Meeting documents
Cabinet
Tuesday, 6 September 2005
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To Members of the Cabinet Notice of a Meeting of the CabinetTuesday 6 September 2005 at 2.00 pm County Hall, Oxford
Contact officer: Matt Bayliss (Tel: 01865 815384; E-mail ) Membership
Decisions taken at the meeting will become effective at the end of the working day on 14 September 2005 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.
AGENDAAddenda
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2005 (CA3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.
Cabinet
Member: Leader of the Council, Change Management Report by County Council Management Team (CA5). This quarterly performance report is for the first quarter of 2005/06. It provides a report against Oxfordshire Plan 2005/6 priorities; Public Service Agreement 2003/04 – 2005/06 targets; Raising our Performance 2; and Best Value Performance Indicators. The Oxfordshire Plan 2005-06 carries forward the Council’s 13 priorities from 2004/05 (known as the "10+3"). Monitoring on these priorities continues until the work under way to set out the priorities of the new Council is complete. This is likely to be this autumn and at that time a scorecard will be used to provide a summary of the performance of the Council. Reporting on the monitoring of Raising our Performance 2 is now being undertaken as part of this quarterly performance report. As stated in the Oxfordshire Plan, the Council is reviewing its vision and medium-term objectives following the May 2005 election and a key element of this will be an organisational development strategy. Once developed, this strategy will replace Raising our Performance 2. This year there are a number of new BVPI indicators that have not yet been assessed. When the final guidance is produced for CPA 2005, the relative weighting given to indicators will need to be assessed. In addition, work is under way to develop a performance scorecard that will set out those BVPIs that are seen as being of high corporate importance. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the report.
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA6). The review of the Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2016 is now reaching its final stages. In March 2005 the Council considered the report of the Panel who conducted the examination in public of the deposit draft Structure Plan in October 2004 and agreed proposed modifications to the draft Plan. The proposed modifications were published from 6 May to 17 June 2005. About 275 individuals and organisations submitted representations on the proposed modifications. It is considered that the representations have not raised any new issues or matters of such significance to justify re-opening the EIP or making additional changes to the policies. Therefore the report recommends that the Council should proceed to adopt the Plan without proposing further modifications, recommends how the Council should respond to each of the representations, and proposes revisions to the explanatory text that accompanies the policies in the Plan. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED, subject to consideration of any comments on behalf of the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee, to RECOMMEND Council to:
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA7). As part of the preparation of the South East Plan the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) has asked the County Council to advise it on district housing distribution by 9 December. The draft South East plan that was published for consultation in January 2005 outlined 2 main options for accommodating development in central Oxfordshire. Option A entailed extensions to settlements beyond the green belt concentrating development at Bicester and Didcot and potentially Wantage & Grove and option B extensions to Oxford involving development in the green belt. Option A was the County Council’s preferred strategy and there was also a clear majority in favour of option A among other respondents. The Central Oxfordshire Steering Group agreed in the light of the County Council’s preferred strategy for central Oxfordshire and SEERA’s policy decision on green belts that work should focus on a more detailed appraisal and distribution for the preferred option. Distributions have been drawn up around two main alternatives: with most of the additional greenfield requirement divided between Bicester and Didcot; or with a larger part of the additional housing requirement allocated to the southern part of the county (including Wantage &Grove) where there is potential for significant employment growth. For the rest of Oxfordshire an illustrative distribution has also been drawn up which takes account of the estimated housing potential and distribution of the main settlements in the area. The preparation of the advice to SEERA is to include consultation in September and October. To meet SEERA’s deadline it is intended that this should commence on 16 September for 6 weeks. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree:
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA8) (download as .doc file). This report considers the responses to the Government consultation papers published on the 18 July on Planning for Housing Provision and the Draft Green Belt Direction. The Housing paper in particular has considerable implications for the planning system. This Housing Paper is likely to form the basis of the revised Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) due out in draft this autumn. The Paper seeks to partially address affordability and house price issues by increasing land supply, thereby potentially house building rates, and by making the planning system more responsive to the housing market. It proposes sub-regional housing markets for high, managed or low levels of new homes according to housing market circumstances. Potentially the proposals have significant implications for housing numbers in the South East. Sub-regional housing markets have implications for cross-administrative working and for the current sub-regions in the South East Plan. The Draft Green Belt Direction seeks to clarify existing arrangements about when proposed developments in green belts should be referred to the Secretary of State (SoS) so that he can decide whether he wishes to determine them. The Government seeks to reaffirm its commitment to green belt in the Paper stating that it has no plans to review green belt policy or relax planning controls. Nevertheless there are concerns that the proposals in the Housing Paper will serve to undermine the protection of green belts. There is also criticism of the Government’s target to maintain or increase the area of land within green belts on the basis that the target is a superficial measure and does not stand up to scrutiny. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
for submission to the Government as the County Council’s response to the consultation papers.
