Oxford City Council

Between the 2004 local elections, and 2010 the council was in minority administration, first by councillors from the Labour Party, with the Liberal Democrats being the official opposition. In 2006 these roles were reversed, although two years later the council returned to being run by a minority Labour administration.[3] before they took full control in 2010. Despite the stereotypical view of Oxford as a conservative city, there are no elected Conservatives on the city council. The Independent Working Class Association was represented for a decade between 2002 and 2012.

Since 2002, elections have been held for Oxford City Council in even years, with each councillor serving a term of four years. Each electoral ward within Oxford is represented by two councillors, thus all wards elect one councillor at each election. Prior to 2002, the City Council was elected by thirds.

In early 2003, the Oxford City Council submitted a bid to become a unitary authority.[4] This was received by the Department for Communities and Local Government[5] but subsequently rejected.[6][7][8]

Since 2008, Oxford City Council has been undergoing a programme of Business Transformation which has now been delivered in to the City Council.[9]

Oxford City Council contains all of the Oxford East parliamentary constituency, which was won by Labour in the 2010 General Election with an increased majority but was until then a highly marginal seat with the Liberal Democrats.[10] Labour massively increased its majority following the collapse of the Liberal Democrat vote at the 2015 general election. The Council also covers part of the Oxford West and Abingdon parliamentary constituency, which was won from the Conservatives by the Liberal Democrats at the 2017 General Election.

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.[11] In 2017, Oxford City Council voiced their opposition to the proposal[12] and it was subsequently dropped.

In 2018, the electoral ward boundaries were changed due to population shifts in the city. Therefore all 48 councillors will be elected in 2020, as opposed to half of them. The system of halves will return from 2022 onwards.

Political group leaders and senior politicians for the Oxford City Council (outgoing council at the election in 2010). From left to right: Jonathan Gittos candidate for the Conservatives, Councillor Stephen Brown leader of the political group of Liberal Democrats, Councillor John Tanner senior member of the Labour group, Councillor Craig Simmons leader of the Green group.

Partisan composition

Partisan control

Oxford City Council became the first UK authority to divest from fossil fuel companies in September 2014.[22]

In 2011, Oxford City 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.

Oxford City 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.

Oxford City Council also leads on 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.

• Oxford City Council elections
• Oxford Town Hall

• Oxford City Council website