The government has announced it will review its Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) decisions across England, following legal advice.
Published: Monday, 7th September 2026
This will have implications on the future of councils in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.
Cllr Lesley McLean, Leader of Cherwell District Council, said: "We were genuinely taken aback to receive an email from a BBC journalist at 1.20pm today asking for a reaction to reports that the Government is pausing Local Government Reorganisation.
"Our initial reaction was one of disbelief because our Councils had not received any direct communication from Government.
"While we welcome the decision to pause and review the programme, councils now need urgent clarity about the timetable for Local Government Reorganisation and the next steps for our area.
"You cannot ask councils to invest tens of thousands of hours and tens of thousands of taxpayers' pounds preparing for reorganisation and then hit pause without explanation and clarity on the future of Local Government Reorganisation.
"We need clarity, direct communication and detailed information as quickly as possible."