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA9). This report seeks authority for the undertaking of further steps in the preparation of the Minerals and Waste Development Framework, which replaces the Minerals and Waste Local Plan. The Framework comprises a portfolio of local development documents, including a Statement of Community Involvement and an Issues and Options Report for the Core Strategy, Site Proposals and Policies. These need to be issued for public consultation by the end of September 2005. The Statement of Community Involvement must set out the Council’s policy for involving stakeholders and the community in the preparation and review of the local development documents within the Minerals and Waste Development Framework and also in the consideration of planning applications that are determined by the County Council. The Issues and Options Report must set out: strategic aims and objectives for minerals and waste planning in Oxfordshire; the main spatial planning issues that should be addressed in the Core Strategy and Site Proposals and Policies documents; and possible options for approaches to addressing the issues identified. A draft Statement of Community Involvement and a set of aims, objectives, issues and options for inclusion in the Core Strategy and Minerals and Waste Site Proposals and Policies documents have been prepared. These take into account responses to initial consultation on the content of the Statement of Community Involvement and the output from two meetings of a stakeholder group (Minerals and Waste Forum). The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development Report
by Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee (CA10). The Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee have undertaken a review of energy from waste, in order to evaluate the potential of those processes of waste disposal which entail energy recovery to provide a sustainable solution to Oxfordshire’s waste problems. The Scrutiny Committee was keen that the Review should be conducted at this time, due to the imminent expiration of one of Oxfordshire County Council’s main waste disposal contracts. As the authority is currently in the process of negotiating for a new, long-term agreement for waste disposal, this was a timely opportunity for consideration of how to meet waste disposal obligations in a manner that addresses both the aims of environmental protection and sustainable development. The Review’s main findings were:
The Review ultimately concluded that Combined Heat & Power is the most sustainable option for Oxfordshire. 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.
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development Report by Head of Sustainable Development (CA11). The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP) is a partnership of each of the District Councils and the County Council to promote the effective, efficient and sustainable management of household and municipal waste in Oxfordshire. The OWP has been meeting on a regular basis for a number of years and provides an effective forum for partnership working on waste matters. Each authority is represented by its Cabinet Member or equivalent. This report deals with two issues which OWP has recently had under consideration, as well as giving a brief analysis of progress towards sustainable waste management in general. The OWP operates within a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreed between the Oxfordshire authorities in 2000. This report provides details of the revised MOU which the OWP are recommending to the constituent authorities. The OWP is also recommending partner authorities to agree to ring fence future Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant awards to further joint working and to facilitate increased recycling and composting. This is a three year targeted grant to provide funding to local authorities to introduce more recycling systems, to undertake long term strategic planning and to promote increased and more effective partnership working in two tier areas such as Oxfordshire. For 2005/6 each District Council and the County Council received its own grant. To encourage joint working Government has said that for future years it is considering making single allocations of these grants to the relevant partnerships of authorities in two-tier areas. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
Cabinet
Member: Transport Report by Head of Transport (CA12). This report provides the results of investigations into the possible provision of a central reserve safety barrier on the Oxford Eastern Bypass following a request by the Council on 21 June on a motion by Councillor Barbara Gatehouse. The report concentrates on the section of the Bypass between Horspath Driftway and Kiln Lane, the location of a multiple fatal accident on 28 May. The Eastern Bypass dual carriageway was built in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s when the design standards did not include the provision of a central reserve safety barrier, and since that time systematic assessment indicated that the funds available for road safety improvements would save more lives and injuries if spent at the many other sites with higher levels of accidents. However In recent years there has been about one crossover accident a year after a long time when there had been none. The report concludes that there is a strong case for introducing a 50mph speed limit on the whole length of the Eastern Bypass because of the general accident reduction benefit, and that there is an exceptional case for construction of a concrete central reserve barrier as being almost certain to eliminate all crossover accidents involving cars because of its high containment characteristics. It would also be effective in containing larger vehicles. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree to:
