Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2017 (CC1) and to receive information arising from them.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2017 were approved and signed subject to showing Councillor Ted Fenton under Apologies and Absence.

Matters Arising

At the suggestion of Councillor Webber, the Chairman agreed to ask officers to give further consideration to the follow-up mechanism used to report back on issues raised at Council.

Councillor Harris indicated that he was dissatisfied with the amendment to the last Minutes and that he wished to make it clear that his point was much more subtle than appeared in the Minutes.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bulmer, Clarke, Handley and Mathew.

The Chairman thanked all those who had given so generously for the Maggie’s Culture Crawl of Oxford which would be held on 29th September to raise funds for centres all over the country which had been set up to support anyone or their relatives and friends who are touched by cancer. Anyone who still wished to send a donation or join her was very welcome to do so and an email with a link to the JustGiving page would be sent round.

The Chairman reminded members that she would be holding her Charity dinner on Saturday 9th December at County Hall.  The Oxford Guild of Chefs would be producing the meal.   Any donations towards the charity auction and the raffle prizes would be welcome.

Council congratulated staff on being awarded an silver Employer Recognition Award which was part of a scheme which supported the work the Council undertake with reservists as part of the Army Covenant which was signed several years ago.  There was a cabinet displaying all the awards that we have collected on behalf on the Council in the Reception Area in the entrance of County Hall.

The Chairman drew attention to the magnificent Medieval Mosaic which went on display in the Grand Jury Room as part of the Open Doors event in Oxford over the weekend.  This piece of art was in the Guinness Book of Records and replicated the Bayeux Tapestry.   The mosaic would be on display for the next 3 months.

The Chairman encouraged all members to attend the safeguarding briefing  scheduled at the close of the Council meeting.

Council received the following petitions and public address:

Dr Sheikh Ramzy spoke in support of Agenda Item 16 (Motion from Councillor Jamila Azad calling for an independent review of hate crime legislation, including measures to tackle online hatred and abuse);

Mr Chris Church spoke in support of Agenda Item 15 (Motion from Councillor John Sanders) calling for a councillor-led inter-council Air Pollution Action Group to identify measures to reduce air pollution.

15 questions with notice were asked.  Details of the questions and answers and supplementary questions and answers (where asked) are set out in Annex 1 to the minutes.

In relation to question 5 (Question to Councillor Constance from Councillor Hannaby, Councillor Constance gave an undertaking to follow up on the suggestion that the Council extend its current maintenance Contract.

In relation to question 7 (Question to Councillor Hibbert-Biles from Councillor Howson, Councillor Hibbert-Biles gave an undertaking to include representations about funding for SEN transport now that the DfE is having a review on the Guidance in relation to SEN Transport.

In relation to question 10 (Question to Councillor Constance from Councillor John Sanders, Councillor Constance agreed to walk the route with Councillor Sanders to discuss the points raised in his question.

In relation to question 11 (Question to Councillor Constance from Councillor Pressel, Councillor Constance gave an undertaking to follow up with officers on how the Council worked with the City Council on the Botley Road improvements.

Report of the Cabinet Meeting held on 18 July 2017 (CC9).

Council received the report of the Cabinet.

In relation to paragraph 1 (Section 75 Agreement – Update 2017) (Question from Councillor Rooke to Councillor Stratford), Councillor Stratford undertook to provide Rooke with a written answer detailing what systems are in place to support staff through the process of the Care Quality Commission’s review of high DETOC figures in Oxon and should the result lead to a reduction in government funding, how will the Cabinet Member ensure that any loss to the pooled budget is geared in relation to the proportions of DETOC figures which are directly the responsibility of the County Council.

In relation to paragraph 1 (Section 75 Agreement – Update 2017) (Question from Councillor Price to Councillor Stratford), Councillor Stratford undertook to provide Price with a written answer detailing what elements of the pooled budget are contributing towards the care and support directly related to the now permenantly closed acute hospital beds and what the potential risks to the budget are now that the CCG now plan to close further beds.

In relation to paragraph 2 (City Centre Transport Improvements and Experimental Queen Street Closure) (Question from Councillor Johnston to Councillor Constance), Councillor Constance undertook to provide Councillor Johnston with a written answer detailing whether there are any contingency plans in place should the government decide not to close Queen Street.

