Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/204

Contact: Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of the Council Tel: (01865) 815283

Report by Leader of the Council (CA6).

In response to government announcements about future public spending cuts the Leader of the Council will present the findings of a report from Ernst and Young on the options for the future configuration of local government in Oxfordshire.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider the Ernst and Young report and to refer it to Council in order that all Members can debate the issues.

Recommendations agreed.

Councillor Hudspeth undertook to consider a further option suggested at the meeting by Councillor Mallon with a view to including that as Option 4 in the debate at Council.

In response to government announcements about future public spending cuts the Leader of the Council presented the findings of a report from Ernst and Young on the options for the future configuration of local government in Oxfordshire.

Councillor Brighouse, Opposition Leader, commented that the paper was interesting, and at this stage it dealt solely with finance which was probably right. However it raised more questions than it supplied answers. She highlighted the wider devolution debate sparked by the independence referendum in Scotland. The potential reorganisation of local authorites was wider than the finance aspects and she welcomed the debate at Council. It was important to look at successful aspects of the current system such as the locality working. Engagement at the local level and efficient local government were key. The proposals here could not be considered in isolation from the budget and corporate plan.

Responding to a question Councillor Brighouse indicated that she could not indicate how her Group felt on the options as they had yet to debate them fully.

Councillor Mallon welcomed the report but suggested a fourth option that he believed combined the savings of Option 1 with the local accountability of Option 3. He proposed that there be three unitary councils as suggested in Option 3 but that those unitary councils shared services as was already happening at district level, giving savings suggested by Option 1. It therefore gave the best of Option 1 with local accountability. Councillor Mallon argued that it would allow a local mandate with local priorities that recognised the differences between areas in Oxfordshire. He asked that work be undertaken to enable his option to be considered as part of the Council debate in March.

Following comments and questions from Cabinet, Councillor Mallon expounded his view that his proposal would allow both tailoring to local needs and strategic working on larger issues, whilst delivering the saving needed.

Councillor Hudspeth indicated that the report was the start of a debate and he welcomed further options being put forward. He undertook to consider the further option suggested by Councillor Mallon with a view to including that as Option 4 in the debate at Council.

During his introduction of the contents of the report Councillor Hudspeth referred to comments widely made that the report was error strewn. However no errors had been pointed out to him, although he was happy to consider any that could be identified. He highlighted the reputation of Ernst & Young. During discussion it was further noted that the figures included in the report were based on publicly available information much of it from the District Councils.

Cabinet generally welcomed the report and that it would generate an opportunity to debate the issues raised at full Council.

RESOLVED:             following consideration of the Ernst and Young report to refer it to Council in order that all Members can debate the issues, including the further suggestion from Councillor Mallon.