Meeting documents
Cabinet
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
To Members of the Cabinet
|
Councillors |
|
|
Keith R Mitchell CBE |
- |
Leader of the Council |
David Robertson |
- |
Deputy Leader of the Council & Cabinet Member for Strategic Transport Policy |
C.H. Shouler |
- |
Cabinet Member for Finance |
John Howell |
- |
Cabinet Member for Change Management |
Louise Chapman |
- |
Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families |
Michael Waine |
- |
Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement |
Roger Belson |
- |
Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development |
Jim Couchman |
- |
Cabinet Member for Social & Community Services |
Ian Hudspeth |
- |
Cabinet Member for Transport Implementation |
Mrs J. Heathcoat |
- |
Cabinet Member for Community Safety |
Decisions taken at the meeting
will become effective at the end of the working day on 26 September 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: 16 October 2007
If you have any special requirements (such as a large print version of these papers or special access facilities) please contact the officer named on the front page, but please give as much notice as possible before the meeting. |
AGENDA
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest – see guidance note
3. Minutes
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2007 (CA3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.
4. Petitions and Public Address
5. Financial Monitoring
Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/090
Contact: Stephanie Skivington, Strategic Finance Manager/Mike Petty, Strategic Financial Planning Manager (01865 815426/815622)
Report by Head of Finance & Procurement (CA5).
The report covers the period up to the end of July 2007 for both revenue and capital. Changes to the forecast outturn are reported against the position at the end of May, as
a)previously reported to the Cabinet and significant variations highlighted.
The Directorate in-year overspend for 2007/08 is predicted to be £1.672 which, when the City Schools reorganisation overspend of £1.957m (repayment planned over a number of years) and the Schools Transport days variation of £0.494m are included, produces the overall overspend of £4.123.
The year-end forecast position of General balances at the end of July is £22.499m. Allowing for a further allocation of £1.323m of Performance Reward Grant, together with the supplementary estimate of £0.159m requested in this report (paragraph 23), implies a revised year-end forecast for General Balances of £21.017m. When taken with the forecast Directorate in-year overspend of £1.672m and the Transport days 2007/08 variation of £0.494m, this gives a consolidated balances forecast for the year-end of £18.850m.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) note the report;
(b) approve the virements as set out in Annex 2a (paragraph 31);
(c) approve the £0.159m supplementary estimate to Environment & Economy for the Flood Defence Levy (paragraph 23);
(d) approve the write off of £0.081m bad debt in Social & Community Services (paragraph 33); and
(e) approve the changes to the capital programme as set out in paragraphs 46 to 59.
6. Service & Resource Planning 2008/09 to 2012/13
Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/122
Contact: Lorna Baxter, Strategic Financial Planning Manager (01865 816087), Paul Edwards, Corporate Performance Manager (01865 815307)
Report by Chief Executive and Head of Finance & Procurement (CA6) (download as .doc file).
This report is the first in a series on the service and resource planning process for 2008/09 to 2012/13, providing Members with information on the budget issues for 2008/09 and the medium term. The report provides initial information that will lead to the Council agreeing a budget requirement and Council Tax for 2008/09 in February 2008.
The report sets out estimated funding and planned expenditure for 2008/09 and the assumptions on which these are based. It outlines the budget issues emerging for 2008/09 and beyond for both revenue and capital expenditure. The report also sets out the proposals from the County Council Management Team for managing the service and resource planning process for 2008/09 including a timetable of events.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) note the report;
(b) approve the Service and Resource Planning Process for 2008/09; and
(c) ask the Capital Steering Group to consider the outstanding capital needs and potential funding sources and make recommendations to Cabinet in January 2008.
7. Active Fire Suppression Systems in Schools
Cabinet Member: Community Safety
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/057
Contact: John Parry, Director for Community Safety & Chief Fire Officer (01865 855205)
Report by Director for Community Safety & Chief Fire Officer (CA7).
The Cabinet agreed the following actions at its meeting on 19 September 2006:
· To review the current fire safety strategy developed by Property Services and the Fire and Rescue Service for all County Council buildings.
· To develop a “Fire Suppression and Alarm Systems Risk Assessment” as part of the new fire safety strategy process. This will require that a risk assessment is carried out in the very early design stages of a project to determine whether sprinklers would be appropriate and the level of fire alarm and detection systems required. The risk assessment process would take into account such issues as the social and economic consequences of a fire for both the school and the wider community, storage of materials, public access to the site, vulnerability of the construction to fire, security measures at the site, history of vandalism and arson, local socio-demographic factors, and access for the Fire and Rescue Service.
