Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Kieron Mallon and Councillor Rodney Rose.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 24 May 2011(CA3) and to receive for information any matters arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2011 were agreed and signed.

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’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 Jean Fooks had given notice of the following question to the Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families.

“Given that community groups setting up new services for young people need to be able to make plans for taking over services by September 1st, yet the appointments to the new hubs will not be finished until August or even September, how can the County Council assist those communities to prepare for their new responsibilities in a timely manner?"

Councillor Chapman replied:

“The appointments for staff in the new hubs are progressing well and the majority of what's needed will be in place for September. We shall continue to work and engage with local community groups which wish to work alongside us in making provision for young people over the coming weeks so as to get as much in place for September as possible. The work will continue for as long as necessary after that to ensure that no opportunities are lost and the process of receiving and considering 'Big society' bids will of course continue over the coming months. Finally, it is worth mentioning that, in particular, the Youth, Engagement and Opportunities Manager has now been appointed, who will lead in supporting local communities in taking on their new role.”

Supplementary question: Councillor Fooks thanked the Cabinet Member for her response but felt that it did not address the problem for communities who were trying to get projects in place for September when the staff they hoped to attract did not yet know whether they had a post in the new hub structure. Councillor Louise Chapman replied that she could not speak for nor give any assurances about individual staff members but that recruitment was going well. Councillors would have received information about the new hub managers. Officers in the Children, Education & Families Directorate and those working on the Big Society Fund were working closely together and many of the bids received related to young people.

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed:

Item 6              Councillor Zoé Patrick, Opposition Leader.

Item 7 Councillor Zoé Patrick, Opposition Leader.

Item 8 Councillor Janet Godden as Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families

Item 10           Tim May, Vice-Chairman of the Trustees of Soldiers of Oxfordshire

Item 11           Councillor Jenny Hannaby as Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Services

Mr Ben Brown, Friends of Stowford, a charity which supports adults with learning disabilities in supported living

Item 12           Councillor Jenny Hannaby as Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Services

Item 13           Councillor Jenny Hannaby as Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Services

Item 14           Councillor Jean Fooks as local member

Item 16           Cllr Jean Fooks, Opposition Deputy Leader

Cabinet Member: Finance & Property

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/027

Contact: Lorna Baxter, Assistant Head of Finance (Corporate Finance) Tel (01865) 323971

Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CA6).

This report presents the 2010/11 provisional revenue and capital outturn and identifies and explains variations of actual spend against budgets.  The report focuses on the year end balance sheet position including the level of general balances and reserves.  Figures shown in the report reflect those included in the Council’s Statement of Accounts 2010/11, which is to be submitted to the Audit Committee on 7 July 2011, following certification by the Chief Finance Officer and prior to external audit.

The report also includes proposals for the allocation of revenue carry forwards in 2011/12.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)               note the provisional revenue and capital outturn, and the year end position on balances and reserves as set out in the report;

(b)              approve the carry-forwards and virements as set out in Annex 2;

(c)               recommend Council to approve the virements greater than £0.5m for Children, Young People & Families, Social & Community Services and Environment & Economy Directorates as set out in Annex 2b;

(d)              agree that the surplus in the On-Street Parking Account at the end of the 2010/11 financial year, so far as not applied to particular eligible purposes in accordance with Section 55(4) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, be carried forward in the account to the 2011/12 financial year (paragraph 114); and

(e)               approve the creation of new reserves as set out in Annex 4 and paragraphs 98 & 113.

(f)                 agree the proposal from the Schools Forum to offset £0.633m spent by schools in 2010/11 relating to the final payment from the DfE of £1.371m which will not now be received, against unspent DSG in 2010/11 and to offset the remaining £0.738m of the £1.377m which will be spent in 2011/12 against unspent DSG from 2010/11 carried forward to 2011/12.

Cabinet considered a report that presented the 2010/11 provisional revenue and capital outturn and identified and explained variations of actual spend against budgets.  The report focused on the year end balance sheet position including the level of general balances and reserves. The report also included proposals for the allocation of revenue carry forwards in 2011/12.

