Local Government Reorganisation in West Berkshire

'Ridgeway Council' is a proposed new unitary authority covering West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.

The initial proposal is a response to an announcement by the Government in December 2024 which will see two-tier authorities, as seen in Oxfordshire, end and new unitary councils created. Unitary councils provide the same services as county and district councils - bringing them together under one roof. 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. This will require West Berkshire Council - which covers around 170,000 people - to merge with neighbouring councils.

West Berkshire Council, South Oxfordshire Council and Vale of White Horse Councils have discussed options and believe a proposed 'Ridgeway Council' would be the best solution for local residents. It's an opportunity to maintain a a sense of local identity, whilst also delivering good local services which protect our most vulnerable residents and provide value for money.

You can find out more about the proposal for a new 'Ridgeway Council' here: ridgewaycouncil.org

What happens next?

At this stage the proposal for a new 'Ridgeway Council' is just that - a proposal. However, it is the preferred option of  West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Councils. The final decision will be made the Government in due course.

The known and anticipated milestones are set out below and will be updated as more information becomes available.

2025

• Friday 21 March, 2025 - the deadline for initial proposals to be submitted to the Government
• Spring/Summer 2025 - further development work would take place on the proposals along with a programme of communication and engagement to ensure local voices and community needs are reflected in the proposal
• Friday 28 November, 2025 - the deadline for final proposals to be submitted to the Government

District, County and Unitary Councils - what's the difference?

You can find out more about what the different types of council do on the gov.uk website but in summary:
 

County councils

These are responsible for services across the whole of a county, like:

• education
• transport
• planning
• fire and public safety
• social care
• libraries
• waste management
• trading standards

District, borough and city councils

These cover a smaller area than county councils. They're usually responsible for services like:

• rubbish collection
• recycling
• Council Tax collections
• housing
• planning applications

Unitary authorities and London and metropolitan boroughs

In some parts of the country, one tier of local government provides all the local services listed above - and this includes West Berkshire Council.