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To Members of the Cabinet

Notice of a Meeting of the Cabinet

Tuesday 15 May 2007 at 2.00 pm

County Hall, Oxford

Tony Cloke
Assistant Head of Service (Democratic)                                                                       

May 2007

Contact officer:          Matt Bayliss Tel: 01865 815384
E-mail: matt.bayliss@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Membership

Decisions taken at the meeting will become effective at the end of the working day on 23 May 2007 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.

Date of next meeting: 20 June 2007

AGENDA

Addenda

1.                  Apologies for Absence

2.                  Declarations of Interest – see guidance note

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2007 (CA3) (download as .pdf file) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4.                  Petitions and Public Address

(See Addenda)

5.                  Revenue Budget 2007/08

Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/92
Contact: Lorna Baxter, Strategic Financial Planning Manager (01865 816087)

Report by Head of Finance & Procurement (CA5)

This report sets out amendments to the 2007/08 budget previously agreed by Council in February 2007. None of the changes affect the budget requirement; they represent a different allocation between Directorates and Services or a change in the gross expenditure and income from that agreed in February. Revisions to the budget approved by Council in February are formally resubmitted to Cabinet and Council for approval to increase transparency of the budget setting process. If approved, this budget will be used for the published Medium Term Service & Financial Plan publication and will be the budget on which Financial Monitoring reports for 2007/08 will be base..

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to RECOMMEND Council to approve the changes to the agreed budget for 2007/08, the amended detailed budget for 2007/08, and the amended Medium Term Financial Plan 2007/08 – 2011/12.

6.                  Oxfordshire County Council Annual Report

(See also Addenda)

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/35
Contact: Paul Edwards, Corporate Performance Manager (01865 815307), Laura Noctor, Corporate Performance Adviser (01865 815307)

The Annual Report is intended to provide an overview of the previous year highlighting the Council's achievements and successes. The Report complements the forward-looking Corporate Plan 2007-11, which was approved by Council on 13 February 2007. The Report is also designed to fulfil the requirement to produce a Best Value Performance Plan, which Government guidance requires to be published by the end of June. It is intended to issue the Annual Report alongside the annual Statement of Accounts, also required to be published by the end of June 2007.

A working draft of the Annual Report text for consideration by Cabinet is attached as part of the Cabinet addenda available at the meeting. The draft is also to be considered by the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee on 31 May 2007. The comments of the Committee will also be considered in finalising the Annual Report.

The Annual Report is one of the strategic plans requiring the approval of Council. A final draft, incorporating any instructions from this meeting, will be submitted to the 20 June 2007 Council meeting. Detailed appendices will be added, including outturn performance data for the year, as required for the Best Value Performance Plan element of the document.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED, subject to consideration of any comment from the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, to approve the draft Annual Report as the basis for submission to the Council on 20 June 2007 for approval, incorporating the necessary detailed appendices and any presentational and editorial changes agreed by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

7.                  Secondary School Provision in Didcot

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/59
Contact: Michael Mill, Strategic Manager (Property & Assets), Strategy & Performance Service (01865 816458)

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA7).

This report serves to update Members on the progress being made to resolve the need for additional secondary pupil places in the Didcot area and seek approval to enter into a joint public consultation with the Learning & Skills Council (LSC) on the options identified.

On the 16 May 2006 the Cabinet received a report outlining the projected shortfall in pupil places across the County.  Didcot was one of the areas reported where a large shortfall in both primary and secondary places was being forecast.  Cabinet authorised Officers to undertake consultation with the public and two potential options are highlighted in the report as a way of delivering the required future provision. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)              authorise joint public consultation with the Learning & Skills Council on options for provision of additional secondary pupil places in Didcot as outlined in the report; and

(b)              ask Officers to report back on the outcome of the consultations and future proposals.

8.                  Secondary School Provision in Bicester

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/60
Contact: Michael Mill, Strategic Manager (Property & Assets), Strategy & Performance Service (01865 816458)

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA8) (download as .doc file) (Chart to annex - download as .pdf file)

There is a need for additional secondary school provision in Bicester arising from long term housing growth in the area. The report proposes a consultation on proposals to provide new secondary education provision at a site in south-west Bicester to accommodate increased pupil numbers. The existing schools are unlikely to cope with increased numbers and for better staying on rates both into the schools and the sixth form. .

