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Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall, New Road, Oxford OX1 1ND. View directions

Contact: Deborah Miller  Tel: 07920 084239; E-Mail: deborah.miller@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

26/19

Election of Chairman for for the 2019/20 Council Year

Minutes:

Before inviting nominations for the office of Chairman of the Council, Councillor Gill Sanders (the retiring Chairman) took the opportunity to reflect on her year in office as Chairman of the Council, and in particular her civic duties.  She thanked her husband who had been her consort, for his support and friendship throughout the year, her Personal Assistant and the Monitoring Officer for their support.   She then presented her personal assistant (Neil Clayton) and her husband with small gifts as a token of her appreciation for their help and support during the Year.

 

Councillors Brighouse, Hudspeth, Webber and Atkins paid tribute to the outgoing Chairman thanking her for her work and effort over the year.

 

The Monitoring Officer, Nick Graham then invited nominations for the office of Chairman of the Council for the 2019/20 Council Year.

 

Councillor Hudspeth moved and Councillor Brighouse seconded that Councillor Les Sibley be elected as Chairman of the Council for the 2019/20 Council Year.

 

There being no other nominations and no dissent, Councillor Les Sibley was duly declared elected.  Upon election, Councillor Les Sibley read out and signed the Statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

 

RESOLVED: that Councillor Les Sibley be elected as Chairman of the Council for the 2019/20 Council Year.

 

27/19

Election of Vice-Chairman for the 2019/20 Council Year

Minutes:

The Chairman called for nominations for the office of Vice-Chairman.  Councillor Webber proposed and Councillor Hudspeth seconded that Councillor John howson be elected Vice-Chairman for the 2019/20 Council Year.  There being no further nominations and no dissent, Councillor John Howson was declared elected.  Councillor Howson read and signed the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

 

RESOLVED: (nem con) that Councillor John Howson be elected as Vice-Chairman for the 2019/20.

28/19

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gray, Griffiths, Hibbert-Biles and Rooke.

29/19

Minutes pdf icon PDF 463 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 2 April 2019 (CC1) and to receive information arising from them.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 2 April 2019 were approved and signed as an accurate record.

30/19

Petitions and Public Address

Minutes:

Ms Emily Fitzherbert presented a petition on behalf of 179 Oxfordshire County Council employees requesting that the pension fund disinvest from the Fossil Fuel Industry.

 

The Chairman received the Petition to the Director for Finance for consideration.

31/19

Report of the Cabinet pdf icon PDF 144 KB

Report of the Cabinet Meetings held on 23 April 2019, 19 March 2019 and 14 May 2019 (1 item) (CC8).

Minutes:

The Cabinet received the report of the Cabinet.

 

In relation to paragraph 9 (Question from Councillor Leffman to Councillor Constance) Councillor Constance agreed that it might be possible to extend the cycling tour to a follow up event the next day, but asked Councillor Leffman to let her know what concerns in particular she had around road closures etc to see if there was any way she could help.

 

In relation to paragraph 10 (Question from Councillor Johnston to Councillor Constance) Councillor Constance undertook to provide Councillor Johnston with a written answer detailing in respect of the Lodge Hill Slip, whether or not the exact parcels of land have been identified and whether or not CPO would be necessary.

 

In relation to paragraph 10 (Question from Councillor Fox-Davies to Councillor Constance) Councillor Constance undertook to give agreement in principal that all applications in relation to the Reservoir would be treated in the same and that the County would continue to push for a Public Inquiry.

32/19

Scrutiny Committee Annual Report pdf icon PDF 294 KB

The Scrutiny Annual report (CC9) provides a summary of the work of the Council's overview and scrutiny function in 2018-19. This function includes the council's three Overview and Scrutiny Committees and any joint scrutiny arrangements. The report has been considered by the Audit and Governance Committee and the Performance Scrutiny Committee prior to Council.

 

Council is RECOMMENDED to receive the report.

Minutes:

Council had before it a report (CC9) which provided a summary of the work of the Council’s overview and scrutiny function in 2018-19.  The Function included the Council’s three Overview and Scrutiny Committees and joint scrutiny arrangements.  The report had been considered and agreed by the Audit & Governance Committee and the Performance Scrutiny Committee prior to Council.

 

The Chairman of the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Fatemian reported that Councillor Susanna Pressel was leaving the Committee after many years.  He thanked Councillor Susanna Pressel for her work and contribution to the Committee.

 

RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Brighouse, seconded by Councillor Hannaby and carried nem con) to receive the report.

33/19

Audit & Governance Committee Annual Report to Council 2018 pdf icon PDF 446 KB

Report by the Chairman of the Audit & Governance Committee (CC10).

 

The Annual Report sets out the role of the Audit & Governance Committee and summarises the work that has been undertaken both as a Committee and through the support of the Audit Working Group in 2018/19.

 

Council is RECOMMENDED to receive the report.

Minutes:

Council had before it the Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee which summarised the work that had been undertaken both as a Committee and through the support of the Audit Group in 2018/19.

 

Councillor Nick Carter moved and Councillor Ilot seconded that the Council received the report.  In moving the recommendation, Councillor Carter thanked the Independent Chairman of the Audit Working Group, Dr Geoff Jones for his work on the Working Group and the Committee.

 

Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was carried nem con.

 

RESOLVED: (nem con) to receive the report.

34/19

Committees and Review of Political Balance pdf icon PDF 221 KB

Report by the Director of Law & Governance & Monitoring Officer (CC11).