Councillor Zoé Patrick, Opposition Leader offered congratulations on the underspend in the current economic situation but raised a number of concerns. This included the management of transport projects and the need, acknowledged in the report, to improve profiling. She referred to the underspend in Environment & Economy Directorate Capital budget and to the previous suggestion by Councillor Armitage that budgets be over committed to ensure better use of resources. She referred to the annual net income in relation to Oxford City residential parking charges which contrasted with the announced intention that the charges would only  cover administration costs. It also contrasted with the loss on parking accounts in Abingdon and Henley.

In response to a question Councillor Patrick was unable to confirm whether the charges for Abingdon had been set by the District Council.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Property highlighted the impact on the outturn figures of the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). He rejected concerns over the level of capital spending commenting that in the context of the emergency budget and the moratorium on capital projects an outcome of 91% was a creditable achievement. The reserves as detailed in the report was evidence of prudent management and all Directorates were to be congratulated on the carry forwards achieved.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)               note the provisional revenue and capital outturn, and the year end position on balances and reserves as set out in the report;

(b)               approve the carry-forwards and virements as set out in Annex 2;

(c)               recommend Council to approve the virements greater than £0.5m for Children, Young People & Families, Social & Community Services and Environment & Economy Directorates as set out in Annex 2b;

(d)               agree that the surplus in the On-Street Parking Account at the end of the 2010/11 financial year, so far as not applied to particular eligible purposes in accordance with Section 55(4) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, be carried forward in the account to the 2011/12 financial year (paragraph 114); and

(e)               approve the creation of new reserves as set out in Annex 4 and paragraphs 98 & 113;

agree the proposal from the Schools Forum to offset £0.633m spent by schools in 2010/11 relating to the final payment from the DfE of £1.371m which will not now be received, against unspent DSG in 2010/11 and to offset the remaining £0.738m of the £1.377m which will be spent in 2011/12 against unspent DSG from 2010/11 carried forward to 2011/12.

Cabinet Member: Finance & Property

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/025

Contact: Kathy Wilcox, Principal Financial Manager Tel: (01865) 323981

Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CA7).

This is the first report for 2011/12 and covers the period to the end of April 2011 for both revenue and capital budgets.  The report focuses on significant issues around the delivery of the Directorate Business Strategies.   These were agreed as part of the Service & Resource Planning Process and include Directorate savings of -£44.343m in 2011/12 (as set out in the Service and Resource Planning – Service Analysis 2011/12 booklet) plus £10.225m cross directorate savings. 

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)                 note the report;

b)                approve the virement requests set out in Annex 2a;

c)                 approve the allocation of £1.5m from the additional grant funding as set out in the Financial Monitoring report to Cabinet in April 2011 as set out in paragraph 20;

d)                 approve the Supplementary Estimate request as set out in Annex 2e and paragraph 38;

e)                 Approve a payment of £0.070m to the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council to support the Council's approach to Big Society to be funded from the Efficiency Reserve as set out in paragraph 34;

f)                   agree the use of the remaining LABGI funding of £0.496m as set out in paragraph 42 and Annex 3;

g)                 note the updated Treasury Management lending list at Annex 4.

h)                recommend Council to note the changes to the Specified and Non-Specified Investment instruments section of the 2011/12 Treasury Management Strategy set out in paragraphs 45 to 48 and Annex 5.

Cabinet considered a report that covered the period to the end of April 2011 for both revenue and capital budgets.  The report focused on significant issues around the delivery of the Directorate Business Strategies.

Councillor Zoé Patrick, Opposition Leader welcomed the allocation of the LAGBI funding to the Local Enterprise Partnership.

RESOLVED:                        to:

(a)                   note the report;

(b)                   approve the virement requests set out in Annex 2a;

(c)                    approve the allocation of £1.5m from the additional grant funding as set out in the Financial Monitoring report to Cabinet in April 2011 as set out in paragraph 20;

(d)                   approve the Supplementary Estimate request as set out in Annex 2e and paragraph 38;

(e)                   Approve a payment of £0.070m to the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council to support the Council's approach to Big Society to be funded from the Efficiency Reserve as set out in paragraph 34;

(f)                      agree the use of the remaining LABGI funding of £0.496m as set out in paragraph 42 and Annex 3;

(g)                   note the updated Treasury Management lending list at Annex 4; and

(h)                    recommend Council to note the changes to the Specified and Non-Specified Investment instruments section of the 2011/12 Treasury Management Strategy set out in paragraphs 45 to 48 and Annex 5.

