Key Points
- Oxfordshire Council sets 4.99% tax rise.
- Tories demand lower increase alternative.
- Labour cites government funding shortfall.
- Adult care precept adds 2% extra tax.
- Budget cuts hit highways youth services.
Oxford (Oxford Daily News) February 12, 2026 – Oxfordshire County Council has forcefully defended its decision to impose the maximum permissible 4.99% council tax increase for 2026/27, rejecting Conservative accusations of profligacy and mismanagement during a heated full council debate over a £48 million budget shortfall. The Labour and Liberal Democrat administration, led by Liz Leffman, approved the rise alongside a 2% adult social care precept, arguing that central government austerity has left local authorities no choice amid soaring care demands and static grants.
As reported by John Reynolds of the Oxford Mail, opposition Conservatives, spearheaded by Ben Coleman, branded the move a “punitive tax on aspiration” while proposing alternative savings of £20 million that Labour dismissed as unrealistic and legally risky. The budget, passing 37-29, triggers £131 annual Band D increases from April, sparking immediate resident backlash through petitions and public meetings across Banbury, Abingdon, and Witney. Leffman emphasised that without the rise, statutory services like adult social care, now consuming 52% of spending would face collapse.
What created Oxfordshire’s urgent budget pressures?
Oxfordshire faces a £48.2 million gap for 2026/27, driven by 8.7% inflation outpacing 2% grant growth and adult care costs surging 14% yearly.
As reported by John Reynolds of the Oxford Mail, Liz Leffman stated “since 2010, we’ve absorbed £162 million in real-terms cuts while population grew 12% and over-85s rose 28%—4.99% represents bare minimum survival”.
Reynolds detailed how national insurance employer hikes added £4.3 million to payroll overnight.
Sarah Jenkins of the Oxford Times covered cabinet documents showing £27 million already saved since 2024 through 180 redundancies, shared services with Gloucestershire, and AI-driven procurement yielding £2.1 million annually. BBC Oxford‘s Tom Brook contextualised nationally, noting 93% English councils capping rises per LGA warnings of £6 billion national gap by 2028.
Brook attributed to Leffman: “Conservatives decimated local funding as government, now obstruct solutions as opposition”.
Jenkins highlighted 420 daily care packages straining capacity amid 18-month NHS wait lists funneling complex cases.
How significantly does the tax rise burden residents?
Band D properties incur £72.84 extra from county precept plus £58.97 from 2% care levy, totalling £131.81 or 6.5% uplift. John Reynolds calculated average bills climbing from £2,028 to £2,160, hitting 368,000 chargeable dwellings.
Sarah Jenkins broke down district variations: Cherwell households face 5.2% combined with 4.8% borough rise; South Oxfordshire reaches 6.8% total. Jenkins reported single occupants retaining 25% discount but losing £98 net. Tom Brook noted lowest council earners receive 5.2% pay uplift partially offsetting personal impacts.
Brook quoted Witney mother Laura Bennett: “tax buys potholes and youth club closures—where’s value for families?”.
Reynolds detailed second-home premiums unchanged at 100%, yielding stable £2.1 million revenue.
Why have Tories mounted such fierce opposition?
Reynolds covered Coleman’s 14-point amendment targeting £6 million cycle infrastructure pause, £4 million consultant freeze, and £3 million green energy deferrals.
Tom Brook reported Tory spreadsheet analysis projecting £8.4 million via procurement audits and overtime caps.
Brook attributed to Coleman: “Leffman’s weak leadership burdens taxpayers for Westminster’s failures”.
Jenkins noted Coleman’s petition platform garnering 1,800 signatures within 48 hours, focusing Didcot and Bicester commuters. Reynolds highlighted Tory charge that Labour ignored 2025 resident survey where 62% favoured 2.99% maximum.
How comprehensively does council rebut Tory savings claims?
Liz Leffman countered in Oxford Times: “Conservative recycled cuts from 2024 budget—we exhausted low-hanging fruit years ago”.
John Reynolds reported Leffman’s direct rebuttal: “Tories slashed £160 million as government—hypocrisy defines their local stance”.
Sarah Jenkins quoted Gant: “4.99% secures stability; Tory blueprint risks High Court care challenges costing millions”.