Officers have been working closely with local schools and Learning and Skills Council to look at a range of options that address the needs of Bicester with its shortfall in terms of vocational and further education provision and allowing for a more flexible curriculum offer. This work will allow any proposed 14-19 facility to be explained in the consultation and questions answered at public meetings. In addition the options of a free standing new school or extending the existing sites will be proposed as part of the consultation.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree Consultation within Bicester catchment area, based on the options outlined in this paper, subject to agreement of the consultation plan by the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement. 

9.                  Changes to the Management Committees of the Spiceball Park, Kidlington & Gosford and Bicester & Ploughley Sports Centres

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/40
Contact: Gerald Hales, Service Manager Property & Assets (01865 816456)

Report by Director for Children Young People & Families (CA9)

The report seeks approval to the planned change of the Management and Advisory Committees established under the Joint Use Agreements for the Kidlington & Gosford, Bicester & Ploughley and Spiceball Park Sports Centres in the Cherwell area to become Advisory Panels. This change forms part of the modernisation programme which is underway for these centres and the report also provides an update on progress on the overall project..

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the changes to the Management Committees for the Kidlington & Gosford and Bicester & Ploughley Sports Centres and the existing Advisory Panel at Spiceball Park Sports Centres to become Advisory Panels as set out in the report.

10.             New Arrangements for Decision Making on School Organisation Proposals

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/58
Contact: Michael Mill, Strategic Manager (Property & Assets), Strategy & Performance Service (01865 816458)

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA10) (download as .doc file)

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 will bring in new Regulations and procedure in respect of School Organisation matters. The Local Authority has a new process with respect to decision making on School Organisation and School Organisation Committees will be abolished with effect from 25 May 2007.

This paper authorises a proposal to allow the County Council to fulfill its obligation in this respect and proposes that an advisory stakeholder group be set up to meet and discuss the authorisation strategy plans, options appraisals and information in relation to statutory proposals.

Arrangements are proposed pro term until further consultation takes place. It is recommended that this new structure be adopted and full membership of this substituted group and its membership be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement, with the process being reviewed after 12 months in operation.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)              accept the proposals in principle as outlined in the report;

(b)              request officers seek the views and comments of all stakeholders currently represented on the School Organisation Committee; and

(c)               agree final procedures to replace the School Organisation Committee at the 20 June 2007 Cabinet meeting.

11.             Climate Change Bill – Consultation Letter

Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/81
Contact: Nita Robertson, Environment Programme Manager (01865 810421)

Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA11).

The UK Government released a Draft Climate Change Bill for consultation in March 2007. This Bill is the first of its kind and through it the Government hopes to introduce a clear, long-term framework for the UK to achieve its goals of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and ensure steps are taken towards adapting to the impacts of climate change.

Recommendations on this consultation are being put to Cabinet for approval following the significant steps the Council has taken in recent months towards both reducing carbon emissions and adapting to a changing climate within the organisation. This consultation provides the opportunity for Cabinet to comment on national policy at an early stage and pursue the corporate priority of actively making our contribution to the global challenge of climate change, in this case, beyond the county boundaries.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the comments on the draft UK Climate Change Bill as outlined in paragraphs 6 to 8 of the report.

12.             Appointments

(See also Addenda)

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/61
Contact: Geoff Malcolm, Principal Committee Officer (01865 815904)

Report by Assistant Head of Service (Democratic) (CA12)

Under Section H of the Constitution the Cabinet is responsible for appointments to those outside bodies which have been identified by the Cabinet as "strategic" and "noted as such on a list of all relevant offices and bodies from time to time presented to and endorsed by the Council". (The Democracy & Organisation Committee has responsibility for appointments to other outside bodies.)

The bodies currently designated as "strategic" are listed in the report, which also identifies the members appointed to the respective bodies following the County Council election last year. The Cabinet is invited to review the existing appointments and to make any changes which are considered appropriate.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to make any revised appointments as appropriate in the light of nominations made by the date of the meeting. 

13.             Forward Plan and Future Business

(See also Addenda)

Cabinet Member: All
Contact Officer: Tony Cloke, Assistant Head of Service (Democratic) (01865 815314)

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 CA13.  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.

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