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To All Members of the County Council

Notice of a Meeting of the Council

Tuesday 9 September 2003 at 10.30 am

County Hall, Oxford

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

29 August 2003

Contact officer: Ann Lowe (Tel: 01865 815384; E-mail)

AGENDA

Minutes

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 17/24 June 2003 and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.(CC1)

Apologies for Absence

Declarations of Interest

Official Communications



Appointments

1. Pension Fund Committee : to appoint District Councillor Michael Howes, 7 Market Street, Chipping Norton as a District Council representative in place of District Councillor Mary Neale;
2. To make any other membership changes on the nomination of political groups.
   
   

Petitions and Public Address

Questions with Notice from Members of the Public

Members’ Allowances

1. Report by the Assistant Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer (CC8)
2. Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel
   
   (CC8 - Supplement - Attendance at Political Group Meetings)
   

1. determine the level of the Basic Allowance, to be payable to all councillors;
2. determine those responsibilities for which Special Responsibility Allowances will be paid and the levels of such allowances;
3. determine the levels of Childcare and Dependent Carers’ allowances;
4. decide whether to introduce co-optee’s allowances and if so on what basis;
5. decide whether to introduce indexation for Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances and if so on what terms;
6. determine which if any members should be eligible for admission to the Local Government Pension Scheme and whether any or all of the Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances should be pensionable;
7. decide on the amounts and arrangements for payment of travel and subsistence allowances, including any changes in the range of eligible duties;
8. authorise the Assistant Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer to take all necessary action to give effect to the Council’s decisions including the making of a replacement Scheme of Members’ Allowances;
9. ask officers, following consultation with the Councillor Reference Group, to draw up more detailed proposals for how the Panel’s recommendations as to "role descriptions" for councillors and a system of annual reports by individual councillors might be implemented, for report to a future meeting of the Council.

Health Overview and Scrutiny in Oxfordshire

The Oxfordshire Leaders’ Group on 1 September 2003 will consider the enclosed report (CC9) from the Officer Working Group set up to take forward the development of joint arrangements between the County & District Councils for the overview and scrutiny of health in Oxfordshire. The report recommends the setting up of a Joint County & District Council Oxfordshire-wide Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee with 3 Joint Sub-Committees. This proposal has been endorsed by the County Council’s current Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

The recommendations of the Oxfordshire Leaders’ Group will be reported at the meeting.

Meeting Dates 2004/05

Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer.

(CC10)
(CC10 Annex 1 - Proposed Dates of Meetings for 2004/5 - download as .xls file)

The Council is RECOMMENDED to:

1. agree the amendment of the Council Procedure Rules to enable the February (budget) meeting of the Council to take place on the second Tuesday of that month; and an ordinary meeting of the Council to take place on the first Tuesday in April in an election year;
2. agree the amendment of the Executive Procedure Rules to provide for the Executive generally to meet "twice a month" rather than "at fortnightly intervals";
3. approve the proposed dates of meetings for 2004/2005 set out in Annex 1 to the report;
4. agree the minor adjustments to the timetable for the latter part of 2003/04 described in the report.

Report of the Executive

(CC11)
(CC11 Annex 1 - download as .doc file)


In relation to item 3 (Capital Strategy), the Executive RECOMMENDS the Council to approve the draft Capital Strategy (attached at Annex 1 to the Executive’s Report), subject to presentational and minor textual changes to the document to be agreed with the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Leader of the Council.

Questions with Notice from Members of the Council

(CC12)


Motions with Notice from Members of the Council

Motion from Councillor Craig Simmons

• genetic modification of crop plants is a relatively new branch of science and technology;
• there is still scientific debate about the safety of GM crops;
• the commercial growing of GM crops presents legal and ethical problems;
• the commercial growing of GM crops can affect the status of nearby organic and identity protect (IP) crops;
• there is considerable local public concern over the issue of GM crops as indicated by the over-subscribed GM Nation consultation meeting recently organised by the Council;
• counties such as Cornwall and neighbouring Warwickshire have sought to address such concerns by seeking legal protection to ensure that they remain GM-free.

• ensure that no GM crops are grown on land over which it has control;
• adopt a GM-free policy for all goods and services for which the Council is responsible;
• seek to protect the livelihoods of Oxfordshire farmers growing organic and identity protected (non-GM) crops, and address the more general public concerns, by writing to the European Commission in respect of each Part C Marketing Consent requesting that a condition is imposed under Article 19(3)(c) of Directive 2001/18 exempting the geographical area of Oxfordshire from the ambit of any such consent in order to protect the environment of Oxfordshire and to protect the integrity of the County as a GM-free area;
• make the appropriate representations to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in respect of each prospective Part C Marketing Consent to protect the County’s environment and protect the integrity of Oxfordshire as a GM-free area.

Motion from Councillor Anne Purse

1. the many expressions of concern received from the public,
2. the overwhelming view of the public meeting called by the County Council that they opposed the introduction of GM crops at this time into the UK; and
3. representations made by organic farmers in Oxfordshire expressing concern at the effects on their business should GM foods be grown in the vicinity of their farms.

