Overview

The joint committee's purpose is to deliver the bold aims of the Strategic Vision for Sustainable Development in Oxfordshire which all six councils have adopted. The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee will:

  • Coordinate local efforts to manage economic, housing and infrastructure development in a way that is inclusive and maximises local social and environmental benefits;
  • Support the development of local policy that meets the UK Government’s stated aim of net zero carbon by 2050, and contributes towards biodiversity gain whilst embracing the changes needed for a low carbon world; and,
  • Seek to secure funding in the pursuit of these aims and oversee the delivery of related work programmes delegated to it by the joint committee’s constituent local authority members.

It does this by overseeing the delivery of projects that the councils of Oxfordshire are seeking to deliver collaboratively in the fields of economic development and strategic planning. This cooperation has helped Oxfordshire to secure over £500m of additional investment, such as through the City Deal, Housing and Growth Deal, Housing Infrastructure Fund and the Oxfordshire Rail Connectivity Study. The OLJC also has an important role in representing Oxfordshire on matters of regional interest.

The OLJC is formed of the Constituent Councils, being the six councils of Oxfordshire: Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council. The Joint Committee meets six times each year to discuss issues facing Oxfordshire’s future, most often in a non-decision-making capacity. It is supported by task and finish groups that work on specific projects and a small team of officers who are tasked with delivering on elements of the Joint Committee's work programme.
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The Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee replaces the Future Oxfordshire Partnership as part of a reset to align with emerging national and regional priorities. This shift is prompted by the need to be prepared to engage with the UK government's evolving stance on devolution, proposed reforms to economic planning and industrial strategy, and the conclusion of the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal around which much of FOP's activity was focussed.
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On 28 January 2025, Leaders of Oxfordshire's councils endorsed the change of name of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership to the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee, new Terms of Reference, and a Memorandum of Understanding.

Through this website, you can find more information about our structure, meetings, membership and how to ask us a question. The full terms of reference for the Future Oxfordshire Partnership can be found here.

Governance

Voting

All six voting members of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership are elected representatives nominated by their respective local authority. Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee meetings are held in public, with the papers published online a week in advance. The Joint Committee's Terms of Reference allow for circumstances where a member authority that does not support a particular proposition may opt out of it.