Council welcomes devolution paper but could it leave Banbury out on a limb?

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Cherwell District Council’s leader has welcomed the Labour government devolution white paper - but could it leave Banbury out on a limb?

The government wants counties that still have district and county councils – such as Oxfordshire which has five district councils and a county council – to join others as ‘unitary’ authorities with one ruling body and a Mayor.

If the result is a large, regional authority it could leave Banbury on the extreme edge of a very large area, making it less attractive for spending and investment.

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Banbury, in particular, suffers from being Oxfordshire’s second largest settlement. Because it is close to the borders of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, those county’s residents look to Banbury and Oxfordshire for services.

Cllr David Hingley, leader of Cherwell District CouncilCllr David Hingley, leader of Cherwell District Council
Cllr David Hingley, leader of Cherwell District Council

A unitary authority, based far away, may favour centralised major services away from county borders, and have difficulty obtaining financial contributions from the neighbouring counties, risking Banbury becoming an underfunded area.

While Cherwell District Council (CDC) welcomed the plan, the Oxfordshire Green Party expressed deep concerns, saying the plan would ‘tear up’ local government in Oxfordshire and Thames Valley.

Cllr David Hingley, for CDC, welcomed the white paper, which outlines the Government’s ambition ‘to shift power from Whitehall into the hands of those who know their communities best’.

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He said: “We believe local government works best when it is close to the people it serves, champions important local issues and gives a democratic voice to the communities it represents.

Cllr Ian Middleton, leader of the Green Party on Cherwell District CouncilCllr Ian Middleton, leader of the Green Party on Cherwell District Council
Cllr Ian Middleton, leader of the Green Party on Cherwell District Council

"Engaging in open discussions and exploring how local councils can maintain strong connections with their communities will be vital and (a) commitment to dialogue is the approach we seek to pursue here.”

Mr Hingley said: “Strong regional leadership, supported by a Combined Authority, has the potential to drive long-term vision, create integrated transport systems and deliver economic benefits that support growth and prosperity across wider areas. These are opportunities that, if delivered effectively with the input of district councils to ensure local voices are heard, can directly benefit Cherwell and Oxfordshire.

“What is crucial now is that we engage swiftly and meaningfully with this process, ensuring we get the future right for our communities in this time of significant change for local authorities.”

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Cllr Ian Middleton, for the Greens, said: “Under the plans, district and county councils will be scrapped. Large unitary authorities will take their place, each serving a minimum of 500,000 people which in the case of a single Oxfordshire Authority would mean a total population of around 750,000.

Cllr Eddie Reeves, leader of the Conservatives on Oxfordshire and Cherwell District councilsCllr Eddie Reeves, leader of the Conservatives on Oxfordshire and Cherwell District councils
Cllr Eddie Reeves, leader of the Conservatives on Oxfordshire and Cherwell District councils

"Three or more of these large Unitary Authorities would be grouped under a strategic regional authority with a mayor taking control of key areas like transport, housing, and the environment. While strategic leadership is needed, putting so much power in one person’s hands risks decisions that ignore local needs.”

He criticised the timescale, with the proposals published six working days before the Christmas break and requiring definitive responses six working days into the New Year.

"This gives virtually no time for councillors and the residents they represent to properly consider and scrutinise fundamental changes in the way local government will operate. That sounds like a poor definition of devolution to me and I’d urge the government to allow more time for genuine engagement at all levels before prematurely pushing forward with these plans,” he said.

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“Oxfordshire needs devolution that works for its people. That means keeping power close to communities, not sucking it up into fewer hands. We need fair elections where every vote counts, boundaries that respect local areas and nature, and proper representation for rural communities.

“Democracy isn’t enough without funding. After years of cuts, councils are stretched to breaking point. Services like housing, care, and education are in crisis. Town and parish councils are picking up the pieces without the resources they need. No amount of reorganisation will fix this unless government invests in local services.”

He said delaying elections was unacceptable and the May local elections must go ahead this year and in 2026.

Cllr Eddie Reeves, for the Conservatives supported the government’s white paper, saying the devil would be in the detail.

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“I welcome the thrust of Labour’s argument that the price for devolution of powers is lasting local government reform. Councils in Oxfordshire still operate under the Local Government Act 1972. The system is the same today as when my grandfather retired as a council officer in the late-1980s. That cannot be right.

Councillors of all parties must put residents’ needs first. Simplifying local government is likely to make for a less expensive and more accountable council.

“I favour a single council accountable to residents. That could mean a single Oxfordshire council or districts like Cherwell merging with others to create smaller, single-tier rural authorities within a Mayoral combined authority that spans the NHS Integrated Care Board or the Thames Valley Police Force areas.

“In the latter case, that would mean a Mayor of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, or a Thames Valley Mayor, who has a direct line to government, but who

is ultimately answerable to the people.

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“For my part, I have long been sceptical about Mayors, whether on a countywide or a regional footprint. However, most people would accept that Ben Houchen in the Tees Valley, Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester, and Andy Street in the West Midlands have done important work in marshalling public and private investment, and in coordinating councils’ efforts to reform local public services.

“In either case, I sincerely hope that councillors of all parties will now put party politics aside to find the right models, both of devolution and of local government reform, that are in residents’ best interests.”

Cllr Amanda Watkins, leader of the Labour group on CDC said: “I can assure residents that any decisions made by Labour councillors will be made after working collaboratively with other district councillors,and the needs of Cherwell residents will be of the highest importance when taking everything into account.”

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