Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council held on 24 November 2025 and the Special meeting of Council on 14 January 2026.

Council is asked to approve the minutes as a correct record.

Any proposed changes will be included within the Appointment of Committees for the remainder of the Council Year 2025/2026.

Announcements by:

1.    The Lord Mayor

2.    The Sheriff

3.    The Leader of the Council (who may with the permission of the Lord Mayor invite other councillors to make announcements)

4.    The Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer, Monitoring Officer

5.    The City Rector

Public addresses and questions to the Leader or other Cabinet member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution relating to matters for decision in Part 1 of this agenda.

Up to five minutes is available for each public address.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address must be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on 20 January 2025.

The briefing note will contain the text of addresses submitted by the deadline, and written responses where available.

A total of 45 minutes is available for both public speaking items. Responses are included in this time.

The Council may deal with business even though it is not on the Agenda so long as:

(a)  the business is raised by a Motion on Notice under Rule 14 (Motions on Notice);

(b)  the Motion on Notice is delivered to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy not later than 4 hours before the start of the Meeting;

(c)  the Lord Mayor, or Council, if put to a vote, decide that the business is urgent (see Rule a); and

(d)  the agenda relating to the Meeting states that the Council may deal with urgent business at that Meeting.

Should the Lord Mayor determine that a matter is not urgent on the advice of the Monitoring Officer then the decision shall be final, subject to such reasons being explained to the meeting. Where there is no definitive view from the Monitoring Officer any member may, supported by [10] or more member by a show of hands, may request that the matter be put to a vote to determine if it should be heard.

Should the majority determine in any vote that the matter is urgent (whether put to the meeting by the Lord Mayor or by a member supported by ten others) then Council will debate it under Rule 11.20 Rules of Debate. Where it is determined that the matter is not urgent, the matter shall be deferred to the next Ordinary Council Meeting (i.e. not to an Extraordinary Council Meeting).

The Group Finance Director (Section 151 Officer) has submitted a report to present the outcome of Oxford City Council’s (the council’s) annual rent review and associated rent setting proposal for 2026/27 in respect of all council dwellings within the Housing Revenue Account, including the setting of associated services and facilities charges.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Approve an increase of 4.8% + up to £2 for rent convergence (max) for 2026/27 (subject to any subsequent cap on increases imposed by central government) in social dwelling rents from 1st April 2026 giving an average weekly increase of £8.47 per week, and a revised weekly average social rent of £143.40 as set out in the Financial Implications section of this report.

2.    Approve an increase to rents for shared ownership dwellings as outlined in paragraph 21 of the Financial Implications.

3.    Approve an increase to service charges by 4.8% (CPI + 1%) to enable the HRA to recover the associated cost of supply.

4.    Approve an increase to the charge for a garage of 5.0%, equating to an increase of £1.00 per week for a standard garage within a curtilage with a revised charge of £21.00 per week.

5.    Approve an increase to the rent and service charges for General Fund Temporary Accommodation as set out in the Financial Implications section of this report.

Council resolved to:

1.       Approve an increase of 4.8% + up to £2 for rent convergence (max) for 2026/27 (subject to any subsequent cap on increases imposed by central government) in social dwelling rents from 1st April 2026 giving an average weekly increase of £8.47 per week, and a revised weekly average social rent of £143.40 as set out in the Financial Implications section of this report.

2.       Approve an increase to rents for shared ownership dwellings as outlined in paragraph 21 of the Financial Implications.

3.       Approve an increase to service charges by 4.8% (CPI + 1%) to enable the HRA to recover the associated cost of supply.

4.       Approve an increase to the charge for a garage of 5.0%, equating to an increase of £1.00 per week for a standard garage within a curtilage with a revised charge of £21.00 per week.

5.       Approve an increase to the rent and service charges for General Fund Temporary Accommodation as set out in the Financial Implications section of this report.

The Director of Housing has submitted a report to recommend approval of the updated new Tenancy Strategy and Tenancy Policy.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Approve and adopt the draft Tenancy Strategy and Tenancy Policy.

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, authority to update the Tenancy Strategy and Tenancy Policy with minor amendments to keep the documents up to date with any future changes in legislation, regulations, governance and best practice.

