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The Oxfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2025

Draft. This instrument was laid in draft and may differ from the one made. Look for the made version under its title.

Draft 2025, ISBN 9780348265705

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 59(9) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; draft to lie for forty days pursuant to section 6(1) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, during which period either House of Parliament may resolve that the Order be not made.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND

Made

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2), (3), (4) and (5)

Under section 58(4) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009f1 (“the Act”) the Local Government Boundary Commission for Englandf2 (“the Commission”) published a report dated July 2024f3 stating its recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for Oxfordshire. The Commission has decided to give effect to the recommendations.

A draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and a period of forty days has expired since the day on which it was laid and neither House has resolved that the instrument be not made.

The Commission makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 59(1) of the Act.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

2009 c. 20.

f2

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established on 1st April 2010 by section 55(1) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

f3

The report is available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YZ. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/oxfordshire/.

Contents

  1. 1Citation, commencement, extent and application
  2. 2Interpretation
  3. 3Electoral divisions of Oxfordshire and number of councillors
  4. 4Parish wards of the parishes of Abingdon-on-Thames, Bicester, Didcot, Grove, Henley-on-Thames, Thame, Wantage, and Witney, and number of councillors
  5. 5Parish wards of the parish of Chilton and number of councillors
  6. 6Parish wards of the parish of Banbury and number of councillors
  7. Signature
  8. Schedule 1: Electoral Divisions of Oxfordshire
  9. 1Paragraph 1
  10. 2Paragraph 2
  11. 3Paragraph 3
  12. 4Paragraph 4
  13. 5Paragraph 5
  14. 6Paragraph 6
  15. 7Paragraph 7
  16. 8Paragraph 8
  17. 9Paragraph 9
  18. 10Paragraph 10
  19. 11Paragraph 11
  20. 12Paragraph 12
  21. 13Paragraph 13
  22. 14Paragraph 14
  23. 15Paragraph 15
  24. 16Paragraph 16
  25. 17Paragraph 17
  26. 18Paragraph 18
  27. 19Paragraph 19
  28. 20Paragraph 20
  29. 21Paragraph 21
  30. 22Paragraph 22
  31. 23Paragraph 23
  32. 24Paragraph 24
  33. 25Paragraph 25
  34. 26Paragraph 26
  35. 27Paragraph 27
  36. 28Paragraph 28
  37. 29Paragraph 29
  38. 30Paragraph 30
  39. 31Paragraph 31
  40. 32Paragraph 32
  41. 33Paragraph 33
  42. 34Paragraph 34
  43. 35Paragraph 35
  44. 36Paragraph 36
  45. 37Paragraph 37
  46. 38Paragraph 38
  47. 39Paragraph 39
  48. 40Paragraph 40
  49. 41Paragraph 41
  50. 42Paragraph 42
  51. 43Paragraph 43
  52. 44Paragraph 44
  53. 45Paragraph 45
  54. 46Paragraph 46
  55. 47Paragraph 47
  56. 48Paragraph 48
  57. 49Paragraph 49
  58. 50Paragraph 50
  59. 51Paragraph 51
  60. 52Paragraph 52
  61. 53Paragraph 53
  62. 54Paragraph 54
  63. 55Paragraph 55
  64. 56Paragraph 56
  65. 57Paragraph 57
  66. 58Paragraph 58
  67. 59Paragraph 59
  68. 60Paragraph 60
  69. 61Paragraph 61
  70. 62Paragraph 62
  71. 63Paragraph 63
  72. 64Paragraph 64
  73. 65Paragraph 65
  74. 66Paragraph 66
  75. 67Paragraph 67
  76. 68Paragraph 68
  77. 69Paragraph 69
  78. Schedule 2Names of parish wards and number of councillors
  79. Schedule 3Names of parish wards and number of councillors for the parish of Banbury
  80. Explanatory note

1Citation, commencement, extent and application

(1)

This Order may be cited as the Oxfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2025.

(2)

This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.

(3)

Article 3 comes into force—

(a)

for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on the day after the day on which this Order is made;

(b)

for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in Englandf1 in 2025.

(4)

Articles 4 and 5 come into force—

(a)

for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2026;

(b)

for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2027.

(5)

Article 6 comes into force—

(a)

for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2027;

(b)

for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2028.

(6)

This Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.

2Interpretation

(1)

In this Order, “the map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the Oxfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2025”, held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Englandf1.

(2)

Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it is to be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

3Electoral divisions of Oxfordshire and number of councillors

(1)

The existing electoral divisions of Oxfordshire are abolished.

(2)

Oxfordshire is divided into the 69 electoral divisions listed in Schedule 1.

(3)

Each electoral division comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the electoral division.

(4)

The number of councillors to be elected for each electoral division is one.

4Parish wards of the parishes of Abingdon-on-Thames, Bicester, Didcot, Grove, Henley-on-Thames, Thame, Wantage, and Witney, and number of councillors

(1)

The existing parish wards of the parishes of Abingdon-on-Thames, Bicester, Didcot, Grove, Henley-on-Thames, Thame, Wantage, and Witney are abolished.

(2)

The parish of Abingdon-on-Thames is divided into the eight parish wards listed in the first column of Table 1 in Schedule 2.

(3)

The parish of Bicester is divided into the eight parish wards listed in the first column of Table 2 in Schedule 2.

(4)

The parish of Didcot is divided into the eight parish wards listed in the first column of Table 3 in Schedule 2.

(5)

The parish of Grove is divided into the two parish wards listed in the first column of Table 4 in Schedule 2.

