Agenda

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 30 June 2026 (CC1).

To make any changes to the membership of scrutiny and other committees on the nomination of political groups and to note any changes to the Cabinet made by the Leader of the Council.

Members of the public who wish to speak on an item on the agenda at this meeting, or present a petition, can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. Requests must be submitted no later than 9am three working days before the meeting i.e., 9am on Thursday 3 September 2026. Requests to speak should be sent to committeesdemocraticservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk

If you are speaking ‘virtually’, you may submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that if the technology fails, then your views can still be taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9am on the day of the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

The deadline to submit questions is 9am, five working days before the meeting i.e. 9am Tuesday 1 September 2026.

Report from the Leader of the Council.

The report summarises the decisions from the Cabinet meetings held on 16 June 2026, 14 July 2026 and 28 July 2026.

Report by the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer)

This report sets out the Treasury Management position at 31 March 2026.  Throughout the report, the performance for the year is measured against the budget agreed by Council in February 2025.

Council is RECOMMENDED to note the council’s treasury management activity and outcomes in 2025/26.

Report by the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

The report will be circulated on Monday 7 September 2026 based on the outcome of the by-election in the division of Chesterton and Launton on 3 September 2026.

Report by the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer

The Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer has made a number of amendments to the Constitution for clarification, to reflect legislation, and to give effect to decisions made by Council and decisions made by the Leader of the Council.

Council is RECOMMENDED to

a)           Note the amendments undertaken by the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer, in accordance with Part 7.2 of the Constitution (Scheme of Delegation to Officers), paragraph 6.4 (v) as set out in Annex 1 to this report;

b)           Request the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer to ensure the necessary changes are made; and

c)           Note that a final edit of the Constitution covering layout and grammar will be undertaken prior to publication.

MOTIONS WITH NOTICE FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

WOULD MEMBERS PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY AMENDMENTS TO MOTIONS WITH NOTICE MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE PROPER OFFICER IN WRITING BY 9.00 AM ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE MEETING

Council recognises that access to high-quality healthcare is fundamental to the wellbeing of Oxfordshire residents and that the County Council has an important role in supporting its anchor partners in the NHS to improve local services.

The Council understands the importance of ensuring that high-quality cancer treatment remains accessible closer to home. The Brodey Cancer Centre in Banbury is integral to our shared ambition. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust identified a building on the Horton General Hospital site over two years ago as an appropriate location for the re-housing of the Brodey.

Council therefore resolves to:

1. Express its support for the re-housing of the Brodey Cancer Centre into the identified, refurbished building on the Horton General Hospital site.

2. Request that the Leader of the Council writes to Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust to urge the necessary steps for the relocation to be taken expeditiously and to request a clear timetable for the re-housing project be shared with the Council and the public by the Trust.

Large-scale developments continue to be approved and built while roads, water, sewerage and electricity capacity often fail to keep pace. Developers also frequently build infrastructure, including roads and sewers, which are never formally adopted by the Highway Authority or water company, leaving residents reliant on unmaintained systems with no clear responsibility for upkeep.

Statutory undertakers such as Thames Water are only consultees on planning applications. Under the Water Industry Act 1991 they cannot lawfully refuse a connection on capacity grounds, even where evidence suggests they should. This is acknowledged by water companies, Ofwat and the Environment Agency, yet national housing targets take no account of it.

This council has statutory responsibilities over important infrastructure considerations such as flooding and highways, but we should also be representing residents’ serious concerns over national planning policy to ensure timely provision and adoption of local infrastructure.

This Council believes that government cannot keep ignoring contradictions between housing targets and infrastructure capacity. This impacts new and existing communities and undermines the credibility of planning decisions. We should also consider more robust mechanisms to ensure adoption standards, safety audits and materials.

Council therefore requests that:

1. The Leader writes to the Secretaries of State for Housing and DEFRA calling for housing targets to be matched to genuine infrastructure capacity.
   
   
2. Cabinet reviews our Section 38 agreements to ensure appropriate development standards are applied and, where possible, to ensure adoption of infrastructure is achieved in the timeliest and most efficient way possible.

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution.

This Council:

• Recognises the county was officially declared in drought after multiple heatwaves this summer.      
• Notes the number of wildfires and uncontrolled burns that have been linked to extreme heat and dry conditions.
• Recognises these conditions are very different to those experienced previously and may set a new pattern due to climate change.
• Seeks to support and protect our fire service, our communities, and our rural landscape which is susceptible to uncontrolled burning.

Council therefore:

1.            Asks the Cabinet Member for Resources to work with the Fire and Rescue Service and the Fire Brigades Union to understand their needs considering the conditions they now face.

2.            Asks Cabinet to consider measures to minimise the risk of uncontrolled fires by:

a.    Ensuring that wildfire prevention and management is a priority for the Climate Adaptation Team;

b.    Working with rural communities to reduce the risk of outbreaks in open country;

c.    Reviewing the management of verges and land owned by the Council taking this into account;

d.    Working with Trading Standards and Licencing Authorities to ensure the sale of fireworks, and firework displays are managed responsibly.

3.            Requests the Leader of the Council writes to the appropriate Minister to request resources ensuring our fire service is equipped to fight fires like these at scale, urging them to work with other governments nationally and internationally to understand best practice, including the idea of a total fire ban when required, and a broad approach to reducing the risk of fire.

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution.

This Council notes:

1.    Social Care is one of the biggest issues of our time. The system is unsustainable.

2.    The Prime Minister has committed to fixing the broken social care system by working across party lines, and drawing a line under decades of governments leaving this issue unaddressed.

3.    Baroness Louise Casey, chair of the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, has launched the Big Conversation on Care.

This Council welcomes:

4.    The Independent Commission on Adult Social Care commitment to bring forward its reporting timetable by a year, recognising the urgency for lasting reform felt by all relying on and working in the system.

5.    The Prime Minister's willingness to reach across party lines, and the engagement of all opposition parties with this process, in the belief that a problem of this scale will only be solved through a settlement built to outlast any single Parliament.

This Council resolves to ask Cabinet to:

6.    Promote the Big Conversation on Care across Oxfordshire.

7.    Offer full support and participation in the conversation whether that is through local engagement events, sharing local data and case studies etc.

8.    Work constructively with all political groups recognising that social care reform will only endure if it is built on cross-party consensus.

9.    Council also asks the Leader to send a report to the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the outcomes of local engagement with the Big Conversation on Care, and on the Commission's findings as they are published

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution.