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Council wants Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire joined as mayoral strategic authority
27/01/2025
A meeting to progress plans will be held on Friday
The leader of Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed that the county council’s preference under the government’s devolution plans would be to become part of a mayoral strategic authority with Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. Discussions are underway, but no agreement has yet been reached.
In December the government announced its plans to devolve more powers from national to local government. At the same time a reorganisation of local government would see two tier areas with both county and district councils changed to have only one unitary authority.
In mayoral strategic authorities, elected mayors would have significant powers over housing and planning. Other areas of the country already have elected mayors.
Councillor Liz Leffman said: “There is clear consensus among all Oxfordshire councils in wanting to move at pace towards devolution and we have communicated this ambition and commitment in our letter to government. The county council is committed to continuing to work closely with all our partners, in Oxfordshire and beyond, to identify the best approach to both devolution – and the creation of a strategic mayoral authority – and unitarisation, for the best interests of all our residents across the county.
“I have been holding constructive conversations with leaders in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire for several weeks. My preference is for us to be able to form a strategic mayoral authority with those councils, but we have not yet reached an agreement.
“The geography of what a strategic mayoral authority could look like is one we will be discussing together at a meeting on 31 January in Oxford.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam
Anita jeffries On 27/01/2025 at 2:37 pm
I would like to know who elects a Mayor?? We are being denied a Council vote to create goodness knows what!! I have no faith in the government or government bodies any more!
L G On 28/01/2025 at 5:36 am
100% will go badly wrong. Council taxes will rocket.
L G On 28/01/2025 at 5:35 am
This is going to go wrong. Look at any Labour/Liberal Den run council and they are bankrupt and ghetto riddled.
BP On 28/01/2025 at 4:04 pm
We’ve been here before and a unitary authority was rejected for Oxfordshire. This is another attempt to remove democracy for local people through an authority with no local knowledge or accountability. Anything like this should be put to a referendum of local people. Labour govt attempt to remove obstacles, particularly for planning.
kenneth belcher On 28/01/2025 at 5:02 pm
why not ask the residents let’s have a referendum for each all residents