2026 Oxford City Council election
7 May 2026
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24 out of 48 seats to Oxford City Council 25 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2026 Oxford City Council election will be held on 7 May 2026, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom being held on the same day, to elect 24 of 48 members of Oxford City Council in Oxfordshire, England.[1]
Due to ongoing local government reorganisation, this will be the final election to Oxford City Council before it is abolished and replaced by a successor unitary authority. Elections to the successor authority are due to take place in 2027.
Summary
Background
In 2024, the council remained under no overall control with the Labour Party the largest party.[2] The council election was not delayed after a debate.[3]
Council composition
| After 2024 election | Before 2026 election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | Party | Seats | ||
| Labour | 20 | Labour | 21 | ||
| Liberal Democrats | 9 | Liberal Democrats | 9 | ||
| Green | 8 | Green | 9 | ||
| Alliance | 4 | Alliance | 4 | ||
| Independent | 7 | Independent | 5 | ||
Changes 2024–2026:
- June 2024: Alistair Morris (Green) resigns – by-election held July 2024[4]
- July 2024: Kate Robinson (Green) wins by-election[5]
- March 2025: Barbara Coyne (Independent, elected as Labour) resigns – by-election held May 2025[6]
- May 2025: James Taylor (Labour) nominally gains by-election from Labour[7]
- January 2026: Edward Mundy (Independent, elected as Labour) joins Greens[8]
Election result
| 2026 Oxford City Council election | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | This election | Full council | This election | |||||||
| Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− | ||
| Labour | 10 | |||||||||
| Green | 4 | |||||||||
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | |||||||||
| Independent | 5 | |||||||||
| Alliance | 4 | |||||||||
| Conservative | 0 | |||||||||
| Reform UK | 0 | |||||||||
| Your Party | 0 | |||||||||
Incumbents
| Ward | Incumbent councillor | Party | Re-standing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barton & Sandhills | Mike Rowley | Labour | ||
| Blackbird Leys | Lubna Arshad[d] | Labour | ||
| Carfax & Jericho | Alex Hollingsworth | Labour | ||
| Churchill | Susan Brown | Labour | ||
| Cowley | Amar Latif[e] | Independent | ||
| Cutteslowe & Sunnymead | Laurence Fouweather | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Donnington | Rosie Rawle | Green | ||
| Headington | Christopher Smowton | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Headington Hill & Northway | James Taylor[f] | Labour | ||
| Hinksey Park | Naomi Waite | Labour | ||
| Holywell | Edward Mundy | Green | ||
| Littlemore | Tiago Corais | Labour | ||
| Lye Valley | Ajaz Rehman[e] | Independent | ||
| Marston | Kate Robinson[g] | Green | ||
| Northfield Brook | Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini[e] | Independent | ||
| Osney & St Thomas | Lois Muddiman | Green | ||
| Quarry & Risinghurst | Chewe Munkonge | Labour | ||
| Rose Hill & Iffley | Ed Turner | Labour | ||
| St Clement's | Jemima Hunt | Labour | ||
| St Mary's | Emily Kerr | Green | ||
| Summertown | Katherine Miles | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Temple Cowley | Sajjad Malik | Independent | ||
| Walton Manor | Louise Upton | Labour | ||
| Wolvercote | Jo Sandelson | Liberal Democrats | ||
Candidates
References
- ^ Ajaz Rehman was the leader of the Oxford Independent group and Sajjad Malik was the leader of the Real Independents group.
- ^ Of the 5 Independent councillors, 2 sat in the Oxford Independent group, 2 sat in the Real Independents group, and 1 was non-aligned.
- ^ Labour minority.
- ^ Elected at the 2024 Blackbird Leys by-election.
- ^ a b c Originally elected as a Labour councillor, but subsequently left the party to sit as an Independent.
- ^ Elected at the 2025 Headington Hill & Northway by-election.
- ^ Elected at the 2024 Marston by-election.
- ^ "Local elections in Oxford will go ahead as planned, Government confirms". Oxford Mail. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ^ "Full Oxford Local Election results as Independents gain seats". Oxford Mail. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ^ "Local election delay: Criticism of 'disgraceful' Oxford response". BBC News. 16 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ^ Qurashi, Noor (4 June 2024). "Resignation of Green politician as snap election incoming". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Marston Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ^ Kenney, Esme (26 March 2025). "Independent Oxford councillor steps down with immediate effect after meeting". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Headington Hill and Northway Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ^ Johnston, Archie; Smith, Stanley (19 January 2026). "Green Party becomes joint second largest on City Council". Cherwell. Retrieved 9 February 2026.