Cabinet
Member: Transport Report by Interim Head of Transport (CA13). The
existing Term Consultancy contract for Transport Planning ends in
March 2006. It is proposed to set up a new Term Consultancy Arrangement
to take effect from April 2006, with an initial 5-year contract for
an individual consultant to deliver transport planning consultancy
services. The purpose of this report is to set out the parameters
and service specification for the proposed contract, map out the selection
process and timetable for securing the initial 5-year contract and
identify the financial implications of this proposal. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
Cabinet
Member: Schools Improvement Report by Director for Learning & Culture (CA14). This paper reports on a consultation that has been conducted in South Banbury to consider proposals to re-organise Primary School provision in the area. The specific proposal is for the re-location of Dashwood Community School to a new site on the old Cattle Market, Banbury and extend Harriers Ground County Primary School. A site has been secured for a new 7 class primary school to provide for basic need in the area. This has opened up the opportunity to relocate Dashwood Community School, which currently occupies sub-standard Victorian accommodation and provide up to an additional 4 classrooms at the neighbouring Harriers Ground County Primary School to ensure the 7 classrooms for basic need are provided and improve the overall accommodation. The additional works at Harriers Ground will be funded from the capital receipt obtained from the disposal of the Dashwood site. The report outlines concerns raised during the consultation and comments on them. Members are asked to consider whether to proceed with developing a new school at the former Cattlemarket site and whether Dashwood Community School and Harriers Ground Primary School should be part of the project. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
Cabinet
Member: Schools Improvement Report by Director for Learning & Culture (CA15). This report presents two project appraisals, for schemes within the Learning & Culture Capital Programme. The first Appraisal – No ED625 – relates to the replacement of temporary buildings at Lord Williams's School which are beyond economic repair. This scheme has been identified as a priority in the Asset Management Plan and is one of a number of high priority schemes to replace temporary buildings with permanent accommodation. Following a site development plan exercise it has been established that the most appropriate way of replacing these for general teaching rooms is to bring all the science accommodation on the Upper School site together. The scheme provides for 4 new science labs and associated accommodation from Modernisation funding. The 4 vacated labs in the main building will be converted into general classrooms by the school. The second is a revised Appraisal – No ED588/2 – relating to an increase in the estimated costs of the project to provide replacement purpose built accommodation for Elms Road Nursery School at the Botley Primary School site, with associated work for the Primary School. In September 2003 the Executive approved the project at a cost of £1,650,000 inclusive of fees. Apart from inflation in the intervening period the reasons for the cost increase are: additional costs as a result of poor ground conditions; change of design elements, in particular, the provision of an outside garden area for use by both the Nursery and Early Years Units; and service diversions not planned for. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve project appraisals ED625 and ED588/2.
Cabinet
Member: Health & Community Services Report by Director for Learning & Culture (CA16). The Report considers the outcome of a study, commissioned jointly by the County Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council, into the feasibility of creating a cultural centre at the Old Gaol, Abingdon. Such a centre might include a new location for Abingdon Library the town’s museum, space for the performing and visual arts, including cinema, as well as commercial and housing units. There could also be opportunities for Adult Learning to base activities here. The study concluded that adapting the Old Gaol as a cultural centre "would create a lively, busy and high quality cultural and community hub which would make a big difference to quality of life and community cohesion in the Vale." It identified a good market for a small-scale arts centre which could be used for a range of community and social events. It also confirmed that bringing together on one site the functions of library, museum and a fully programmed arts centre would provide added value for the town. However the scheme would be expensive to build. The cost of a new library in the scheme, together with potential contributions to the costs of the museum and overall infrastructure would require capital expenditure of between £4 million and £6 million by the County Council. This would represent the larger part of any unallocated capital which the Council has at its disposal in the next three years. There are other needs for library improvement or replacement which would be of a higher priority than replacing Abingdon Library. The District Council would not be able to meet the balance of the capital cost of the centre (ca £12.5 million), without a major adverse impact upon its revenue budgets. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the conclusion that the creation of a cultural centre as envisaged at Abingdon Old Gaol is not viable, on the grounds that the capital costs cannot be afforded either by the County Council or the Vale of White Horse District Council.
