Terms we have used - Our Strategy
Affordable homes: this refers to homes at social rent, affordable rented, and intermediate housing (including shared ownership). Oxford City Council recognises that the government definition of affordable rent (80% of market rent) is unsustainable for many households in Oxford, and has set its own definition that affordable rent should not be more than Local Housing Allowance Rates.
Anchor institutions: businesses and institutions that are tied to the local area and have a significant employment, economic or cultural influence on the area, such as the universities, hospitals, bus companies or BMW.
Biodiversity Net Gain: Biodiversity net gain is an approach to development, and/or land management, that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was beforehand.
Blue spaces: waterways including rivers, canals and lakes
Housing list: the waiting list of people registered for council housing
Local Area Energy Plan: this will set out the change needed to transition our energy system in Oxford to Net Zero within a set timeframe.
Local Authority of Sanctuary: Local Authorities can gain this recognition from the City of Sanctuary organisation by implementing policies and approaches that create a welcome and safe place for refugees and asylum seekers, where they feel safe, valued and included.
Net zero: reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon absorption and storage so that all the carbon emissions can be absorbed and stored.
Oxford Living Wage: The Oxford Living Wage is an hourly minimum wage designed to provide liveable earnings in Oxford, recognising the city's high cost of living. It is set annually at 95% of the London Living Wage
Oxford Model: The Oxford Model is our policy of generating significant income from our companies ODS and OX Place which provide valued services in our city, and from our commercial property portfolio, to help fund our services for residents.
Registered providers:
Retrofit: Retrofit refers to any improvement work on an existing building to improve its energy efficiency, making them easier to heat, able to retain that heat for longer.
Social rent: homes rented from the Council or registered providers at controlled rates, typically 40% of renting a similar property privately
Socio-Economic Duty: this is defined in the Equalities Act 2010, and requires public bodies to consider how their decisions and policies could increase or decrease inequality that results from socio-economic disadvantage