· In conjunction with Children Young People & Families Directorate (CYP&F) provide guidance to schools recommending the use of the Fire Safety Strategy when carrying out major refurbishments or new building projects using self finance or devolved capital funding. The guidance will also include a recommendation that schools review their current fire alarm and detection systems in existing buildings and to consider fitting, using delegated funding, an automatic link to an alarm receiving centre which alerts the Fire and Rescue Service.
· Establish a working group involving Property Services, the Fire and Rescue Service, CYP&F and the County Council’s insurers to agree the standard of sprinkler installation where the process indicates that sprinklers are required in schools and to investigate the use of mist systems in the protection of high risk areas and life safety issues.
The report recommends that new schools, or those which undergo a major refurbishment, should be risk assessed. This will establish if a school is high, medium or low risk and determine if a sprinkler system is necessary. It is the Government’s expectation that only schools identified as low risk will not require sprinklers to be fitted.
All existing schools are to be risk assessed and a report detailing appropriate fire safety measures is to be drawn up.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to direct that:
(a) all new County Council schools and major refurbishments are risk assessed by an experienced Fire Safety Officer;
(b) all schools, other than those categorised as low risk, must be fitted with an active fire suppression system;
(c) all existing primary schools be risk assessed by an experienced Fire Safety Officer based on a programme co-ordinated with the Primary Review;
(d) all existing secondary schools be risk assessed by an experienced Fire Safety Officer; and
(e) the outcome of those risk assessments be compiled into a report and brought back to Cabinet for further consideration.
8. Flooding Recovery
Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/192
Contact: Paul Gerrish, Business Manager, Environment & Economy (01865 815081)
Report by Chief Executive (CA8) (download as .doc file).
The report outlines the impact that the July flooding had on the people and businesses in Oxfordshire, the arrangements that were made as a consequence, the cost of the flooding to the County Council and the longer-term flooding issues in the county.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) thank the emergency services and other Council staff for their dedication to both their job and helping the people of Oxfordshire following the July floods;
(b) note that recovery has now moved to business as usual;
(c) instruct the Head of Finance & Procurement to pursue re-imbursement by the Government of the costs incurred by this council as a consequence of the floods;
(d) note that officers are pursing longer term issues with the other councils in Oxfordshire and the Environment Agency and receive a report back in due course; and
(e) note that Sir Michael Pitt has been commissioned to undertake a national review of the response to the floods on behalf of the Government and instruct officers to contribute to this.
The Cabinet is also RECOMMENDED to consider whether it wishes to give any advice to the Community Safety and Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committees about the scope of their review.
9. Peers School, Littlemore : Creation of an Academy
Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/174
Contact: Michael Mill, Strategic Manager (01865 816458), Shannon Moore Assistant Head : Learning & Achievement, Educational Effectiveness Service (01865 428084)
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA9).
The report asks the Cabinet to consider publishing statutory notices for the closure of Peers School. This would enable the Secretary of State to give approval to the business case for creating an Academy to replace Peers School and to sign the appropriate funding agreements. The report outlines the reasons for the proposals for the school to become an Academy and the main steps that have been taken to consult informally on the proposals. Details of the outcome of the consultation and how future consultation will take place, should the Cabinet decide to proceed, are also outlined in the report.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider the outcome of the consultation and on the basis of this decide whether to proceed with the proposal to close Peers School, conditional upon the creation of the Academy in its place, and issue the appropriate statutory notices.
10. Consultation on Formula Grant Distribution
Cabinet Member: Finance
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/195
Contact: David Illingworth, Financial Planning Consultant (Financial Planning), (01865 815352)
Report by Head of Finance &Procurement (CA10).
The Department for Communities and Local Government Department issued a consultation paper in July about possible approaches to be used when distributing formula grant in the next three years - 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11. These are the three years covered by the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, which should be issued between the 8 and 18 October 2007.
Formula grant distribution is a complex issue and it has become even more so following the introduction of what is called the 'four block' distribution model in 2006/07.
In 2007/08 the Council will receive a formula grant of £92.261m, of which £6.775m is 'damping grant'. Thus our underlying formula grant figure is only £85.486m. In the longer term, we might expect our formula grant to increase only at the minimum levels chosen by government ministers. This will continue until the additional support that we receive from the damping grant is removed.
