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Meeting documents

Cabinet
Tuesday, 16 December 2008

 

 
 
To Members of the Cabinet
 
 
Notice of a Meeting of the Cabinet

 

Tuesday 16 December 2008 at 2.00 pm

 

County Hall, Oxford

 

 

Joanna Simons

Chief Executive                                                                                                                                  

December 2008

 

Contact officer:          Sue Whitehead

Tel: 01865 810262

E-mail: sue.whitehead@oxfordshire.gov.uk

 

 

Membership

 

Councillors

 

 

Keith R Mitchell CBE

-

Leader of the Council

David Robertson

-

Deputy Leader of the Council

Roger Belson

-

Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development

Louise Chapman

-

Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families

Jim Couchman

-

Cabinet Member for Social & Community Services

Mrs J. Heathcoat

-

Cabinet Member for Community Safety

Ian Hudspeth

-

Cabinet Member for Transport

C.H. Shouler

-

Cabinet Member for Finance

Melinda Tilley

-

Cabinet Member for Place

Michael Waine

-

Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement

The Agenda is attached.  Decisions taken at the meeting

will become effective at the end of the working day on 24 December 2008

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 January 2009


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

 (Addenda)

1.                 Apologies for Absence

 

2.                 Declarations of Interestsee guidance note

3.                 Minutes

 

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2008 (CA3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

 

4.                 Petitions and Public Address

(See Addenda)

 

5.                 Financial Monitoring

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2008/142

Contact: Lorna Baxter, Assistant Head of Finance (Corporate Finance) (01865 816087)

 

Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Office (CA5)

(CA5 - download as .doc file)

(CA5 - Annexes 1- 5 - download as .xls file)
(CA5 - Annex 6 - download as .xls file)
(CA5 - Annex 7 - download as .pdf file)
(CA5 - Annex 8 - download as .doc file)

 

This report sets out the Council’s forecast financial position for the 2008/09 financial year based on seven months of actuals to the end of October 2008.  It includes projections for revenue, balances, reserves and capital.  The report sets out explanations where the forecast outturn is significantly different from the budget with action plans to recover the position where appropriate.

 

The in-year overspend for Directorates is forecast to be £0.567m.  This position excludes the -£1.000m underspend on the ICT Investment Fund which will be carried forward to 2009/10.  The year-end forecast of general balances is £21.352m.  After taking into account the forecast Directorate outturn, the consolidated revenue balances forecast is £20.785m.

 

The projected in-year commitment on capital is estimated at £100.4m, compared with the October capital programme of £100.7m, a variation of -£0.3m. Actual expenditure to the end of October was £42.7m, 43% of projected spend.

 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

 

(a)              note the report;

 

(b)              approve the virements as set out in Annex 2a;

 

(c)               approve the supplementary estimates as set out in Annex 2c.

 

 

6.                 Service & Resource Planning Report for 2009/10 - 2013/14

(See also Addenda)


Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2008/151

Contact: Lorna Baxter, Assistant Head of Finance (Corporate Finance) (01865 816087)

 

Report by the Chief Executive, Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy) and Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CA6)

(CA6 - download as .doc file)
(CA6 - Annex 1 - download as .xls file)
(CA6 - Annex 2 - download as .xls file)
(CA6 - Annex 3 - download as .xls file)
(CA6 - Annex 4(a) - download as .doc file)
(CA6 - Annex 4(b) - download as .xls file)

(CA6 - Annex 4(c) - download as .doc file)
(CA6 - Annex 5 - download as .doc file)

 

This report is the third in a series on the Service and Resource Planning process for 2009/10 to 2013/14, providing councillors with information on budget issues for 2009/10 and the medium term. It follows on from reports to Cabinet on 16 September and 25 November 2008.  The report sets out the review of charges, provides an update on the Service and Resource Planning process and includes relevant information from the Chancellor’s Pre Budget Report and outcome of the draft Local Government Finance Settlement.

 

The position in the report is not balanced in 2009/10 and over the medium term, with more pressures and priorities for funding than funding available. 

 

Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee met on 26 November to put forward suggestions on how the pressures might be relieved across the total budget, i.e. across Directorate boundaries. Their suggestions have subsequently been forwarded to each scrutiny committee for their consideration and comment.  The outcome of the individual scrutiny committees during December will then be fed back to and considered by Cabinet in January 2009.

 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

 

(a)              note the report;

 

(b)              note those charges prescribed by legislation;

 

(c)               approve those charges where there is local discretion as set out in Annex 4;

 

(d)              approve those charges for which an increase will commence before April 2009;

 

(e)              approve that those charges which are Standard VAT rated will not be increased in January 2010.

