South Oxfordshire leader writes to government on Thames Valley devolution proposals
Published 28 October 2026
The government is developing plans to set up a new level of local government in the Thames Valley region, led by an elected mayor.
Known as a Mayoral Strategic Authority, it would take responsibility for decisions on transport, infrastructure, skills, housing, economic growth and investment, which the government says will give local areas greater control over issues that affect their communities.
As part of this process, the government asked councils across the Thames Valley to consider proposals for a new Mayoral Strategic Authority covering Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Swindon.
The Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers, wrote to the government on Monday setting out the council’s response to the proposals.
Her letter set out support the principle of devolution and that decisions affecting local communities should be taken as close to those communities as possible; and how greater local control over investment and public services has the potential to deliver significant benefits for residents and businesses.
However, the council has expressed concern that local authority leaders were effectively presented with a binary choice between accepting the government’s proposed geography or having no strategic authority at all with very limited time to consider the long-term implications of either option.
The council’s preferred geography remains a Thames Valley area comprising Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, reflecting the strong economic, public service and institutional links that already exist across the region.
Cllr Filipova-Rivers raised concerns about the impact of excluding Buckinghamshire from the arrangement. This could require changes to the boundaries used by a range of public services and strategic partnerships, including healthcare and policing, with the costs and wider implications currently unclear.
Despite these concerns, South Oxfordshire District Council has agreed to continue to the next stage of discussions and development work.
This will allow councils across the area to build a fuller evidence base, better understand the potential benefits and risks of the proposals, and ensure residents and stakeholders have opportunities to engage in the discussion before any final decisions are made.
Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said:
“I am concerned that councils were given just two working days to consider proposals that could reshape public service boundaries across the Thames Valley for years to come. Such far-reaching decisions deserve proper scrutiny and genuine local involvement.
“However, we have decided to support the decision to proceed to the next phase of discussions because it is important that residents have the opportunity to understand both the benefits and any implications of these proposals.
“We will continue to work constructively with government and neighbouring authorities to ensure the process is evidence-based, transparent and properly informed by local views before any final decisions are taken. Our shared ambition should be to deliver devolution that is financially sustainable, democratically accountable and grounded in the needs and identities of the communities it is intended to serve.”
Any final proposal would need to be considered and ratified through the appropriate democratic processes by the constituent councils.
Cllr Filipova-Rivers’ letter can be found here.
