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ITEM CC1

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

MINUTES of the annual meeting of the County Council held at County Hall on Tuesday 6 April 2004 commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 5.55 pm

Present:

Councillor DAVID TURNER – in the chair for Item 1.

Councillor Shereen Karmali – in the chair for Item 2 onwards.

Councillors:

The Council considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda and reports, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.

20/04. ELECTION TO CHAIR FOR THE 2004/05 COUNCIL YEAR

(Agenda Item 1)

Before inviting nominations for the office of Chairman of the Council, Councillor Turner (the retiring Chair) addressed the meeting, reflecting on his year of office. He expressed his gratitude to his wife for her support and to the Chair’s Assistant Di Chambers and presented both with bouquets of flowers.

The Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader and Leader of the Opposition paid tribute to Councillor Turner, who then invited nominations. Councillor Brighouse proposed and Councillor Hudson seconded Councillor Shereen Karmali. There being no other nominations Councillor Karmali was declared elected and she made the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Offer.

Councillor Karmali then took the chair.

21/04. ELECTION TO VICE-CHAIR FOR THE 2004/05 COUNCIL YEAR

(Agenda Item 2)

The Chair invited nominations for the office of Vice-Chairman of the Council.

Councillor Heathcoat proposed and Councillor Wilmshurst seconded Councillor Mrs Catherine Fulljames. There being no other nominations Councillor Mrs Fulljames was declared elected and she made the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

22/04. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

(Agenda Item 3)

RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 10 February 2004 be approved and signed as a correct record.

23/04. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

(Agenda Item 4)

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Neville F. Harris, Dermot Roaf, Rodney Rose and Christine Witcher.

24/04. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

(Agenda Item 5)

The following interests were declared:-

Councillor	Agenda Item	Nature of Interest
Crabbe	9 – Oxfordshire Structure Plan	Prejudicial – family ownership of gravel-bearing land in the Wallingford/Cholsey area.
Hastings	9 – Oxfordshire Structure Plan	Prejudicial – owner of potential development land in Begbroke
Purse	9 – Oxfordshire Structure Plan	Personal – member of Oxford Preservation Trust
Gatehouse	9 – Oxfordshire Structure Plan	Personal – member of Oxford Preservation Trust
Howell	9 – Oxfordshire Structure Plan	Personal – involvement in PAGE and ORANGE
Hook	9 – Oxfordshire Structure Plan	Personal – involvement in drawing up of Oxford Fringe Local Plan
Turner	9 – Oxfordshire Structure Plan	Personal – member of a committee concerned with opposing Grenoble Road development.
Evans	10 – Report of the Executive (Youth Justice Plan)	Personal – member of Thames Valley Probation Board

25/04. OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS

(Agenda Item 6)

Dorchester and Henley South Divisions

The Council received a report from the County Returning Officer on the outcome of the two by-elections held on 19 February 2004.

The Chair welcomed Councillors Howell and Dr Skolar to their first meeting.

Councillors Mrs Diana Ludlow and Dickie Dawes

The Chair advised the Council that Councillor Mrs Ludlow had resigned on 15 March 2004.

The Chair also advised the Council of the death on 16 March 2004 of Councillor Dickie Dawes. Councillors Seale, Hodgson and Margaret Godden paid tribute to Councillor Dawes and the Council observed a minute’s silence in his memory.

Award of Beacon Status

The Chair reported that the Council had been awarded Beacon Status in recognition of its contribution in heading up the Oxfordshire Supporting People Partnership. Councillor Seale explained the background to this and placed on record the Council’s thanks to those officers concerned, in particular Kate Wareing and Natalia Lachkou.

26/04. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

(Agenda Item 7)

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed:

Elizabeth Gillespie on behalf of ORANGE (Oxfordshire Residents ) Against New Green Belt Exploitation) Dorothy Tonge, Chairman of the Baldons Parish Council ) Mr Matzen, resident of Greater Leys ) Mr Bob Warne on behalf of SPADE (Sunningwell Parishioners Against Damage to the Environment) Deborah Dance on behalf of Oxford Preservation Trust ) Ian Scargill, Chairman of Oxford Green Belt Network ) Michael Tyce on behalf of the Oxfordshire Branch of CPRE ) David Jackson from FPD Savills (on behalf of Thames Water Property and Magdalen College) Mr G. Huntingford from West Waddy ADP ) Colin Banyard, Bride Parks Ltd ) Mr Jock Coats, resident of Oxford ) Mr Andrew Rodgers on behalf of Wallingford Town Council) Dr F.W. Wright, Chairman of Eynsham and Cassington Gravel Committee)

9 - Oxfordshire Structure Plan

 

In the event Mr Matzen did not attend the meeting.

