Decisions

To consider and respond to the recommendations from the Performance Scrutiny Committee deep dive into Oxfordshire’s falling household recycling rates.

Cabinet agreed to:

(a)          Consider and note the recommendations of the Performance Scrutiny Committee for the Council;

(b)Agree which recommendations the Cabinet will accept; and

(b)       Ask the Director for Planning and Place, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment to prepare a response for the next meeting of the Performance Scrutiny Committee based on the comments made.

To determine the Home to School Transport Policy for Oxfordshire.

Cabinet agreed:

1.    The decision on transport for Special Educational Needs as originally set out at Minute 68/18, resolution 1(a) and (b) be deferred until late Autumn school term to allow discussion;

2.    To agree the following proposals for all students:

(a)          To agree the ending of the current arrangements giving subsidised travel to Post 16 students to Henley College and to implement this change from September 2018.

(b)          To agree that from September 2018 free travel should be provided for those students who have been placed at an alternative education provider if the places have been paid for by Oxfordshire County Council and the distance from home to the placement is over the statutory walking distance or the route is unsafe to walk even if accompanied, as necessary, by a responsible adult.

(c)          To confirm the increased charges for the Spare Seat Scheme for 2018/19 and 2019/20 and agree an increase in the charges for the Spare Seat Scheme of 2% in 2020/21, 2% in 2021/2022 and a further 2% in 2022/23. 

(d)          To agree to the continuation of free travel for children of secondary school age who live at RAF Benson to Icknield Community College and to agree to annually review this arrangement.

(e)          To introduce the new Home to School Travel and Transport Policy for those aged 5 to 16.

3.    A Cabinet Advisory Group be set up to consider the issues raised.

Noted.

To report on a quarterly basis any executive decisions taken under the specific powers and functions delegated under the terms of Part 7.2 (Scheme of Delegation to Officers) of the Council’s Constitution – Paragraph 6.3(c)(i).  It is not for scrutiny call-in.

Noted.

To seek agreement of the award of Innovation Funding as per agreed decision making process and to seek approval for criteria used in the application form.

Recommendations agreed.

To seek approval of future options for Cogges Manor Farm.

Recommendations agreed, together with an additional recommendation (f) set out below:

(f)   to note that the Council has the ability to buy back the property for £1 (one pound) in the event that the Buyer wishes to dispose of a significant interest in the property or the property ceases to be open to the members of the public in accordance with the user restriction.

6. Councillor Emma Turnbull

Councillor Liz Brighouse

7. Councillor Glynis Phillips

8. Michael Hugh Jones

Councillor Glynis Phillips

9. Councillor Liz Brighouse

Councillor Liz Leffman

10. Councillor Liz Brighouse

11. Councillor Sobia Afridi

12. Judy Niner, Chairman of Cogges Museum 

Councillor Mark Lygo

See attached annex.

Agreed and signed.

Councillor Lindsay-Gale declared an interest on Item 12, Cogges Manor Farm as a Trustee of Cogges Museum.

Financial report on capital spending against budget allocations, including any necessary capital programme approvals.

Recommendations agreed.

Owen Jenkins undertook to produce an information sheet explaining highway maintenance terms.

Financial report on revenue spending against budget allocations, including virements between budget heads.

Recommendations agreed.

To seek agreement to consider engaging with an external provider to deliver expert advisory services to the Council over the next 3 years.

Recommendations agreed.

The recommendations were agreed by 41 votes to 11.

There were none.

There were none.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Atkins, Billington, Field-Johnson, Johnson, E Smith, R Smith, Reynolds and Walker.

With the consent of Council, Councillor David Bartholomew moved an alteration to the recommendations at the suggestion of Councillor Liz Brighouse as shown in bold underline below:

Council is RECOMMENDED to approve the use of the £123,909 underspend on the Transition fund for open access children’s services which will be transferred to and until required for this purpose transfer to the Budget Priorities Reserve until required.

With the Consent of Council, Councillor Liz Brighouse moved an alteration to her Motion as shown in bold italics/strikethrough below:

ThisCouncil believes that children withSEND should nothave theirtransport to andfrom schoolsand associatedactivities cut. This Transportenhances theirlivesand enablestheir parentsto workand contributeto the economy.

TheCouncil asksthe Directorfor Children's Services toconsider,with theaffected Schools'Heads and otherinterestedparties, thisissuein order tocome up withother optionsto curtailthese costsrather thanwithdrawingprovision fromthese vulnerable children andtheir families.Such options toincludeworking withschools tomaximise theuse ofthe maintenance grantsand looking at alternativeprocurement -practicesincluding better useof theintegratedtransport service.

· Theresults ofthis workto be consideredby the EducationScrutiny Committee·as partof theirpolicydevelopment role beforebeing determinationat CabinetCouncil endorses theuse ofAny shortfallin thebudget tobe fundedfromreserves in theeventofany shortfallintheBudgetuntilsuchtimeas all theoptions havebeen considered.

Cabinetis requestedtodefer implementationofthe recent changesto thehometo schooltransport policyuntil·these alternativeoptionshavebeen diligentlypursued and_evaluated."

The motion as amended was carried by 51 votes to 0, with 7 abstentions.

The time being 3.30, this motion was considered dropped in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.1.

With the Consent of Council, Councillor Webber withdrew his Motion.

The time being 3.30, this motion was considered dropped in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.1.

