Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Mark Lygo, the retiring Chair, welcomed the Honorary Aldermen, Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff and invited The Reverend Anthony Buckley, Vicar of St Michael at the North Gate, City Rector, to open the meeting with a prayer.

Councillor Lygo thanked his wife and Consort, Louise Lygo, and his family for their support during the year.  He also thanked the Democratic Services and Facilities Management Teams.  It was noted that over £10,500 had been raised for the Chair’s chosen charities, OXSRAD, Oxford United in the Community and Abingdon Riding for the Disabled, and the retiring Chair thanked all for their support.

The Monitoring Officer invited nominations for the office of Chair of the Council for the 2026/27 Council Year.  Councillor Walker moved, and Councillor Leffman seconded, that Councillor Ted Fenton be elected as Chair of the Council for the 2026/27 Council Year.  There being no other nominations and no dissent, Councillor Fenton was duly declared elected.

RESOLVED: (unanimously) that Councillor Ted Fenton be elected as Chair for the 2026/27 Council Year.

(Councillor Fenton in the Chair).

The Chair invited nominations for the office of Vice-Chair of the Council for the 2026/27 Council Year.  Councillor Leffman moved, and Councillor McLauchlan seconded, that Councillor Roz Smith be elected as Vice-Chair of the Council for the 2026/27 Council Year.  There being no other nominations and no dissent, Councillor Smith was duly declared elected.

RESOLVED: (unanimously) that Councillor Roz Smith be elected as Vice-Chair for the 2026/27 Council Year.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2026 (CC1).

RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2026 be approved and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings.

Apologies were received from Councillors Cotter, Higgins, Levy and Webb.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair announced that for the 12th year in a row, Oxfordshire residents were the best in England for recycling, reusing and composting.  Oxfordshire County Council had again been named the top performing waste disposal authority in the two-tier system in figures published last month. In 2024-25, residents recycled, reused or composted 56.6 per cent of their household waste.

The Chair congratulated Oxfordshire Shared Lives carer Jawaid Malik on his appointment as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in recognition of decades of public service and commitment to supporting people across the county.  Jawaid, who lives in Oxford, had spent many years serving others through both his professional and voluntary roles, including his long‑standing work as a Shared Lives carer alongside his wife, Rahat. 

The Chair noted that a list of the events attended by the Chair and Vice-Chair of Council since the last Council meeting in March was in Annex 1 to the Schedule of Business.

Annual Council observed a minute’s silence to mark the first anniversary of the tragic fire that took place at Bicester Motion on 15 May 2025.  Members remembered Firefighter Jennie Logan, Firefighter Martyn Sadler and Dave Chester, and expressed sympathy with their families, friends, and all those affected.  Council also sincerely thanked the emergency service responders who attended the scene for their professionalism and care in such difficult circumstances.

Report by the Deputy Chief Executive & S151 Officer and the Director of Law & Governance & Monitoring Officer

Within recommended practice for Audit Committees (CIPFA, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy – Audit Committees Practical Guidance 2022), the committee reports on an annual basis to Council on how the committee has discharged its responsibilities.

The Council is RECOMMENDED to note the contents of the Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee 2025/26.

Council received the Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee setting out the role and summarising the work that has been undertaken both as a Committee and through the support of the Audit Working Group in 2025/26.

The report was proposed by Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor Shiri, Chair and Deputy Chair of the Committee for the 2025/26 Council Year.

Following discussion, Council noted the report.

RSEOLVED:

That the contents of the Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee 2025/26 be noted.

Report by the Leader of the Council

Council is RECOMMENDED to note the names, addresses and electoral divisions of the people appointed to the Cabinet by the Leader of the Council for the coming year and their respective portfolios.

Council noted the Leader’s Cabinet appointments.  The detailed portfolios were circulated to Members and published online in the Schedule of Business.

Resources and Deputy Leader:  Cllr Neil Fawcett

Future Economy and Innovation:  Cllr Laura Gordon

Children and Young People: Cllr Sean Gaul

Place, Environment and Climate Action: Cllr Gareth Epps

Finance, Property and Transformation: Cllr Dan Levy

Transport Management: Cllr Rebekah Fletcher

Adults: Cllr Tim Bearder

Public Health and Inequalities: Cllr Kate Gregory

Community Wellbeing and Safety: Cllr Judith Edwards

Report by the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

The Council is required by the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 to review the political balance on its committees on an annual basis.