In relation to paragraph 2 (City Centre Transport Improvements and Experimental Queen Street Closure) (Question from Councillor Howson to Councillor Constance), Councillor Constance undertook to provide Councillor Howson with a written answer detailing why the Westgate Travel Plan did not feature in the report that went to Cabinet in July and explaining why having spent £400,000 on the Worcester street junction the Council are spending more money redeveloping that junction again, despite the fact that councillors were told last week that there is going to be a joint County and City study with consultants to look at the whole problem of transport, pedestrians and cycling within the City and the cost of that Study.

Report by Director of Finance (CC10).

The report sets out the Treasury Management activity undertaken in the financial year 2016/17 in compliance with the CIPFA Code of Practice.  The report includes Debt and Investment activity, Prudential Indicator Outturn, Investment Strategy, and interest receivable and payable for the financial year.

Council is RECOMMENDED to note the Council’s Treasury Management Activity in 2016/17.

The Council had before them a report by the Chief Finance Officer (CC10) which set out the Treasury Management activity undertaken in the financial year 2016/17 in compliance with the CIPFA Code of Practice. The report included Debt and Investment activity, Prudential Indicator Outturn, Investment Strategy, and interest receivable and payable for the financial year.

Councillor Bartholomew moved and Councillor Hudspeth seconded the recommendations set out in the report and on the face of the agenda. 

Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was carried nem con.

RESOLVED: (nem con) to note the Council’s Treasury Management Activity in 2016/17.

Report by the Director for Planning and Place (CC11).

The County Council has a statutory duty to prepare a new Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan, to provide an effective planning strategy and policies for the supply of minerals and management of waste in the county, consistent with environmental, social and economic needs, to replace the existing Minerals and Waste Local Plan which was adopted in 1996. The Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 1 – Core Strategy (the Plan) was approved by the County Council in March 2015 and submitted for independent examination by a planning inspector in December 2015. Following a hearing held in September 2016, the Inspector issued an Interim Report.

The Interim Report provided the Inspector’s conclusions on the amounts of provision that need to be made for mineral working and waste management over the Plan period to 2031. He concluded that the provision for mineral working should be as the Council proposed in the submitted Plan, based on the Local Aggregate Assessment 2014. The Interim Report also covered certain legal and procedural matters, including the need for further Strategic Environmental Assessment / Sustainability Appraisal (SEA/SA) work to be undertaken and stated that modifications to the Plan needed to be proposed.

The further SEA/SA work required was undertaken and a comprehensive new SEA/SA report prepared. Proposed modifications to the Plan were drafted in response to the Inspector's Interim Report and in the light of representatons made on the Plan and discussion at the examination hearing and the further SA/SEA work. Following agreement by Cabinet in January 2017, the proposed modifications and the new SEA/SA report were published for public consultation in February 2017.

All responses to this consultation that were received by the Council were passed to the Inspector. The Inspector considered these responses and issued his Final Report on the examination of the Plan on 15 June 2017. The Inspector concludes that the Plan as submitted has a number of deficiencies in respect of soundness and legal compliance, which means that he recommends non-adoption of it as submitted, but that with his recommended main modifications the Plan satisfies legal requirements and meets the criteria for soundness and is capable of adoption.

The Inspector's Final Report confirms the findings of his Interim Report. His recommended main modifications are largely the same as the Council's proposed modifications that were published in February 2017 but he has made a small number of alterations to bring certain polices into line with national policy and ensure soundness of the Plan. The Council may now adopt the Plan but may only do so with the main modifications recommended by the Inspector and any additional modifications that do not affect the polices. A schedule of additional modifications has been drawn up. Adoption of the Plan requires a resolution of the Council. The Cabinet, on 18 July 2017, resolved to recommend to Council that the Core Strategy with the main modifications recommended by the Inspector and necessary additional modifications be  ...  view the full agenda text for item 154/17

“This Council notes that in spite of repeatedly advertising vacancies, the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group has been unable to recruit enough GPs and other clinical staff to meet local need.

Many patients now have to wait for at least 4 weeks for a non-emergency appointment with their GP. This is in part due to the difficulty of attracting GP’s to serve in rural areas, especially where house prices are high and GP premises require significant investment. It is a problem shared with other counties, and is acknowledged by the SPARSE Rural Group of the Rural Services Network, which  has given backing to a proposal to offer GPs a “rural weighting” as part of their remuneration.  Similar to the accepted practice of ‘London weighting’, such a scheme would aim to attract the needed physicians and in turn facilitate better provision of health services across the county.