 

The Council is required by the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 to review the political balance on its committees on an annual basis. The report sets out how the rules operate and seeks approval for adjustments which are necessary to achieve the balance across and within committees to comply with the rules.

 

The Council is RECOMMENDED:

 

(a)             to confirm the political balance on committees shown in Annex 2 to the report;

 

(b)             to appoint to committees the councillors and co-opted members shown in Annex 3, subject to any changes reported in any amended schedule and at the meeting; and

 

(c)             to note the executive appointments in Annex 3 in relation to Oxfordshire Growth Board scrutiny arrangements and advisory sub groups.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council was required by the local Government & Housing Act 1989 to review the political balance on its committees on an annual basis.  The Council had before it a report (CC11) which set out how the rules operate and sought approval for adjustments which were necessary to achieve the balance across and within committees to comply with the rules.  The Council also had before it Annex 2 which set out the political balance on the committees and Annex 3 showing the membership of all committees, together with a number of additional changes set out in the schedule of business for the meeting.

 

Councillor Les Sibley moved and Councillor John Howson seconded that the recommendations set out in the report and on the face of the Agenda be adopted.

 

Councillor Howson informed the Council that on page 89 Councillor Howson should appear under the Liberal Democrat heading and Councillor Pressel should appear under the Labour Heading.

 

Councillor Webber informed the Council of the following additional change at the Meeting:

 

Pension Fund Committee – Councillor Roz Smith in place of Councillor John Howson.

 

Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was carried nem con.

 

RESOLVED: (nem con)

 

(a)             to confirm the political balance on committees shown in Annex 2 to the report;

(b)             to appoint to committees the councillors and co-opted members shown in Annex 3, subject to the changes reported at the Meeting; and

(c)             to note the executive appointments in Annex 3 in relation to Oxfordshire Growth Board scrutiny arrangements and advisory sub groups.

35/19

Committee Dates 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 68 KB

A schedule of meeting dates proposed for the 2020/21 Council Year is attached (CC12).

 

The schedule has been drawn up to reflect the various rules about frequency of meetings set out in the Council’s Constitution. Attention is drawn to the following proposed change to previous patterns:

 

Move the April Meeting of Council so that it falls outside of the School Holidays.

 

Council is RECOMMENDED to agree the schedule of meeting dates for 2020/21 and in particular to agree to waive Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules to allow the April 2020 meeting of full Council to be held on 31 March 2021 to avoid the Easter School holiday.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council had before it a report (CC12) which sought agreement to the schedule of meeting dates proposed for the 2020/21 Council Year.  The schedule had been drawn up to reflect the various rules regarding frequency of meetings set out in the Council’s Constitution.  Members’ attention was drawn to the following proposed change to previous patterns: to move the April Meeting of Council so that it falls outside of the School Holidays.

 

RESOLVED: (on a motion from Councillor Les Sibley, seconded by Councillor John Howson and carried nem con) to agree the schedule of meeting dates for 2020/21 and in particular to agree to waive Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules to allow the April 2020 meeting of full Council to be held on 31 March 2021 to avoid the Easter School Holiday.

36/19

Cabinet Membership and Delegation of Cabinet Functions

Report by the Leader of the Council (CC13) – to be published with the Schedule of Business.

 

Council is RECOMMENDED to note the delegations made by the Leader of the Council with regard to the functions of the Cabinet.

Minutes:

Under the Council’s Constitution, the Leader of the Council was required to inform the Annual Meeting of the Council of the delegations that he had made, as Leader of the Council, in relation to the functions of the Cabinet.  Council had before it a report (tabled at the Meeting and attached to the signed copy of the minutes) which confirmed a minor change to the responsibility of the Cabinet Member for Transformation by adding Climate Change under his area of responsibility and a minor change to the Cabinet Member for Environment by adding Transport under her area of responsibility.

 

RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Hudspeth, seconded by Councillor Heathcoat and carried nem con) to note the delegations made by the Leader of the Council with regard to the functions of the Cabinet.

37/19

Officer Scheme of Delegation pdf icon PDF 119 KB

Report by the Director of Law & Governance (CC14)

 

At its Annual Meeting, Council is required to agree the officer scheme of delegation within the Council's Constitution.

 

Since the approval of the officer scheme of delegation at last year’s Annual Meeting (May 2018), the Council has entered into a partnership with Cherwell District Council.  Certain changes have been made to the senior management team as a result of this partnership or through natural succession following changes in personnel.  Some of the titles have changed since the last scheme of delegation was approved, however the actual scheme of delegation remains essentially the same. 

 

The Council’s Transformation Programme may also have some implications for delegated activity later in the year but not at this time: questions of delegation would be considered as part of the governance implications of any such decisions.

 

Council is RECOMMENDED to approve the Officer Scheme of Delegation (Part 7.2 of the Constitution) as in the Annex 2 to this report. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

At its Annual Meeting, Council was required to agree the officer scheme of delegation within the Council's Constitution.

 

Since the approval of the officer scheme of delegation at last year’s Annual Meeting (May 2018), the Council had entered into a partnership with Cherwell District Council.  Certain changes had been made to the senior management team as a result of this partnership or through natural succession following changes in personnel.  Some of the titles had changed since the last scheme of delegation was approved, however the actual scheme of delegation remains essentially the same. 

 

RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Sibley, seconded by Councillor Howson and carried new con) to approve the Officer Scheme of Delegation (Part 7.2 of the Constitution) as in the Annex 2 to the report.