Cabinet Member: Children, Education & Families

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/096

Contact: Tan Lea, Strategic Lead: Youth Tel: (01865) 202218

Report by Director for Children, Education & Families (CA8).

The Youth Offending Service (YOS) was subject to a week-long Core Case Inspection in February 2011 to make a retrospective judgment of the case work performance looking back over the preceding 12 months, as part of Her Majesty's Inspection of Probation (HMiP) national inspection programme of youth justice services.

The Inspection Report was published on 8 June 2011. The inspection focussed on 62 cases and was not reviewing other aspects of the service.

Inspectors highlighted a number of areas for improvement. 

.

An Improvement Plan has been produced which reflects the HMIP judgments and the YOS is already implementing the necessary improvements.  a copy of the improvement plan is produced as Annex 2 of this report.

The inspection covered three key areas - risk of harm, likelihood of re-offending and safeguarding, with each area being given one of four HMIP ratings:

•  drastic improvement required

•  substantial improvement required

•  moderate improvement required

•  minimal improvement required

Although there is no formal link to Ofsted ratings, results are often interpreted as “substantial improvements required” being an equivalent “satisfactory” rating while services requiring “moderate” improvements are deemed to be “good”.

HMIP judged both the likelihood of re-offending and safeguarding services as requiring “moderate” improvements i.e. the equivalent of "good", the second highest grade possible. The risk of harm category was regarded as requiring "substantial improvement” i.e. the equivalent of satisfactory.

The headline feedback highlighted the following areas:

•  Timeliness and quality of recording, assessment and planning particularly in relation to    risk.

•  Quality and consistency of management oversight.

Once the improvement plan is agreed by HMIP its implementation will be overseen by the Youth Justice Board and the Oxfordshire YOS Board. There is no planned reinspection.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the findings of the YOS Inspection

Cabinet considered a report setting out the outcome of the recent inspection of the Youth Offending Service and an improvement plan based on their recommendations.

Councillor Godden, Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families expressed some disappointment over the inspection report which whilst not bad was quite average. She felt that although the Inspection had been process driven and inward looking it had been useful. Whilst the Inspection had found some good practice it had identified a need to strengthen management oversight and to clarify roles and responsibilities. She did wonder whether there was an issue of lack of resources. She referred to evidence of good practice in Bucks. She was glad that an action plan had been in place even before the inspection but suggested that it should now be built around the recommendations of the Inspection. She looked forward to seeing more detail in the action plan going forward.

The Cabinet Member for Children Education & Families commented that the Inspection had been process driven and had not looked at the excellent outcomes achieved by the Service. It had looked at how the process had been handled and recorded on a piece of paper. It had not looked at re-offending rates which were amongst the lowest in the country. Improvements could always be made but the Youth Justice Board had found that a good service was being provided. The staff involved in the service needed to know that and she recorded her thanks for their efforts.

Jim Leivers added that in terms of resourcing the County compared well against the national average  being in the top 10%.

RESOLVED:            to note the findings of the Youth Offending Service Inspection.

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/194

Contact: Barbara Chillman, Principal Officer – School Organisation & Planning Tel: (01865) 816459

Report by Director for Children, Education & Families (CA9).

St Christopher’s CE Primary School has a published admission number of 45 children. For September 2010, 50 parents chose the school as their first preference. Due to rising numbers of children needing primary school places in Oxford, the school agreed to take more than its admission number in September 2009 and 2010, accepting up to 60 children into the reception class in each year. At the January 2011 pupil census the school had 60 reception class children and 55 in Year 1.

Oxford city is experiencing rapid growth in pupil numbers, and Primary Care Trust records and the annual census of local children in early years settings show that the demand for places at St Christopher’s CE Primary School is likely to continue to be above the planned admission number. Other nearby schools are also expected to be full or nearly full, and expansions are underway or planned for several other schools in the city.

For September 2011 the school’s admission number has been published as 60, and a decision is now required as to whether to publish formal proposals for a permanent expansion. The intention is to publish the statutory notice in September, to avoid the school holidays.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the publication of a statutory notice for the expansion of St Christopher’s CE Primary School, Cowley.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the results of informal consultation on a proposal for the expansion of St Christopher’s Primary School.