Ms Gillespie and Ms Tonge both spoke strongly against housing development on land south of Grenoble Road and urged the Council to delete this proposal from the Structure Plan.

Mr Warne argued that the justification for any development within the Green Belt had by no means been established. He urged the Council to accept the Executive recommendation. In conclusion he presented a petition containing 1133 signatures opposing inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

Ms Dance, Mr Scargill and Mr Tyce all urged the Council to retain the Green Belt around Oxford.

Mr Jackson outlined the arguments for some development within the Green Belt and argued for this to be on the Grenoble Road site.

Mr Huntingford asked the Council to consider seriously Pen Bridge, Sunningwell as a potential development site for housing rather than Grenoble Road.

Mr Banyard asked the Council to consider Shipton Quarry as a development site for housing.

Mr Coats urged the Council to consider Community Land Trusts as an alternative, or complement, to conventional housing developments.

Mr Rogers argued that the mineral extraction figure in the Structure Plan was too high and the range of requirement in South Oxfordshire too great. He asked that proper weight be given to the archaeological interest of the Wallingford site.

Dr Wright urged the Council not to include Eynsham in the proposed gravel extraction area.

27/04. OXFORDSHIRE STRUCTURE PLAN

• the proposed change to policy H1 set out at CC9, subject to the figure for Oxford being increased from 5,700 to 6,500 recognising the potential for developing on those brownfield sites within the City which were not included in the Urban Capacity Study;
• the inclusion of a new policy or amendments to existing policies in order to protect the character and environment of other waterways in addition to the River Thames, including the Oxford Canal and with particular reference to the restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal and the need to safeguard its route through Oxfordshire; and
• the insertion in policy E2 of the following: ‘In deciding on the amount of employment land available in the above towns, weight shall be given to the content of Action Plans that have been carried out following Healthchecks and other processes. Where such plans show the need for additional employment land to maintain the vibrancy of market towns, then additional employment land will be released.’.

28/04. REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE

(Agenda Item 10)

The Council considered the report of the Executive (CC10) and Executive Members responded to questions in relation to the following items included in the report:-

Item	Questions from Councillors
1 - Financial Monitoring	Brighouse
4 - Audit & Inspection Annual Letter 2002/03	Brighouse
6 - Social Inclusion & Equalities	Mallon
14 - Transport Capital Programme 2004/05 to 2006/07	Roy Mold
15 - Highway Maintenance Programme 2004/05	Greene Hayward
18 - Genetically Modified Crops	Bearder
19 - Youth Justice Plan	Ferriman Hodgson Legge MacKenzioe Fooks
21 - Food Law Enforcement Plan	Power

RESOLVED:

1. in relation to Item 3 (Treasury Management Strategy), to agree the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2004/05 comprised in the report attached at Annex 1 to CC10;
2. in relation to Item 19 (Youth Justice Plan), to approve the Youth Justice Plan for submission to the Youth Justice Board;
3. in relation to Item 21 (Food Law Enforcement Service Plan), to approve the Food Law Enforcement Service Plan for submission to the Food Standards Agency.
   
   

29/04. REPORT OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

(Agenda Item 11)

The Council considered a report from the Standards Committee (CC11). This brought forward a proposal that all Councillors and co-opted members of the Authority should undergo Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks immediately after election/appointment and also asked the Council to adopt a Members’ Planning Code of Practice which had been drawn up by the Planning & Regulation Committee.

Councillor Hook opened the debate by moving the recommendations of the Standards Committee in relation to CRB checks. This motion was seconded by Councillor Robins.

Councillor Janet Godden then moved and Councillor Bryden seconded the amendment of the motion as follows:-

In (a) replace ‘all councillors and co-opted members immediately after their election/appointment’ by ‘all councillors serving on the Council’s Children’s Panel immediately after their appointment’.

In (c) delete ‘or co-opted member’.

On being put to the vote this amendment was lost by 39 votes to 16.

