Issue - meetings

Any county councillor may, by giving notice to the Proper Officer by 9 am two working days before the meeting, ask a question on any matter in respect of the Cabinet Member’s delegated powers.

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.

Councillor Nick Hards

Please would the Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy provide an update regarding the negotiations with South Oxfordshire District Council over their plans for redeveloping the east end of Lydalls Road, particularly the proposal to alter the junction between Lydalls Road and  Station Road. The latest amendment to planning application reference P15/S2159/O refers to a possible shared use surface at the east end junction between Lydalls Road and Station Road and some clarity about what exactly is being discussed would be appreciated by the local residents.”

Reply from the Leader of the Council (deputising for the Cabinet Member for Environment)

 “Oxfordshire County Council deadline for responding to the application is 19^th January, therefore Transport Development Control officers haven’t yet fully assessed the application at this point in time.

The outline idea of closing access at Lydalls Road junction with Station Road is one that has been discussed and accepted in principle, subject to the transport assessment. The shared use space would be used to help wayfinding from the station to the town centre and give more room over to pedestrians and cyclists, thus creating an improved movement space. This is an outline application with all matters (apart from access to the site) reserved, therefore the detail of the shared space area will come at a later stage - subjected to the outline planning application being consented. If consented, there will be opportunity at a later date to review more plans of this area and provide comment upon them then.

We continue to work with the district council on the proposals for the area going forward”

Supplementary from Councillor Hards

“As the deadline for responding to the application is 19 January it seems obvious to me that some discussions will have been and are being held with South Oxfordshire District Council and it would be helpful if I could be given some indication of that discussion. Could the leader ask officers to do that?”

Response from the Leader of the Council

“I will ask officers to contact you.”

Councillor Nick Hards

Please would the Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy provide an update regarding the negotiations with South Oxfordshire District Council over their plans for redeveloping the east end of Lydalls Road, particularly the proposal to alter the junction between Lydalls Road and  Station Road. The latest amendment to planning application reference P15/S2159/O refers to a possible shared use surface at the east end junction between Lydalls Road and Station Road and some clarity about what exactly is being discussed would be appreciated by the local residents.”

Reply from the Leader of the Council (deputising for the Cabinet Member for Environment)

 “Oxfordshire County Council deadline for responding to the application is 19^th January, therefore Transport Development Control officers haven’t yet fully assessed the application at this point in time.

The outline idea of closing access at Lydalls Road junction with Station Road is one that has been discussed and accepted in principle, subject to the transport assessment. The shared use space would be used to help wayfinding from the station to the town centre and give more room over to pedestrians and cyclists, thus creating an improved movement space. This is an outline application with all matters (apart from access to the site) reserved, therefore the detail of the shared space area will come at a later stage - subjected to the outline planning application being consented. If consented, there will be opportunity at a later date to review more plans of this area and provide comment upon them then.

We continue to work with the district council on the proposals for the area going forward”

Supplementary from Councillor Hards

“As the deadline for responding to the application is 19 January it seems obvious to me that some discussions will have been and are being held with South Oxfordshire District Council and it would be helpful if I could be given some indication of that discussion. Could the leader ask officers to do that?”

Response from the Leader of the Council

“I will ask officers to contact you.”