Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jenny Hannaby.

- guidance note below

There were none.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on  27 January 2026 (CA3) and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2026 were approved as a correct record.

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

See attached.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. 

To facilitate ‘hybrid’ meetings we are asking that requests to speak or present a petition are submitted by no later than 9am four working days before the meeting.  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 your views are taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9am 2 working days before the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

There were none.

Cabinet noted the following appointments:-

Cllr Ben Higgins had been appointed to the Music Service Hub Board.

Cllr Gareth Epps had been appointed to the Children’s Trust Board.

Cabinet will receive the following reports:-

People Overview and Scrutiny Committee report on Oxfordshire Unpaid Carers Strategy

Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee report on Social Value Policy

Councillor Ian Snowdon, Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented the report on Oxfordshire Unpaid Carers Strategy.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Chair of the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented the report on Social Value Policy.

Cabinet received the reports and will respond in due course.

Cabinet Member: Finance, Property and Transformation

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/252

Contact: Max Button, Sustainable Supply Chain Office

Max.button@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Director of Finance and Commercial Services (CA8)

This item updates the existing Social Value Policy and significantly changes the way the Council deals with social value, moving away from working with a third party to an entirely in house system. This allows the Council to better align its social value priorities with Council strategic objectives.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a) Approve the Oxfordshire County Council Social Value Policy (Annex 1).

b) Agree to move the council’s social value approach in- house, transitioning away from third- party delivery and/or platforms, to enable a more streamlined approach hat better aligns to the council’s Strategic Plan 2025–2028 priorities.

Cabinet had before it a report recommending approval of  a new Oxfordshire County Council Social Value Policy and transfer of the council’s social value work in‑house, ending reliance on external platforms. This shift aimed to streamline processes, reduce costs, and better align social value activity with the council’s Strategic Plan 2025–2028.

Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation presented the report.

Councillor Levy highlighted the benefits of the proposals such as flexibility, alignment with local priorities, and minor financial savings from not using third-party assessors. The policy defined five priorities: early careers opportunities, supported employment, local area regeneration, youth engagement, and healthy lives, with procurement tenders above £100,000 required to address at least two priorities. Suppliers would be required to submit a social value delivery plan with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound commitments, and exemptions are provided for certain contracts, such as those under 12 months or limited to voluntary, charity, or social enterprise organisations.

During discussion members

·       expressed support for the with Scrutiny Committee recommendations to embed social value holistically, link with economic strategy and community wealth building, and collaborate with local anchor institutions such as the Oxford Inclusive Economy Partnership.

·       highlighted the role of the Business Intellectual Property Centre in supporting small and start-up businesses, aligning with the policy's aim to encourage local employment and support smaller contracts.

Councillor Levy moved and Councillor Roberts seconded the recommendations and they were approved.

RESOLVED to:-

a)    Approve the Oxfordshire County Council Social Value Policy (Annex 1).

 b) Agree to move the council’s social value approach in- house, transitioning away from third- party delivery and/or platforms, to enable a more streamlined approach that better aligns to the council’s Strategic Plan 2025–2028 priorities.

Cabinet Member: Place, Environment and Climate Action

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/147

Contact: Ariane Crampton, Climate Policy and Partnership Manager

Report by Director of Economy and Place (CA9)

Refresh of the Council’s Climate Action Framework. The previous one was adopted 2020.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:-

a)    Approve the Oxfordshire Climate Action Framework 2026-2030.

Cabinet had before it a report on the Oxfordshire Climate Action Framework (CAF) 2026-2030 which outlined the council’s vision for achieving a greener, fairer, and healthier county. The framework built on on previous work and aimed for carbon neutrality in council operations by 2030 and net zero emissions countywide by the 2040s, integrating emissions reduction, resilience, nature recovery, and waste reduction with a collaborative approach.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, presented the report.

The Head of Climate Action and Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Policy and Project Lead gave a presentation on the main aspects of the framework.

The framework emphasised collaboration with businesses, anchor institutions, community groups, and the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership, aiming for a holistic programme benefiting residents and supporting sustainable growth. It was organised around eight themes, including green skills, sustainable transport, energy and buildings, nature recovery, and waste, with delivery priorities such as skills boot camps, retrofit programmes, EV charging expansion, and landscape-scale nature projects.

During discussion, Cabinet members referred to the challenges in meeting climate targets, particularly in transport and housing, the need for more robust action and influence over external stakeholders, and the importance of continued lobbying for national funding. Examples of progress included the introduction of electric buses, commitments to zero-carbon developments, and the use of policy tools such as congestion charges and traffic filters to support climate goals, but members acknowledged the need for further action.

Councillor Roberts moved and Councillor Gregory seconded the recommendation, and it was approved.

RESOLVED to approve the Oxfordshire Climate Action Framework 2026-2030.

Cabinet Member: Resources and Deputy Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/035

Contact: Nathan Phillips, Data and Insight Team Manager

Nathan.phillips@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Director of HR & Cultural Change (CA10)

Quarterly staffing report providing details of key people numbers and analysis of main changes since the previous report.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the report.

Cabinet had before it a report which provided an overview of the progress towards delivering the Our People and Culture Strategy (as measured by the achievement of its key performance indicators).  The report summarised the main employee-related trends for Q3 2025/26 and reviewed trends over the last four quarters.

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Cabinet Member for Resources and Deputy Leader, presented the report. Councillor Fawcett referred, in particular, to improvements in recruitment processes. There had been a slight increase in agency spend because of ongoing challenges in recruiting to hard-to-fill roles including legal staff and educational psychologists.

The Council continued to maintain a high percentage of apprenticeship levy spending, particularly in adult and children's social care. Stress and mental health remain the leading causes of staff sickness, reflecting a national trend, and the Council was continuing efforts to support staff well-being.

During discussion, Cabinet members noted the need for deeper analysis of agency staff data by department and anticipated challenges in recruitment as local government reorganisation approached.

Councillor Fawcett moved and Councillor Higgins seconded the recommendation.

RESOLVED to note the report.

Cabinet Member: All

Contact Officer: Chris Reynolds, Senior Democratic Services Officer, chris.reynolds@oxfordshire.gov.uk

The Cabinet Procedure Rules provide that the business of each meeting at the Cabinet is to include “updating of the Forward Plan and proposals for business to be conducted at the following meeting”.   Items from the Forward Plan for the immediately forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet appear in the Schedule at CA.  This includes any updated information relating to the business for those meetings that has already been identified for inclusion in the next Forward Plan update.

The Schedule is for noting, but Cabinet Members may also wish to take this opportunity to identify any further changes they would wish to be incorporated in the next Forward Plan update.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings.

The Cabinet considered a list of items for the immediately forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet together with changes and additions set out in the schedule of addenda.

RESOLVED to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings.

Infrastructure Funding Statement and s.106

Movement and Place Plans

Cabinet noted the following responses to Scrutiny items:-

Infrastructure Funding Statement s.106

Movement and Place Plans