Agenda

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 4 June 2025 and to receive information arising from them.

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.

Report by Executive Director of Resources & Section 151 Officer

Oxfordshire County Council is facing significant, externally driven change to its present form and future functions.  This report outlines the need to increase the capacity and capability of the organisation to meet those challenges now, and in the future, through a number of fixed term programme director posts.

The Audit & Governance Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    To note the Local Government Reorganisation process to date.

b)    To note the County Council’s preferred option of a single unitary council for Oxfordshire.

c)    To note the benefits, areas of development and current assessment against the statutory invitation of the County Council’s preferred option.

d)    To note the risks and issues created by the disaggregation to key services including those identified by government as ‘high risk’. 

Report by Executive Director of Resources & Section 151 Officer

Treasury management is defined as: “The management of the organisation’s borrowing, investments and cash flows, including its banking, money market and capital market transactions, the effective control of the risks associated with those activities, and the pursuit of optimum performance consistent with those risks.”

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. This is the fourth and final update for the 2024/25 financial year and sets out the position at 31 March 2025.

Throughout this report, the performance for the 2024/25 financial year is measured against the budget agreed by Council in February 2024.

As at 31 March 2025, the council’s outstanding debt totalled £272m and the average rate of interest paid on long-term debt during the year was 4.41%.  The council launched its “green bond” in December 2024 with an aim to raise an initial £0.5m. No other external borrowing was raised during the year, whilst £3m of maturing Public Works Loan Board (PWLB), and £10m of Lender’s Option/Borrower’s Option Loans were repaid. The council’s debt financing position for 2024/25 is shown in Annex 1.  Annex 2 shows the long term debt that matured in 2024/25.

The Treasury Management Strategy for 2024/25 agreed in February 2024 assumed an average base rate of 4.75%.

The average daily balance of temporary surplus cash invested in-house was expected to be £463m in 2024/25, with an average in-house return on new and existing deposits of 4.25%. 

The council achieved an average in-house return of 4.86% on average cash balances of £460.916m, producing gross interest receivable of £22.398m. In relation to external funds, the return for the year was £4.763m, bringing total investment income to £27.161m. This compares to budgeted investment income of £19.242m, giving a net overachievement of £7.919m.

At 31 March 2025, the council’s investment portfolio totalled £484.920m.  This comprised £335.000m of fixed term deposits, £52.000m at short term notice in money market funds and £97.919m in pooled funds with a variable net asset value.  Annex 4 provides an analysis of the investment portfolio at 31 March 2025.

The Audit & Governance Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    note the report and

b)    RECOMMEND Council to note the council’s treasury management activity and outcomes in 2024/25.

Report by Director of Law & Governance & Monitoring Officer

The procedures and guidance around Council appointments to Outside Bodies has not been reviewed since 2013.  This report proposes to change the procedures for appointments to Category B (Non-strategic) and Category C (Local) Outside Bodies.

The Audit & Governance Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    agree the amended method of appointment to non-strategic Outside Bodies useful to the Council’s work, known as Category B Outside Bodies, and Other Outside Bodies that request Council representation or are of primary value to local councillors/the local community, known as Category C Outside Bodies;

b)    agree that Category B appointments be made by the Audit and Governance Committee;

c)    agree that Category C appointments be delegated to the Monitoring Officer;

d)    RECOMMEND to Council to approve the Constitutional Amendments in Annex 1 to reflect these changes;

e)    adopt the Guidance for Members who are appointed to Outside Bodies (attached at Annex 2); and

f)     approve a list of appointments to Category B Outside Bodies for this Council subject to Council approving the Constitutional Amendments (Annex 3, to follow).

Report by the Executive Director of Resources & Section 151 Officer

In line with the revised statutory deadline set by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Oxfordshire County Council published its draft Statement of Accounts 2024/25 by 30 June 2025.

This extension supports efforts to address the national local audit backlog. The accounts provide a full picture of the Council’s financial position as of 31 March 2025, including key statements and detailed disclosures. They are available on the Council’s website.

The public inspection period runs from 1 July to 12 August 2025, allowing residents to review the accounts and exercise their rights under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider and approve the draft Statement of Accounts for 2024-25.

Report by Executive Director of Resources & Section 151 Officer

This report presents an overview of activity against the Counter Fraud Plan for 2024/25, which was previously presented to the July 2024 Audit & Governance committee meeting.

The report also presents the Counter Fraud Plan for the coming year 2025/26.

The Counter Fraud plan supports the Council’s Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy by ensuring that the Council has proportionate and effective resources and controls in place to prevent and detect fraud as well as investigate those matters that do arise.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    note the summary of activity against the Counter Fraud Plan for 2024/25; and

b)    approve the Counter Fraud Plan for 2025/26.

Report by the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer

Each year, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) issues an Annual Review Report about each council. This relates to the complaints made to the LGSCO about the Council in the previous financial year. This report updates the Committee on this area of governance for the year 2024/25, reflecting on those complaints that were considered by the LGSCO up to 31 March 2025.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to receive and comment on the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Annual Review of Oxfordshire County Council for 2024/25, and the work undertaken by the Council regarding its handling of complaints.

Report by Director of Property & Assets

The Annual H&S Report (attached at Annex 1) is a summary of performance and is part of the corporate governance framework.  It seeks to provide the Audit and Governance Committee with assurance that arrangements for managing health safety are suitable and sufficient whilst identifying areas for improvement.

This annual report contains information about the work of the Health and Safety (H&S) functions, the council’s health and safety performance over the year and its plans for the coming year.

The Audit & Governance Committee is RECOMMENDED to note and accept the contents of the Health and Safety (H&S) Annual Report and the work of the H&S Team to support services and improve performance keeping employees and customers safe. 

To review the Committee’s Work Programme for 2025-26