Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/030

Contact: Daw Pettis, Strategic Planning Team Leader Tel: 07771 983395

Report by Corporate Director Communities and Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA7).

As a partner of the Growth Board, the County Council has been part of the commissioning and development of a new Oxfordshire Strategic Vision for Long-Term Sustainable Development. The Growth Board published a draft Vision document for engagement in November which was considered by Cabinet on 15 December. The reports sets out Oxfordshire’s Strategic Vision for agreement.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)           Agree the final Oxfordshire’s Strategic Vision for Long Term sustainable Development (attached at Annex 1), noting that it was endorsed by the Oxfordshire Growth Board at its meeting on 22 March.

(b)           Consider agreeing the Vision as the basis for informing future county council plans and strategy development, notably the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP), the Oxfordshire Infrastructure Strategy (OXIS) and the future Nature Recovery Network Strategy.

(c)           Note the implications and observations outlined in paragraphs 13 to 25 in this report.

Recommendations agreed.

As a partner of the Growth Board, the County Council has been part of the commissioning and development of a new Oxfordshire Strategic Vision for Long-Term Sustainable Development. The Growth Board published a draft Vision document for engagement in November which was considered by Cabinet on 15 December. The report before Cabinet set out Oxfordshire’s Strategic Vision for agreement.

Councillor Damian Haywood, Shadow Cabinet Member for Highways Delivery and Operations welcomed the report many elements of which he liked, including the reference to reducing inequalities and the changes to the narrow definition of growth following feedback. However, he did have several concerns including:

·       the role of the document as it stated that it was not intended to replace specific visions by partner organisations and whether this meant that it could be ignored;

·       how the document fitted in to the national framework and timescales on sustainability/climate goals;

·       when the detail would be coming forward that made the vision specific to Oxfordshire;

·       that whilst understanding that this was a strategic rather than an operational document there was no indication of how the vision was to be achieved; and

·       concern that there had not been enough consultation and engagement to ensure that communities were part of the vision and concern that there were insufficient resources to enable that consultation and engagement to take place.

Councillor Hudspeth, Leader of the Council commented on the background to the development of the Growth Board and that it had been instrumental in the success of bidding to Government for funding on growth and infrastructure. He noted that all the Councils were responsible for their respective planning and transport powers and so the document could not dictate how the vision would be achieved.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment (including Transport) moved the recommendations.

Anita Bradley, Director of Law & Governance, responding to a query in relation to paragraph 14 of the report that stated the decision be taken before the pre-election period, confirmed that it was appropriate for the decision to be taken today during the pre-election period.

RESOLVED:           to:

(a)           agree the final Oxfordshire’s Strategic Vision for Long Term sustainable Development (attached at Annex 1), noting that it was endorsed by the Oxfordshire Growth Board at its meeting on 22 March;

(b)           consider agreeing the Vision as the basis for informing future county council plans and strategy development, notably the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP), the Oxfordshire Infrastructure Strategy (OXIS) and the future Nature Recovery Network Strategy; and

(c)           note the implications and observations outlined in paragraphs 13 to 25 in this report.