The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement in recommending the proposed expansion commented that there had been issues around traffic congestion but she was satisfied that a solution had been found.

RESOLVED:             to approve the publication of a statutory notice for the expansion of St Christopher’s CE Primary School, Cowley.

Cabinet Member: Safer & Stronger Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/101

Contact: Martyn Brown, County Heritage and Arts Officer Tel: (01993) 814114

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA10).

The Soldiers of Oxfordshire are seeking to build a new museum within the grounds of The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock, following agreement in principle by the Cabinet in September 2008. SOFO have raised £4 million towards the project and have initiated some significant community and learning programmes with Oxfordshire schools. This report seeks approval for the legal and property details, including the lease, to be concluded, so that work may start on site in September.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)              authorise the County Council’s Assistant Head of Property to agree a Development Agreement for the whole project and the grant of a lease on the site within the grounds of the Oxfordshire Museum to SOFO on terms to be agreed;

(b)              authorise the demolition of the Pratten Building and a Development Agreement for the new SOFO museum on the site; and

(c)               authorise the County Solicitor to agree suitable agreements with SOFO for future shared and joint management arrangements on the museum site

Mr Tim May Vice Chairman of the SOFO Trustees spoke in support of the proposals which would be beneficial to both sides. He referred to the money raised by SOFO for the project and to other bids currently underway. However there were risks for SOFO and in particular a need to be able to prove they would be there for some considerable period of time, with guarantees over future access to the site. Without these it would be difficult to recommend acceptance of the scheme by SOFO.

The Cabinet Member for Safer & Stronger Communities referred to the long history of the scheme and commented that despite the frustrations there had been a successful partnership forged. The proposals would increase the footfall to the Oxfordshire Museum so were of benefit to both SOFO and the County. She recognised that both sides had identified risks but that there would be a detailed agreement to address these. The intention was to negotiate with staff to ensure that staffing was complementary across the two museums

Martn Brown added that although there were risks identified around the lease and access both sides were convinced that the proposals were in the best interests of botth sides.

Generally Cabinet members welcomed the proposals.

In the light of the comments made an additional recommendation was proposed and agreed that if agreement was not reached then the matter should come back to Cabinet for further decision.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)       authorise the County Council’s Assistant Head of Property to agree a Development Agreement for the whole project and the grant of a lease on the site within the grounds of the Oxfordshire Museum to SOFO on terms to be agreed in accordance with the County Council’s obligations for disposal of land contained in the Constitution;

(b)               authorise the County Solicitor to agree suitable agreements with SOFO for future shared and joint management arrangements on the museum site; and

(c)               agree that should agreement not be reached in respect of either (a) or (b) above then the matter should come back to cabinet for further decision.

Cabinet Member: Adult Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/106

Contact: John Jackson, Director for Social & Community Services Tel:

(01865) 323574

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA11).   

This report covers two linked developments in services for a people with Learning Disability which seek to improve cost efficiency, quality and choice. Savings of £1m p.a. are expected by the end of 2012/13. The first phase of efficiencies will be achieved by management restructuring, with a planned reduction of 12.5 FTE. There will be minimal impact on front-line services. These savings have already been approved by Council in the Business Strategy for 2011-15.

Subject to consultation and Cabinet approval, the second phase will involve outsourcing the internal Supported Living and Daytime Support Services by April 2013. These services support 450 Service Users, and employ 284 staff on a gross budget of £7.8m. The Directorate Leadership Team considers that it is no longer appropriate for the services to be delivered internally, and that the interests of Service Users and the Council will be better served by outsourcing to specialist organisations. A strong independent market already exists in this area. Staff are likely to transfer under protected terms and conditions. This report seeks Cabinet approval for the principle of outsourcing the services, and for a consultation programme on the options and process to be followed, prior to formal procurement procedures starting in October 2011.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)                                      agree in principle to the outsourcing of Supported Living and Daytime Support Services, subject to the outcome of consultation;

(b)                                      note the proposed reduction of 12.5 FTE management staff through voluntary and compulsory redundancy, to achieve efficiency savings already approved by Council in February 2011; and

(c)                                       request a further report in October 2011 from the Director for Social and Community Services on the outcome of Consultation and the process for procurement of alternative services.

