From: 163 Spring 2026
Author: Susanna Pressel
Local government is changing. In two years from now the city council, the four district councils and the county council will no longer exist. Instead, you will have just one council dealing with all your local services.
There are three options to choose from: one would see Oxfordshire split into three parts; another would see it spilt into two parts and the third would see just one mega-council for the whole of Oxfordshire.
The city council favours the three-council option, because we feel it would ensure local services tailored to local needs. It would also give us more housing close to family, friends and workplaces.
We understand there is no risk to the Freemen as an organisation from a restructure, nor to our historic grazing and fishing rights on Port Meadow as beneficial owner.
However, some clarity will be required around how we continue to engage with the Civic office and Civic roles important to our traditions, not least new Admissions, in whichever restructure model is taken forward. There will be a follow up in our Autumn journal on the process, any Government decision and any further clarity on future stakeholder engagement.
Please look at www.3councils.org for more information on all three options.
The government will make the decision this summer.