Councils seek mayoral devolution from government
Oxfordshire County CouncilCouncil leaders have submitted an expression of interest letter, asking for the creation of a mayoral strategic authority (MSA) within the Thames Valley.
Mary Temperton, leader of Bracknell Forest Council and chair of the Berkshire Prosperity Board, and Liz Leffman, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, wrote to Communities Secretary Steve Reed following discussions and agreement by 13 councils within the region.
It comes as plans are also being considered for a major reorganisation of councils, scrapping Oxfordshire's two tier system of districts and a county council.
The authorities said the MSA would make decisions that help boost the local economy and improve services such as housing.
The proposal sets out a shared ambition for a new combined authority led by a directly elected mayor and made up of a number of councils to secure new powers and funding for the area.
Ms Temperton said the MSA's aim was to "boost the local economy and improve services that are really important to our residents, like transport and housing, as well as boost jobs".
"It will also be an opportunity for our area to take charge of big infrastructure projects which make a real difference to lives locally," she said.
Getty ImagesThe leaders acknowledged the region's "core" contribution to the national economy through "highly productive and innovative businesses".
But they also said post-Covid productivity indicators showed "evidence that recovery has been shallower than the national trend".
A BBC report showed the UK made a stronger recovery than previously estimated in 2021, with growth of 8.7%.
"If the region were to return to the pre-pandemic growth trajectory from 2027 onwards the Thames Valley economy would be up to £18.7bn a year larger by 2040," the letter said.
It said that would reflect in high-value job opportunities and wage progression.
The 13 councils that are part of the discussion are:
- Bracknell Forest Council
- Cherwell District Council
- Oxford City Council
- Oxfordshire County Council
- Reading Borough Council
- Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
- Slough Borough Council
- South Oxfordshire District Council
- Swindon Borough Council
- Vale of White Horse District Council
- West Berkshire Council
- West Oxfordshire District Council
- Wokingham Borough Council.
Five of Oxfordshire's Lib Dem MPs previously backed the inclusion of Buckinghamshire but the area is not included in the current expression of interest.
Swindon prefers to join the Thames Valley MSA, although it is not in its geographical patch.
Oxford City Council previously said Swindon would make the proposition for a Thames Valley MSA even stronger, while the county council said it made more sense for it to look to the west and south for partners.
The leaders' letters said that a Thames Valley MSA would be "a strategic platform from which to go further and faster on pan-regional collaboration with our neighbours", such as the Oxford - Cambridge Corridor.
Council discussions will now continue with development of detailed proposals in the coming months.
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