Meeting documents

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To Members of the Cabinet

Notice of a Meeting of the Cabinet

Wednesday 21 June 2006 at 2.00 pm

County Hall, Oxford

Derek Bishop
Head of Democratic Services

Contact officer: Kath Coldwell (Tel: 01865 8155902; E-mail)

Membership

Decisions taken at the meeting will become effective at the end of the working day on 29 June 2006 unless called in by that date for review by the appropriate Scrutiny Committee.

Copies of this Notice, Agenda and supporting papers are circulated to all Members of the County Council.

AGENDA

Addenda

1. Apologies for Absence
   
   
2. Declarations of Interest – see guidance note
   
   
3. Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2006 (CA3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address
   
   (See Addenda)
   
   
5. Revenue and Capital Outturn

1. note the provisional revenue and capital outturn set out in the report;
2. approve the Directorate carry-forwards as set out in Annex 2(a), including the virement of carried forward underspends to other budget heads in 2006/07 as set out in Annex 2b);
3. approve the use of the uncommitted health and safety underspend on planned repair and maintenance and accommodation work;
4. approve the use of balances to meet the overspend of £0.111m on non-domestic rates;
5. agree that the £0.041m legal fees arising from the Trap Grounds case be met from balances;
6. agree that the surplus in the On-Street Parking Account at the end of the 2005/06 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 2006/07 financial year;
7. approve the capitalisation of structural maintenance expenditure and application of the resultant resources as set out in paragraph 67 of the report.

6. Financial Monitoring

Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref: 2006/01
Contact: Stephanie Skivington/Mike Petty, Strategic Finance Managers (01865 815426/815622)

Report by Head of Finance & Procurement (CA6).

This is the first financial monitoring report for the 2006/07 financial year and covers the period up to the end of April 2006 for both revenue and capital. Given the difficulties involved in forecasting year-end outturn based on a single month’s actuals this report is largely on an exceptions basis, focusing on key risk areas identified as part of the budget process and picking up issues arising from the 2005/06 outturn position. The report highlights a number of areas in each directorate where there are likely to be pressures within the year. Each directorate will continue to monitor those positions, and where necessary come up with proposals to ensure that overall budgets are managed.

Based on the 2005/06 provisional outturn the opening general balances figure is £15.961m (£12.863m net of the City Schools reorganisation carried forward overspend). There are additions to balances of £0.166m this month and proposed supplementary estimates totalling £0.282m. The report also includes a number of detailed recommendations from the Capital Steering Group.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

1. note the report;
2. approve a supplementary estimate of £0.094m to offset part of the carried-forward overspend on the former Children & Families service;
3. approve a supplementary estimate of £0.188m to offset the overspend carried-forward on Adult Learning;
4. agree the proposal to release £0.750m of the Pensions Reserve funding to be allocated equally between the planned major carriageway and footway reconstruction scheme in Oxford High Street and the pressures relating to certain corporate ICT Projects, as specified in the Council’s 14 February resolution of approval in respect of the Budget and Capital Programme;
5. subject to the Council’s agreement to the allocation of a £1m contingency as described in the report, approve the provision of £0.221m from the Capital Programme to fund part of the costs of a central data centre for the Council;
6. approve project appraisal ED650 and accordingly agree the allocation of £1m available capital resources to provide short term borrowing support for improvements to school kitchens as set out in the appraisal, subject to contractual arrangements with any participating school to the satisfaction of the Director for Children, Young People & Families and County Solicitor in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement;

(g) approve the payment of £0.005m to the Chipping Norton Town Partnership to fund the setting up of a website.

7. Statement on Internal Control

Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref:
Contact: Peter Clark, County Solicitor/Georgina Paton, Corporate and Professional Standards Manager (01865 815363/816357)

Report by the County Solicitor & Monitoring Officer and Head of Finance & Procurement (CA7).

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 require that the Council conducts a review at least once a year on the effectiveness of its system of internal control and produces a statement on its effectiveness as part of the Council’s Statement of Accounts. This report reviews the process for the production of the Statement on Internal Control, presents the Statement for 2005/06 and seeks confirmation from the Cabinet that they are satisfied with the process for reviewing the system of internal control.

The Statement draws on Risk Registers compiled by Heads of Service and endorsed by Directors; Internal Control Checklists compiled by Business Managers and endorsed by Directors; the views of the Chief Internal Auditor, the Chairman of the Audit Working Group and the external auditor as contained within the annual audit and inspection letter; and reports by other independent inspection bodies. For 2006/07 work will need to be undertaken to ensure that risk registers and risk management become further embedded in the workings of the Council and that the risk management strategy is fully implemented.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the process of internal control undertaken during 2005/06 as evidenced by the Statement on Internal Control 2005/06.

8. Establishment Monitoring

Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2006/20
Contact: Sue James, Corporate HR Officer, 01865 815465.

Report by Head of Human Resources (CA8).

This report gives an update on activity since the implementation of the new Establishment Review and associated Recruitment Approval process on 1 August 2005. It provides detail on the overall objectives of the review and summarises progress made against the targets which were agreed to ensure delivery of those objectives. Details of the agreed establishment figure at 30 June 2005 in terms of Full Time Equivalents in post and approved vacancies (our base-line) are also provided, together with the detailed staffing position at 31 March 2006. These are shown in the report by directorate and service area.