RESOLVED:             to

(a)                           agree in principle to the outsourcing of Supported Living and Daytime Support Services, subject to the outcome of consultation;

(b)                           note the proposed reduction of 12.5 FTE management staff through voluntary and compulsory redundancy, to achieve efficiency savings already approved by Council in February 2011; and

(c)                           request a further report in October 2011 from the Director for Social and Community Services on the outcome of Consultation and the process for procurement of alternative services.

Cabinet Member: Adult Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/105

Contact: Samantha Chapman, Project Manager, Business Systems Team Tel: (01865) 323642

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA12).

(The information contained in the report is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed category:

3    –    information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

It is considered that in this case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, in that such disclosure would prejudice on-going negotiations and disadvantage the company concerned.)

The care management IT system used by Oxfordshire County Council in its provision of Adult Social Care is blue screen Swift (commonly known as Swift), supplied by Northgate.  Swift was installed by the County Council in 1999, with numerous subsequent upgrades since then.

The Adult Social Care System Review in 2010 established that our current system provision will not adequately sustain the changes emerging from the Transforming Adult Social Care programme, or the efficiencies and savings being demanded from the service generally.  In addition to this, Northgate have indicated that they are no longer developing additional functionality for Swift – other than those mandated by legislative changes - and will eventually stop supporting the system entirely.

£2m is included in the Capital Programme for a new Adult Social Services system to be financed through prudential borrowing.  The cost of the borrowing was intended to be met from efficiency savings to be achieved as a result of implementing the new system.

The Business Case for the replacement of Swift has now identified that it does not make sense to opt for the full scale replacement of Swift with a completely new system. The report proposes anupgrade to Northgate’s latest iteration of their care management system – AIS (which stands for Adults Information System) and seeks approval for the approach taken.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

agree that the County Council should upgrade to Northgate’s latest version of their care management system – AIS.

The Chairman indicated that the report containing exempt information had been circulated to and considered by Cabinet Members and remained confidential for the reasons set out on the agenda. However he was satisfied that the matter could be discussed and a decision made in public.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Services commented that the when considering the Transformation of Adult Social Care the Adult Services Scrutiny Committee had stressed the importance of adequate ICT and that enough funding be included to provide proper support of the new arrangements. A figure of £2m had been included and she was concerned that the latest proposal not to go for a new system was based on the need for savings and was concerned as to whether it would jeopardise the Transformation agenda.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Services in introducing the report stated that It should be an enabler and that was why the money had been set aside. However circumstances changed and that business case was no longer feasible. The alternative proposed in the report was feasible and he was confident that it would deliver what was required.

John Jackson, Director for Social & Community Services referred briefly to the history of the existing system and outlined the options that were set out more fully in the report. He noted that with a new system there was always significant risk and that he saw no evidence of benefits to outweigh that risk. The important point was to achieve a better system than currently and key to that would be the early engagement with staff.

RESOLVED:

Cabinet Member: Adult Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/108

Contact: Laurence Dowden, Service Manager, Major Projects Tel: (01865) 323685

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA13).

This report sets out a proposal for a partnership agreement between the County Council and the Primary Care Trust (PCT) for the development of the Townlands Hospital site in Henley. The proposed development will provide facilities for the replacement of the NHS services on the site, the reprovision of Chilterns End Home for Older People and the development of Extra Care Housing. Important service objectives for the Council and the PCT would be met through this development.  A partnership agreement is proposed to ensure that the development of facilities on the site does meet the objectives of the County Council and the PCT and that there are appropriate governance arrangements in place.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the proposed development of the Townlands Hospital site and to agree in principle to entering into a partnership agreement with Oxfordshire PCT for the development of facilities on the Townlands site and the provision of services, with agreement of the final detailed terms, including the financial implications, being delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Adult Services and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby welcomed the report and congratulated officers on their efforts.

RESOLVED:             to note the proposed development of the Townlands Hospital site and to agree in principle to entering into a partnership agreement with Oxfordshire PCT for the development of facilities on the Townlands site and the provision of services, with agreement of the final detailed terms, including the financial implications, being delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adult Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Property.