Council resolved to:

1.       Approve and adopt the draft Tenancy Strategy and Tenancy Policy.

2.       Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, authority to update the Tenancy Strategy and Tenancy Policy with minor amendments to keep the documents up to date with any future changes in legislation, regulations, governance and best practice.

The Deputy Chief Executive for City and Citizen Services has submitted a report to recommend to Full Council to approve the new Resident Involvement & Engagement Strategy 25 – 28.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Approve and adopt the Resident Involvement & Engagement Strategy 25 – 28 and action plan attached to the strategy which outlines how the priorities for resident involvement and engagement will be taken forward

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, on approval of the strategy, to put in place the necessary governance and monitoring arrangements to oversee the implementation and delivery of the strategy   

Council resolved to:

1.       Approve and adopt the Resident Involvement & Engagement Strategy 25 – 28 and action plan attached to the strategy which outlines how the priorities for resident involvement and engagement will be taken forward.

2.       Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, on approval of the strategy, to put in place the necessary governance and monitoring arrangements to oversee the implementation and delivery of the strategy.

The Director of Planning and Regulations has submitted a report to approve the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045 for public consultation and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, if no matters are raised that materially impact upon the Plan strategy, to submit the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for formal examination.

Recommendation: Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045 document for public consultation;

2.    Authorise all the supporting statutory documentation including the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation Assessment, Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP), Policies Map and Equalities Impact Assessment;

3.    Authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any necessary minor editorial corrections to the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045, IDP, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment, Policies Map, and to agree the supporting evidence base prior to going out to consultation.

4.    Authorise, following publication, the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any minor changes to the document deemed necessary as a result of the consultation.

5.    Authorise submission of the Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for examination, following Regulation 19 consultation and any minor amendments made according to recommendation 3 or 4 and subject to there being no matters raised in the consultation that are considered to materially impact upon the Plan strategy.

6.    Authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to invite the examining inspector(s) to recommend any modifications considered to be necessary in accordance with section 20(7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Council resolved to:

1.       Approve the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045 document, as amended, for public consultation;

2.       Authorise all the supporting statutory documentation including the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation Assessment, Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP), Policies Map and Equalities Impact Assessment;

3.       Authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any necessary minor editorial corrections to the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045, IDP, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment, Policies Map, and to agree the supporting evidence base prior to going out to consultation.

4.       Authorise, following publication, the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to make any minor changes to the document deemed necessary as a result of the consultation.

5.       Authorise submission of the Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for examination, following Regulation 19 consultation and any minor amendments made according to recommendation 3 or 4 and subject to there being no matters raised in the consultation that are considered to materially impact upon the Plan strategy.

6.       Authorise the Director of Planning and Regulation, after consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member, to invite the examining inspector(s) to recommend any modifications considered to be necessary in accordance with section 20(7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

The Chief Executive has submitted a report to designate the Council’s Section 151 Officer following a success recruitment campaign and the recommendation from the Appointments Committee on 28 November 2025.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Designate the newly appointed Interim Group Finance Director as the Council’s Section 151 Officer with effect from the 6^th April 2026.

Council resolved to:

1.       Designate the newly appointed Interim Group Finance Director as the Council’s Section 151 Officer with effect from the 6^th April 2026.

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) has submitted a report for Council to appoint committees and the members serving on those committees for the remainder of the Council year 2025-26, as required by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (Section 15).

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the structure of the Council committees, as defined within the Council’s Constitution and set out in Appendix 1: Committee Structure 2025-2026;

2.    Approve the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining political representation on committees as outlined in the report and shown in Appendix 2: Political Proportionalities on Council Committees 2026;

3.    Appoint to committee seats in accordance with the requirements of political proportionality and the nominations made by political groups, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2026;

4.    Agree that all members of Council will form the pool of members able to observe on appeals and some grievances panels in accordance with the Council’s policies;

Appendices 2 and 3 will be published as part of the Briefing Note.

