West Berkshire Council announces plans to combine with South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council to form ‘Ridgeway Council’

West Berkshire Council has announced it will be discussing plans with two councils in Oxfordshire to form a new unitary authority.

The initial proposal – dubbed ‘Ridgeway Council’ – is a response to the Government’s announcement last year which will see two-tier authorities, as seen in Oxfordshire, end and new unitary councils created.

It would cover West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.

To progress its programme of local government reorganisation, in February the Government invited Oxfordshire councils to put forward their initial proposals by March 21.

As part of the shake-up, 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.

Due to these factors, West Berkshire Council, South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council have come up with a plan to combine and form a single unitary.

Spokespeople for the councils have said that there are “strong demographic and economic similarities and significant historic ties” between the three areas and that their combination would be a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to design a new model of local government for the area that delivers high-quality services, improves financial resilience and value-for-money, and ensures it’s able to maintain truly local representation”.

The initial proposal is being progressed under the Ridgeway title as it is named after the famous 5,000-year-old footpath that travels through the three council areas.

Councillors from all three of the authorities will be discussing the Ridgeway Council proposal next week, with West Berks tabling the discussion for an extraordinary meeting of its executive at 4.30pm on Wednesday, March 19.

If the councillors approve the initial proposal, further development work would take place with a final submission to the Government due no later than November 28.

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

West Berkshire Council leader Jeff Brooks said: “West Berkshire Council has a strong history of collaboration with our neighbouring councils.

“This has made our initial discussions productive and gives us confidence as we look to move forward together for the benefit of all our residents.

“This is an exciting opportunity to establish a council that is ready for the future – one that works smarter, delivers better outcomes, and strengthens local democracy.

“By working together, we can build a council that not only meets the challenges ahead but ensures lasting benefits for all those who call our area home.”