Oxford City Council is the lower-tier local government authority for the city of Oxford in England, providing such services as leisure centres and parking. Social services, Education and Highways services (among others) are provided by Oxfordshire County Council.

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Oxford City Council
Half of council elected every other year
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district council of Oxford
Houses	Unicameral
Term limits	None
History
Founded	1 April 1974
Leadership
Lord Mayor	Lubna Arshad, Labour since 17 May 2023[1]
Leader	Susan Brown, Labour since 29 January 2018[2]
Chief Executive	Caroline Green since February 2021[3]
Structure
Seats	48
Labour	22 / 48
Independent	11 / 48
Liberal Democrats	9 / 48
Green	6 / 48
Elections
Voting system	First past the post
Last election	5 May 2022
Next election	2024
Motto
Fortis est Veritas (Latin)
Meeting place
Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford, OX1 1BX
Website
www.oxford.gov.uk

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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.^[4] In 1962 the council was given the right to appoint a Lord Mayor.^[5]

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.^[6]

In early 2003, Oxford City Council submitted a bid to become a unitary authority.^[7] This was received by the Department for Communities and Local Government,^[8] but subsequently rejected.^[9][10][11]

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.^[12] In 2017, Oxford City Council voiced their opposition to the proposal,^[13] and it was subsequently dropped.

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:^[14][15]

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 2023 Israel–Hamas war.^[16][17] 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.^[18]

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.^[22] 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.^[23] In 2022 the council moved its offices back into the town hall.^[24]

Since 2002, elections have been held for Oxford City Council every other year, for half the council at a time, with each councillor serving a term of four years. Each electoral ward within Oxford is represented by two councillors, electing one councillor at each election. Prior to 2002, the city council was elected by thirds.

Oxford City Council is composed of the following councillors as of October 2023:^[update]

Oxford City Council became the first UK authority to divest from fossil fuel companies in September 2014.^[39]

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.

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.^[40]

• Oxford City Council elections
• Oxford Town Hall
• List of mayors of Oxford