Cabinet
Member: Finance Report by Head of Property (CA17). The Best Value Review of Property Services recommended the establishment of a core contract for a substantial proportion of the services and a number of framework contracts that can be used selectively for the remainder of the works to give flexibility, comparability and competition. In April 2005 the core contract commenced with the appointment of Mouchel Parkman, who provide a comprehensive property service. This report seeks Cabinet approval for the process for the appointment of the framework consultants. The process will follow the "Invitation to Tender" route with selection based on a 60% quality/40% cost model. The split of work between the core and framework contracts will depend on the respective consultants’ abilities, performance and value for money. However, it is expected that c.20% of the total work might be placed with the framework consultants. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the process set out in the report for the selection of the framework consultants to be in place by 1 April 2006.
Cabinet
Member: Leader of the Council, Change Management Report by Solicitor to the Council (CA18). On 16 June 2004 the Executive adopted a Code of Corporate Governance and the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee to undertake an annual review of the Code commencing in July 2005. That Committee subsequently accepted the invitation. Following work by a Corporate Governance Officer Working Party and an Internal Audit of the corporate governance arrangements, the Code has been updated and has been presented Scrutiny Committee, who are recommending the Cabinet to approve it. The CIPFA/SOLACE Guidance recommends that each local authority should provide an annual assurance that its corporate governance arrangements are adequate and operating effectively in practice. The Solicitor to the Council’s recommendation is not to proceed with a further assurance process specifically in relation to the Code of Corporate Governance. There is a risk that to do so would reduce the focused work that is currently being undertaken both for Statement on Internal Control issues and raising awareness and compliance with corporate governance policies and procedures. His recommendation, endorsed by the Corporate Governance Scrutiny is that the Council’s Statement on Internal Control be the preferred Assurance Statement on Corporate Governance matters. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED:
Cabinet Member:
Leader of the Council The Cabinet’s agreement is sought in respect of arrangements for its representation on two bodies. One of the strategic outside bodies to which the Cabinet made appointments at the 17 May meeting is the Oxfordshire Community Partnership, the co-ordinating body responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the Oxfordshire Community Strategy. The Cabinet agreed that the Leader of the Council should continue to represent the Council on that body and its Steering Group. The Steering Group has recently reviewed its membership and has agreed to increase the County Council representation to two. The Leader of the Council has nominated Councillor Roger Belson to take the additional place. On 7 June the Cabinet agreed arrangements for member participation in a variety of joint and internal bodies supporting the work of the Cabinet. One body which did not feature in that process is the Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board – a multi-agency service managers’ group with responsibility for overseeing the development and implementation of local teenage pregnancy plans. However it is understood that Councillor David Turner has regularly attended Board meetings, having been nominated by the former Executive Member for Children & Young People following an invitation from the Board. Councillor Louise Chapman has indicated that she would value participation in her capacity as the Cabinet Member for Children & Young People and officers supporting the Board have confirmed that this would be welcomed. It is suggested that this arrangement should therefore be formalised. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree:
Cabinet
Member: Finance The Prudential Code requires the Council to set Prudential Indicators prior to the start of each financial year. The indicators are set for the next three years and are designed to ensure that the Council’s capital investment plans are affordable, prudent and sustainable. Council approved the 2005/6 Treasury Management Prudential Indicators on 15 February 2005. The
report identifies the need to amend some of the 2005/06 indicators
in order to avoid limiting the Council’s ability to finance the capital
programme and to allow the authority to invest a higher proportion
of its cash balances in variable rate instruments. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to RECOMMEND the Council to approve:
as shown in Annex 1 to the report.
Cabinet
Member: All 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 CA21. 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.
August
2005
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