Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were none.

- guidance note below

There were none.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2025 (CA3) and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2025 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 an item on the agenda.

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.

There were none received.

Members of the public who wish to speak on an item on the agenda at this meeting, or present a petition, can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection.

Requests to present a petition must be submitted no later than 9am ten working days before the meeting.

Requests to speak must be submitted no later than 9am three working days before the meeting.

Requests should be submitted to committeesdemocraticservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk

If you are speaking ‘virtually’, you may submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that if the technology fails, then your views can still be taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9am on the day of the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

There were none.

The Chair congratulated the Oxfordshire County Council’s Parking schemes and Traffic orders teams for winning the brand new traffic team award at the British Parking Awards, highlighting the professionalism and hard work of the team.

Cabinet approved the following appointments: -

The Resources & Waste Partnership (Strategic Partnership) – Cllr Judy Roberts

England’s Economic Heartland – Strategic Transport Leadership Board (Strategic Outside Body) – Cllr Liz Leffman

South East Strategic Leaders (Strategic Partnership) – Cllr Liz Leffman

Cooperative Councils Innovation Network (Strategic Outside Body) – Cllr Ben Higgins

School Organisation Stakeholders Group -

Cllr James Plumb

Adoption Panel – Cllr James Robertshaw to be appointed to Oxfordshire Alliance vacancy

Cabinet will receive the following Scrutiny reports:-

Education and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee report on School Catering Service and Corporate Cleaning Contract.

People Overview and Scrutiny Committee report on Oxfordshire Employment Services.

Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee Reports on:-

a)    Hire Bike and Scooter Update

b)    Our People and Culture Strategy Update

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Chair of the Education Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee. presented the reports concerning school catering services and the corporate cleaning contract. The catering service had been previously run by Carillion and returned to the council in 2018. The committee emphasised concerns about ensuring quality food in smaller and rural schools, protecting staff rights and conditions during contract transitions, and avoiding redundancies.

Councillor Tanya Overton, Deputy Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee presented the report on Oxfordshire Employment Services. Recommendations included increasing employer engagement through an accreditation scheme promoting inclusive employment practices and expanding the programme target to 2,500 individuals. The report underscored employment as a route to independence and a preventative health measure.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Chair of the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented the report on Our People and Culture Strategy. Recommendations included requesting more granular sickness absence data to better target interventions and suggestions for optimising apprenticeship levy spending, including funding apprenticeships externally, especially in the voluntary sector. The committee also recommended maintaining good relations with unions and involving them in the Strategy. Additionally, the committee suggested discussing changes to the employee engagement survey at the Employment and Joint Consultative Committee.

Councillor Phillips also presented the report on the e-bike and e-scooter contract. Recommendations included writing to the Department of Transport for clarity on the trial’s end date, conducting local evaluations of the trial’s impact—especially on bus usage, increasing the availability of e-bikes and scooters using park and ride facilities, and considering the use of on-road parking spaces to reduce pavement clutter caused by abandoned vehicles

Cabinet received the reports and will respond in due course.

Cabinet Member: Finance, Property and Transformation

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/126

Contact: Louise Tustian, Director of Transformation, Digital and Customer Experience

(Louise.Tustan@oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Report by Director of Transformation, Digital and Customer Experience (CAB).

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

Adopt the Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) Strategies 2025-2028.

Cabinet had before it a report which provided a strategic overview consolidating Oxfordshire County Council’s new Digital Strategy, Data Strategy, and Technology Strategy into a unified framework for transformation and innovation from 2025 to 2028. It supported the Council’s “Delivering the Future Together” vision and aligned with its seven operating principles, focusing on efficiency, collaboration, digital-first service delivery, and proactive demand management.

Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, presented the report. He emphasised the main elements of the strategy including a digital-first customer experience, innovation through AI and cloud technologies, and developing data management and analytics capabilities. The strategy focused on building data confidence across the organisation, ensuring security and privacy, and supporting efficient service delivery.

Councillor Levy moved and Councillor Higgins seconded the recommendation, and it was approved.

