The Council has two wholly-owned companies - Oxford City Housing Ltd and Oxford Direct Services - and two joint ventures - Barton Oxford LLP and OxWED. Each company is an independent legal entity which is entirely separate from the Council.

The responsibility to represent the Council as shareholder or owner of each company and joint venture is an executive function which is carried out by the Shareholder and Joint Venture Group which is a committee of the Cabinet.

The activities of the Shareholder and Joint Venture Group are scrutinised by the Companies Scrutiny Panel. 

Number of Councillors: 7 members (must be members of Cabinet)

Quorum: 3

Frequency: 6 scheduled meetings per year

The Terms of Reference were updated on 25^th June 2025, leading to the creation of two separate groups, one of Oxford City Housing Limited and Joint Ventures and one of Oxford Direct Services Limited and Oxford Direct Services Trading Limited.

Oxford City Council Companies

Each Council-owned company is has its own identity and responsibilities, so cannot be treated as an internal department of the Council. A Council-owned company is required to comply with Company law, its Articles of Association and its Shareholder’s Agreement.

Council Companies are led by a Board of Directors who are responsible for the day to day operation and management of the company and are accountable to the Council via a Shareholder and Joint Venture Group (comprised of the members of the Cabinet).

The appointment of directors to the Board of a Company is the responsibility of the shareholder(s). The directors hold a fiduciary duty to their company, but at the same time are also accountable to the shareholder(s), and as such owe duties to both the Council and the company.

Council Companies have their own decision making processes and governance arrangements. The Council Companies are not governed by the Constitution.

Teckal status

Oxford Direct Services and the Housing Group benefit from “Teckal” status allowing them to trade (contract for works, services or supply) with the Council and other “Teckal” companies wholly within the ownership of the Council, without having to go through a competitive tender process.