Cabinet Member: Growth & Infrastructure

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/115

Contact: Martin Tugwell, Deputy Director of Environment & Economy – Growth & Infrastructure Tel: (01865) 815113

Report by Deputy Director of Environment & Economy – Growth & Infrastructure (CA 14).

In order to meet the County Council's ambitions around localism and the 'Big Society' a number of properties are likely to be made available for use by community groups, either on a permanent basis or through a short term lease.

Requests for the use of County Council's property assets in this way are being channelled through the Big Society Fund.

In order to ensure that the Cabinet's consideration of any such proposal is undertaken on a consistent basis it is necessary to have in place an Asset Transfer Policy.

The paper presents the proposed Asset Transfer Policy for consideration.  Once agreed this will form the policy framework within which proposals for the transfer of property assets submitted through the Big Society Fund will be considered.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree the Asset Transfer Policy set out in Annex 1.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)               to agree the Asset Transfer Policy set out in Annex 1; and

(b)       to agree that, as a number of the Big Society Fund bids currently under consideration are time critical, the report to Cabinet in July should deal with those bids that are highly time critical on an exception basis to the agreed Policy.

Cabinet Member: Growth & Infrastructure

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/088

Contact: Roger Dyson, Project Manager Tel: (01865) 815665

Report by Deputy Director of Environment & Economy – Growth & Infrastructure (CA15).

The natural termination of the current Mouchel professional property services contract at the end of March 2012 prompts the need for the procurement of a new contract arrangement to commence 1 April 2012.

This report sets out the process to be followed to procure the new service arrangements. 

Cabinet is recommended to agree:

(a)       the continuation of the procurement of a single Service Provider for property construction, multi-disciplinary design, estates management and total facilities management services, to be in place by 1 April 2012; as set out in paragraphs 6 & 7 of this report; the process to be overseen by the Project Board;

(b)       that the Director for Environment & Economy in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Property agree the costs and terms of a Mouchel contract extension should this become necessary;

(c)       that the Project Board may agree the tender questions and evaluation criteria and that they have been effectively applied for all stages of the procurement process so far; and

(d)       the approach adopted to date for other public sector bodies to be able to access services under the Framework and OCC Contract agreements, and that a further report is brought to Cabinet before the OCC Contract facility is utilised for any other public sector body.

RESOLVED:             to agree:

(a)       the continuation of the procurement of a single Service Provider for property construction, multi-disciplinary design, estates management and total facilities management services, to be in place by 1 April 2012; as set out in paragraphs 6 & 7 of this report; the process to be overseen by the Project Board;

(b)       that the Director for Environment & Economy in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Property agree the costs and terms of a Mouchel contract extension should this become necessary;

(c)        that the Project Board may agree the tender questions and evaluation criteria and that they have been effectively applied for all stages of the procurement process so far; and

(d)       the approach adopted to date for other public sector bodies to be able to access services under the Framework and OCC Contract agreements, and that a further report is brought to Cabinet before the OCC Contract facility is utilised for any other public sector body; and

(e)       that during the procurement process the Cabinet's commitment to providing a school meals service in its current or an improved form is emphasised..

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/026

Contact: Alexandra Bailey, Corporate Performance and Review Manager Tel: (01865) 816384

Report by County Council Management Team (CA16).

This report headlines the Corporate Performance and Risk for the period between January to March 2011 in the four key areas of:

This is the fourth quarter report for 2010/11.  It provides a summary of performance against the Corporate Plan (attached at Annex 1) and an up date on key work areas..

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note this report.

RESOLVED:             to note the contents of the report.

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/033

Contact: Geoff Malcolm, Principal Committee Officer Tel: (01865) 815904

Report by Head of Law & Governance (CA17).

To consider member appointments to a variety of bodies which in different ways support the discharge of the Council’s executive functions.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree the appointments as set out in the Annex to this report and, where necessary, make further or substitute appointments.

RESOLVED:             to agree the appointments as set out in the Annex to the minutes.

Cabinet Member: All

Contact Officer: Sue Whitehead, Committee Services Manager (01865 810262)

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 CA18.  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.