Agenda and minutes

Councillor Gareth Epps, who was online, participated in discussions with the agreement of the Chair but, as he was not present in the room, did not vote.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2025 and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2025 were approved as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

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

Requests to speak must be submitted by no later than 9am three 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.

The Committee will consider a report recommending the establishment of a Disciplinary Sub-Committee and an Appeals Sub-Committee.

The Committee considered a report proposing the establishment of two sub-committees – a disciplinary sub-committee and an appeals sub-committee.

The Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer summarised the report.  It was proposed that the two sub-committees should be established in the event that they are required.  Three members of the Remuneration Committee should form the membership of the disciplinary sub-committee and the other three members should form the membership of the appeals sub-committee to ensure a separation of roles.

Members asked for clarification on a number of points.  The Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer responded as follows:

·         The quorum for both sub-committees will be three.  It is important that all are in attendance for all discussions.

·         Each sub-committee will elect a Chair at its first meeting.

·         Meetings will commence in public but will then go into private session to discuss the report which will be exempt, given the nature of the item.

·         If an item is not completed in one sitting, the sub-committee will adjourn and reconvene on an agreed date to continue with just that item.

·         Training can be refreshed when needed.  It is provided by South East Employers.

·         It will not be possible to provide substitutes in the normal way.  Any substitute would have to complete the relevant training.  Officers will give further consideration to this point.

The Chair moved the recommendations from the report and proposed membership of the sub-committees.  This was agreed.

RESOLVED to:

a)        establish a Disciplinary Sub-Committee;

b)        establish an Appeals Sub-Committee;

c)        appoint three Councillors from the Remuneration Committee to be the members of the Disciplinary Sub-Committee: Councillors Brighouse, Epps and Leffman;

d)        appoint a different three Councillors from the Remuneration Committee to be the members of the Appeals Sub-Committee: Councillors Fawcett, Graham and Robertshaw.

The information contained in the minutes is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed categories:

Paragraph 4 Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority,

and since it is considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, in that there is an expectation that consultation and negotiation should take place primarily away from the glare of publicity and public scrutiny in keeping with employment law. 

To approve the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2025 and to receive information arising from them.

RESOLVED: that the public be excluded for the duration of item 6 since it is likely that if they were present during that item there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and specified below in relation to those items and since it is considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The exempt minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2025 were approved as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.