With the consent of Council, Councillor Fox-Davies moved an alteration to his motion at the suggestion of Councillor Bob Johnston as shown in strikethrough below:

The Thames Water Draft Resources Management Plan (dWRMP19), consultation was opened on the 8th. February and closed on the 29th April. The plan proposes a new reservoir near Abingdon to serve the forecast needs of not only the Thames Water area, but also the wider South East.

The consultation response from OCC looks for clarification on:-

•   the population forecast figures;

•   how much water will be sold to other water companies

how Thames Water will speed up their programme of leakage reduction

This Council supports the position of- GARD in response to the plan which asks Thames Water to:-

•   Reduce leakage by half by 2050

•     Improve water-use efficiency to match the norms of other companies

•     Provide a proper analysis of water available through other measures, including Teddington DRA; Severn Trent water transfer and water re-use.

Which together should together solve the water shortage issue and provide a 1 in 200 severity drought resilience.

And calls on the Leader of the Council to write to Thames Water, Defra, the Environment Agency and Ofwat, requesting that a second consultation be undertaken due to incomplete information or errors on the information used to base their recommendations."

The motion as amended was carried unanimously.

The time being 3.30, this motion was considered dropped in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.1.

Council received the report of the Cabinet.

In relation to paragraph 5 of the report (Adult Social Care Contributions Policy) (Question from Councillor Afridi to Councillor Stratford) Councillor Stratford undertook to provide Councillor Afridi with a written answer on how many assessments have now taken place and how many residents have been adversely affected by the Policy.

In relation to paragraph 6 of the report (Area Highway Operations in the City Council Authority Boundary – Agency Agreement) (Question from Councillor Buckley to Councillor Constance) Councillor Constance undertook to provide greater clarity in the form of written guidance to officers and members around how the new process is going to work in relation to the Agency Agreement and who is responsible for what.

In relation to paragraph 8 of the report (Thames Water – Draft Water Resources Management Plan 2019) (Question from Councillor Mathew to Councillor Constance) Councillor Constance undertook to investigate the issue of Sewer Flooding through Cabinet or CAG.

In relation to paragraph 12 of the report (Provisional 2017/18 Revenue and Capital Outturn) (Question from Councillor Howson to Councillor Bartholomew) Councillor Bartholomew undertook to provide Councillor Howson with a written answer in relation to whether the £0.2m overspend referred to at 55.5 could be reclaimed from Network Rail or central government. 

The recommendations were agreed nem con.

The recommendations were agreed nem con.

The recommendations were agreed nem con.

The recommendations were agreed by 45 votes to 14.

The motion was carried by 23 votes 19, with 13 abstentions.

With the Consent of Council, Councillor Bartington moved an alteration to her Motion as shown in bold italics/strikethrough below:

Therate ofglobal plasticproductionhas increasedinrecent yearswithanestimated 8-12milliontonnesofplastic enteringtheworld'soceanseachyear.  Plasticproductionandpollutiononthisscale isunsustainable andharmfultoour planet,healthandwildlife.

"This Councilwelcomes theproposals bytheGovernmentplans toreducewaste fromsingleuseplastics(SUP’S)including_atoban onthe saleofplasticstrawsplasticstirrers andplastic-Stemmedcotton budsand consultationfor extension ofthe 5p plasticbag·chargeandintroductionofa bottledeposit return scheme. Theseproposals, demonstratethe government's commitment· withinthe25-yearEnvironmentPlanto eliminating all avoidable reduce the use of plastic waste by 2042.

ThisCouncil asks resolves to worktowardseliminationofall avoidableplastic wasteand callsupon the that CabinetMemberforEnvironmenttobringcomes-forward proposalsby with arealistic timetableto stop'usingplastic straw,platic stirrers,  plasticcotton.bud,non recyclable cupsand singleuse plasticsby the Autumn2018 to:           ·

ThisCouncilasks·thattheLeaderoftheCouncil writeto the Secretaryof Statefor Environment congratulating himonhis p_rogressiveproposals:"

(i)Phase outtheuseofavoidableSUPsin allCounty Councilpremises.

(ii)·Workwithcontractedpartners toendpurchaseandprocurementofavoidableSUPsthrough theCouncilsupply chain._

(iii)lncentivisetraderson CountyCouncil sitesto avoidSUPs asa conditionoftheirevent permission.

The motion as amended was carried unanimously.

10 Questions with Notice were asked.  Details of the questions and answers and supplementary questions and answers will be set out in the annex to the minutes.

In relation to question 4 (Question from Councillor Howson to Councillor Hilary Hibbert-Biles) Councillor Hibbert-Biles undertook to write to the Regional School Commissioner to ask them how many EU teachers are employed in academies in Oxfordshire, cautioning that they were not obliged to respond.

In relation to question 5 (Question from Councillor Howson to Councillor Hilary Hibbert-Biles) Councillor Hibbert-Biles undertook to ask the Learning and Skills Council for an assurance that they would not be pulling funding from the Swan School due to the current delay in planning permission.

Question from Dr Al Chisolm to Councillor Ian Hudspeth (attached at Annex 1).

Dr D Stork CPhys FinstP Hon Chairman, Group Against Resevoir Development spoke in support of Agenda Item 18 (Motion by Councillor Mike Fox-Davies).

There were none.

There were none.

There were none.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Atkins, Billington, Johnson and Walker.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 15 May 2018 were approved as an accurate record, subject to the correction printed on the Schedule of Business.