Thames Valley devolution: what it could mean for Buckinghamshire

The Government announced on 28 October that plans for a Thames Valley Mayoral Strategic Authority will go forward. As proposed, the new body would cover Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Swindon. Buckinghamshire sits outside the proposed area, which is an unusual position for a county that spends most of its life being told it is in the Thames Valley.

The dates matter more than the acronyms. Councils taking part are expected to consider approving a public consultation in December, with the consultation itself planned for the new year. If that is approved and the responses are considered, a formal proposal would go to Government in spring 2027. A shadow authority could follow later in 2027 once the statutory process is finished, and mayoral elections are envisaged for 2028. Residents who want a say should watch for the consultation opening in the new year.

The authority would come with a directly elected mayor holding greater control over transport, infrastructure, skills, housing and economic growth, coordinating strategic decisions across the wider region. The figures shared with councillors are the sort that make a committee room go quiet: a predicted £1.3 billion investment fund over 30 years, around £400 million for transport over four years, and £65 million to £75 million a year for skills and employment programmes. Further possible funding includes access to between £750 million and £1 billion for transport, and hundreds of millions for affordable housing. The mayor would work alongside a board representing upper-tier authorities, while local councils would keep the unglamorous essentials: waste collections, social care, schools and local planning.

Buckinghamshire Council says it is continuing discussions with Government and seeking meetings with ministers, and points to the powers it has already secured through its Level 2 Devolution Deal. Buckinghamshire Liberal Democrats have warned the county risks missing out on investment and influence while neighbouring areas press on. Joining later has not been ruled out, and Oxford City Council has said the door remains open, which is at least a friendlier noise than a boundary line.

South Oxfordshire District Council has raised concerns about the proposed boundaries, saying its preferred arrangement would take in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to reflect existing economic, public service and institutional links. It has warned that leaving Buckinghamshire out could mean changes to healthcare, policing and other partnership boundaries. It has agreed to carry on with the discussions anyway.