Note that Annex 2 will be circulated with the Schedule of Business on the day before the Council meeting.

Council is RECOMMENDED

a)              To decommission the Horton Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Horton HOSC);

b)              To appoint the committees and committee positions listed in Schedule 1 in Annex 1 continuing with the existing terms of reference; and

c)              To appoint members to the committees of the Council as listed at Schedule 1 in Annex 2.

or

d)              To appoint the committees and committee positions, including Horton HOSC, listed in Schedule 2 in Annex 1 continuing with the existing terms of reference; and

e)              To appoint members to the committees of the Council as listed at Schedule 2 in Annex 2.

f)                To note the review of political balance of committees to reflect the current formation of the political groups.

The Council is required by the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 to review the political balance on its committees on an annual basis.

There was a correction to the list in Annex 2 for the Remuneration Committee.  The Liberal Democrat members will be Councillors Leffman, Fawcett and Graham.

The Chair moved recommendation a), to decommission the Horton Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Horton HOSC), and it was seconded by the Vice-Chair.

Following discussion, the motion was put.  Councillor Mallon requested a named vote and this was supported by at least seven members standing.

The motion was lost.

The result of the roll call vote was as follows: 

Councillors voting in favour (9): Bearder, Filipova Rivers, Gaul, Greenaway, Hanna, Hope-Smith, Leffman, Ley and Rawlins

Councillors voting against (38): Ashby, Baines, Barlow, Brant, Brighouse, Cherry, Coles, Creed, Crichton, Du, Edosomwan, Epps, Evans, Field-Johnson, Fry, Garnett, Gawrysiak, Gordon, Gregory, Henwood, Hingley, Jones, Lygo, Malik, Mallon, Markham, McLauchlan, McLean, Middleton, Phillips, Plumb, Pressel, Robertshaw, Sargent, Saul, Snowdon, Walker and Worgan.

Councillors abstaining (16): Batstone, Edwards, Fawcett, Fenton, Fletcher, Graham, Hannaby, Heritage, Kerr, Lugova, Overton, Roberts, Shiri, Smith, Stevens and Thomas.

The Chair moved recommendations d) e), and f), which were seconded by the Vice-Chair.  Recommendations d), e) and f) were approved unanimously.

RESOLVED:

d)           That the committees and committee positions, including Horton HOSC, listed in Schedule 2 in Annex 1 be appointed, continuing with the existing terms of reference; and

e)            That members to the committees of the Council be appointed as listed at Schedule 2 in Annex 2 as amended.

f)             That the review of political balance of committees to reflect the current formation of the political groups be noted.

Report of the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer

As Annual Council is required under the Constitution to consider the Scheme of Delegation to Officers as set out in the Council procedure rules (CPR 1.1.2 (xi)), this report is presented in order to inform Members as to the revised timing of when this will be presented to Council.

Council is RECOMMENDED to note that the Scheme of Delegation to Officers is being considered by the Constitution Working Group and the Council meeting on 30 June 2026 will receive their report. 

At its Annual Meeting, Council is required to agree the officer scheme of delegation within the Council's Constitution.  Council received a report noting that the Scheme was being reviewed by the Constitution Working Group and a revised scheme will be taken to the Council meeting on 30 June 2026.

The recommendation was moved by the Chair, seconded by the Vice-Chair and approved unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That it be noted that the Scheme of Delegation to Officers was being considered by the Constitution Working Group and that the Council meeting on 30 June 2026 will receive their report.

Report of the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer

Council is RECOMMENDED to

a)              approve moving the meeting of the Education and Young People Overview of Scrutiny Committee, originally scheduled for 30 June 2026, to Friday 26 June 2026 with a 10:30 am start; and

b)              note the Calendar of Meetings in Annex 1. 

Council considered a report proposing a change to a meeting date of the Education and Young People Overview of Scrutiny Committee.

The recommendations were moved by the Chair, seconded by the Vice-Chair and approved unanimously.

RESOLVED:

a)            That Council approves moving the meeting of the Education and Young People Overview of Scrutiny Committee, originally scheduled for 30 June 2026, to Friday 26 June 2026 with a 10:30 am start; and

b)           That the Calendar of Meetings in Annex 1 be noted.