Proposed by Councillor Wolff

Green member motion

This Council notes

1)      the high cost of rent within the private rented sector within the City;

2)      that it has limited influence on the private rented sector rental values;

3)      that it has a duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act to do what it can to prevent homelessness including helping those who are not in priority need from losing their home;

4)      the success of the Oxford Living Wage campaign in raising awareness of low pay and encouraging more employers to pay a living wage;

5)      that the Mayor of London has set and published benchmark London Living Rent levels for every neighbourhood in the capital. These are based on a third of average local household incomes and adjusted for the number of bedrooms in each home.

Council therefore agrees to:

1)      ask Cabinet to commission a report to explore the idea of setting and publishing an annual ‘Oxford Living Rent’ for the private rented sector with a view to exerting influence on the rental market within Oxford.

2)      write to the incoming Government after 12th December asking for the power to establish and enforce local rent controls

The Oxford Living Rent should be calculated using a methodology that utilises existing, annually published data using research from organisations such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation who have studied this in some detail.

This motion does not prescribe the method to be used but notes that various options exist and should be evaluated for their relevance to Oxford and their alignment with the values of this Council.

With Council’s consent this item was taken before the break.

Councillors Corais and McManners arrived during this item.

Councillor Wolff, seconded by Councillor Rowley proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

This Council notes

1)    the high cost of rent within the private rented sector within the City;

2)    that it has limited influence on the private rented sector rental values;

3)    that it has a duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act to do what it can to prevent homelessness including helping those who are not in priority need from losing their home;

4)    the success of the Oxford Living Wage campaign in raising awareness of low pay and encouraging more employers to pay a living wage;

5)    that the Mayor of London has set and published benchmark London Living Rent levels for every neighbourhood in the capital. These are based on a third of average local household incomes and adjusted for the number of bedrooms in each home.

Council therefore agrees to:

1)      ask Cabinet to commission a report to explore the idea of setting and publishing an annual ‘Oxford Living Rent’ for the private rented sector with a view to exerting influence on the rental market within Oxford.

2)      write to the incoming Government after 12 December asking for the power to establish and enforce local rent controls..

The Oxford Living Rent should be calculated using a methodology that utilises existing, annually published data using research from organisations such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation who have studied this in some detail.

This motion does not prescribe the method to be used but notes that various options exist and should be evaluated for their relevance to Oxford and their alignment with the values of this Council.