Oxford City Council has laid out its plans for 2026/27, including building new homes, improving rental standards, and completing the Local Plan 2045.
The 2026/27 business plan outlines priorities for the upcoming financial year and the achievements of the current financial year.
The annual business plan is part of the Council Strategy 2024-2028, which details the council’s plans up to the abolition of Oxford City Council in April 2028.
Achievements in 2025/2026
Oxford City Council has achieved a significant amount over the last 12 months, including:
- On track to complete 1,571 new homes between 2025 and 2029, against a target of 1,600. More than 1,000 of these will be new council homes, against a target of 850
- Prevented 200 households from becoming homeless, and significantly expanded the temporary housing stock to support people who would otherwise be homeless
- Completed the refurbishment of East Oxford Community Centre, and continued construction of new homes and a new community centre in Blackbird Leys
- Secured £120m of government investment to reopen the Cowley Branch Line
- Carried out improvements to the Leys Pools and Leisure Centre and Ferry Leisure Centre, and opened the Leys Youth Hub
- Expanded the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership, which brings together key stakeholders to reduce carbon emissions, to a countywide programme
The council also developed a wide range of new strategies and policies, including local action plans, anti-social behaviour policies, and updated tenancy strategies.
Plans for 2026/27
The council’s plans for 2026/27 include:
- Continue delivering 1,600 homes by 2029
- Deliver more temporary accommodation to support homeless people
- Enforce the Renters’ Rights Act to improve the quality of privately rented homes
- Complete the Local Plan 2045 to guide the delivery of the homes and jobs Oxford needs
- Meet the new Regulator of Social Housing’s consumer standards for council tenants
- Support the opening of the Cowley Branch Line, and delivery of the Oxford West End and Station developments
- Deliver the Oxpens River Bridge
- Support the Pride in Place Programme – £20m of funding for Greater Leys
- Make further progress towards 95% EPC C in the council’s 8,000 homes by 2030
- Develop options for a heat network for key areas of Oxford
This is in addition to the council’s day-to-day work to provide housing, planning, licensing, community centres, leisure centres, youth clubs, parks, allotments, bin collections, street cleaning and other services.
Cabinet will discuss the 2026/27 business plan next week (18 March).
For more information, read the Cabinet papers.
Local government reorganisation
Currently, Oxford has a two-tier form of local government, with Oxford City Council providing some services, such as housing, planning, leisure, community support and bin collections, and Oxfordshire County Council providing other services, such as transport, highways, social services and education.
The government is planning to abolish this system in 2028 and replace it with unitary councils, where one council provides all council services in an area.
The government is currently running a consultation on the three proposals for Oxfordshire and West Berkshire.
For more information, visit 3councils.org.
Comment
“Oxford City Council, as it is currently, won’t exist from 2028. However, we still need to continue our important work supporting local residents and businesses.
“We’ve achieved a lot over the last 12 months, but we have an even bigger year ahead of us, including building new homes, completing the Local Plan, and supporting the Pride in Place Programme in Blackbird Leys.
“If you would like regular updates on the work of the council, please consider subscribing to our newsletter by visiting oxford.gov.uk/newsletter.”
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council
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