It’s going to cost around £30m to create a new council area, which would see West Berkshire tack itself on to parts Oxfordshire.
Creating a new council area by merging West Berkshire with parts of Oxfordshire is expected to cost around £30 million. The plan, part of the Local Government Review (LGR), aims to achieve £10 million in job savings by reducing duplicate staff positions.
Approximately £5 million is set aside for redundancy costs, with a report suggesting this will be a complex process involving numerous strands. Ultimately, the new civic map includes Ridgeway alongside other councils in Oxford.
While the details for impacted staff in West Berkshire and Oxfordshire remain unclear, the objective is a shared, skilled workforce that offers coordinated services. The existing councils hold property assets worth over £3.6 billion, but not all of these will be needed in the new structure.
Financial modelling predicts annual savings of up to £60 million through better procurement across a larger area. However, staff will face challenges as they support the transition while needing to continue regular operations, potentially leading to stress and low morale.
Concerns have been raised by parish councils, which fear added pressure from service delivery due to staffing shortages. With 62 parish councils in West Berkshire and significantly more in Oxfordshire, the dynamics are set to change.
Local Neighbourhood Areas aim to reshape relationships between local government and communities. This phased approach will see combined services in adult social care, children’s services, and public health, responding to rising demand and costs.
Overall, leaders describe this as an ambitious proposal that should benefit local communities long-term, providing better services more efficiently and promoting sustainable growth. The government has hinted at reorganising councils with populations around 500,000, placing West Berkshire on the pending list for potential changes.
This process has drawn attention since an Interim Proposal was approved by West Berkshire's executive, indicating a strong push toward a new governing structure for improved local governance.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