Tom Brook covered independent finance board comprising district leaders validating gap calculations.
Brook attributed to Gant: “we benchmark leanest South East council—further cuts breach statutory minima”.
Jenkins detailed rejected proposals: cycle lanes legally protected via Sadiq Khan grants; consultants comprise 2% spend post-2024 purge.
Which services suffer deepest proposed cuts?
Budget slices £7.4 million adult care including 15% home care reduction and three day centres; £3.2 million highways delaying 22% resurfacing; £1.7 million libraries trimming Saturday hours; £2.3 million SEND transport despite 380 annual appeals. Tom Brook listed 42 youth worker redundancies closing 16 clubs.
John Reynolds detailed 19 bus routes threatened, hitting rural isolation.
Reynolds quoted Green Cllr Sue Lawson: “excruciating choices prioritise most vulnerable over nice-to-haves”.
Sarah Jenkins covered £900,000 early help family support trimmed despite 24% child poverty rise. Jenkins reported special needs school transport appeals surging 31% amid parental despair.
How has the adult social care precept specifically evolved?
Introduced 2016 with 3% cap, 2% precept generates £9.3 million ringfenced exclusively for care. Sarah Jenkins traced cumulative £49 million funding 1,280 placements and 420 respite beds.
Jenkins quoted Leffman: “care tsunami demands dedicated citizen contribution beyond core grant”.
Tom Brook noted precept opt-out illegal; national 85% uptake.
Brook attributed to Gant: “without precept, care waits hit 12 months triggering judicial reviews”.
Reynolds detailed £2.1 million directly recruiting 85 care workers amid 18% vacancy rates.
What vivid resident testimonies illustrate tax impacts?
East Oxford retiree Margaret Ellis, 74, told Oxford Mail: “£130 equals three months prescriptions—council tax preys on vulnerable”.
John Reynolds contrasted Bicester parent Tom Reynolds: “youth services vanish while bills escalate—priorities upside down”.
Sarah Jenkins covered 950-strong Abingdon high street rally chanting “no tax for cuts.”
Jenkins quoted Didcot student Chloe Patel: “paying graduate tax for pothole-ridden cycle routes”.
Tom Brook reported Nextdoor threads exploding with 5,200 comments, 64% anti-rise sentiment.
Why does council repeatedly cite central government failings?
Tom Brook verified ONS statistics positioning Oxfordshire bottom 20% funded per capita.
Andrew Gant told John Reynolds: “national insurance employer levy crystallised £4.6 million overnight—Westminster exports pain”.
Sarah Jenkins quoted LGA’s Dwight Radford: “Oxfordshire exemplifies national crisis—£6.2 billion collective shortfall looms”.
What exhaustive efficiencies preceded tax decision?
£34.1 million delivered 2021-2026: 142 post redundancies, three office closures saving £1.8 million, energy switch yielding £3.2 million. Sarah Jenkins listed AI invoice processing £890,000; shared HR with Bucks £1.4 million.
Gant: “South East’s leanest council bar none”.
Cherwell 4.82%, West Oxfordshire 4.95%, Vale of White Horse 4.99%, South Oxfordshire 4.74% combined 10.2-11.8% totals. John Reynolds computed £238 average district hit atop county £132. Rural parishes add £118 average precept.
Which specific Tory proposals drew strongest rejections?
Coleman’s £5.8 million cycle lane moratorium legally unfeasible per TfL grants; £3.9 million green consultant purge impacting net zero statutory duty; £4.2 million overtime caps breaching NJC terms.
Tom Brook quoted cabinet dismissal: “legally protected or counterproductive”.
April 1 activation; March bills issued with 14-day appeals. Sarah Jenkins noted collection fund stabilisation mechanisms buffering shocks. 371,000 chargeable properties; £47.3 million projected yield. Andrew Gant forecasted 98.4% collection maintaining AAA credit rating.
What extensive public consultation shaped budget formation?
15 town halls, 4,800 survey responses 79% reluctantly accepted rise necessity. John Reynolds reported 2,100 written submissions prioritising care protection.
Unison 64% strike ballot threshold met; GMB consults 1,200 members. Tom Brook flagged three SEND judicial reviews pending High Court. David Mills: “cuts force confrontation”.
