Meeting documents
Cabinet
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
To Members of the Cabinet |
Councillors |
|
|
Keith R Mitchell CBE |
- |
Leader of the Council |
David Robertson |
- |
Deputy Leader of the Council |
C.H. Shouler |
- |
Cabinet Member for Finance |
Vacant |
- |
Cabinet Member for Change Management |
Louise Chapman |
- |
Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families |
Michael Waine |
- |
Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement |
Roger Belson |
- |
Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development |
Jim Couchman |
- |
Cabinet Member for Social & Community Services |
Ian Hudspeth |
- |
Cabinet Member for Transport |
Mrs J. Heathcoat |
- |
Cabinet Member for Community Safety |
Decisions taken at the meeting
will become effective at the end of the working day on 23 July 2008
unless called in by that date for review by the appropriate Scrutiny Committee.
Copies of this Notice, Agenda and supporting papers are circulated
to all Members of the County Council.
Date of next meeting: 16 September 2008
If you have any special requirements (such as a large print version of these papers or special access facilities) please contact the officer named on the front page, but please give as much notice as possible before the meeting. |
AGENDA
(Addenda)
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest – see guidance note
3. Minutes
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2008 (CA3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.
4. Petitions and
Public Address
(See Addenda)
5. Financial
Monitoring
(See also Addenda)
Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/015
Contact: Lorna Baxter, Strategic Financial Planning Manager (01865 816087)
Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Chief
Finance Office (CA5)
(CA5 - download as .doc file)
(CA5 - Annexes 1 - 5 - download as .pdf file)
(CA5 - Annex 6 - download as .pdf file)
(CA5 - Annex 7 - download as .pdf file)
(CA5 - Annex 8 - download as .pdf file).
This report sets out the Council’s forecast financial position for the 2008/09 financial year based on two months of actuals to the end of May 2008. It includes projections for revenue, balances, reserves and capital. The report sets out explanations where the forecast outturn is significantly different from the budget with action plans to recover the position where appropriate.
The in-year overspend for Directorates is forecast to be £1.136m, as set out in the report. The in-year forecast excludes the variance on the City Schools Reorganisation.
The year-end forecast of general balances is set out in Annex 5 and shows a forecast of £18.069m. After taking into account the forecast Directorate outturn, the consolidated revenue balances forecast is £16.933m.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) note the report;
(b) approve the virements as set out in Annex 2a;
(c) approve the changes to the capital programme as set out in paragraphs 55 to 58 and the updated programme at Annex 7; and
(d) recommend that Council approve the allocation of LABGI grant as set out in Annex 8.
6. Treasury
Management Outturn
Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/059
Contact: Donna Ross, Treasury Manager (01865 815684)
Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Chief
Finance Office (CA6)
(CA6 - download as .doc file)
The report sets out the Council’s Treasury Management Outturn financial position for the 2007/08 financial year.
The report fulfils the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management 2001 requirement for the receipt of an annual report summarising the Treasury Management activity within 6 months of year-end.
The Council's external debt increased from £367.38m on 1 April 2007 to £392.38m on 31 March 2008. All new long-term debt was arranged through the Public Works Loans Board. The weighted average rate of interest paid on long-term debt during 2007/08 was 4.8387%.
Security and liquidity of cash was prioritised over returns and the council adopted a cautious approach to lending to financial institutions, temporarily suspending those on ratings watch negative from the lending list.
The council achieved an in-house deposit return of 5.67% and continued to use 2 external fund managers, Investec and Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP). Investec earned an average return of 5.65% and SWIP 4.96%.
The Strategic Measures interest on balances outturn was £8.420m compared to a budget of £4.307m. The additional net interest earned was as a result of higher temporary cash balances, due to capital programme slippage, higher than budgeted interest received as a result of the 'credit crunch', and a lower rate of interest paid on developer contribution due to movements in the Baxter index.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the Council’s treasury management activity carried out in 2007/08.
7. Proposed
Reservoir – Consultation on Water Resources Management Plan
(See also Addenda)
Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/072
Contact: Lois Ford, Waste and Minerals Planning Officer (01865 815398)
Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA7)
(CA7 and Annexes 1 & 2 - download as .doc file)
(CA7 Annex 3 - download as .doc file)
Thames Water Utilities Ltd (RWE Group) is required to produce a Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) which sets out how demand for water will be balanced against supply over the next 25 years. The draft WRMP was published for consultation on 7 May 2008, and covers the period 2010 to 2035. The consultation period ends on 27 August 2008.
