Voter Guide Released for Oxfordshire County Council Elections

- The upcoming election will see all 69 council seats contested. In the last election on May 1, 2025, the Liberal Democrats won an outright majority for the first time, securing 36 seats. - The 2025 election resulted in a significant shift in power, with the Liberal Democrats gaining 15 seats, while the Conservatives lost 11 and Labour lost 4. The council is currently led by Liberal Democrat Councillor Liz Leffman. - Key services overseen by the council include adult and children's social care, education, highway maintenance, and libraries, funded by a gross budget of £1.222 billion for 2025/26. - For the 2026/27 budget, the council addressed a £5.4 million shortfall while increasing investment in adult social care by £14 million and in children's services by £19 million. - The council anticipates future financial challenges, needing to find at least £15.5 million in savings from 2027/28 as the government is expected to cut grant funding by £27.2 million by 2028/29. - Recent policy and spending priorities have included a £2 million investment to repair drainage systems to combat flooding and a continued focus on improving local roads. - In January 2026, the council made the decision to withdraw from the social media platform X, citing the rise of online hate speech and the platform's declining effectiveness for community engagement. - The elections are set against a backdrop of wider proposed changes to local government, including the potential creation of new unitary authorities in Oxfordshire by 2028 and discussions about a combined Thames Valley strategic authority.