The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee met to discuss local government reorganisation, infrastructure strategy, and rail plans. The committee was scheduled to receive updates and provide feedback on these key initiatives. They were also scheduled to discuss the potential for a Mayoral Strategic Authority across the Thames Valley.

Thames Valley Devolution

The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee was scheduled to receive a report on the potential for establishing a Mayoral Strategic Authority across the Thames Valley. The report was expected to highlight the benefits of devolved powers, including greater local control over areas like infrastructure, economic growth, housing, and environmental sustainability. The report recommended that the Oxfordshire Joint Leaders Committee note its contents, brief their respective Members, and seek formal approval through proper governance channels to submit a request to join the Devolution Programme.

Oxfordshire Infrastructure Strategy

The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee was scheduled to consider a report outlining the progress of the Oxfordshire Infrastructure Strategy (OxIS). The committee was asked to note and support the project's progress. Representatives from Aecom were scheduled to give a presentation on the project.

According to the report, OxIS is a dataset of known infrastructure requirements for planned or projected growth to 2050. It focuses on large, strategic infrastructure projects that span a wider area than one district and are not expected to be funded solely from developer contributions. The strategy aims to:

• Identify strategically important infrastructure projects needed for Oxfordshire's growth.
• Address gaps in knowledge of infrastructure needs, such as energy, health, water, and green infrastructure.
• Update the list of infrastructure projects based on recent local plans and strategies.
• Ensure the prioritisation matrix reflects the current ambitions of Oxfordshire, as outlined in the Oxfordshire Strategic Vision and local plans.

The OxIS project is divided into two stages. The first stage involves gathering a complete list of strategic infrastructure projects from various partners and stakeholders. The second stage involves examining and refining the data set, using a needs-based assessment process to prioritise projects. The report noted that the project was running behind schedule due to the time required for partnership engagement. A draft strategy was scheduled to be presented to the OLJC for endorsement in March 2026.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee was scheduled to receive a summary of the current status of plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Oxfordshire, and the anticipated timetable for their implementation.

According to the report, the government intends for England to be fully covered by unitary authorities, and has set out its plans regarding devolution and local government reorganisation in its English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. The Bill will give the Secretary of State the ability to direct councils to submit proposals for LGR.

The government invited councils to submit initial proposals for LGR in March 2025. The Oxfordshire councils together submitted three different options which would result in the formation of one, two or three distinct unitary authorities. The deadline for submission is 28 November 2025. After submission of proposals in November, the expectation is that the government will launch a statutory consultation in the new year, closing after the local elections in May 2026. A decision on which proposal to implement could then be announced before the summer recess, followed after the recess by the necessary secondary legislation. Elections for the new unitary authority or authorities would then be held on 6 May 2027 and the new authorities would go live on 1 April 2028.

The report stated that recent changes in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) led to some initial speculation around the timetable for LGR, but that the new Secretary of State, Steve Reed, wrote to council leaders on 12 September confirming the government's commitment to the Bill and the processes of LGR and devolution.

OxRail 2040 - Plan for Rail

The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee was scheduled to receive an update on the OxRail 2040 – Plan for Rail, prepared by the County Council. The update was expected to summarise the key priorities from the plan, the consultation process undertaken, and planned next steps, including consideration of adoption by the County Council. The Oxfordshire Joint Leaders Committee was scheduled to be briefed on the plan and asked for any key points that they would wish to feedback to the County on this proposed Plan.

Forward Plan

The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee was scheduled to note and comment on the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee Forward Plan¹. The plan sets out forthcoming issues scheduled for meetings of the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee.

The following items are listed for the meeting on 25 November 2025:

• Community Led Housing Annual Report
• Net Zero Route Map and Action Plan, (NZRMAP) Annual Report
• Oxford Growth Commission Update

The following items are listed for the meeting on 20 January 2026:

• Climate Adaption Route Map Annual Report
• Oxford Growth Commission Update

The following items are listed for the meeting on 16 March 2026:

• Oxfordshire Infrastructure Strategy, (OxIS) Final draft
• Oxford Growth Commission Update

Other Updates

The agenda included items for verbal updates from Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee members and officers on matters relevant to the committee, as well as updates from key strategic partnerships supporting the delivery of the Oxfordshire Strategic Vision.