RESOLVED to adopt the Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) Strategies 2025-2028.

Cabinet Member: Resources and Deputy Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/032

Contact: Chrie Cuthbertson, Director of HR and Cultural Change

Chrie.cuthbertsn@oxfordshire.gov.uk

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) and summarised the main employee-related trends for Q1 2025/26.  

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Cabinet Member for Resources and Deputy Leader, presented the report. The report highlighted positive trends such as a decrease in agency spend and staff turnover, though challenges remained in recruitment due to market conditions. The report also highlighted the importance of detailed sickness data.

Councillor Fawcett moved and Councillor Leffman seconded the recommendation, and it was approved.

RESOLVED to note the report.

Cabinet Member: Finance, Property and Transformation

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/192

Contact: Tim Chapple, Treasury Manager

Tim.chapple@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Director of Transformation, Digital and Customer Experience (CAB).

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the council’s treasury management activity at the end of the first quarter of 2025/26.

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA’s) ‘Code of Practice on Treasury Management 2021’ requires that committee to which some treasury management responsibilities are delegated, will receive regular monitoring reports on treasury management activities and risks. Cabinet received a report which set out the position at the end of the first quarter of 2025-6.

Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, presented the report.  He highlighted that the council operated within debt indicators and had reduced Public Works Loan Board debt. Investments yielded returns above budget due to higher cash balances and interest rates. The report also highlighted the ongoing challenge of the negative High Needs Block Direct Schools Grant (DSG) balance, expected to reach £137 million, and the need for government intervention.

Councillor Levy moved and Councillor Leffman seconded the recommendation, and it was approved.

RESOLVEDto note the council’s treasury management activity at the end of the first quarter of 2025/26.

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/100

Contact: Kathy Wilcox, Head of Corporate Finance

Kathy.wilcox@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer

THE CABUNET is RECOMMENDED to:

a)      Note the report and annexes.

b)     Approve the allocation of Homes for Ukraine grant funding as set out in Annex C.

Cabinet received a report which set out the Quarter 1 2025/26 performance and Strategic risk overview for the council as well as an update on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, presented the report. At the end of quarter one, 59% of measures had met or exceeded targets, 18% were amber, and 10% were red. The report emphasised addressing underperformance and the importance of meaningful metrics. The council noted challenges with special educational needs and but acknowledged progress and adherence to budget plans. The report also covered the Homes for Ukraine scheme, praising community support for displaced Ukrainians and Hong Kong residents.

Councillor Levy moved and Councillor Leffman seconded the recommendations, and they were approved.

RESOLVED to:-

a)      note the report and annexes.

b)     approve the allocation of Homes for Ukraine grant funding as set out in Annex C.

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/080

Contact: Natalie Crawford, Capital Programme Manager

Natalie.crawford@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a.             approve the inclusion of Grove Airfield Primary School (Phase 2 of Grove Airfield Development) into the capital programme with an indicative budget of £1.600m

b.             approve £2.400m to enable the purchase of two new buildings to facilitate staff relocation

Cabinet had before it a report which set out changes to the capital programme requiring Cabinet approval to be incorporated into the agreed programme and included in the next update to the Capital Programme in October 2025.  

Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, presented the report. The report sought approval for a new primary school for Grove Airfield with a budget of £1.6 million and £2.4 million for purchasing two new buildings to facilitate staff relocation from a costly lease in central Oxford. These items were is a response to rapid growth in the Grove area and local government reorganisation.

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

RESOLVED to:

a)    approve the inclusion of Grove Airfield Primary School (Phase 2 of Grove Airfield Development) into the capital programme with an indicative budget of £1.600m

b)    approve £2.400m to enable the purchase of two new buildings to facilitate staff relocation

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.

Education Act 1996 (Section 19) – Response to the report of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

Education other than at School (EOTAS)

Home to School Transport Policy

Transport Working Group

Cabinet noted the following responses to Scrutiny recommendations: -

Education Act 1996 (Section 19) – Response to the report of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

Education other than at School (EOTAS)

Home to School Transport Policy

Transport Working Group