This report sets out the key issues highlighted in the WRMP, and the Thames Water Preferred Programme, including the preferred option to provide a large reservoir south west of Abingdon, and a proposed response from the county council.
The Environment Agency formal response to the consultation is expected in July 2008. The county council response will need to take note of the Environment Agency’s views. When the final WRMP is approved by DEFRA it could effectively confirm the need for a large reservoir.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) delegate responsibility to finalise a response to the consultation on the Thames Water Resources Management Plan to the Head of Sustainable Development in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, to take account of the Environment Agency response which will be published in July; and
(b) agree that the response should take account of the points made in this report, and in particular question the basis for Thames Water's view that DEFRA's recommended target of 130l/household/day is unattainable.
8. Government Draft
Legislative Programme
Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/119
Contact: Claire Phillips, OCP Officer (01865 816029)
Report by Assistant Chief Executive Strategy (CA8) ( download as .doc file)
The 2008/09 draft legislative programme was announced by Government in May. It sets out proposed legislation for the next session of parliament, to be announced in the Queen’s speech in the autumn. Comments are invited on the draft legislative programme as a whole, and also on specific policy issues and individual bills by 6 August 2008.
This paper lists all bills in the programme that have been identified as being relevant to the county council and our services. Key legislative changes affecting Oxfordshire County Council are highlighted below:
· New powers to levy a supplement to Business rates
· A wide-ranging education and skills bill
· Expanding the duties of public bodies and employers regarding equalities
· Further developing community empowerment
· Legislation to implement the findings of the Pitt Review into the 2007 floods
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) note the report; and
(b) delegate responsibility to the Leader of the Council to write a letter in response to the consultation on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council.
9. Didcot 14-19
Provision: The Future of Secondary Education in Didcot
Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/124
Contact: Irene Kirkman, Assistant Head of Educational Effectiveness Service (01865 815141)
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA9).
This report outlines the need to plan the provision of more secondary education In Didcot, given its expansion in population size and need for more technical and scientific skills. It covers the issues surrounding the provision; including the requirement for mixed provision that will enable the delivery of 14-19 diplomas and the need for a competition with the county council acting as decision-maker. The risks, funding implications, timescales and next steps are also set out in the report.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) approve the proposal to open a competition for the provision of a new secondary facility in Didcot;
(b) instruct officers to prepare a specification of the new secondary facility during autumn 2008, for consultation with all stakeholders prior to holding the competition; and
(c) decide whether the specification is to be approved by Cabinet or by Delegated Decision.
10. The Youth
Justice (Capacity & Capability) Plan 2008/09
Cabinet Member: Children, Young People & Families
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/115
Contact: Tan Lea, Acting Head of Service, Youth Offending Service ( 01865 202218)
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA10).
The Youth Justice (Capacity & Capability) Plan 2008/09 is tabled for endorsement by Cabinet and for Cabinet to recommend for approval by the full meeting of Council on 9 September 2008.
The Plan highlights positive outcomes for young people in Oxfordshire, in particular in relation to reductions in re-offending and in new entrants into the youth justice system.
Cabinet is also asked to note budget pressures in the service, in particular in relation to the successful Diversion Scheme
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) RECOMMEND that Council approve the Youth Justice (Capacity and Capability) Plan for 08/09; and.
(b) note the budget pressure for the Diversion Scheme from April 2009.
11. Scrutiny Review
of Young Carers
(See also Addenda)
Cabinet Member: Children, Young People & Families
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/048
Contact: Julian Hehir, Scrutiny Review Officer (01865 815673)
Report by Lead Member Review Group (Executive
Summary – CA11)
(CA11 - Scrutiny Review of Young Carers - download as .doc file)
(CA11 - Summary - Scrutiny Review of Young Carers - download as .doc file)
This final report sets out the key themes, areas of evidence, analysis and recommendations. The Review set out:
· To identify how the County Council (and its partners) may empower young carers (YCs) to approach the authority for help (there is a fear that they do not because conversely, they often think that they may be taken into care).
· To achieve a change in understanding and perception around young carers.
· To identify the gaps between provision, need/demand and availability of services.
· To examine the social/economic/educational and health impacts of the issue.
The Children’s Services Committee believes that the report demonstrates that these aims have been achieved. Among the themes and ideas that the Committee would like to convey strongly – in some instances through recommendations, are:
· The need for a single point of contact in schools for young carers; a person who can give time, space etc to them.