The consultation paper asks 30 questions about various possible changes to the formula grant distribution system. Most proposals would affect our underlying grant figure rather than the grant after damping. Thus they might not affect our actual grant payments during the next three years. However, they could undermine or improve our underlying grant figure and this will delay or bring forward the time at which we no longer rely on damping grant.
The paper explains the proposed changes in more detail and suggests responses to the 30 questions, in Annex 2. We must respond to the consultation by 10 October 2007. The formula grant figures for the next three years will be announced for consultation in November or December 2007. A final figure for 2008/09 should appear in January 2008.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the response to the formula grant consultation set out in Annex 2 and agree the authority to approve any changes necessary as a result of new information or understanding be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Finance.
11. Schools Business Systems (SAP) Project
Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/171
Contact: Rick Harmes, Head of Strategy & Performance (01865 810626)
Report by Head of Strategy & Performance (CA11) (download as .doc file).
The Schools Business Systems Project was established in 2005, growing out of the Council’s work on SAP revitalisation. One of the Project’s aims was to pilot the use of SAP in schools. This was with a view to delivering improved financial management both for schools and for the Council as a whole.
In the light of the work of the pilot, the benefits of using SAP for financial and business management are considered significant. These are set out in the final Evaluation Report on the Project (Annex 1).
On this basis, it is considered that the time is right for the Council to move forwards full integration of schools’ financial systems with those of the Council. This will be achieved by introducing SAP into all schools in Oxfordshire in two main phases in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Phase 1 of the roll-out can be achieved at no additional cost to the Council using unspent monies already voted for the SAP Schools Pilot Project. For Phase 2, the additional one-off rollout costs are estimated at £500k (including a small contingency sum) over two financial years, 2008-09 and 2009-2010. Once each phase of the roll-out is completed, the provision of SAP support in the schools concerned will become self-financing through financial contributions from the participating schools.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) agree that the SAP schools pilot project be brought to a close; and
(b) agree that an accelerated roll-out project of SAP into schools should be created on the basis set out in this report, subject to the agreement and appropriate sign-off of the PID.
12. Performance Management : First Quarter Report Progress Against Priorities and Targets
Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/197
Contact: Paul Edwards, Corporate Performance Manager (01865 815307)
Report by County Council Management Team (CA12).
This quarterly report shows our performance against the key targets contained in the Council's Balanced Scorecard at the end of the first quarter of 2007/8. The report is presented in a new format to provide a clear and easily understood summary of areas of concern. The report identifies performance against each priority target using a traffic light system to show progress within four blocks: customers, finance, process and people.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the report.
13. Establishment Review
Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/030
Contact: Steve Munn, Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development (01865 815191)
Report by Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development (CA13).
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 2007 in terms of Full Time Equivalents is provided, together with the detailed staffing position at 30 June 2007. These are shown in the report by Directorate and Service area.
The report also provides information on current activity and 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; and
(b) confirm that the Establishment Review continues to meet requirements in reporting and managing staffing numbers.
14. Value for Money Strategy
Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/181
Contact: Paul Edwards, Corporate Performance Manager (01765 815307), Dave Calver, Performance Adviser (01865 815982)
Report by County Council Management Team (CA14).
This report introduces a proposed unified strategy for Value for Money. The draft plan has been considered and approved by the County Council Management Team in the format as provided as Annex 1.
This strategy puts Value for Money into the context of what it means for Oxfordshire, what the desired outcomes of implementing this strategy are, and the means by which we will achieve them. The outcomes are set out as clear aims that demonstrate our commitment to deliver excellent services to the people of Oxfordshire. The seven key processes by which we will achieve this value for money are then detailed. Each one shows how we will use them and links back to detailed processes already in place.
A decision is required on this report so that this strategy can formally be adopted within the Council. A shared understanding of why value for money is important in driving this key focus of the vision for Oxfordshire.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the Value for Money Strategy.
15. Commission on Integration and Cohesion
Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/182
Contact: Adrian Harper-Smith, Corporate Strategies Manager (01865 810179)
Report by Head of Partnership Working / Corporate Strategies Manager (CA15).
