proposal. Councillor Alex Powell presented Scrutiny Committee’s discussions and consideration of the proposal and their recommendation.

·       The Scrutiny Committee recommends that the Three Unitary Authorities proposal be formally endorsed and submitted as Oxford City Council’s preferred model for local government reorganisation to Government.

Councillor Brown thanked Councillor Powell for the discussions from Scrutiny and welcomed the engagement that they had received on the proposals.

The Chief Executive has submitted a report to agree a preferred option for the creation of three unitary councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire as a proposal to Government for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR); and to submit the proposal to Government by the 28 November 2025.

All Oxfordshire Councils have been invited to submit proposals for Local Government Reorganisation, replacing existing two-tier councils with a single 'unitary' layer of local government. Oxford City Council has been developing a proposal for the creation of three unitary councils across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. Proposals for two unitaries (covering Oxon & W Berks), and a single unitary (covering Oxon) being developed by other councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Note and consider all three LGR proposals that have been developed by Oxfordshire and West Berkshire councils for the creation of unitary local government across Oxfordshire, which are presented in the appendices:

a.    Three unitary authorities (Greater Oxford, Northern Oxfordshire and Ridgeway) developed by Oxford City Council

b.    Two unitary authorities (Oxford and Shires and Ridgeway) developed by West Oxfordshire District Council, Cherwell District Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and West Berkshire Council

c.     One unitary authority (Oxfordshire Council) developed by Oxfordshire County Council. 

2.    Agree that Oxford City Council’s preferred LGR proposal is for the creation of three new unitary councils covering Oxfordshire and West Berkshire, as set out in Appendix One;

3.    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council Leader, to make any further minor amendments to the LGR proposal before its submission to Government in accordance with its prescribed process and requirements to ensure a fully compliant proposal, provided that such amendments do not materially affect the substance of the proposal. This may include the addition of explanatory graphics and case studies, and the design layout of the proposal.  

Proposals for the 1 Unitary Authority and 2 Unitary Authority will be published as supplementary agendas.

Appendix 4 (Risk Register) will be published as a late supplement next week.

Cabinet resolved to:

1. Note and consider all three LGR proposals that have been developed by Oxfordshire and West Berkshire councils for the creation of unitary local government across Oxfordshire, which are presented in the appendices:
   1. Three unitary authorities (Greater Oxford, Northern Oxfordshire and Ridgeway) developed by Oxford City Council
   2. Two unitary authorities (Oxford and Shires and Ridgeway) developed by West Oxfordshire District Council, Cherwell District Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and West Berkshire Council
   3. One unitary authority (Oxfordshire Council) developed by Oxfordshire County Council. 
2. Agree that Oxford City Council’s preferred LGR proposal is for the creation of three new unitary councils covering Oxfordshire and West Berkshire, as set out in Appendix One;
3. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council Leader, to make any further minor amendments to the LGR proposal before its submission to Government in accordance with its prescribed process and requirements to ensure a fully compliant proposal, provided that such amendments do not materially affect the substance of the proposal. This may include the addition of explanatory graphics and case studies, and the design layout of the proposal.  

The Chief Executive had submitted a report to agree a preferred option for the creation of three unitary councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire as a proposal to Government for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR); and to submit the proposal to Government by the 28 November 2025.

All Oxfordshire Councils have been invited to submit proposals for Local Government Reorganisation, replacing existing two-tier councils with a single 'unitary' layer of local government. Oxford City Council has been developing a proposal for the creation of three unitary councils across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. Proposals for two unitaries (covering Oxon & W Berks), and a single unitary (covering Oxon) being developed by other councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.

Councillor Brown presented the report. She noted the great deal of work that Council officers had put into the report and thanked officers from across the Council for their contributions. She noted that three proposals had been included in the agenda pack for their consideration, but that they were being asked to approve the Council’s preferred Local Government Reorganisation proposal. Councillor Brown emphasised the importance of this moment and the opportunity they had to reorganise local government in a way that works best for the future of the city and its residents. Councillor Brown said that they believed their preferred proposal was the best option to ensure adequate representation of all three areas and to ensure that the city continued to thrive. Councillor Brown said that the Council’s preferred proposal sought to ensure adequate democratic representation for all those impacted by the reorganisation.

Caroline Green, the Chief Executive, said that the three unitary option which they were proposing would address the necessary criteria from government, including the city’s delivery of high-quality services. She noted the significant work which officers and consultants had invested into the proposal under consideration. The Chief Executive said that she believed their proposal made a strong case for how they would meet the needs of their residents, their economy, and deliver the housing that the city needs. She noted that the reorganisation presented an important opportunity for them to shift the dial towards a more preventative approach to social services.

Mish Tullar, Transition Director, said that the proposal should be seen in the context of devolution. He said that their proposal gave them an opportunity to form a local authority which was place based, promoted the voice of the city, and promoted growth. He commended the work that colleagues and members had done to ensure that the proposal had received a high level of engagement from a broad range of stakeholders.

Councillor Brown thanked the Transition Director and Chief Executive for their work on the proposal and their work to engage a variegated group of stakeholders.

Councillor Linda Smith said that she welcomed the government initiative to move towards unitary councils. She said that his would help residents to know who is responsible for what and who to hold responsible for their concerns. She agreed that the three unitary proposal was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

Meetings are scheduled for the following dates:

• 19 November 2025
• 10 December 2025
• 21 January 2026

All meetings start at 6.00 pm.

Cabinet noted the dates of future meetings.

If Cabinet wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the exempt from publication part of the agenda, it will be necessary for Cabinet to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Cabinet may maintain the exemption if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.