· A focus in the report on the “Every Child Matters” agenda.
· The importance of and hence recommendations around partnership working – how and who identifies young carers? Who takes the lead?
· A recommendation about on the one hand, the legal duty to assess and on the other, the absence of any obligation to provide for the assessed need – and the need, possibly, for lobbying govt.
· A big push in the review on the connection between young carers and the County Council’s focus on educational attainment and economic well-being. There is no measure of attainment among young carers (whereas, say, there is among cared for children). The Cabinet should be aware that improving the position of young carers may have an impact on the overall attainment statistics and on economic well-being, as we need to look at young carers destinations later on – eg further and higher education.
· Promoting the Children’s Society model in the Review, (the Key Principles and The Pathway) and finding out how Oxfordshire can fit the gaps between need and provision identified there.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider the Scrutiny Review Report and communicate to the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee its response to the Review’s recommendations.
12. Oxfordshire
Waste Partnership (OWP) - New Financial Arrangements
Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/107
Contact: Carolyn Durrant, Waste Reduction Manager (01865 815499)
Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA12).
On 16 January 2007, the Cabinet approved governance and financial arrangements for the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership. These arrangements are critical in securing the effective delivery of the joint waste strategy ‘No Time to Waste’. At that time, it was reported that the financial arrangements needed further detailed development. This has now been undertaken and has led to some proposed amendments to the legal agreement. The purpose of this paper is to approve these amendments.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree that Oxfordshire County Council should formally sign the attached Legal agreement, subject to any minor drafting changes to be approved by the Head of Sustainable Development following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development.
13. Developer
Contributions to Service Infrastructure
Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/051
Contact: Howard Cox, Developer Funding Team Leader (01865 810436)
Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA13) (download as .pdf file)
(CA13 - Annex 1 - download as .xls file)
(CA13 - Annex 2 - download as .xls file)
(CA13 - Annex 3 - download as .doc file)
(CA13 - Annex 4 - download as .xls file)
(CA13 - Annex 5 - download as .doc file)
This report presents a summary of the developer contributions secured through the planning process for 2007/08, identifying the financial contributions negotiated, received and spent throughout the year.
The report shows that 101 planning obligations were completed in 2007/08 securing the largest annual financial contributions to the County Council for future infrastructure provision. The total secured was £12.212M. The report shows the actual amount of contributions received in the year to be £5.648M with £4.948M expended.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the information reported on the developer contributions negotiated and received through the planning process in 2007/08.
14. Sustainable
School Travel Strategy
Cabinet Member: Transport / Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/102
Contact: John Disley, Group Manager, Road Safety & Travel Plans, (01865 810460)
Report by Head of Transport (CA14).
In March 2008, the Cabinet approved a draft Sustainable School Travel Strategy (SSTS) for consultation, which was undertaken during May and June 2008. The main aim was to seek views on the four outcomes and targets contained within the Strategy, as well as offering the opportunity to make any other comments on the document. This report contains a summary of the comments received on the draft Strategy and identifies the changes made to the document as a result . It also sets out other developments which have taken place since the draft Strategy was approved and identifies resulting changes to the Strategy which have been made.
The purpose of this report is to seek approval for a final version of the strategy for publication prior to the start of the 2008/09 Academic year.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the final Sustainable School Travel Strategy for publication.
15. Review of Bus
Strategy (Chapter 3)
Cabinet Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/266
Contact: Dick Helling, Public Transport Officer, (01865 815859)
Report by Head of Transport (CA15).
The county council is required to publish, in its Bus Strategy, policies about how it proposes to secure bus services to meet transport needs not otherwise met. Following a Best Value Review, a need was identified to review the existing policies. A series of workshops with stakeholders, together with consideration by Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee, led to publication of a revised consultation draft in April 2008. This proposed to change many details of the way in which bus services are reviewed and subsidised, whilst retaining the existing broad structure of service review on an area by area basis with decisions guided by the subsidy cost per passenger whilst considering each case on its merits.
The reaction of consultees' was broadly supportive (whilst many useful comments on individual details have been received). Officers have, in the light of these comments, made some further detailed changes to the proposed revised statement of policies, and now invite Cabinet to consider this text as a new statement of the Council's policies. As the Bus Strategy is a statutory document, it falls to Council to make the final decision on adoption (or not) of the revised document.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(c) RECOMMEND that Council adopt Annex 2 to replace the existing Chapter 3 in the adopted Bus Strategy; and
(d) ask officers to consult operators on contract length and to authorise the Head of Transport (in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport) to adopt the length which would offer best value for money for the county council, subject to (i) compliance with legal requirements; and (ii) there being no contract longer than five years which is not subject to intermediate review.
