Oxford City Council

What Oxford City Council does

Oxford City Council is the statutory local government authority for the city of Oxford, England, operating under the Local Government Act 1972 with 48 elected councillors across 24 wards (Labour 20, Green 13, Liberal Democrat 9, Oxford Independent Alliance 4, Real Independent 2). It delivers the full range of municipal services to the city's residents, businesses, landlords, council tenants, and property developers, including council-tax administration, business-rates collection, housing management and private-rented-sector regulation (HMO licensing, Selective Licensing, Article 4 Direction enforcement), waste collection and recycling, planning and building control, parking and travel management, environmental health, licensing, and democratic governance.

The council runs a unified digital service platform anchored by oxford.gov.uk and the MyOxford Account portal, supported by an Online Services Portal, FOI Request Service, HMO Register (Microsoft Power BI), Tenant Portal, Council Parking Permit Application, Data Subject Access Request service, Consultation Portal, Webchat (Tawk.to), and Fix My Street integration. Third-party SaaS integrations include Power BI, Google Analytics, Hotjar, Recollect.net, Word360, and GovMetric, and the website is certified to WCAG 2.2 AA and UK Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018. Operational delivery is channelled through wholly-owned subsidiaries (Oxford Direct Services, Oxford Direct Services Trading, Oxford City Housing, OX Place) and joint ventures (Barton Oxford LLP, OxWED LL).

Funding is sourced from Council Tax and Business Rates as primary taxation streams, supplemented by service fees (e.g., HMO licences £541-£1,998, environmental searches £101), with a Workplace Parking Levy planned for 2028 implementation. The council operates exclusively within the Oxford district of England with no geographic expansion feasible and is actively executing an affordable-housing build programme, an £8M Covered Market capital scheme, the George Street regeneration via Watkin Jones/Marick Real Estate, and intensified private-rented-sector enforcement.

Name

Oxford City Council

Legal name

Oxford City Council

Website

https://oxford.gov.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oxford City Council is the statutory UK local-government authority for Oxford, England, delivering council tax, business rates, housing, planning, waste, parking, and licensing services to all city residents, businesses, landlords, and tenants through digital and in-person channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Executive Offices (921110), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Social Services (8300), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512), Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Council tax administration
• Waste collection services
• Housing services
• Planning and licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Council Tax: Property tax collected from residents and businesses based on property valuation bands. Primary source of local government funding.
2. Business Rates: Levied on commercial properties, collected from businesses operating in Oxford.
3. Service Fees and Charges: Various fees for services including planning applications, HMO licensing, parking permits, building regulations, environmental searches, and other council services.
4. Workplace Parking Levy: Proposed traffic calming initiative planned for 2028 implementation, aimed at reducing car commutes and funding transport improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Oxford City Council is the local government authority for the city of Oxford, England, providing statutory and discretionary public services to residents and businesses. Core services include council tax administration, waste and recycling collection, social housing, planning and building control, parking management, environmental health, licensing, business rates collection, and community services. The council operates through a unified digital portal (oxford.gov.uk) supplemented by physical customer service centres, a telephone contact centre, and webchat support.

Product overview

Oxford City Council operates as a local government authority offering a comprehensive digital service portfolio through its website and online platforms. The core offering is the main website (oxford.gov.uk) which serves as a unified portal for all council services. Key products include the Online Services Portal for 24/7 access to payments and applications, the FOI Request Service for information requests, the HMO Register for landlord licensing, Council Parking Permit Application, Data Subject Access Request for GDPR compliance, MyOxford Account for personal account management, and the Tenant Portal for council housing services. Additional services include a Consultation Portal for public engagement, Webchat for customer communications, and Fix My Street integration for issue reporting. These products operate as integrated components within the council's digital ecosystem, enabling residents to access Council Tax, housing, planning, parking, recycling, benefits, and licensing services through a single platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oxford City Council Website The main unified online portal for Oxford City Council providing access to all council services, information, and online transactions including Council Tax, housing, planning, parking, and recycling services. Available 24/7 for residents, businesses, and visitors.
• Online Services Portal Digital platform enabling residents to access council services 24/7, including paying bills, reporting issues, and applying for permits and benefits.
• FOI Request Service Online service for making Freedom of Information requests to Oxford City Council, with cookie consent and accessibility compliance. For the public to formally request council-held information.
• HMO Register Microsoft Power BI-based searchable register of current HMO licences, temporary exemptions, and interim management orders maintained under the Housing Act 2004. For landlords, tenants, and the general public.
• Council Parking Permit Application Online form for applying for Residents' Parking Permits on City Council owned land with ANPR-based enforcement. For Oxford residents who need parking access.
• Data Subject Access Request Service GDPR-compliant online service for individuals to request access to personal data held by the council. Response timeframe of 30 calendar days; requires identity verification with two forms of ID.
• MyOxford Account Personal online account for managing council services, viewing and paying bills, and tracking applications. For Oxford residents to manage their interactions with the council.
• Tenant Portal Online portal for council housing tenants to report repairs, view tenancy information, and access housing services. For residents in council-owned housing.
• Consultation Portal Platform for public consultations on council policies, plans, and development projects with cookie policy and accessibility statement. For residents to participate in democratic engagement.
• Webchat Service Live webchat service for residents to communicate with customer services directly through the council website. For residents needing real-time online assistance.
• Customer Service Centre (In-Person) Face-to-face service at Oxford Westgate Library, 2nd floor (228 The Westgate, Queen Street, Oxford OX1 1PE), open Mon/Wed/Fri 10am-3pm for residents requiring in-person assistance with council services.
• Telephone Contact Centre Phone service available 8am-5pm Mon-Fri (01865 249811) for general enquiries and service requests. Out-of-hours emergency service available. For residents preferring telephone contact.
• Privacy Notices Portal Centralised hub providing privacy notices for all council services, data processing activities, and third-party integrations. For residents and data subjects to understand how the council handles personal data.
• Fix My Street Integration Service for reporting local issues such as graffiti, fly-tipping, and street cleaning problems with location-based mapping. For residents to report neighbourhood issues.
• Environmental Search Enquiry Service Statutory environmental search enquiry service for property transactions and development. Standard enquiry costs £101 with further questions at £34 each. Processed within 10 working days. For conveyancers, solicitors, and property buyers.
• HMO Licensing Scheme Mandatory HMO licensing scheme under the Housing Act 2004 requiring landlords with HMOs of 5+ occupants to obtain a licence. Standard licence fee £541; higher fee for requiring properties £1,998. For private landlords operating HMOs in Oxford.
• Selective Licensing Scheme Council-wide selective licensing scheme requiring all non-HMO properties (family homes or 1 or 2 person properties) in Oxford to obtain a Selective Licence. For private landlords of single-occupancy or family rental properties.
• Council Tax Administration and Billing Statutory council tax collection, billing, and administration service based on property valuation bands. Includes online payment, student exemptions, and Council Tax Reduction scheme. For all Oxford residents and property owners.
• Business Rates Collection Statutory levy on commercial properties collected from businesses operating in Oxford. For commercial property owners and businesses operating within Oxford.
• Planning Application Service Statutory planning permission service for development proposals, including Article 4 Direction controls for HMO conversions across Oxford. For property developers, homeowners undertaking construction or renovation, and applicants seeking planning approval.
• Crystal Insurance Scheme for Council Tenants Home contents insurance product offered to council tenants through a specialist policy with Thistle Tenant Risks and Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited. For council tenants who need affordable contents insurance.
• Council Housing Water Meter Installation Coordination Coordination with Thames Water utility for installing water meters in council homes upon tenant request. For council tenants requesting individual water metering.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, joint venture, service provider, construction partner and development lead.