(6)

The parish of Henley-on-Thames is divided into the three parish wards listed in the first column of Table 5 in Schedule 2.

(7)

The parish of Thame is divided into the two parish wards listed in the first column of Table 6 in Schedule 2.

(8)

The parish of Wantage is divided into the three parish wards listed in the first column of Table 7 in Schedule 2.

(9)

The parish of Witney is divided into the seven parish wards listed in the first column of Table 8 in Schedule 2.

(10)

Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(11)

The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the relevant table in Schedule 2.

5Parish wards of the parish of Chilton and number of councillors

(1)

The parish of Chilton is divided into two parish wards, namely—

(a)

East Chilton;

(b)

West Chilton.

(2)

Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(3)

The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward referred to in paragraph (1) is four.

6Parish wards of the parish of Banbury and number of councillors

(1)

The existing parish wards of the parish of Banbury are abolished.

(2)

The parish of Banbury is divided into the eleven parish wards listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 3.

(3)

Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(4)

The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the table in Schedule 3.

Signature

Sealed with the seal of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Name

Chief Executive

Date

Local Government Boundary Commission for England

1

Abingdon East

2

Abingdon North

3

Abingdon South

4

Adderbury, Bloxham & Bodicote

5

Bampton & Carterton South

6

Banbury Calthorpe

7

Banbury Easington

8

Banbury Grimsbury & Castle

9

Banbury Hardwick

10

Banbury Ruscote

11

Bartlemas

12

Barton, Sandhills & Risinghurst

13

Benson & Crowmarsh

14

Berinsfield & Garsington

15

Bicester East

16

Bicester North

17

Bicester South

18

Bicester West

19

Brize Norton & Carterton East

20

Burford & Carterton West

21

Chalgrove & Thame West

22

Charlbury & Wychwood

23

Charlton, Ardington & Hendreds

24

Chesterton & Launton

25

Chinnor

26

Chipping Norton

27

Cholsey & The Hagbournes

28

Churchill & Lye Valley

29

Cowley

30

Cropredy & Hook Norton

31

Deddington

32

Didcot Ladygrove

33

Didcot South

34

Didcot West

35

Drayton, Sutton Courtenay & Steventon

36

Eynsham

37

Faringdon

38

Goring & Woodcote

39

Grove

40

Hanborough & Hailey

41

Harwell, Western Valley & Blewbury

42

Headington & Quarry

43

Henley

44

Isis

45

Jericho & Osney

46

Kennington & Radley

47

Kidlington East

48

Kidlington North & Otmoor

49

Kidlington West

50

Kingston & Stanford

51

Leys

52

Marcham & Cumnor

53

Marston & Northway

54

North Hinksey

55

Parks

56

Rose Hill & Littlemore

57

Shrivenham

58

Sonning Common & Henley South

59

Summertown & Walton Manor

60

Thame

61

Wallingford

62

Wantage West

63

Watlington & Rotherfield

64

Wheatley

65

Witney North & East

66

Witney South & Central

67

Witney West & Ducklington

68

Wolvercote & Cutteslowe

69

Woodstock

Schedule 2Names of parish wards and number of councillors

Table 1

Parish wards of the parish of Abingdon-on-Thames and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Abbey2
Caldecott4
Dunmore4
Fitzharris Ock2
Fitzharris Wildmoor1
Northcourt1
Peachcroft4
Rush Common1

Table 2

Parish wards of the parish of Bicester and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Brookside1
East5
Greenwood1
North4
South East4
South West3
Town1
West3

Table 3

Parish wards of the parish of Didcot and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
All Saints5
Broadway1
Jubilee1
Ladygrove6
Millbrook1
Northbourne3
Orchard1
Park3

Table 4

Parish wards of the parish of Grove and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Grove North13
Grove South3

Table 5

Parish wards of the parish of Henley-on-Thames and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Henley North8
Henley South5
Newtown3

Table 6

Parish wards of the parish of Thame and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Thame East15
Thame West1

Table 7

Parish wards of the parish of Wantage and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Charlton6
Segsbury6
Wantage4

Table 8

Parish wards of the parish of Witney and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Windrush Quay1
Witney Central3
Witney East4
Witney Leys1
Witney North2
Witney South3
Witney West3

Schedule 3Names of parish wards and number of councillors for the parish of Banbury

(1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors
Broughton Road1
Calthorpe North1
Calthorpe South2
Easington4
Grimsbury3
Hardwick4
Neithrop North1
Neithrop South1
Park Road1
Ruscote3
Town Centre1

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes changes to electoral arrangements for Oxfordshire following recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. This Order does not change the boundary of Oxfordshire itself.

Article 3 abolishes the existing electoral divisions of Oxfordshire and replaces them with the 69 new ones listed in Schedule 1 for the purpose of elections held on or after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2025. It also establishes the names and areas of the new electoral divisions and the number of councillors for each.

Articles 4 and 6 make changes to parish wards that are consequential on the changes made by article 3. The changes to parish wards introduced by articles 4 and 6 come into force for the purpose of parish elections in 2027 and 2028 respectively, and subsequent parish elections. They establish the names and areas of the new parish wards and the number of councillors for each.

Article 5 makes similar provision specifically for the new parish wards of the parish of Chilton, which was previously un-warded, for the purpose of parish elections in 2027 and subsequent parish elections.

The area covered by each electoral division and parish ward created by this Order is identified on a map which is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YZ.

This map may also be accessed at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/oxfordshire/.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.