Council spent more than £127,000 on social media advertising
10/04/2025
A Conservative councillor feels the money could have been better spent on fixing roads
by Esme Kenney, Local Democracy Reporter
Oxfordshire County Council spent more than £127,000 on social media advertising in the space of a year, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has shown.
The county council has Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor and YouTube accounts, which are monitored Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
The FOI response states the county council spent £127,320.24 on digital marketing on social media platforms between March 2024 and March 2025.
The adverts are used to signpost council services such as mental health services, the new energy saver app, and encouraging eligible people to get an NHS health check.
Responding to the figures, Liberal Democrat councillor Dan Levy, who has been the county council cabinet member for finance, said: “It is crucial that the county council communicates with all residents.
“One of the best ways to do this is to use social media because lots of residents get much of their information via that route.
“The county council makes sure it uses resources effectively, and reviews the impact and value for money of all its communication.
“Over 80 per cent of all the local government expenditure in Oxfordshire comes via the county council, and it includes vital services for adults and children and public health for everyone.
“We have run some excellent campaigns recently, including our appeal for new foster parents, and many of these campaigns have saved money for taxpayers.”
However, Conservative councillor Liam Walker said the money could have been better spent on other services, such as fixing roads.
He said: “At a time when residents across Oxfordshire are being hit by rising council tax bills, cuts to vital services, and the continued war on motorists, it is staggering to see the Liberal Democrat-led administration splashing out over £127,000 on Facebook and Instagram adverts.
“Residents rightly expect their hard-earned money to be spent on fixing our roads, supporting vulnerable people, and maintaining public services — not boosting the council’s image on social media.
“This is yet another example of misplaced priorities from a leadership that is increasingly out of touch.”
A spokesman for the county council said: “The county council is responsible for crucial services that affect people at every stage of their lives, day in day out.
“Social media promotion during 2024/5 has been very effective in increasing knowledge of our services and how they can improve the lives of Oxfordshire people.
“Examples of what has been promoted include reminding eligible people to get an NHS health check, asking people to consider fostering or adopting a child, signposting to important mental health services, the new and innovative energy saver app that helps people save on their home energy bills, raising awareness of discounts available via countywide bus tickets and other offers and smoking cessation services.
“Evaluation always takes place to judge whether each individual item of spend has been effective.”
Liam Walker is standing for the Hanborough & Hailey division in the upcoming May county council elections, against James Gibbs (Reform UK), Sarah Marshall (Green), Hannah Massie (Lib Dem) and Sue Tanner (Labour).
Dan Levy is also standing in the election for the Eynsham division, against Kate England (Labour), Peter Lynn (Reform UK), Frances Mortimer (Green) and Lysette Nichols (Conservative).
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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