• Oxford Direct Services LimitedcoreOthersWholly-owned council company providing operational services on behalf of Oxford City Council, including housing repairs and maintenance.
• Oxford Direct Services Trading LimitedcoreOthersTrading subsidiary of Oxford Direct Services, operating commercial services.
• Oxford City Housing LimitedcoreOthersWholly-owned housing company and subsidiaries focused on affordable housing development and management.
• OxWED LLjoint ventureStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership in which Oxford City Council is a partner, as referenced in complaints procedure documentation.
• Barton Oxford LLPjoint ventureStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership for development projects, with Oxford City Council as partner.
• SERCOservice providerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party service provider referenced as joint venture partner for specific council operations.
• OX Placejoint ventureStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership referenced in council documentation.
• Watkin Jones Groupconstruction partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction partner appointed for the major George Street redevelopment project at 38-40 George Street, working with Marick Real Estate.
• Marick Real Estatedevelopment leadStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead developer for the George Street regeneration project, appointing Watkin Jones Group as construction partner.
• MyConcern Platformservice providerTechnology or IntegrationThird-party safeguarding platform used by the council for recording safeguarding concerns. Council pays annual license fee for access.
• Vehicle Control (VCS)service providerTechnology or IntegrationParking enforcement company using ANPR technology to patrol council housing parking areas and issue Parking Charge Notices.
• Thistle Tenant Risks / Great Lakes Insurance UK Limitedservice providerOthersInsurance partners providing the Crystal Insurance Scheme for council tenants' contents insurance through a specialist policy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brighton & Hove City Council: A unitary authority with comparable HMO licensing regimes, selective licensing schemes, and a progressive political environment. Direct peer in regulatory enforcement and private-rented-sector management.
• Westminster City Council: A London borough delivering high-density housing regulation, licensing, and planning in a similarly pressured urban environment. Direct peer in HMO enforcement and private-rented-sector regulation.
• City of London Corporation: A unique local authority combining municipal governance with significant commercial property holdings. Peer as a UK local government authority with unusual scale and complexity of corporate subsidiaries.
• Manchester City Council: A major English metropolitan authority delivering housing, regeneration, and transport policy at larger scale but in the same category of urban local government. Relevant peer for major regeneration partnerships and devolution context.
• Cambridge City Council: A UK district council of comparable size and university-city profile, providing the same mix of council tax, housing, planning, waste, and licensing services. Most direct functional peer in terms of population scale, economic profile, and service portfolio.
• Reading Borough Council: A neighbouring unitary authority in the Thames Valley with similar population, housing affordability pressures, and regeneration agenda. Direct functional peer delivering the same mix of district-level statutory services.
• Bristol City Council: A larger unitary authority operating in the same category of city-region local government with housing, transport, and zero-carbon policy portfolios overlapping Oxford's. Comparable scale and political complexity.
• Bath & North East Somerset Council: A unitary authority of similar size managing heritage city planning pressures, housing affordability, and active transport policy — closely comparable in the same historic-city district council archetype.

Others

• Watkin Jones Group: A construction partner appointed for Oxford's George Street regeneration. Listed as a partnership counterparty rather than peer; relevant only as an ecosystem participant in council-led regeneration programmes.

Regional players

• Oxfordshire County Council: The county-level authority serving the same Oxford geography, responsible for upper-tier services (transport, education, social care, fire). Directly comparable as a UK local government body operating in the same city-region with overlapping but distinct statutory responsibilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oxfordcity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/oxfordcitycouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/oxfordcitycouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oxford-city-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/oxfordcitycouncil

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oxford City Council