County Council elections will go-ahead

05/02/2025

Doubts had been cast since the government announced devolution plans in December

County Council elections will take place in Oxfordshire this May.

Doubts had been cast on whether voters would be able to visit the ballot box this year after the government announced plans for devolution last December.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has today announced the first areas where local government reorganisation will take place, but Oxfordshire is not included.

The county’s local authorities must now await further information on future timescales for reorganisation, which will see the present two-tier system of county and district councils replaced by consolidating all council services into unitary authorities.   This is already how local government operates in Northamptonshire.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We are now able to confirm that our county council elections will go ahead on 1 May, which has always been our preference.

“The government is pressing ahead with conversion to unitary authorities and, as a group of partner councils in Oxfordshire, we are continuing to discuss this and prepare for it.

“We are also continuing our discussions with neighbouring authorities across the Thames Valley about devolution.”

Oxfordshire County Council is currently controlled by a minority Liberal Democrat led administration.   In recent week’s Nigel Farage’s Reform Party have said they plan to target seats at the County Council elections on May 1.


Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam

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