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ITEM 8

COUNTY COUNCIL – 20 NOVEMBER 2001

 

Report of the Executive to the County Council

The Executive held its first meeting on 6 November 2001.

  1. Henley Integrated Transport

    2.

    The Executive has considered the Environmental Improvement Scheme for Henley Market Place following a visit by the Leader of the Council and other Executive Members in October and in the light of a subsequent proposal by the Henley Town Council to hold a Town Poll on future traffic arrangements in Market Place. The decision to hold the Poll means that the Executive cannot now authorise any further work on the Scheme until Town Council’s position concerning its funding and land contribution has been resolved following the Poll.

    In the meantime the Executive has asked the Town Council to recognise the partnership nature of the proposed scheme and to consult with the Executive and with South Oxfordshire District Council on the wording of any Town Poll relating to the scheme and to any background information circulated with the Poll. Subject to the Executive being satisfied that the question and accompanying information for the Town Poll were fair and objective, it has undertaken to respect the outcome of the Poll, providing it is clear and substantial, but without prejudice to the consideration of representations received in response to any traffic order that might be needed as a result.

    Also, subject to the Town Council’s agreement to support partnership working by consulting on the form of the Town Poll as described above, it was agreed that an Integrated Transport Study Working Group should be set up to deal with wider concerns, particularly the problem of the continuing growth of traffic volume, with a commitment to spend £100,000 in 2002/03 to fund the implementation of the Study.

  2. Review of Education, Cultural and Social Services

    3. The Executive has agreed that there should be a review of the relationships between the three departments of Education, Cultural Services and Social Services and their structures. This arises from the introduction of new political management arrangements and the adoption of a thematic approach to the formation of Executive portfolios and Scrutiny Committees, the improvement programme embodied in "Raising our Performance", the findings of the recent Peer Review, the shared interests of the departments and the significant structural changes in the Health Sector.

    Terms of reference for the review have been set which will take account of structures developed in other authorities, the views of County Councillors, managers in the three departments and other key interest groups and users. The Review Team, which will consist of senior officers and two members of the Executive together with one or two representatives from outside the County Council, are expected to report to the Executive in the Spring 2002. The Chief Executive will inform County Council staff and its partners of the purpose of the review and its progress.

  3. Outside Bodies

Under the new political management arrangements the Democracy & Organisation Committee has responsibility for appointments to outside bodies, expect for those identified by the Executive as strategic and identified on a list presented to and endorsed by the Council.

In the meantime the Executive RECOMMEND the Council to approve the following list of strategic outside bodies:

Association of Councils for the Thames Valley Region (ACTVaR)

ACTVaR, European Group

Local Government Association

Local Government Association County Councils Network

Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils

Oxfordshire Rural Community Council

South East Employers

South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA)

Oxfordshire Health Authority Modernisation & Partnership Board

The Democracy & Organisation Committee will be carrying out a review of the categorisation and appointment process for other outside bodies.

 

 

Keith R Mitchell

Leader of the Council

 

November 2001