Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

There were none declared.

Any county councillor may, by giving notice to the Proper Officer by 9 am three working days before the meeting, ask a question on an item on the agenda.

The number of questions which may be asked by any councillor at any one meeting is limited to two (or one question with notice and a supplementary question at the meeting) and the time for questions will be limited to 30 minutes in total. As with questions at Council, any questions which remain unanswered at the end of this item will receive a written response.

Questions submitted prior to the agenda being despatched are shown below and will be the subject of a response from the appropriate Cabinet Member or such other councillor or officer as is determined by the Cabinet Member, and shall not be the subject of further debate at this meeting. Questions received after the despatch of the agenda, but before the deadline, will be shown on the Schedule of Addenda circulated at the meeting, together with any written response which is available at that time.

There none received.

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Cabinet Member: Economy and Place

Forward Plan Ref: 2026/089

Non-key decision

Contact: Katie Parnell, Planning Policy Innovation Team Leader (Katie.Parnell@oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Report by Director of Economy and Place

The Cabinet Member is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    Note that Innovate Oxfordshire’s business model includes the

provision of time-limited, innovation-related services externally for payment.

b)    Delegate authority to the Director of Economy and Place to agree to the provision of services to third parties by Innovate Oxfordshire, within the Director’s financial delegations, on the basis set out in paragraph 10, in consultation with the Executive Director of Resources and s151 Officer (Deputy Chief Executive) and the Director or Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer.

c)    Note that external activity will be approved on a case-by-case basis and priced primarily on a full cost recovery basis (including overheads), on the basis set out in paragraph 17.

d)    Note that the Council may invoice for current external work

undertaken by Innovate Oxfordshire on a full cost recovery basis.

The Cabinet  Member considered the report which indicated that Innovate Oxfordshire was the Council’s self-funding innovation service, providing time-limited innovation-related support aligned to council priorities. Innovate Oxfordshire did not currently have the specific approval and delegated authority under financial regulations and delegation was therefore sought in this regard. The report therefore, sought the Cabinet Member’s approval for Innovate Oxfordshire to provide such services externally for payment and, where lawful and appropriate, to trade with third parties, supported by appropriate officer delegation.

Resolved to:

a)    Note that Innovate Oxfordshire’s business model includes the

provision of time-limited, innovation-related services externally for payment.

b)    Delegate authority to the Director of Economy and Place to agree to 

the provision of services to third parties by Innovate Oxfordshire, within the Director’s financial delegations, on the basis set out in paragraph 10, in consultation with the Executive Director of Resources and s151 Officer (Deputy Chief Executive) and the Director or Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer.

c)    Note that external activity will be approved on a case-by-case basis

and priced primarily on a full cost recovery basis (including overheads), on the basis set out in paragraph 17.

d)    Note that the Council may invoice for current external work

undertaken by Innovate Oxfordshire on a full cost recovery basis.

Cabinet Member: Economy and Place

Forward Plan Ref: 2026/083

Non-key decision

Contact: Mark Saunders, Energy Systems and Investment Manager (Mark.Saunders@oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Report by Director of Economy and Place

The Cabinet Member is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    Agree that the Council enters into a sub-contract agreement with Space Clipper for the purpose of supporting delivery of an innovation project to improve visualisation of Local Area Energy Plans and EV charge point plans.

The Cabinet Member considered a report which indicated that Oxfordshire County Council was approached by software developers Space Clipper last year to act as a sub-contractor in a bid Space Clipper were making for funding from UK Research and Innovation. The bid was to trial how the rapid development of 3D visualisations from GIS based systems can be used by local authorities to improve stakeholder engagement. The bid was successful and following consideration of the sub-contract by council officers; the council is now in a position to sign the sub-contract agreement. Approval was therefore sought  to enter into that subcontract.

Resolved to:

a)    Agree that the Council enters into a sub-contract agreement with Space Clipper for the purpose of supporting delivery of an innovation project to improve visualisation of Local Area Energy Plans and EV charge point plans.