More than 1,500 new council homes and two community centres are proposed in Oxford City Council’s latest budget.
The council’s cabinet meets on Wednesday, December 11 to discuss its draft budget for 2025/26 and its draft medium-term financial plan until 2029.
The authority says a programme of efficiencies and profits from council-owned companies, which it calls the Oxford Model, will generate £19 million in profit to help fund services over the next four years.
The key budget proposals include:
- A total of 1,558 new homes for Oxford
- New community centres, in East Oxford and Blackbird Leys
- Increased grass cutting and litter picking across Oxford
- £22m to improve the energy efficiency of council homes
- A new splash park in Hinksey
- A freeze on pitch-hire fees for sports teams
The council is planning to fund the building of 1,275 new council homes over the next eight years and buy a further 283, taking its number of council homes to almost 9,500.
If approved, the draft budget will go out to public consultation.
Cllr Ed Turner, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and asset management, said: “We are acutely aware that Oxford residents are struggling financially, and the main cause of this is the high cost of housing.
“Our budget proposals aim to respond to this, with 1,600 new council homes over the next eight years to help provide genuinely affordable housing for Oxford residents.
“But this budget is also about getting the basics right. That’s why we are increasing litter picking and grass cutting across Oxford. It is frustrating to have to pick up the pieces of Oxfordshire County Council’s decision to cut funding for grass cutting but, given the strength of feeling, we think it’s the right thing to do.
“Thanks to the Oxford Model and our financial prudence over many years, we are also able to invest in Oxford. We are proposing to build two new community centres, a new splash park in Hinksey and to improve the energy efficiency of our council homes.”
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