Council resolved to:

1.       Approve the structure of the Council committees, as defined within the Council’s Constitution and set out in Appendix 1: Committee Structure 2025-2026;

2.       Approve the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining political representation on committees as outlined in the report and shown in Appendix 2: Political Proportionalities on Council Committees 2026;

3.       Appoint to committee seats, against the requirements of political proportionality, and the nominations made by political groups, as shown in Appendix 3: Committee Nominations 2026 Revised;

4.       Agree that all members of Council will form the pool of members able to observe on appeals and some grievances panels in accordance with the Council’s policies;

The Head of People has submitted a report to seek agreement to implement a new policy and procedure relating to working outside of the United Kingdom.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the following:

a.             Working Overseas Policy and Procedure for Employees

b.             Working Overseas Procedure for Members

Council resolved to:

1.       Approve the following:

a.                      Working Overseas Policy and Procedure for Employees

b.                      Working Overseas Procedure for Members

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) has submitted a report to seek approval to further amendments to the Constitution.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1. Approve the updates to the Constitution, as listed in Appendix 1;
2. Delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to make any other consequential amendments to the Constitution to reflect the changes in appendix 1 to the extent that they have not been identified in the above, provided such changes are purely required as a direct consequence.

Council resolved to:

1. Approve the updates to the Constitution, as listed in Appendix 1;
2. Delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to make any other consequential amendments to the Constitution to reflect the changes in appendix 1 to the extent that they have not been identified in the above, provided such changes are purely required as a direct consequence.

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) has submitted a report setting out the programme of Council, committee and other meetings for the whole of the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 Council years.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the programme of Council, committee and other meetings from 1 May 2026 to 31 May 2028 attached at Appendix 1;

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy, in consultation with the political Group Leaders, to make changes to this programme in the event that there is any decision by Council to change the committee structure or committee remits which impacts on the programme of meetings; and

3.    Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy to set dates for additional training and briefing sessions for Members.

Council resolved to:

1.       Approve the programme of Council, committee and other meetings from 1 May 2026 to 31 May 2028 attached at Appendix 1;

2.       Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy, in consultation with the political Group Leaders, to make changes to this programme in the event that there is any decision by Council to change the committee structure or committee remits which impacts on the programme of meetings; and

3.       Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy to set dates for additional training and briefing sessions for Members.

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) has submitted a report explaining the background to the Members’ Allowances Scheme and to seek delegated authority for the appointment of an Independent Remuneration Panel to consider a new Members’ Allowances Scheme. The Panel will recommend the proposed Scheme to Council later in 2026 for adoption.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy to make appointments to the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel as needed, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, up to when the replacement Members’ Allowances Scheme will expire in March 2027.

Council resolved to:

1.       Delegate authority to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy to make appointments to the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel as needed, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, up to when the replacement Members’ Allowances Scheme will expire in March 2027.

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) has submitted a report to update Council on key decisions taken in cases of special urgency since 14 July 2025.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Note the urgent key decisions taken in cases of special urgency as set out in the report. 

This item has a time limit of 15 minutes.

Councillors may ask the Cabinet Members questions about matters in the minutes since the previous meeting of full Council.

The Minutes will be published within a supplement ahead of the meeting.

Questions on notice from councillors received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.11(b).

Questions on notice may be asked of the Lord Mayor, a Member of the Cabinet or a Chair of a Committee. One supplementary question may be asked at the meeting.

The full text of questions must have been received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by no later than 1.00pm on 14 January 2026.

These, and written responses where available, will be published in the briefing note.

Public addresses to the Leader or other Cabinet member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution and not relating to matters for decision in Part 1 of this agenda.

Up to five minutes is available for each public address.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address must be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on 20 January 2026.

The briefing note will contain the text of addresses and questions submitted by the deadline, and written responses where available.

A total of 45 minutes is available for both public speaking items. Responses

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) and the Transition Director have submitted a report to update Council on the arrangements and board for The Oxfordshire Children’s Trust and the Council’s work for Children and Young People in the city.

Recommendation: Council resolves to:

1.    Note the report and the documents appended to it

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee has submitted a report which updates Council on the activities of scrutiny and the implementation of recommendations since the last meeting of Council.

Council is invited to comment on and note the report.

The report will be published within a supplement ahead of the meeting.

This item has a time limit of 60 minutes.

Motions received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy in accordance with the rules in Section 11 of the Constitution by the deadline of 1.00pm on 14 January 2026are listed below.

Cross party motions are taken first. Motions will then be taken in turn from the Oxford Independent Group, Real Independent Group, Labour Group, Liberal Democrat Group, Green Group, Oxford Independent Alliance Group, in that order.

Substantive amendments to these motions must be sent by councillors to the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by no later than 10.00am on Friday, 23 January 2026 so that they may be circulated with the briefing note.