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was carried by 48 votes to 0.

Councillor Hook then moved and Councillor Robins seconded the Standards Committee’s recommendations in relation to a Planning Code of Practice. On being put to the vote this motion was carried by 50 votes to 1 with 1 abstention.

RESOLVED:

1. in relation to Criminal Records Bureau Checks for Councillors and Co-opted Members:

1. that universal Standard CRB checks should be undertaken for all councillors and co-opted members immediately after their election/appointment;
2. that such checks should be introduced with immediate effect, on the understanding that anyone checked now would not be checked again until after the 2009 County Council Elections;
3. that no councillor or co-opted member should be required to undergo checking if he/she had been the subject of a CRB check within the previous twelve months;
4. that the Monitoring Officer be the Registered Person in relation to Councillors and Co-opted members;
5. to authorise the Monitoring Officer to make the necessary changes to the Protocol on Members’ Rights;
   
   
2. in relation to a Members’ Planning Code of Practice, to endorse the Members’ Planning Code of Practice at Annex 1 to CC11 and to include it in the Council’s Constitution but not as part of the Members’ Code of Conduct.
   
   

30/04. QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

(Agenda item 12)

In accordance with the arrangements set out in Council Procedure Rule (9)(b)-(j) questions were asked and answered as follows:-

1. QUESTION FROM COUNCILLOR C.H. SHOULER TO COUNCILLOR DAVID ROBERTSON, EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR TRANSPORT

The A41 between M40 junction 9 to the County boundary has been detrunked earlier this year. The County Council is therefore now responsible for its maintenance. The section over the Bicester/Oxford railway has been subject to subsidence and continuous repairs ever since its opening. Would the Executive Member for Transport please outline (1) his proposals for a permanent remedy; (2) the timing of such engineering works as may be required; and (3) the arrangements agreed with the Highways Agency to ensure that they bear the full costs involved.

ANSWER

2. A permanent remedy would require the excavation and reconstruction of the length of the A41 affected by subsidence. This would be a very expensive and disrupting operation and is not recommended by our qualified Highway Engineers. It is believed that the settlement is due to poor compaction of the fill material and that as a natural course this settlement will reduce over time and consequently the need to resurface will be on a reducing basis.
3. The recommended approach is to carry out periodic resurfacing to maintain the road profile and this will be done on an as and when required basis.
4. A lump sum of £1.6 million pounds has been secured from the Highways Agency to cover future costs. This amount is expected to be in excess of what will be required to maintain the road in a satisfactory condition.

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

This is not a particularly new problem to Oxfordshire and I hear from my colleagues that this sort of thing is occurring on the A40 and on the A420 where the Highways Agency have detrunked the road and there are maintenance problems. This particular part of the A41 was a newly constructed road and it included building an embankment over the Bicester railway and as I indicated in my question it has suffered from subsidence and continual repairs from that day forward. In regard to the first answer that I have received from the Executive Member he indicates this is due to poor compaction of the fill material. Well that is probable but there could be another explanation. That is the instability of subsoil on which the embankment was built. Doe he discount that? Answer 2: Well you have got to carry on with the packing and repair. Does that mean we are going to have an unsuitable road for ever? Answer 3: If you do not know what is the full problem or how long it is going to take to remedy it, how do you know that £1.6 million is sufficient to actually put the matter right? It could be 5 or 10 years on that you will have spent £3 million, £5 million and you will have actually accepted that the £1.6 million is all that you are going to get from the Highways Agency. It really is a very unsatisfactory situation that this Council has, as I understand it, entered into an agreement to take this road back under its detrunking arrangement, with this sort of problem still outstanding. The real question is were we forced to sign that agreement, in order to come to an agreement with the Highways Agency? Could we have said no there’s a problem here and until you solve it we are not going to have anything to do with it because that was in my opinion the way we should have approached this problem?

SUPPLEMEMTARY ANSWER

I think that the working arrangement with the Highways Agency is clearly demonstrated by the work on the A40. That was detrunked as you mentioned earlier and we received a considerable amount of money for the maintenance of that highway but there are 2 bridges that need major repairs and that work is being carried out by the Highways Agency at the Highways Agency’s cost so there is kind of an arrangement there that when there are serious problems, the Highways Agency acknowledge their responsibility. On the A41 the Highways Agency draft proposals resulted from the Strategic Highway Network Review and that was a proposal to detrunk a number of routes across the country. They consult with Highway Authorities and the final proposal is determined by the government. The financial and technical negotiations after that has been determined are between the Highways Agency and the Highway Authorities. What we are not sure of is if there is an impasse in that procedure and I will need to come back to you with a written answer. What would be the situation if we simply refused to take it back until they have repaired it and they said well you have got to take it back and we will repair it if it has to be repaired in the future? I do not know the answer to that but I will get back with a written answer to you and other members.

