Lois Muddiman has become the new leader of the Green Group on Oxford City Council, taking over after the party secured its strongest-ever city council position in this month’s local elections.
The change means Muddiman, who represents Osney & St Thomas, now leads the council’s Green councillors, while Chris Jarvis has moved into the role of deputy leader. Oxford City Council’s official councillor pages now list Muddiman as Leader of the Green Group and Jarvis as Deputy Leader of the Green Group.
A change at the top after the local elections
Muddiman was re-elected to Osney & St Thomas at the city council elections on 7 May 2026, polling 912 votes. Official election results show that was just over 50 per cent of the vote in the ward.
Her elevation comes at a moment of growth for the party locally. Oxford City Council’s own councillor page now shows the Green Group holding 13 of the council’s 48 seats, making it the second-largest group after Labour’s 20 seats. The Liberal Democrats hold nine seats, the Oxford Independent Alliance four, and the Real Independents two.
Who is Lois Muddiman?
Muddiman has represented Osney & St Thomas since she first won the ward for the Greens in 2022, according to her Oxford Green Party profile. That same profile says she has lived in the area for more than 30 years, previously chaired the West Oxford Community Association, and was involved in projects including Low Carbon West Oxford, Hogacre Common and West Oxford Community Renewables.
On the city council website, she is also listed as Chair of the General Purposes Licensing Committee.
Chris Jarvis steps aside but remains in senior role
Muddiman replaces Chris Jarvis, who had led the Green Group in recent years and remains one of the party’s most visible figures in Oxford politics. The council’s current member pages show Jarvis now serving as Deputy Leader of the Green Group while continuing to represent St Mary’s ward.
The switch means the Greens have changed leader at a point when their city council presence is at its strongest level so far, following a set of local election results that also confirmed the group’s broader growth across Oxford.
Why the leadership change matters
Although Labour remains firmly in control of Oxford City Council, the Green Group is now larger than it was a few years ago and has become a more significant opposition voice in the chamber. The official council composition shows that the Greens now sit well ahead of the Liberal Democrats in seat numbers and have established themselves as the city council’s second-largest political group.
For Oxford politics, that means Muddiman takes over at a time when expectations of the Green Group are likely to be higher — not only among party supporters, but from voters who will be watching to see how the enlarged group uses its influence in the council chamber.
What Muddiman said
In comments released after the leadership election, Muddiman said it was a “great privilege” to have been re-elected by residents in Osney & St Thomas and an honour to be chosen by the Green councillors as their new group leader.
She praised Jarvis’s leadership over the past five years and said she was pleased to have his support as deputy while the group continued what she described as its fight for “social and environmental justice for the residents of Oxford”.
What happens next?
The Green Group’s new leadership team will now take its place in the council’s new political cycle following the 2026 local elections. With the next Oxford City Council election not due until May 2028, according to the council’s own timetable, Muddiman’s first full test as leader will be how she helps shape the Greens’ position over the next two years on housing, transport, planning and environmental issues in the city.
At a glance
New Green leader: Lois Muddiman
Ward: Osney & St Thomas
Deputy leader: Chris Jarvis
Green seats on Oxford City Council: 13
Total council seats: 48
Muddiman’s 2026 election result: 912 votes, just over 50% of the vote
FAQs
Who is the new Green leader on Oxford City Council?
Lois Muddiman is now listed by Oxford City Council as Leader of the Green Group.
Which ward does Lois Muddiman represent?
She represents Osney & St Thomas.
Who was the previous Green leader?
Chris Jarvis was the previous Green leader and is now listed as Deputy Leader of the Green Group.
How many seats do the Greens now have on Oxford City Council?
The official council composition shows the Green Group now has 13 seats.
How well did Lois Muddiman do in the 2026 election?
Official results show she won 912 votes in Osney & St Thomas, which was just over 50 per cent of the vote.
