Understanding how the local government works and what services we provide can be hard if you have just arrived in Oxford.
What is local government responsible for?
Oxford City Council is a district council. Visit the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) facts and figures page to see which services are provided by the district council (city council) and which services are provided by the county council.
The main services Oxford City Council is responsible for are:
Council Tax
Council Tax is a tax on domestic property collected by local councils - visit our Council Tax pages for details. In Oxford, Council Tax money is split between three organisations: Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council and the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner. You can see the total spending by service area on our Spending plans page.
If you are on low income or receiving benefits, you might be able to apply for Council Tax Reduction.
Residents' parking permits
We are responsible for Residents’ parking permits for council owned parking areas.
Oxfordshire County Council is responsible for Controlled Parking Zones on Oxford's roads. Visit the Controlled Parking Zones page of the Oxfordshire County Council website.
Housing
We manage the Social Housing Register and support people who are at risk of Homelessness. Visit our Housing pages for details.
Recycling and waste collection
In Oxford, similarly to the rest of the UK, it is important to sort your waste into different bins depending on if it can be recycled. If incorrect items are placed in your bin, it might not be collected. For more information visit our Recycling and Waste pages.
If you have large items (for example household furniture, electricals and other domestic white goods) you can book a bulky waste collection by ringing 01865 249811 or you need to take them to a recycling centre (Oxfordshire County Council website) which is managed by Oxfordshire County Council.
Leisure centres, swimming pools and parks
Please see a map of community and leisure facilities in Oxford.
If you're an Oxford resident (usually living in postcodes OX1 to OX4 - see map of Oxford city boundary) and on qualifying benefits, you can get discounted membership and pay as you go prices at Oxford's public leisure centres.
Oxford City Council also offers free swimming sessions for all children and young people aged 16 and under who live in Oxford.
Our Free access to leisure centres scheme for people experiencing homelessness provides up to 6 months of free leisure centre membership to anyone living in Oxford's homeless pathway accommodation and supported by our commissioned services. This scheme is open by referral only.
Visit our Leisure, parks and culture pages for more details.
Community centres
We operate a number of community centres across the city. Community centres are a great place where you can get free advice, join activities and events. Or you might even want to hire a hall for your event or a party. Visit our Community Centres in Oxford pages for details.
Planning and building control
Planning permission is often required for building works or changing the use of land or existing buildings. If you start building works or change the use of your premises without permission, you may be required to restore the land to its previous state or use. Visit our Planning permission pages for details.
If you're building something new, making changes to an existing building or commercial premises you may also need building regulation approval. You should apply for building regulation approval before you start work. It's illegal not to tell us about your building work and you might have to correct the work, or pay a fine, if you do not tell us about it. Visit our Building control pages for details.
Licensing
Many businesses require permission to trade and therefore it is a requirement to obtain a licence. For example, the following people or businesses might need a license to operate:
- landlords for private rented accommodation
- street traders
- taxis
To apply for a licence visit our Licensing pages.
Oxfordshire County Council services
Visit the Oxfordshire County Council website for issues relating to transport (bus passes, parking permits), education (school admissions), libraries, and social care.
Contact us
If you need to contact Oxford City Council, you can phone - 01865 249811 or ask a question online using our website.
If you cannot speak English, please ask the staff member for a phone interpreter.
Oxford City Council also offers drop-in service at the Westgate Library where you can speak to an officer from Customer Services without an appointment on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10am and 3pm.
Oxford councillors
Every resident in Oxford is represented by a councillor depending on where they live. Read more information about councillors.
Videos about your local council
Our videos help to explain what we do and how to access our services if you don’t speak English.
Watch 'Local Government - English' on YouTube (2 minutes, 22 seconds)
Watch 'Local Government - Arabic' on YouTube (2 minutes, 22 seconds) (شاهد الفيديو باللغة العربية)
Watch 'Local Government - Pashto' on YouTube (2 minutes, 22 seconds) (ویډیو په پښتو ژبه وګورئ)