16. Crime and
Disorder Reduction Partnership Strategies
Cabinet Member: Community Safety
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/118
Contact: Ruth Whyte, Manager, Safer Communities Unit (01865 258423)
Report by Director for Community Safety & Shared Services/Chief Fire Officer (CA16).
The Crime & Disorder Act 1998 (and subsequent amendments) requires the county council (including Fire & Rescue Services) to work with district councils, the police, police authority and primary care trusts as "responsible authorities" to work in partnership to reduce crime and disorder in their local area.
These partnerships are the five Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) of Vale of White Horse, South Oxfordshire, Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire.
Working together, each CDRP is required to produce three year, rolling strategies to tackle crime and disorder. The county council, as one of the responsible authorities, must contribute, through its wide range of services, to delivering the strategies and associated action plans. It is also required, along with the other responsible authorities to agree and publish the strategies.
The Community Safety Scrutiny Committee considered the strategies on 2 July 2008.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the views expressed by Members and the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee in particular, and RECOMMEND the Council to approve the CDRP strategies.
17. Fundamental
Review Report
Cabinet Member: Community Safety
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/235
Contact: Mike Smyth, Deputy Chief Fire Officer (01865 855205)
Report by Director for Community Safety & Shared Services/Chief Fire Officer (CA17).
The analysis of the Retained Duty System has been carried out to provide a detailed platform for future reviews. The Retained Duty System continues to be examined nationally. The majority of services within the UK are looking for a system or formula that will provide 24/7 fire cover arrangements with competent, well motivated staff within the current levels of expenditure. The ideal solution has not been identified and future options must be developed and budget implications brought before Cabinet.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to;
(a) commend the Retained Firefighters, their Officers and the Retained Recruitment Officer for their dedicated service to the Communities of Oxfordshire; and
(b) ask the Director of Community Safety & Shared Services and Chief Fire Officer to report to Cabinet the outcomes of the IRMP project examining the Retained Duty System and the options for improving emergency cover within Oxfordshire.
18. Annual Review of
Performance of LAA Targets, Year 2 of the First LAA.
Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/061
Contact: Claire Phillips, OCP Officer (01865 816029)/ Laura Noctor, Senior Policy Manager (01865 816376)
Report by Head of Partnership Working (CA18).
This report details the progress on Local Area Agreement targets during the second year of delivery, 2007/08.
Performance in the second year is promising with most stretch targets on track to achieve reward grant.
The report also outlines the arrangements for the future of non-stretch targets including those targets that have been superseded by LAA2 targets and those that will continue to be monitored locally in the Oxfordshire 2030 delivery plan.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the report.
19. Establishment
Review
(See also Addenda)
Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2008/013
Contact: Sue Corrigan, Strategic HR Manager (01865 810280)
Report by Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development (CA19).
This report gives an update on activity since the implementation of the Establishment Review and associated Recruitment Approval process on 1 August 2005. It provides detail on the overall objectives of the review and summarises progress made against the targets which were agreed to ensure delivery of those objectives. Details of the agreed establishment figure at 31 March 2008 in terms of Full Time Equivalents is provided, together with the detailed staffing position at 31 March 2008. These are shown in the report by directorate and service area.
The report also provides information on current activity and in addition there is information on grant funded posts and those vacancies which are being covered by agency staff and at what cost.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(c) note the report; and
(d) confirm that the Establishment Review continues to meet requirements in reporting and managing staffing numbers.
20. Forward
Plan and Future Business
(See also Addenda)
Cabinet Member: All
Contact Officer: Sue Whitehead, Committee Services Manager (01865 810262)
The Cabinet Procedure Rules provide that the business of each meeting at the Cabinet is to include “updating of the Forward Plan and proposals for business to be conducted at the following meeting”. Items from the Forward Plan for the immediately forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet appear in the Schedule at CA20. This includes any updated information relating to the business for those meetings that has already been identified for inclusion in the next Forward Plan update.
The Schedule is for noting, but Cabinet Members may also wish to take this opportunity to identify any further changes they would wish to be incorporated in the next Forward Plan update.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings.