Oxford Labour to build more affordable homes and restore pride in our local communities.
“We want Oxford to be a city we can all be proud to live in, one which leaves no one behind and remains a climate leader,” says Cllr Susan Brown, Leader of the Labour Group on Oxford City Council.
“We have kept our promises to residents in Oxford, delivering hundreds more affordable and council homes, supporting our local businesses, and investing in our community centres, leisure centres, and green spaces. And we have stepped up where the Lib Dem-run Oxfordshire County Council has refused to do so. We are funding cyclepath gritting, extra grass verge cutting after the Lib Dems reduced cuts from six a year to just one, and reintroducing free bulky waste collections after the Lib Dem County Council introduced a booking system at the Redbridge tip.”
“After years of cuts to local councils under Tory austerity, the Labour Government’s fairer funding means we have a real opportunity to boost our public services and make our city work better for everyone. It has enabled us to put in place free bulky waste collections, extra grant funding for Oxford’s many brilliant community groups, and new support for live music events, grassroots sports, Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground, and safer moorings on the river.”
Labour in Oxford is campaigning on four clear priorities ahead of the elections to Oxford City Council on Thursday 7 May. They are underpinned by our commitment to listening to local residents and giving local people in Oxford a proper say in decision-making by pushing for a unitary Greater Oxford Council.
1. Truly affordable homes for local people – if you work in our city, or grew up here, you should be able to afford to live here.
Labour will keep building hundreds of new council homes, enforcing high proportions of social housing on new developments, and charging double council tax on second homes. We will campaign for private rent controls and against holiday lets while pushing housing associations and private landlords to uphold high standards.
2. A fairer city: making our economy work for everyone who lives in Oxford.
Labour will continue our campaign to expand the Oxford Living Wage (£14.06/hour from April 2026) which we helped to introduce and which is now paid by over 190 local employers to well over 30,000 local people. We will keep supporting our fantastic local businesses by working with them and listening to their needs. And we will encourage more social enterprises, co-operatives, and start-ups by making use of empty retail space.
3. A healthier, greener city: leading the way to zero carbon.
Labour will keep working hard to fight poverty and unequal health outcomes across our city. We will continue making the case for a new, single unitary council for Greater Oxford where ALL the decisions for our area would be made BY councillors FROM our area, unlike the current Oxfordshire County Council. We oppose the Lib Dem Workplace Parking Levy which we believe is unworkable and unfair, and we have asked the Lib Dem County Council to give local Oxford residents free passes through the Traffic Filters if they go ahead and put them in later this year. We will keep arguing for a reset of transport policy, campaigning against the Congestion Charge, and arguing for a review of LTNs as well as working with local residents and businesses to support measures to tackle congestion, improve safety for cycling and pedestrians, and make public transport more attractive and available to local residents.
4. A city fit for the future: building pride in Oxford.
We’re proud of our beautiful city and Oxford’s international reputation as a welcoming city with a diverse and international population. Labour will fund more street cleaning, graffiti removals, free bulky waste collections, and a new team of community wardens to help people feel safer in their local communities. We will support residents at risk of flooding, keep funding our Youth Ambition Scheme for young people across our estates, and support community festivals and events like the brilliant Cowley Road Carnival. We will plant more trees, create greater biodiversity and better wildlife habitats, and continue campaigning for bathing waters in Oxford’s rivers.
Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, says: “These elections are about whether we will have a voice for our city which actually represents local residents. Labour will push for a Greater Oxford Council where decisions are made by councillors who live here and listen to what residents are saying. It’s not too late for residents to have their voices heard – respond to the consultation on the future of local government by this Thursday 26th March at 3councils.org.”
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NOTES FOR EDITORS:
For interviews, please contact Cllr Susan Brown at CllrSBrown@oxford.gov.uk.
The full manifesto is available here.