Councillor Mark Lygo is new Chair of Oxfordshire County Council

The new Chair of Oxfordshire County Council for the 2025/6 year is Oxford born and bred football referee Councillor Mark Lygo who represents Marston and Northway in Oxford at County Hall.

Councillor Lygo, 52, was voted in to the role at the Annual General Meeting of the county council on Tuesday, 20 May.

His chosen charities for the year will be OXSRAD (providing a space for everyone to have access to inclusive fitness and social activities), the Riding for the Disabled Association and Oxford United FC in the community. The three charities will also be collaborating to support each other in the 2025/6 council year.

The Deputy Chair for the 2025/6 year will be Councillor Ted Fenton who represents Bampton and Carterton South.

Councillor Lygo was first elected to the county council in 2013 and has previously served as Cabinet Member for Public Health. He is currently the council’s Mental Health and Loneliness Champion and has for ten years served on as committee member for corporate parenting.

The former New Marston Primary School pupil was first elected to Oxford City Council in 2008 and has held several cabinet with different portfolios, He is currently Armed Forces champion for Oxford. He has previously been Lord Mayor of Oxford, Deputy Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Oxford.

Married with two children, Cllr Lygo’s hobbies include being a level 5 referee in football, meaning he officiates at grassroots and academy football matches. He is the former chair and vice chair of Quarry Rovers FC and is a member of volunteer charity for good deeds Goodgym.

His wife Louise Lygo will be his consort. She has worked for Oxfordshire County Council since 2007 as family health practitioner.

Cllr Lygo said: “I am looking forward to a busy year seeing all parts of the beautiful county of Oxfordshire and supporting as many events as I can. Having served as Deputy Chair to Councillor Alison Rooke in 2024/5 I have had a good insight in to what the role involves and I also have experience of serving as Lord Mayor of Oxford to bring to my new role.”

About the role of Chair?

As the ceremonial head of the council, the chair must be a serving county councillor but must remain politically impartial. A new chair is elected each May at the annual general meeting of the county council, which this year was on Tuesday 21 May.

Ceremonial duties performed by the chair include:

• being the politically impartial civic leader of Oxfordshire
• promoting the objectives and services of the county council and Oxfordshire
• acting as an ambassador for the county council and Oxfordshire
• fostering community identity and pride.

Key responsibilities include:

• presiding over meetings of the full council
• accepting invitations on behalf of the county council to attend events
• inviting individuals and representatives of key organisations to events at County Hall and other venues.