Oxford City Council

History

Oxford was an ancient borough, being governed by a corporation from medieval times. The borough gained city status in 1542. It was reformed in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to become a municipal borough. When elected county councils were created on 1 April 1889, Oxford was initially within the area of Oxfordshire County Council. Seven months later, on 9 November 1889, the city become a county borough, making it independent from the county council. In 1962 the council was given the right to appoint a Lord Mayor.

Local government was reformed across England and Wales in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, which established a two-tier structure of local government comprising upper-tier counties and lower-tier districts. Oxford became a non-metropolitan district, and county-level functions passed up to Oxfordshire County Council.

In early 2003, Oxford City Council submitted a bid to become a unitary authority. This was received by the Department for Communities and Local Government, but subsequently rejected.

In 2016, Oxfordshire County Council put forward a 'One Oxfordshire' proposal which would see Oxford City Council and the four other district councils in Oxfordshire abolished and replaced with a single unitary county council for Oxfordshire. In 2017, Oxford City Council voiced their opposition to the proposal, and it was subsequently dropped.

Governance

Oxford City Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Oxfordshire County Council. Some outer parts of the city are also included in civil parishes, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas.

Political control

The first election to the reconstituted city council following the Local Government Act 1972 was held in 1973. It operated as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since then has been as follows:

In October 2023, the Labour Party lost control of the council after 9 Labour councillors resigned the party in protest at Keir Starmer's refusal to call for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. A tenth councillor resigned the part on 14 November, ahead of a vote in Westminster on an SNP amendment to the debate on the Speech from the throne.

Leadership

Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council; the role of Lord Mayor is largely ceremonial and usually changes hands each year. The leaders since 1998 have been:

Composition

Following the 2024 election, and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:

Of the independent councillors,two form the 'Oxford Independent Group', two form the 'Real Independent Group' and one sits as a full independent. The next election is due in May 2026.

Premises

The city council meets at the Town Hall on the street called St Aldate's in the city centre. The current building was completed in 1897, on a site which had been occupied by Oxford's guildhall since the thirteenth century. Between 1967 and 2022 the council had its main offices at St Aldate's Chambers at 113 St Aldate's, a 1930s building opposite the town hall, but continued to use the town hall for meetings. In 2022 the council moved its offices back into the town hall.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes came into effect for the 2021 election, the council has comprised 48 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing two councillors. Elections are held in alternate years, with half the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.

Councillors

Oxford City Council is composed of the following councillors

Climate change

Oxford City Council became the first UK authority to divest from fossil fuel companies in September 2014.

In 2011, the council had reduced their carbon footprint by 25% against a baseline of 2005/6, and continues to reduce carbon emissions from its own estate by 5% year on year.

In 2014, Oxford City Council was named 'Most Sustainable Local Authority' in the Public Sector Sustainability Awards. That same year, both the city and the county council implemented its own low emission zone (LEZ) for buses, making it UK's second LEZ after London because buses accounted for up to 80% of emissions in the city.

The council leads the Low Carbon Oxford network, a collaboration of over 40 organisations working together to reduce emissions in the city by 40% by 2020.

In 2021, both councils agreed to implement a zero emission zone (ZEZ) which came into force in February 2022, the first of its kind in Britain.

They also lead onto delivering the annual Low Carbon Oxford Week festival, which uses culture, creativity and, community to inspire local people to take action on climate change. In 2015, the festival saw over 60 local organisations partner to deliver over 100 events across the city and attract over 40,000 visitors.

In 2023, Oxford City Council voted to serve plant-based, vegan food at council events. Butchers and animal farmers protested the vote, which came after a similar policy was adopted by the Oxfordshire County Council.

Energy Superhub Oxford

Energy Superhub Oxford is a power optimisation project at Redbridge park and ride. It includes a lithium-ion battery of 48MW/50MWh, a vanadium flow battery of 2MW/5MWh, 20 fast electric vehicle chargers for public use and ground-source heat pumps for residential properties.

References

References

1. (19 May 2025). "Councillor Louise Upton named as new Lord Mayor of Oxford". Oxford Mail.
2. (30 January 2018). "Oxford City Council elects Councillor Susan Brown as new Leader".
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5. Jenkins, Stephanie. (9 August 2009). "Mayors of Oxford in early medieval times 1205–1348". Stephanie Jenkins.
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7. [https://www.webcitation.org/5ZYHoDUNb?url=http://www.oxford.gov.uk/files/meetingdocs/60315/item%203%20part%202.pdf Oxford City Council: the case for unitary status], draft version, 18 January 2007.
8. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080731105749/http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/kellywelcomesproposals Communities and Local Government press release: Kelly welcomes proposals to improve local services: 26 local authorities bid to move to single tier local Government], 26 January 2007.
9. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080728153648/http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/letter-oxford.pdf Communities and Local Government: rejection letter to Oxford City Council’s unitary authority bid].
10. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080731131501/http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/woolasannouncessixteen Communities and Local Government press release: Woolas announces sixteen successful bids for unitary status to improve local services], 27 March 2007.
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19. Cllr Ajaz Rehman. (14 November 2023). "Resignation statement from the Labour Party Cllr Ajaz Rehman Cabinet Member Inclusive Communities. #CeasefireNOW #Gaza #BringThemHome".
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37. (14 October 2023). "Labour Oxford councillors quit over Starmer comments on Israel Gaza war". [[BBC News Online]].
38. (7 March 2019). "Deputy Lord Mayor - what happens now after domestic violence?".
39. [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/17/climate-change-make-big-polluters-pay-fossil-fuel-industries Climate change: how to make the big polluters really pay] [[Naomi Klein]] The Guardian 17 October 2014
40. (31 December 2013). "Oxford city centre to become low emission zone on 1 January". BBC News.
41. (11 February 2022). "First zero emission zone goes live in Oxford". www.fleetnews.co.uk.
42. (2023-03-27). "Furious backlash after meat banned from Oxford council events".
43. Council, Oxford City. "£41m project to support Oxford on journey to zero carbon".
44. (5 July 2022). "Project with world's largest lithium-vanadium hybrid BESS officially launched in Oxford, UK".