This Council believes that a “rural weighting” is needed in order to attract GPs to the county and relieve pressure on accident and emergency services.  This Council therefore asks the Leader of the Council to request Oxfordshire MPs to lobby the Secretary of State for Health to introduce a scheme of ‘rural weighting’ for GPs who accept positions in rural counties such as Oxfordshire.”

Councillor Leffman moved and Councillor Rooke seconded the following Motion:

“This Council notes that in spite of repeatedly advertising vacancies, the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group has been unable to recruit enough GPs and other clinical staff to meet local need.

Many patients now have to wait for at least 4 weeks for a non-emergency appointment with their GP. This is in part due to the difficulty of attracting GP’s to serve in rural areas, especially where house prices are high and GP premises require significant investment. It is a problem shared with other counties, and is acknowledged by the SPARSE Rural Group of the Rural Services Network, which  has given backing to a proposal to offer GPs a “rural weighting” as part of their remuneration.  Similar to the accepted practice of ‘London weighting’, such a scheme would aim to attract the needed physicians and in turn facilitate better provision of health services across the county.

This Council believes that a “rural weighting” is needed in order to attract GPs to the county and relieve pressure on accident and emergency services.  This Council therefore asks the Leader of the Council to request Oxfordshire MPs to lobby the Secretary of State for Health to introduce a scheme of ‘rural weighting’ for GPs who accept positions in rural counties such as Oxfordshire.”

Councillor Brighouse moved and Councillor Price seconded the following amendment in bold italics and strikethrough:

“This Council notes that in spite of repeatedly advertising vacancies, the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group has been unable to recruit enough GPs and other clinical staff to meet local need.

Many patients now have to wait for at least 4 weeks for a non-emergency appointment with their GP. This is in part due to the difficulty of in attracting GP’s to serve in rural areas Oxfordshire, especially where house prices are high. and GP premises require significant investment. It is a problem shared with other counties, and is acknowledged by the SPARSE Rural Group of the Rural Services Network, which  has given backing to a proposal to offer GPs a “rural weighting” as part of their remuneration.  Similar to the accepted practice of ‘London weighting’, such a scheme Oxfordshire although a rural County has all the challenges in recruiting staff due to the cost of living as exists in London. Introducing a weighting scheme such as operates in London would aim to attract the much needed physicians and in turn facilitate better provision of health services across the County.

This Council believes that a “rural weighting” this is needed in order to attract GPs and other clinicians to the county and so relieve pressure on Accident and Emergency Services.  This Council therefore asks the Leader of the Council to request Oxfordshire MPs to lobby the Secretary of State for Health to introduce a “London Weighting” type  scheme of ‘rural weighting’ for GPs and clinical staff  who accept positions in rural counties such as Oxfordshire.”

Following debate, the amendment was put to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 155/17

"Oxfordshire County Council Highways Department needs at least £165 million pounds to get Oxfordshire roads fit for purpose. Unfortunately though, it has to work with a highways budget for Oxfordshire roads of around £20 million a year.

Council asks the leader of Oxfordshire County Council write to the Minister for Transport to ask that he give urgent consideration to the importance of extra funding for our failing roads in Oxfordshire.”

With the agreement of Council, Councillor Cherry moved and Councillor Reeves seconded his motion as amended at the suggestion of Councillor Reeves below in strikethrough:

"Oxfordshire County Council Highways Department needs at least £165 million pounds to get Oxfordshire roads fit for purpose. Unfortunately though, it has to work with a highways budget for Oxfordshire roads of around £20 million a year.

Council asks the leader of Oxfordshire County Council write to the Minister for Transport to ask that he give urgent consideration to the importance of extra funding for our failing roads in Oxfordshire.”

Councillor Smith moved and Councillor Johnston seconded the following amendment as shown below in bold italics and strikethrough:

"Oxfordshire County Council Highways Department needs at least £165 million pounds to get Oxfordshire roads fit for purpose. Unfortunately though, it has to work with a highways budget for Oxfordshire roads of around £20 million a year.

Council asks the leader of Oxfordshire County Council write to the Minister for Transport to ask that he give urgent consideration to the importance of extra funding for our failing roads in Oxfordshire.” Council also asks Cabinet to consider prudential borrowing as an additional way to ensure ongoing investment in our local roads”

Following debate, the amendment was put to the vote and was lost by 46 votes to 12, with 1 abstention.

The Substantive motion as amended was then put to the vote and was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED: (Unanimous)

"Oxfordshire County Council Highways Department needs at least £165 million pounds to get Oxfordshire roads fit for purpose. Unfortunately though, it has to work with a highways budget for Oxfordshire roads of around £20 million a year.

