Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/099

Contact: Maggie Scott, Head of Policy Tel: (01865) 816081

Report by Leader of the Council (CA7).

To consider the expression of interest for devolution to Oxfordshire that was submitted to government on 4 September and refer this report on to Council on 3 November for a full debate.

Cabinet are asked to:

(a)      note the current position in discussions regarding devolution of powers to Oxfordshire, as set out in this paper; and

(b)      agree that a debate should be held at full council on 3 November on this issue in order to understand all members' views.

Recommendations agreed.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the expression of interest for devolution to Oxfordshire that was submitted to government on 4 September.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Opposition Leader, indicated that the Labour Group was supportive of the proposal in principle but that there were several issues to consider. This included how the bid was to be funded. Councillor Brighouse noted that Greater Manchester had seen a large amount of funding pumped into their bid and she doubted that this level of funding would be available nationally. She referred to issues around skills and employment and that the proposal were quite narrow in this regard and yet there were other relevant aspects such as social care and education. Upskilling needed to look at both valuable social jobs as well as technically skilled jobs and should focus on local development. She highlighted differences between Oxfordshire and Greater Manchester and in particular that on health Oxfordshire were net importers. Real intelligence was needed to inform the shape of the bid.

The Leader introduced the contents of the report stressing that the situation was very fast moving. He paid tribute to the way in which all the Councils in Oxfordshire had come together to make the bid possible. Each Council would now need to take it through their own decision making body. He highlighted that only half of the bids going forward had included health and that this was an exciting prospect. It was important that all councillors were able to make their views known.

During discussion a note of caution was sounded in relation to the 100% retention of the business rate. This had to be financially neutral and there was the possibility that Oxfordshire would receive less given the need to fund poorer areas in the north of the country. Maggie Scott explained that the position was changing and there should be no assumption that funding methods would remain fixed. Other funding mechanisms were being explored.

RESOLVED:           to:

(a)      note the current position in discussions regarding devolution of powers to Oxfordshire, as set out in this paper; and

(b)      agree that a debate should be held at full council on 3 November on this issue in order to understand all members' views.