Minor technical or limited wording amendments may be submitted during the meeting but must be written down and circulated.

Council is asked to consider the following motions:

a)    Better use of Oxpens Bridge Funding (Proposed by Cllr Jupp, Seconded by Cllr Miles)

b)    Prisoners for Palestine hunger strikes (proposed by Cllr Jarvis, Seconded by Cllr Mundy)

Liberal Democrat Motion

Council notes: 

·       The cost of the Oxpens bridge has substantially increased since its original approval, and is running considerably behind other Growth Deal projects. 

• That government has the option to repurpose the money for use in other active travel schemes and entrust the County Council to manage this. 

• Government can and does vary the rules of the Deal from time to time. Thus far, government has rightly prioritised the spirit and objectives of the Deal above the letter of the agreement. 

• Doubt remains that the Oxpens bridge will be able to provide a dry route to Osney Island and thereby unlock housing, due to the low-lying railway underpass in-between. 

• The Growth Board (now Future Oxfordshire Partnership) was strongly urged against pursuing the Oxpens bridge project to begin with. 

Council therefore believes it would be sensible to examine alternatives, and open a conversation with the County and/or the Ministry on options that deliver greater benefits for the residents of Oxford. 

Council therefore resolves to ask the Leader to write to the relevant Minister, in full consultation with the accountable body for the Growth Deal funds, requesting that in the event of the bridge not going ahead: 

• That the Growth Deal by varied as necessary to permit the funds to be used for other specified purposes in Oxford; 

• That other options be explored to better employ the funds, including but not limited to: 

• Resurrecting the substantive scheme for Woodstock Road improvements to mitigate the effect of housing development to the north; 

• Revisiting the pedestrian bridge across the A40 at Barton Park which was dropped at planning stage, resulting in very real and significant safety concerns for residents; 

• Resurrecting the long-discussed plan for a foot/cycle bridge across the Thames at Jackdaw Lane, providing a safe and convenient alternative to the challenging Plain roundabout for residents of south and east Oxford. 

Council notes that each of these schemes has been worked up in detail, and are thus available to re-visit, making any one of them attractive to a government which has the best interests of Oxford’s residents at heart. 

Green Group Motion

Council notes

1.  Since September 2024 eight remand prisoners detained as a result of alleged activities with Palestine Action have participated in hunger strikes, including at least one individual from Oxford.^[1]

2.  The prisoners are expected to be on remand for over a year before they face a trial^[2], despite the CPS guidance suggesting the maximum time anyone should be held on remand is 182 days.^[3]

3.  Among the demands of the hunger strikers are:^[4]

a)  Immediate bail for the prisoners held on remand.

b)  While they are imprisoned, for the prisoners to be able to send and receive communications without restriction, surveillance, or interference from the prison administration.

c)  The right to a fair trial.

d)  For Palestine Action to be de-proscribed.

4.  All of those participating in the hunger strikes were detained for alleged activities with Palestine Action prior to parliament adding it to the list of proscribed organisations. 

5.  While some of the hunger strikers have ended their action, at the time of writing, four are still refusing food and are facing serious risk of long term health issues or death.^[5]

6.  67 MPs - including Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran - have signed an Early Day Motion calling for the Secretary of State for Justice to ensure the treatment of the hunger strikers is “humane” and that their human rights are upheld.^[6]

7.  A number of other councils, including Belfast^[7] and Derry^[8], have passed motions expressing solidarity with the hunger strikers and for the government to enter proper negotiations with the prisoners to bring an end to the strikes.

Council believes

1.  It is extremely concerning that these prisoners have felt that they had no other recourse to protest against their prison conditions but to engage in hunger strikes.

Council resolves

1.  To request that the leader of the council: 

a)    Write to the Secretary of State for Justice and other relevant government ministers, requesting that they 

                                           i.         Meet with the families and representatives of those on hunger strike.

                                          ii.         Enter negotiations to bring the hunger strikes to an end and to prevent any loss of life or long term health complications.

                                         iii.         Do everything they can to ensure that the prisoners on remand have their human rights respected and that they are treated humanely.

b)    Write to local MPs Anneliese Dodds and Layla Moran requesting that they work to ensure that government ministers carry out the requests in resolves 1.