Ms Brown, leader of the Labour Group, said devolution could put decision making “closer to local people and should ensure a better approach”.

She said: “This also presents a real opportunity to secure the investment in infrastructure required to support sustainable growth and deliver more affordable homes that Oxford clearly needs…

“We have already been engaging in discussions with neighbouring councils in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and elsewhere, about the potential creation of a Thames Valley Mayoral Combined Authority.

“Government has also indicated it is seeking to introduce a single tier of local authorities – so-called unitary councils, as part of this process.”

She added the white paper mentioned that unitary authorities would be expected to contain about 500,000 people, which would be too big for Oxford and too small for Oxfordshire, but that decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis.

She said the council would be looking at “the very different needs of a city from its surrounding rural hinterland”.