 

 

7.                 Oxfordshire 2030 - Sustainable Community Strategy – a Partnership Plan for Improving Quality Of Life In Oxfordshire

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council

Forward Plan Ref: 2008/179

Contact: Claire Evans, Strategic Partnership Manager (01865 816077)

 

Report by Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy) (CA7).

 

Oxfordshire 2030 is the sustainable community strategy for the county. It has been developed by the Oxfordshire Partnership and sets out a long-term vision for improving quality of life for all our residents and businesses.

 

The priorities were developed through a process of analysis of data and consultation, which also fed into the development of the second local area agreement (LAA). It is therefore consistent with the Council’s own Corporate Plan and the Local Area Agreement.

 

Our strategic objectives are:

 

(a)A world class economy

(b)Healthy and thriving communities

(c)Environment and climate change

(d)Reducing inequalities and breaking the cycle of deprivation

 

The report seeks agreement to recommend the Strategy to Council for approval in January 2009.

 

It is RECOMMENDED that Cabinet RECOMMEND to Council that Oxfordshire 2030: A partnership plan for improving quality of life in Oxfordshire is adopted at its meeting in January 2009.

 

8.                 Oxfordshire Care Partnership Contract Development And Update To The Financial Model

Cabinet Member: Social & Community Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2008/186

Contact: Nick Welch, Head of Major Programmes (01865 323569)

 

Report by Head of Major Programmes (CA8).

 

In December 2001 the County Council signed a 25-year contract with the Oxfordshire Care Partnership (OCP) for the transfer of all the local authority owned care homes to the Order of St John’s Care Trust (OSJ) and Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association (bpha), the core elements of the contract being to ensure a development programme for the buildings, the delivery of good quality care, the protection and maintenance of the workforce and the development of specialist services, preventative services and extra care housing.

 

Those care homes, which, at the time, would fail to comply with the Government’s minimum standards for registration after 2007 were redeveloped under Stage 1 of the Homes for Older People (HOPS) programme.

 

The remaining eight care homes and the services provided under the OCP contract now need to be redeveloped in light of suitability of the buildings, budget considerations, projected demographic changes, changing purchasing needs and the strategy of the Council towards maintaining people's independence in their own homes and minimising reliance on long-term care home placements.

 

The 8 homes are subject to a programme being referred to as the stage 2 OCP contract redevelopment

 

This report outlines the need for a Stage 2 redevelopment programme, the case for redeveloping the financial model for the contract and the likely timescale and impact on people.

.

It is RECOMMENDED that Cabinet agree to the:

 

(a)               overall strategy for Stage 2 of the redevelopment of the OCP contract;

 

(b)              Portfolio Holder giving approval for the financial model underpinning the OCP contract; and

 

(c)               Portfolio Holder giving approval for the development proposal and timescale for each of the 8 Stage 2 care homes.

 

 

9.                 Scrutiny Review of Finmere Quarry

(See also Addenda)

Cabinet Member: Sustainable Development

Forward Plan Ref: 2008/200

Contact: Imran Alvi, Policy and Review Officer (01865 810822)

 

Report by Lead Member Review Group (Executive Summary CA9)

 

An information note (CA9(a) (download as .doc file) is attached that gives an introduction to the Finmere Quarry Review Report. The final report is to be considered at the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee on 10 December 2008 and its outcomes will be reported to the meeting.

( Finmere Quarry Review - Recommendations - download as .doc file)

 

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.

 

 

10.             Performance Management: 2nd Quarter Progress Report Against Priorities and Targets

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader of the Council

Forward Plan Ref: 2008/144

Contact: Ian Mills, Corporate Risk and Performance Advisor (01865 815676)

 

Report by County Council Management Team (CA10).

 

Performance management report on Council's Balanced Scorecard detailing progress against priorities and targets as at Quarter Two 2008/09.

 

There are a number of indicators (8) where information is not available at the end of Quarter Two. These relate primarily to the new national indicator set where many definitions were only finalised at a late stage.

 

Performance at this stage of the year indicates 56% of targets are on track with. The remainder of targets are subject to ongoing action to improve performance with only 8% indicated as unlikely to achieve target.

 

            The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note this report.

 

11.             Establishment Review

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader of the Council

Forward Plan Ref: 2008/143

Contact: Sue Corrigan, Strategic HR Manager (01865 810280)

 

Report by Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development (CA11).

 

This report gives an update on activity since the implementation of the  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 September 2008 in terms of Full Time Equivalents is provided, together with the detailed staffing position at 30 September 2008. 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;

 

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

 


12.             Forward Plan and Future Business

(See also Addenda)

Cabinet Member: All

Contact Officer: Sue Whitehead, Committee Services Manager (01865 810262)

 

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 CA12. 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.

.

13.             Urgent Item - Appointment to South East England Councls

(See Addenda)

 

 

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