5. QUESTION FROM COUNCILLOR BRIAN HODGSON TO COUNCILLOR MARGARET GODDEN, DEPUTY LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

Will the Executive look at the work of Norfolk County Council to help provide post office services? Their Economic Development Unit has developed an action plan, in partnership with the Rural Shops Alliance, the Post Office and the Countryside Agency – this could tap into the Council’s well-being power (given to us by the Labour Government).

ANSWER

Our own Economic Development Unit already supports the ORCC Village Shops Steering Group, which can involve post offices. We also co-funded the ORCC managed Vital Villages Programme, which supported post office retention, until the Countryside Agency abolished it.

I have asked our officers to contact Norfolk to see if any aspects of their project could be applied in Oxfordshire.

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

Will Councillor Margaret Godden ensure there is a report back to the Council either from herself or presumably from her successor?

SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER

I will report back to Council or ask my successor to do so if anything useful emerges from the Inquiry.

6. QUESTION FROM COUNCILLOR BRIAN HODGSON TO COUNCILLOR NEIL FAWCETT, EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR LEARNING & CULTURE

Will the Executive Member for Learning & Culture please look at the pilot project in Norfolk, planned for this year, which will investigate how mobile libraries can be used to plug the gap in post office provision in some rural areas? Will he report back to this County Council on the possibilities of a similar scheme here?

ANSWER

Yes.

7. QUESTION FROM COUNCILLOR BRIAN HODGSON TO COUNCILLOR TONY CRABBE, EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR SCHOOLS

Will the Executive Member for Schools please ensure that the information on our local schools provided now by the Oxford Times every week on the front page of its property section is up-to-date, fair and accurate? (On Friday 19 March 2004, for example, there were brief comments on three primary schools in Thame and on Lord Williams’s Secondary School.)

ANSWER

I thank Councillor Hodgson for bringing this matter to my attention. It is unacceptable that information published in any newspaper, which is intended to assist homebuyers in selecting a location for a new home, should be inaccurate, unfair, or out of date. Regrettably, I have no control over the content of any newspaper report but will certainly write to local newspaper editors requesting that every care is taken to ensure that reports meet acceptable standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

I would like to thank Councillor Crabbe for his response but before he writes to the Oxford Times could I point out one or two of the difficulties and hope he agrees he can incorporate them into his letter. Following a phone call to the Editor of the Oxford Times, when I pointed out that the OFSTED reports that they were quoting for some of the schools could be out of date, they have now started listing the dates of the report but in the case of last Friday a primary school OFSTED report was actually in February 1999. This could obviously be out of date or misleading. Secondly when the Vale of White Horse Schools were summarised it pointed out that for secondary schools, I am quoting, you have to travel to Abingdon or Wantage but the only Abingdon secondary school mentioned was John Mason School. The others were not even mentioned. Very misleading indeed and similarly my colleague in Banbury has pointed out that several schools were left out, including even one secondary school again, Blessed George Napier. So my question again very briefly is would Councillor Crabbe kindly take these points on board when he writes to the Oxford Times? I take his point that he cannot demand it but it is very important, I think, to monitor how accurate this information is.

SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER

I will assure Councillor Hodgson that I will actually take up those issues. I think there are a whole lot of problems surrounding the publication of this information as a means to actually selling properties. The difficulty is not just with out of date OFSTED reports. I have noticed in some that the report merely gives the school’s strengths and omits the weaknesses. In many schools the strengths exceed the weaknesses but if in some cases the weaknesses were to be reported also I fear it might undermine the reputation of the school so there are many issues there which we actually have to look at and address with the Oxford Times. Similarly with secondary schools I do not think the ordinary man in the street is able to look at GCSE results and understand exactly what they mean. Taking raw league tables does not actually give a true impression of how effectively or well a school is performing. For instance a 50% pass rate at GCSE in a socially advantaged area to me would not be acceptable but a 45% pass rate in a socially disadvantaged area would be very acceptable and good performance. I think to the untrained eye it is so difficult to actually know exactly what information to give which would properly represent performance of our schools so I will certainly take up this issue. I intend to monitor these reports and if I feel that the standards fall to an unacceptable level I will seek advice from Trading Standards to see if there is something further we can do.

