Introducing Ridgeway Council - part of a two unitary council option for Oxfordshire and West Berkshire

Introducing Ridgeway Council, an ambitious proposal to create a brand-new council that delivers high-quality services, improves financial resilience and value-for-money, and ensures it is able to maintain truly local representation.

An initial proposal has been submitted on behalf of West Berkshire Council and the district councils in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse for the creation of a new unitary council that would see the three areas combined. The move is in response to a government invitation following its announcement in December 2024 to end two-tier authorities like those in Oxfordshire.

As part of the shake-up of local councils, the government has also indicated all unitary authorities will need to serve around 500,000 residents or more, which will require West Berkshire Council - which covers around 170,000 people - to merge with neighbouring councils.

Ridgeway Council forms one half of a two-unitary council proposal for Oxfordshire, with the other half made up from the district council areas of West Oxfordshire, Oxford City and Cherwell.  West Oxfordshire District Council and Cherwell District Council have confirmed they will be developing the North Oxfordshire Council half of the proposal, strongly complementing the Ridgeway Council work being carried out by West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and the Vale, coming together to create a proposal for two unitaries covering what is currently Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.

With strong demographic and economic similarities and significant historic ties between West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse the three councils began discussions to explore the possibility of coming together as one single council. All three councils have now produced a detailed interim proposal document, which is available on their new website dedicated to keeping the public informed about the proposal at ridgewaycouncil.org.uk. The proposal is being developed under the title 'Ridgeway Council' - named after the famous 5,000-year-old trail that travels through the heart of the three council areas.

At their Executive and Cabinet meetings this week, members from all three councils agreed to support the submission of the interim proposal. Following the government's request that Oxfordshire authorities submit interim proposals together, the county council has submitted an outline proposal for the Ridgeway Council and North Oxfordshire Council to the government alongside two other options being developed in Oxfordshire.

Speaking about the proposals Councillor Jeff Brooks, Leader of West Berkshire Council, said:

"This initial proposal is the result of some very positive and productive discussions, and I am delighted it has been submitted to the Government for their consideration. There is more work to do on the proposal and, importantly, that includes engaging with and listening to our residents and partners. It is an exciting proposal and one which I believe will serve our communities very well for future generations."

Councillor David Rouane, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said:

"We've been working hard on our interim proposal for a new "Ridgeway Council" to provide a financially sustainable future for local government in our area in a way that reflects the shared needs and ambitions of all three existing councils. We're very pleased to submit this interim proposal to the government and look forward to engaging with our communities in the coming months to hear their views before we submit our final proposal."

Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said:

"It makes good sense to base this proposal on the entire geographies of existing councils that provide high-quality, cost-effective and efficient services. Combining our strengths would create a modern and robust local authority that puts people first and ensures our communities are served by a council that is focused on the needs of our areas, which are very similar in nature. It will be financially robust and able to ensure that the needs of all residents are met, including those with complex needs."

The government has set a deadline for final submissions for unitary council proposals no later than 28 November 2025. In the meantime, the councils will continue to develop the proposals along with a programme of communication and engagement to ensure local voices and community needs are reflected in the proposal and will also continue working positively and collaboratively with the other authorities in Oxfordshire. 

If the final proposal is accepted the government's indicative timeline sets out that the new council could go live in 2028.

Oxfordshire County Council's submission to the government this week also included an initial proposal for a single unitary council for Oxfordshire, and a third option from Oxford City Council proposing the area is divided up into three small unitary councils based around an expansion of the city's borders that hasn't yet been defined.