The town of Charlbury is served by three tiers of local government:
- Oxfordshire County Council (OCC)
- West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC)
- Charlbury Town Council
Each Council is responsible for different services and takes on key roles to provide a range of services to residents.
Charlbury Town Council comprises of 12 councillors and a town clerk.
Explore this website to learn more about what makes Charlbury such a unique and exceptional place to live, while discovering how Charlbury Town Council supports the local community.
See below for current consultations in Oxfordshire:
Proposals for Governance in Oxfordshire
Plans laid out in the UK Government’s White Paper on devolution released in December 2024 have resulted in the following proposals currently out for consultation:
What changes will we see?
The White Paper sets out the Government’s intention to create a number of Strategic Authorities across the country. These will sit above the current councils and either be designated as a Foundation Strategic Authority or Mayoral Strategic Authority. The latter will be led by an elected mayor.
In the areas – like Oxfordshire – where a two-tier system for principal authorities remains, this must be abolished for a single unitary authority. The two-tier system is when two different councils handle different services, as is the case in Oxfordshire (i.e. we have a District Council and a County Council, both handling different responsibilities.)
The various Councils that operate in Oxfordshire have been discussing options and are preparing proposals for what the single unitary authority could be and how areas/populations can be divided. Proposals must be submitted by November.
What are the proposals?
There are currently three options being developed for local government in Oxfordshire. It is likely that all three proposals will be submitted to the Government, which will ultimately make the decision for our area.
Option 1: One authority
Oxfordshire County Council is proposing a single unitary authority for the county of Oxfordshire. More details about the rationale and potential benefits of this approach are available here: County council continues to endorse one council as best option for future local government in Oxfordshire
Option 2: Two authorities
Five councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire have collaborated on the proposal for two authorities. The proposal would divide the five existing councils into two new authorities: Oxford & Shires Council and Ridgeway Council.
Oxford & Shires Council would include Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire. Ridegway Council would include South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Berkshire.
More details are available on this proposal on the website: Home – Two Councils
There is a public consultation open until 16 July on this proposal and a number of public engagement sessions are happening across the area. The details are available on the website. Once the consultation closes, a revised proposal will be produced.
Option 3: Three authorities
Oxford City Council is proposing three unitary authorities be created to cover Oxfordshire and West Berkshire:
Oxford Council – comprising Oxford on expanded boundaries
Northern Oxfordshire Council – comprising much of the existing West Oxfordshire and Cherwell districts
Ridgeway Council – comprising much of the existing South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts combined with the existing West Berkshire unitary
More information about the proposal and its potential benefits is available on this website: A greater Oxford | Oxford City Council
When will all this happen?
The proposals are currently being developed and will be submitted by 28 November 2025, with decisions expected to be made during 2026. Shadow councils will be established during 2027 to start the transition process, with the new councils being formally created (or vested) in 2028.
Help Shape Oxfordshire’s Tobacco Control Strategy
The Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Alliance is refreshing the Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Strategy (OTCS) for 2026-2030 and would like to hear the views of Oxfordshire residents on its priorities. This strategy is a significant step towards reducing smoking rates in our county, aiming to make Oxfordshire smokefree and promote a healthier environment for all residents.
We would like to encourage all people living and working in Oxfordshire to take a few moments to complete the Public Consultation survey on Let’s Talk Oxfordshire website. It should take 10-15 minutes to complete and closes on 10th August 2025.
The survey is collecting feedback on the targets and priorities set out in the draft strategy in 5 areas: supporting people who smoke to quit; preventing uptake among young people; creating smokefree environments; enforcing regulations; and working in partnership. Your feedback will help us understand if we need to make any changes to the draft strategy before it is agreed.
Local Government: who does what?