8. QUESTION FROM COUNCILLOR BRIAN HODGSON TO COUNCILLOR MARGARET GODDEN, DEPUTY LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

When will our very successful staff deaf awareness and visual awareness courses resume, following the decision last summer to suspend them "for the time being"?

ANSWER

I have been unable to get a clear indication of when Deaf Awareness training courses are likely to resume. It involves several officers and more than one directorate. I intend to set up a meeting with officers to understand what is being planned for all the disability awareness courses. Cllr Hodgson would be welcome to take part in that meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

Because of the Disability Discrimination Act Regulations coming in, I think this coming Autumn, I assume and hope this meeting to sort out what is happening takes place soon and is that the undertaking?

SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER

My intention will be to try and set up an exploratory meeting within a matter of two weeks.

9. QUESTION FROM COUNCILLOR OLIVE McINTOSH-STEDMAN TO COUNCILLOR JANET GODDEN, EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Regarding significantly increased teenage pregnancy, are you able to say if the ‘morning after’ pill is ever going to work in schools, and what other strategies do you have planned to reduce teenage pregnancies?

ANSWER

It is disappointing that rates of teenage conception have increased in some parts of Oxfordshire, contrary to the national trend. No one is indifferent to this.

The up-take of emergency contraception by under-18s in Oxfordshire is currently being mapped by the Public Health Information Team; an evaluation is due later this year and it should then be possible to respond to Cllr McIntosh-Stedman’s first question.

Emergency contraception is currently accessible to young women in 16 Oxfordshire secondary schools through weekly lunchtime drop-in sessions at Bodyzone health clinics, each staffed by a family planning nurse, a school health nurse and a youth worker. (Young people access Bodyzones for support around bullying, mental health, drugs education and smoking cessation, as well as for sexual health information and advice.) School health nurses have recently adopted an extended sexual health role in some schools, offering advice and information and undertaking pregnancy testing if requested. Among young girls the main consideration on where to go for help and advice is often confidentiality. A recent survey among teenagers in Oxfordshire found that, among girls, just over 50% would approach a GP practice as opposed to 18% preferring Bodyzone. I do not know how this maps against the availability of the Bodyzone health clinics, and expect to learn this from a current PCT evaluation of the long-term future of Bodyzone. Health service access to emergency contraception for young women is also provided through family planning centres, general medical practice (in North Oxfordshire young people can go to any surgery to obtain emergency contraception) and community pharmacies (three in Oxford and soon three in Banbury). The number of young-people-only sessions (family planning, GPs) is increasing.

With regard to other strategies, the reduction of teenage conception is a target in the Oxfordshire Plan and a PCT performance indicator. The government requires all local authorities to nominate a Local Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator and to establish a multi-agency partnership board to oversee the implementation of the local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.

The Oxfordshire Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is a comprehensive, multi-faceted, partnership action plan aimed at reducing teenage conception rates and decreasing the social exclusion suffered by young parents. It aims to extend and improve advice on sex & relationships education as delivered in schools, youth clubs and other settings. A comprehensive training strategy is being developed to tackle the knowledge and skills gaps of professionals working with young people (the ‘Sex in the City’ programme has been running for three years, training over 120 professionals each year). The plan is also working to ensure that all young (and expectant) parents are given adequate support to enable them to remain in/return to education, training and employment, and that teenage mothers have access to high quality ante-natal, post-natal and general support services.

Teenage pregnancy does not affect all communities equally. The action plan for 2004/05 focuses time and resources on those areas of the County with the highest rates of teenage conception (in the City, The Leys, Cowley, East Oxford and Littlemore/Rose Hill; in Banbury, Neithrop and Grimsbury, followed by parts of Witney and parts of Bicester).

A major success of the local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is joint commitment from a range of agencies. Many initiatives and specialist posts are joint-funded – between the ring-fenced Teenage Pregnancy Grant (received from government until March 2006) and the PCTs, the County Council or Connexions.

The Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator is presenting her Annual Report and detailed action plan to the County Council’s Children’s Panel on 21 April.

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

I want to thank Councillor Godden for her very long answer. Because prevention is better than cure is Councillor Godden aware of the new scheme to help teenagers at risk which is quoted in this Local Government Journal? Councillor Godden has mentioned Rose Hill has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy so I am glad to know there is a new drive to reduce teenage pregnancy. A programme has been introduced in Cumbria, Birmingham and London to offer education and training. Are you aware of this and could it be used here?

SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER

Well I am not aware of the report that Councillor McIntosh-Stedman is referring to. I would like to borrow it but I can assure you that access to high quality, non judgemental sexual health and relationship advice and information is an important target of the teenage pregnancy strategy. Tackling the variability of the provision of that advice within Oxfordshire is the key element of the 2004/05 Action Plan and that is behind the training in terms of the Sex in the City initiative for training people who are working with young people and we hope to make a further step forward this year.

31/04. MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR LIZ BRIGHOUSE

(Agenda Item 13)

Councillor Liz Brighouse moved and Councillor Ferriman seconded the following motion standing in her name at item 13 in the agenda:-

"Further to recent reports by the Director for Social & Health Care and the Head of Finance to the Best Value Committee and to the Executive, this Council urges the Executive to set up a Peer Review of Social & Health Care Financial Services and of all of its interactions with Corporate Financial Services, to be conducted by an external officer of equivalent seniority to Director of Finance of a large authority whose responsibilities include Social & Health Care. The principal objectives of the Peer Review would be to provide sufficiently substantial advice and guidance to achieve "a permanent and final solution" (the necessity as expressed by the Director for Social & Health Care) and to ensure that "the important gains priority over the urgent" (the need as identified by the Head of Finance)."

After debate the motion was put to the vote and was lost by 37 votes to 19.

32/04. MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR POWER

(Agenda Item 14)

Councillor Power moved and Councillor Roy Mold seconded the motion standing in his name at item 14 in the agenda. In doing so, in the light of an amendment of which Councillor Mitchell had given prior notice, Councillor Power amended his motion to read as follows:-

"This Council is seriously concerned at the ever-escalating cost of the pedestrianisation of Cornmarket Street. The recent report in the Transport Capital Programme demonstrating a doubling of the costs is unacceptable. Council therefore urges the Executive to hold an independent inquiry on an all-party basis to prevent a recurrence."

After debate the motion was put to the vote and was carried nem con.

RESOLVED: accordingly.

33/04. APPOINTMENTS

(Agenda Item 15)

RESOLVED:

1. (on a motion by Councillor Mrs Bulley, seconded by Councillor Wilmshurst and carried nem con) to re-elect Councillor Mitchell as the Leader of the Council;
2. (on a motion by Councillor Fooks, seconded by Councillor Julian Cooper and carried nem con) to elect Councillor Roaf as the Deputy Leader of the Council;
3. (on a motion by Councillor Mitchell, seconded by Councillor Margaret Godden and carried nem con) to reappoint the current members of the Executive as shown in the Schedule at CC15(c), subject to Councillor Roaf’s appointment as Deputy Leader of the Council in place of Councillor Margaret Godden;
   
   
4. (on a motion by Councillor Mitchell, duly seconded and carried nem con)
   
   

1. to confirm (subject to the outcome of the by-elections to be held in the Hanborough and Thame Electoral Divisions) the political balance on committees shown in CC15(d)(i), subject to the "spare" seat on the Best Value Committee being allocated to the Liberal Democrat Group and to the Liberal Democrat Group’s entitlement on the Democracy & Organisation Committee being reduced from 4 to 3 with the resultant "spare" seat being offered to a non-grouped member; and
2. to appoint to committees the councillors and co-opted members shown in CC15(d)(ii), subject to the membership of the Best Value and Democracy & Organisation Committees being amended as shown below:-

Best Value (12)

Non-Voting Co-optees (3)

Representatives of the Business Community:

Mr J. Appleton, 26 Bullingdon Road, Oxford OX4 1QH
Dr G. Jones, 65 Plater Drive, Oxford Waterside, Oxford OX2 6QU
Ms F. Ryan, 55 Henley Avenue, Oxford OX4 4DJ

Democracy & Organisation (15)

in the Chair

Date of signing 2004

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