The Commission on Integration and Cohesion was established by Government as a fixed term advisory body charged with considering how local areas can make the most of the benefits delivered by increasing diversity and how they can respond to the tensions it can sometimes cause. The Commission’s final report, “Our Shared Future”, was published on 14 June 2007, with the aim of offering practical approaches that build communities’ own capacity to prevent problems, including those caused by segregation and the dissemination of extremist ideologies. The final report provides a definition of cohesion and integration and the key principles that the Commission believes underpin the definition. The report summarises the Commission's main recommendations and how the County Council is currently addressing the issues raised.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the summary of the recommendations in the Commission on Integration and Cohesion’s report and endorse the County Council’s approach to addressing the issues raised.
16. ICT Services - Fundamental Review 2007
Cabinet Member: Change Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/196
Contact: Graham Shaw, Deputy Head of ICT, (01865 816593)
Report by Head of ICT Services (CA16).
The report describes:
(1) The outcomes of the Joint Scrutiny/Fundamental Review of ICT Services which took place in the period January - July 2007
(2) The Action Plan to address the development themes that emerged from the Review which were agreed by the Fundamental Review Board and endorsed by Change Management Board and by Corporate Scrutiny in July
(3) The proposal for an enhanced ICT Strategy Group to manage the Action Plan and to develop and promote corporate ICT Strategy in support of Change Aim 6:
The Cabinet is asked to endorse the ICT Action Plan which has a number of corporate, cross-cutting strategic themes. The Cabinet is also asked to consider the proposal for changes to the membership and remit of the ICT Strategy Group.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to
(a) congratulate ICT Services on the outcome of the FSR;
(b) note the conclusions of the FSR; and
(c) endorse the priorities and identified areas for future development.
17. Partnership Working Strategy
Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/047
Contact: Paul James, Head of Partnership Working, (01865 816031)
Report by Chief Executive (CA17).
(CA17 - Oxfordshire Partnership – A Strategy for Partnership Working in Oxfordshire - download as .doc file)
(Annex 1 - download as .doc file)
(Annex 2 - download as .doc file)
(Annex 3 - download as .doc file)
(Annex 4 - download as .doc file)
Local service delivery is now provided by a wide range of statutory, independent, private and voluntary sector organisations. We therefore need to work closely with our partners in order to deliver better outcomes and value for money for local people.
This means working effectively at a regional and county level with the police, health, learning and skills council and other public agencies – and equally – at the local level with district, town and parish councils.
The Partnership Strategy sets out the County Council’s framework for partnership working. It includes :
· Why we work in partnership and our principles for partnership working.
· Strategic Partnership working : The Oxfordshire Partnership and Local Area Agreement.
· Our thematic county-level statutory partnerships. For example. The Children and Young People’s Partnership.
· Non statutory thematic county-level partnerships. For example : the Waste Partnership.
· Partnership working at the local level.
· Involvement of elected members in partnerships and the role of Scrutiny..
· Accountability and equality.
· Risk and performance management.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to adopt the Partnership Strategy.
18. Closer to Communities
Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/133
Contact: Paul James, Head of Partnership Working (01865 816031)
Report by Head of Partnership Working (CA18)
Oxfordshire communities are diverse in scale and character and the urban/rural nature of the county needs to be reflected in our service strategies and operational practice. In addition we recognise that we live in an ever changing world and that communities will need to adapt and change in order to survive. The County Council has a key role in helping local communities to adapt and change as well as in ensuring that services reflect local needs and are accessible.
The Government has also recognised that ‘top down’ approaches to problem solving are not always the most effective solution and, in the recent White Paper, there was strong emphasis on the need for local authorities to have more freedom to support and encourage local place shaping: in other words helping local communities to shape their own future by getting involved in projects which will sustain thriving and cohesive villages, towns and our city, for the 21st century
In essence the County Council has three roles:
· To shape service delivery to reflect local needs
· To support local community planning
· To provide leadership in major development and regeneration
The County Council is already fulfilling these roles in many ways. However, the purpose of this paper is to sharpen the focus for our work with local communities and to provide better information for local members who lead much of the work with local communities
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) endorse the extension of information mapping for Oxfordshire’s natural communities;
(b) approve the priority list of development/regeneration projects set out in paragraph 22 of the report;
(c) consider Member support arrangements in Autumn 2007; and
(d) review overall progress and next steps in Autumn 2008.
19. The Governance of Britain: The Government’s Draft Legislative Programme 2008/09
Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/193
Contact: Stephen Capaldi, Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy) (01865 815466)
Report by Chief Executive (CA19) (download as .doc file).
