Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/155

Contact: Louise Tustian, Head of Insight & Corporate Programmes Tel: 07741 607452/Hannah Doney, Head of Corporate Finance Tel: 07584 174654

Report by Corporate Director Customers & Organisational Development and Director of Finance (CA6).

 This report sets out Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC’s) progress towards Corporate Plan priorities for 2020/21 – February 2021.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note this month’s business management and monitoring report.

Cabinet considered a report setting out Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC’s) progress towards Corporate Plan priorities for 2020/21 – February 2021.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance highlighted several areas in the report:

·       On air quality metrics referred to at page 19 of the agenda Councillor Phillips asked that locality meetings be advised of air quality issues in their area, where the air pollution monitors were sited and the specific actions in the designated air quality management areas.

·       Expressed concern over the street lighting LED conversion programme, where the target for conversions for 2021 had not been achieved.

·       Councillor Phillips highlighted that the condition of the highways was rated green when Fix my Street data advised that repairs completed did not meet the target set and noted that nearly a quarter of issues reported fell below the intervention criteria.  She noted that this was a known issue and that the report referred to a number of interventions. Councillor Phillips requested information on the interventions. As a known issue she asked what was being done to reduce the number of inappropriate issues being reported on Fix My Street.

·       In noting that the percentage target for defects posing an immediate or potential risk of injury was met Councillor Phillips suggested that future reports indicate the actual number of defects involved.

·       Referring to page 51 on notification received on ringfenced grant relating to free activities and healthy food for disadvantaged children, Councillor Phillips requested more detail on the allocation of this funding and on how spend would be monitored.

·       Councillor Phillips welcomed the shift in resources to more home care being provided.

·       Councillor Phillips noted that the risk register made no mention of preparation for the County wide Youth Service. The register noted the increase in demand for children’s services and the need to ensure effective arrangements are in place for safeguarding children. A benefit of a County wide youth service is that social workers would be available to support children and their families before crises happen. The preparations should be mentioned in the risk register as a mitigating factor and Councillor Phillips sought assurance that plans were being made to set up this service.

Councillor Constance responded to the concerns raised around the street lighting LED conversion programme. The difficulty in meeting the conversion target was due to a column supply issue. The delivery programme would be caught up in 2021/22. She added that whilst below the target on numbers, the programme was targeted at the units with the highest energy usage and therefore energy saving would profile ahead of target.

Councillor Constance indicated that Councillor Phillips would receive a direct response on her queries on Fix My Street.

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Deputy Leader of the Council, introduced the risk and performance management elements of the report noting that the Council continued to perform well 16 green, 10 amber with none reported as red. One measure was unable to be reported on as a direct consequence of Covid-19. There had been no score changes on the risk register in the month of February.

Councillor Heathcoat commented that it was a testament to the Council’s workforce that we continued to support our communities well. Councillor Heathcoat highlighted work within the Community Safety portfolio where Trading Standards continued their work to support the reporting of scams and doorstep crime and the Fire Service crews and Home and Community Advisers who carried out Home and Well Visits within the community.

Councillor David Bartholomew, Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the finance element of the report and at the last meeting of Cabinet in this term gave special thanks to Lorna Baxter, Director of Finance, Hannah Doney, Chief Finance Officer, and to Emma Greenland, Graham Clare, Tim Chapple and other members of the Finance team for their hard work and support over the years. Councillor Bartholomew also thanked Councillor Glynis Phillips in her role as Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance for her constructive comments in this area. In moving the recommendations outlined the forecast revenue budget at the end of February 2021 and an update on the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. The report included information on the financial impact of COVID-19 and Councillor Bartholomew stated that there would be additional costs into 2021/22.

During discussion Cabinet responded to the points raised by Councillor Phillips thanked staff and highlighted positive performance within their portfolios.

RESOLVED:          to note this month’s business management and monitoring report.