The report also provides information on process improvements since implementation on 1 August, with reference to cleaning organisational management information on SAP, the implications of the directorate realignment and how we are engaging Heads of Service with the process. In addition there is information on grant funded posts and those vacancies which are being covered by agency staff and at what cost.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a) note the report;

(b) confirm that the Establishment Review continues to meet the Cabinet’s requirements in reporting and managing staffing numbers.



9. Adult Learning Service

Cabinet Member: Adult Learning & Cultural Services
Forward Plan Ref: 2006/53
Contact: Richard Munro, Head of Cultural & Adult Learning Services (01865 810277)

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA9).

The Report outlines the financial challenge faced by the Service as a result of reduced funding from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), and sets out proposals to meet the challenge and put the Service on a sound financial footing. The Service relies entirely on external funding in the form of grant from the LSC and other bodies, and through charges to customers.

The proposals include changing the curriculum offered in order to meet the national and regional priorities of the LSC, increasing income from charges, reducing staffing costs, and making more efficient use of accommodation.

By implementing the proposals it is anticipated that a potential overspend in 2006/07 can be reduced, and that operational costs will be contained within income from 2007/08 onwards. In order to avoid any overspend in the year 2006/07, a temporary supplementary estimate is sought, which will be repaid by the Service in 2008/09.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

1. approve the approach outlined in the report to ensure the future financial viability and organisational fitness of the Adult Learning Service;
2. noting the budgetary implications outlined in Annex 1, approve a temporary supplementary estimate of £174,000 to avoid the Adult Learning Service overspending in 2006/07, to be repaid in full by the Service in 2008/09.

10. Home to School and College Transport

• the phased ending of transport to faith schools and/or continuing to provide transport to faith schools but charging for seats on the same terms as those set out in the concessionary scheme;
• the phased ending of free travel for non-Oxfordshire residents to Chiltern Edge School;
• the introduction of charging for post-16 SEN students to be in line with all post-16 charging;
  
  
• using free school meals and maximum working tax credit as the reasons for

1. Either:

1. to accept Proposal 1a, which would end free and subsidised travel to faith schools; OR
2. to accept Proposal 1b, which would provide transport at the concessionary rate; OR
3. to continue existing practice i.e. maintaining free travel to faith schools;

2. not to pursue Proposal 2, which would end free transport to Chiltern Edge School for those not resident in Oxfordshire;
3. not to pursue Proposal 3, which would introduce of transport charges for post-16 SEN students;
4. not to pursue Proposal 4, which proposes the use of free school meals/working tax credit as grounds to waive the concessionary charge in place of existing criteria.

11. Domestic Water Use and Supply Scrutiny Review

Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan Ref: 2006/56
Contact: Julian Hehir, Scrutiny Review Officer (01865 815673)

Report by Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee (CA11) (download as .doc file).

The Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee has undertaken a Review of Domestic Water Use and Supply. The aim was, at the outset, to assess current and future water need, demand, supply and usage. There is a range of ideas in circulation about how one might develop, conserve and use water more efficiently but Thames Water has identified a reservoir as its provisional preferred option for the future. It was one of the purposes of this Review to examine the justification for a reservoir; to determine whether the Steventon proposal would provide adequate storage and to assess the environmental impact of the proposal.

The Review also aimed to identify the ownership and responsibilities of the various agencies in the water network and their roles in predicting demand and supply; to evaluate the merits and de-merits of metering, to suggest better alternatives to meet the supply/demand problems and to identify where Oxfordshire’s water supply came from and would come from in the future.

On 17 May the Committee received the report of its Lead Member Review Group. The Committee agreed the report, subject to minor amendments, for submission to the Cabinet. An executive summary of the report with its recommendations is attached (CA11). The full report (as amended) has been circulated to Cabinet Members. A copy has been placed in the Members' Resource Centre and is also available for public inspection.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider the Scrutiny Review Report and communicate to the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee its response to the Review's recommendations.

12. Village Hall/Community Centre Grants 2006-2007

Cabinet Member: Adult Learning & Cultural Services
Forward Plan Ref: 2006/44
Contact: Richard Munro, Head of Cultural & Adult Learning Services (01865 810277)

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

The Report summarises the applications received for the improvement of village halls and other community buildings, and recommends allocations from the grant fund for 2006/07. The total of grants recommended is £44,998, which is equal to the amount available.

Notes of each application are in the Members’ Resource Centre.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the grants proposed in Annex 2 to the report.

13. Education Project Appraisal: Faringdon Community College

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2006/24
Contact: John Phipps, Service Manager, Property & Assets (01865 816455)

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA13).

The project will address the need to provide additional accommodation at the Community College to meet the projected growth in pupil numbers. A new science faculty will be constructed comprising 9 laboratories and associated rooms together with a main school entrance and visitor reception and the conversion of existing areas into general teaching classrooms. A new bus drop off area and additional car parking provision is included in the scheme. A number of temporary buildings will be removed from the site.

The cost of the project is being met from the County Council’s Capital Programme, Prudential Borrowing funding, developer and school contributions.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve detailed project approval ED609/1.

14. Forward Plan and Future Business

June 2006

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