OXFORD is 'built on exploited workers living in misery' who need to be paid more, according to a councillor leading efforts to boost the city's own 'Living Wage'.

Oxford city councillor Mark Ladbrooke, who is spearheading work on how city employers could be encouraged to pay the minimum Oxford Living Wage salary of £9.26 an hour, said low and exploitative pay is dragging workers into poverty.

He said employers with large workforces have been reluctant to pay staff more because of how much more they would need to shell out a year, despite the high cost of living in Oxford.

The £9.26 an hour figure reflects what the city council says is needed to have a reasonable standard of living in the city.

Mr Ladbrooke said: "You would think [paying the Oxford Living Wage] would have a minimal impact but if you think about it negatively our town of dreaming spires is built on a lot of exploited workers living in misery.

"It is a reflection of the size of the problem and the appallingly low paid staff in the city. It is a problem with wages and it is a problem with housing.

"You need to make movement on that. Some people rent out houses and they absolutely pack them into them.

"I remember speaking to someone and they said they couldn't afford a house so they were renting a landing. Some people are living in garages.

"It is an appalling problem."

His city council working group will meet in public for the first time on Tuesday, investigating issues around the Oxford Living Wage.

The council encourages employers to pay the Living Wage but it is voluntary to do so and the authority does not record which employers take part.

The council pays the Living Wage to all its staff and agency workers and requires contractors with contracts of more than £100,000 to pay it to their staff and subcontractors.

Currently employers paying the wage are not recorded so knowing how many workers receive it is impossible.

Another campaign unrelated to the city council's group will start on Monday.

The Oxford City Living Wage Campaign is supported by Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds, Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran, student groups and trade unions.

Mr Ladbrooke said in spite of the campaigns and the group, more still needs to be done.

He said: "The problem is such that a few councillors making a few nice statements about how nice the Living Wage is is not going to solve the problem.

"We need broad support to say this it is not acceptable not to pay the Living Wage."

The council’s Oxford Living Wage review group will meet in the St Aldate’s Room at Oxford Town Hall on Tuesday from 5pm.

The Oxford City Living Wage Campaign will be held on Monday from 7.30pm at the East Oxford Community Centre in Princes Street.