The Government published a document, "The Governance of Britain", in July containing its proposals for constitutional reform and the draft legislative programme for 2007/08.
The proposals are aimed at stronger accountability of the government to parliament, greater engagement between parliament and the people, greater engagement between the government and the people and strong Cabinet government. The change in the way the legislative programme is planned marks a step forward in all of these respects.
One of the key elements of the work of Parliament is to consider legislation put before it by the Government. At present most of the Government’s legislative programme is announced each year in the Queen’s Speech. It is approved by Her Majesty the Queen following a closely guarded process in which individual departments propose bills to be introduced and a Cabinet Committee takes forward a process which sees bills discussed, costed and drafted. All this is done behind closed doors and the result is that Parliament does not have prior sight of what will take up much of its time.
The County Council's Management Team and other officers have taken the opportunity to consider the Bills in the draft legislative programme and a summary of implications for the County Council is provided in the report.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the position paper.
20. Primary School Provision in South-West Bicester
Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/164
Contact: Michael Mill Strategic Manager (Property & Assets)(01865) 816458
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA20).
Funding and site for a new 14-class primary school is likely to be secured through a S106 agreement linked to a new 1,565 housing estate in Bicester. The Cabinet is asked to consider supporting an informal consultation led by the governors of St Edburg's School. A proposal has been developed between the governors, the Oxford Diocese and County Council officers to relocate the school to the new estate. The report outlines the benefits of this approach and the implications for neighbouring schools.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to support the informal consultation to be undertaken by the governing body of St Edburg’s school on the relocation of the school to South-West Bicester.
21. Planning Obligations (Developer Contributions) - Scrutiny Review
Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/126, 2007/156
Contacts: Matt Bramall, Scrutiny Review Officer (01865 810822);
Rob Dance, Planning Implementation Manager (01865 815077)
Report by Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee (CA21) including comments from the Head of Sustainable Development.
Planning obligations (made usually under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) are legal commitments made by developers to provide on or off site works and/or funding for infrastructure such as roads, schools, or libraries which are necessary to meet needs arising from a new development proposal. Planning obligations are usually required to be completed before the grant of planning permission to secure the provision of the infrastructure required in consequence of the development.
Significant planned new growth in Oxfordshire for the coming 20 or so years means that demands on Council services will grow. This will make the securing of funding from all appropriate sources even more important in the future. Already much of the Council’s capital programme is heavily reliant on developer funding.
The Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee has conducted a review of the effectiveness of the way in which the planning obligations system is used by the County Council. This has been conducted over a period of about a year, has involved interviews with a wide range of internal and external customers together with assessment of current and emerging government policy.
This report considers the Scrutiny Committee's report, and makes recommendations to the Cabinet, including the adoption of an action plan and increasing the resources devoted to work on planning obligations.
It is RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet:
(a) thank the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Review Committee for their report and the significant work behind it;
(b) agree the action plan set out in Annex 2 to the report;
(c) agree to consider, as part of the Service & Resource Planning process, the need to invest £170k in the Developer Funding Teams from 2008/9 to meet the requirements identified under Recommendation 4 above. In addition, officers should continue to explore the scope for meeting as large a proportion of this as possible from developer contributions; and,
(d) agree to consider the need to invest and fund the additional staffing in Property Services and CYP&F Directorate required to ensure the delivery of the required projects resulting from planning obligations be identified as part of the Service & Resource Planning process for 2008/09.
22. Housing Green Paper: “Homes for the Future: More Affordable, More Sustainable” and South East Plan Panel Report
Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan Ref: 2007/185
Contact: Ian Walker, Spatial Planning Manager (01865 815588)
Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA22) (download as .doc file).
The Government has published a Green Paper entitled ‘Home for the Future: More Affordable, More Sustainable”. Comments on the Paper are invited by 15 October 2007. This report outlines the main points in the Green Paper and recommends responses to it. The Government has also published the Panel report on the Examination of the draft South East Plan. This report outlines the main points which relate to Oxfordshire and recommends an initial response to them, pending the publication of the government’s formal response and proposed medications to the draft South East Plan that is expected early next year.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the comments in paragraphs 11 to 24 as the County Council’s comments on the Green Paper “Homes for the Future: more affordable, more sustainable” and the initial response to the Panel report on the draft South East Plan.
23. Forward
Plan and Future Business
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 CA23. 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.