1. the postponement of any decision on commercial growing of GM crops in this country for at least another year to allow the trials to be properly evaluated and to investigate fully the problems reported by US farmers;
2. assurances that the economic wellbeing of organic farmers will be considered when reaching decisions on the future of GM crops in this country; and
3. a reliable system of labelling to give consumers real choice

Motion from Councillor Brian Hodgson

1. to hold a local road safety "summit" to discuss a whole range of ideas and proposals to cut down road deaths and injuries;
2. to decide which of these ideas and proposals to adopt locally, and which to press the national government to adopt;
3. that the ideas to discuss could include:

• more home zones;
• reducing the drink-drive limit;
• more emphasis in anti drink-drive advertising on the dangers of morning-after-heavy-drinking driving;
• the learn-to-drive system to include more experience and training in difficult situations and motorway and night driving;
• new cars, which have become safer for occupants, to be designed with much more emphasis on pedestrian safety;
• 20 mph limits near schools and/or in built-up-area danger spots;
• compulsory wearing of cycle helmets;
• more (digital) speed cameras.
  
  

[Note: Possible groups to invite to the suggested County "summit":

Road Research laboratory
AA
RAC
Institute of Advanced Motorists
RoSPA
Friends of the Earth
BMW (Cowley)
University (x2) "experts"
Oxford Mail "Motors" supplement editor (David Duffy?)
Police
Fire and Rescue Service
Ambulance Service]

Motion from Councillor Brian Hodgson

(CC16)

This Council’s Trading Standards Service has reported receiving nearly 9,000 new enquiries about debt-related problems during 2002/03, and that the average of those households’ total debt had increased by 17% compared with those making contact during the previous year. This Council therefore urges the government to adopt the proposal of "Debt on our Doorstep", the national network for fair finance, to cap interest charges. The UK is virtually alone amongst developed OECD economies in not having any form of legal cap on extortionate interest rates. Research in this country shows that interest rates over 180% APR are routinely being charged by doorstep lenders. This Council supports the submission by "Debt on our Doorstep", which is urging the government to:

1. introduce an interest rate cap, gradually, so as to prevent complete market disruption; and
2. help new organisations, such as credit unions, to enter this market and offer more competitive products.
   
   

Motion from Councillor Christine Witcher

(Councillor Christine Witcher will move this composite motion,which replaces the motions at items 17 and 18 in the agenda)


This Council requests the Executive to take urgent steps to ensure that consultations on both Iffley Mead and Woodeaton Special Schools and on the future workings of the internal Placement, Assessment and Resource decision making Panels follow the County Council’s framework and also to take immediate measures to strengthen the procedures within Learning & Culture to ensure that future consultations will not be excluded from the process again.

Motion from Councillor Christine Witcher

This Council requests that the Executive investigates the delay with the consultations on the Placement, Assessment, Resource Panels and ensures that it satisfies itself and the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee that there are substantial and valid reasons for the consultation not to have taken place and been completed when agreed and that action will be taken to ensure that no further delay occurs and that procedures will be put in place to ensure that all scrutiny committees are able to effectively support the Executive as independent ‘observers’ on future consultations when agreed.

Motion from Councillor Power

(CC19)


This Council congratulates Warden Housing Association for agreeing to provide much needed elderly day care facilities on the Oseney Court site.

Motion from Councillor Power

This Council asks the Executive to take action to combat rising levels of Nitrogen Dioxide in central Oxford.

Motion from Councillor Power

This Council agrees that the work in Cornmarket Street should be finished as soon as possible.

Motion from Councillor Mrs Dee Bulley

The Council notes the case being made by Carterton Town Council and West Oxfordshire District Council for a Fire Station in Carterton, as well as the long term anxieties of Carterton residents at the absence of a Fire Station in the town, and asks the Executive to ensure that the case for a Carterton Fire Station and possible funding options are included in the programme of work that will be necessary following the implementation of the Fire White Paper post 1 April 2004.

Motion from Councillor Dickie Dawes

This Council welcomes the fundamental change in Government policy with their recent decision to provide additional substantial investment to expand Britain's road system to help reduce traffic congestion, and expresses the hope that a proportion of this investment will be used to relieve congestion, and expedite safe traffic flow, in Oxfordshire.

Motion from Councillor Keith R. Mitchell

This Council notes the proposed European Constitution being prepared by the European Convention will have huge implications for Oxfordshire County Council. The Constitution will give the European Union ‘shared competence’ over home affairs, transport, energy, social policy, economic and social cohesion, consumer protection and the environment, meaning more legislation and guidance binding on local government will be decided at a European rather than a national level.

Given that the Government has used referenda to approve other constitutional change affecting local and national government, including establishing regional assemblies and directly-elected mayors, this Council believes the people of Oxfordshire should be able to have their say on these constitutional changes in a referendum.

This Council therefore resolves to make a formal written submission to the Prime Minister, supporting calls for a national referendum on the proposed European Constitution.

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