The Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer) has submitted a report to provide the necessary calculations to enable the Council to set the 2026/27 Council Tax for Oxford.

Recommendation: Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the Council’s precept and Council Tax requirement of £18,191,281 including Parish Precepts and £17,900,664 excluding Parish Precepts.

2.    Approve the average Band D Council Tax figure (excluding Parish Precepts) of £367.38, a 2.99% increase on the 2025/26 figure of £356.72. Including Parish Precepts, the figure is £373.34, a 3.00% increase, noting that this is not the figure that is used to compare to the referendum limit (as set out in paragraphs 2 to 8 of the report).

3.    Approve a contribution of £10,000 to Old Marston Parish Council in recognition of the additional expenditure that the Parish Council incurs as a consequence of maintaining the cemetery in Marston (as set out in paragraphs 11 and 12 of the report).

4.    Approve the amount of £773,943 to be treated as Special Expenses (see paragraph 15 of the report).

5.    Approve the Band D Council Tax for the various areas of the city (excluding the Police and Crime Commissioner and Oxfordshire County Council’s precepts) as follows:

These figures include Parish Precepts and special expensing amounts as appropriate; in addition to the City Wide Council Tax of £351.50.

6.    Note Oxfordshire County Council’s precept and Band D Council Tax is as set out in paragraph 19 below

7.    Note the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley’s precept and Band D Council Tax is as set out in paragraph 20 below, and

8.    Note the overall average Band D equivalent Council Tax is £2,678.40 including Parish Precepts (subject to confirmation of the Band D figures for Oxfordshire County Council).