Oxford City Council - Overview

Overview

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. 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, although two Liberal Democrat councillors briefly sat as Conservatives during 2007–8. With five city councillors and two county councillors, Oxford has one of the highest Green Party representation for a British city. 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. This was received by Communities and Local Government but subsequently rejected.

Since 2008, Oxford City Council has been undergoing a programme of Business Transformation which is now being embedded in to the City Council in anticipation of further change following the new government of May 2010.

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. The Council also covers part of the Oxford West and Abingdon parliamentary constituency, which was won from the Liberal Democrats by the Conservatives at the 2010 General Election, albeit with a very small majority.