Council asks the leader of Oxfordshire County Council write to the Minister for Transport to ask that he give urgent consideration to the importance of extra funding for our roads in Oxfordshire.”

Oxfordshire has a growing number of children identified as having complex social, emotional and mental health needs. Some of these children have experienced conflict and need specialist psychological assessment, counselling or therapy to help them through the crisis and rebuild their lives.

The local CAMHS has been struggling to meet the needs of these young people. Figures for June 2017 show that only 53% of young people get their first routine appointment within 12 weeks of referral (target is 75%). There are currently 1,114 children waiting to access mental health services in Oxfordshire.

The CAMHS provides excellent care, but is a service currently unable to offer quick, flexible intervention to help young people in distress. This is having a detrimental effect on schools, which lack the expertise, training and resources to manage their pupils’ complex needs.

There is a real, growing need to provide young people in distress with access to one-to-one or group-based specialist services that help alleviate trauma and build resilience while they wait for longer term assessment. These services should be freely accessible to young people through the locality teams working from our family and children's centres.

This Council, recognising this need, calls on Cabinet to set up a specialist emotional and mental wellbeing service and allocate the necessary funds for it in the 2018 budget. This service would complement and support the mental health awareness work that is being done in schools, but would focus on providing rapid, flexible support for young people in distress.

With the consent of Council, Councillor Turnbull moved an alteration to her motion at the suggestion of Councillors Reeves and Johnson as follows in bold italics and strikethrough:

Oxfordshire has a growing number of children and young people (CYP) as having complex social, emotional and mental health needs. Some of these CYP have experienced conflict and all need timely access to services including specialist psychological assessment. Counselling or therapy to help them through the crisis and rebuild their lives.

The local CAMHS has been struggling to meet the needs of these young people. Figures for June 2017 show that only 53% of young people get their first routine appointment within 12 weeks of referral (target is 75%). There are currently 1,114 CYP waiting to access mental health services in Oxfordshire.

The CAMHS provides excellent care, but is a service currently unable to offer quick, flexible intervention to help young people in distress. This is having a detrimental effect on schools, which lack the expertise, training and resources to manage their pupils’ complex needs.

There is a real, growing need to provide young people in distress with access to one-to-one or group-based specialist services that help alleviate trauma and build resilience while they wait for longer term assessment and treatment. These services should be freely accessible to young people through the locality teams working from our family and children's centres.

This Council, recognising this urgent  need, calls on Cabinet to investigate the cost and practicality to set up a specialist emotional and mental wellbeing service for CYP for consideration in the 2018 budget. This service would complement and support the mental health awareness work that is being done in schools, but would focus on providing rapid, flexible support for young people in distress.

Following debate, the motion as amended was put to the vote and was carried by 55 votes to 0.

RESOLVED: (55 votes to 0)

“Oxfordshire has a growing number of children and young people (CYP) as having complex social, emotional and mental health needs. Some of these CYP have experienced conflict and all need timely access to services including specialist psychological assessment. Counselling or therapy to help them through the crisis and rebuild their lives.

The local CAMHS has been struggling to meet the needs of these young people. Figures for June 2017 show that only 53% of young people get their first routine appointment within 12 weeks of referral (target is 75%). There are currently 1,114 CYP waiting to access mental health services in Oxfordshire.

The CAMHS provides excellent care, but is a service currently unable to offer quick, flexible intervention to help young people in distress. This is having a detrimental effect on schools, which lack the expertise, training and resources to manage their pupils’ complex needs.

There is a real, growing need to provide young people in distress with access to one-to-one or group-based specialist services that help alleviate trauma and build resilience while they wait for longer term assessment and treatment. These  ...  view the full minutes text for item 157/17

“This Council welcomes in principle the Government’s announcement that it intends to ban the production of diesel and petrol-driven cars by the year 2040 in order to reduce the effects of air pollution on public health.    Recognising that, in the meanwhile, it is incumbent on all councils to play their part in reducing air pollution.

This Council instructs the Cabinet to co-operate with all Oxfordshire’s district councils urgently to identify measures that will reduce such pollution.  In particular, Council calls on Cabinet to propose  a councillor-led inter-council Air Pollution Action Group to produce plans for zero-emission or low-emission zones in areas of high air pollution such as in Oxford, Banbury and Didcot and to restrict the access of polluting traffic in such areas.”

The time being after 3.52 pm, motions 15, 16 and 17 were considered dropped in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13.5.5.