ITEM CC3OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCILMINUTES of the meeting of the County Council held at County Hall on Tuesday 14 February 2006 commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 3.28 pm Present: Councillor MRS CATHERINE FULLJAMES – in the chair Councillors:
The Council considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting, together with the following additional documents: Supplementary report by the Head of Finance & Procurement on the Implications of the Final Local Government Finance Settlement and Other Updated Information Amendment to the Cabinet Recommendations Amendments by the Liberal Democrat and Green Groups (including an erratum to the latter) to the Cabinet’s Revenue Paper and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda, reports and additional document, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.
21/06. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
(Agenda Item 1) Council was advised that, on minute 1/06, Councillor Shouler had received a reply from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the use of the different versions of Building Regulations Document M, copy of which letter had been circulated to all members of Council. RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 10 January 2006 be approved and signed as a correct record.
22/06. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
(Agenda Item 2) Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bolster, Dhesi, Gatehouse, Mrs Higham, Purse, Dr Skolar, Wise and Wyatt. Councillor Mitchell reported that Councillor Mrs Higham had had a series of ill-health problems and he asked Council to agree to grant her leave of absence from meetings of the Authority to give her time to recuperate. RESOLVED: to approve, for the purposes of Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, Councillor Mrs Higham's absence from any meeting of the Authority, on the grounds of continuing ill-health, if that extends beyond the period of six months from the date of this meeting.
23/06. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
(Agenda Item 3)
24/06. OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS
Councillor Chapman reported the birth of a son to Mr Cameron, the Leader of the Conservative Party, and his wife. The Chairman agreed to send the Council's congratulations.
25/06. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS
(Agenda Item 6) Mr Kidd, Chairman of Wootton Parish Council, petitioned the Council urging the Council to include the proposed Wootton-Abingdon cycle track in the County's next five-year programme of transport schemes. RESOLVED: to refer the petition to the Cabinet. Mr Avis addressed the Council about the funding of voluntary organisations which supported unpaid carers and the threat of budget cuts. He emphasised the importance to the carers of the information and support provided by the organisations. RESOLVED: to consider the address with agenda item 7.
26/06. SERVICE AND FINANCIAL PLANNING 2006/07 TO 2010/11
(Agenda Item 7) The Council had before it the report of the Cabinet (CC7) which set out the Cabinet's recommendations. It also had before it the following documents:
Councillor Mitchell moved and Councillor Shouler seconded the adoption of the Cabinet's budget subject to the substitution of sub-paragraph (a)(1)(ii) with the following: "the utilisation of the £1.5m provision in 2006/07 in respect of the effect of withdrawal of changes to the local government pension scheme, in the event that that withdrawal is reversed, for the following purposes: A: the introduction of a Community Fund of £0.5m for the support of community well-being projects, the criteria and disbursement arrangements for the Fund to be determined by the Cabinet; B: a contribution of £0.5m towards the planned major carriageway and footway reconstruction scheme in Oxford High Street, to enable a substantial proportion of the scheme to be completed in 2006/07; C: the allocation of £0.5m towards meeting the pressures identified in paragraph 21 of the Cabinet’s report relating to certain corporate ICT Projects, namely:
on the basis that complementary funding will be available as mentioned in that paragraph from Local Authority Business Growth Initiative income and the corporate centre’s share of PSA Reward Grant;". Councillors Robertson, Seale and Waine, as members of the Cabinet, commended the Cabinet's budget proposals to the Council. Councillor Brighouse moved and Councillor Harris seconded that the Council agrees, subject to, in CC7 (Labour) Annex 3c, Policy Choice Reprioritisations - Reinstate Savings, Transport Planning, in 2006/07, the replacement of "300" with "276" and of "100" with "124":
(a) (in respect of Revenue) to approve:
(i) the variation in the amount of the revenue contribution to the non-schools and transport capital programme to reflect any variation in the amount available to allocate as a result of the final Local Government Finance Settlement or any other factor arising by the date of the meeting, (ii) the identification of alternative proposals for the £1.5m provision in respect of the effect of withdrawal of changes to the local government pension scheme in the event that that withdrawal is reversed;
(i) a precept of £238.886m; and (ii) a Council Tax for Band D equivalent properties of £1,012.61;
(b)
(in respect of Capital) to approve:
(i) the revenue contribution to the non-schools and transport capital programme; (ii) the uncommitted resources ascertained as available to allocate;
After debate, the motion was put to the vote and was lost by 7 votes to 54. Councillor Roaf then moved and Councillor Godden seconded the following amendment and as shown in Annex 1 to CC7 (Liberal Democrat) to the motion moved by Councillor Mitchell:
After debate, the motion was put to the vote and was lost by 14 votes to 39. Councillor L Sanders then moved and Councillor Simmons seconded the following amendment and as shown in the table attached to CC7 (Green) to the motion moved by Councillor Mitchell subject to the changes to the table set out below:
- Permit a major move towards relieving the fear of all carers - what happens to their loved one when they are no longer able to care. The increased spending is paid for by an anticipated reduction in net expenditure on parking dependent on the restoration of parking charges at the Park and Rides and for on-street parking in Oxford City (evening and weekends), and a one off additional reduction in net expenditure on parking in 2006/07 achieved by deferring the Thornhill extension. It is also paid for by modest decreases in road maintenance and the delay of part of the ICT projects. The first line of the notes in the right hand column of the table attached to CC7 (Green) to read: "Anticipated reduction in net expenditure of £165k in year 1 and £400k in years 2, 3 and 4 permitted by the re-instatement of parking charges at the Park & Rides and for on-street parking in Oxford (evening and weekends). Further reduction in net expenditure on parking in year 1 of £235k achieved by deferring Thornhill expansion. The effect of these proposals is to make available £400k of expenditure for general revenue in years 1 to 4." Add the words "older people’s services" to the end of the new recommendation to Budget proposals at the foot of the table attached to CC7 (Green). After debate, the motion was put to the vote and was lost by 5 votes to 51. RESOLVED: (by 40 votes to 24) (a) (in respect of Revenue) to approve:
A: the introduction of a Community Fund of £0.5m for the support of community well-being projects, the criteria and disbursement arrangements for the Fund to be determined by the Cabinet; B: a contribution of £0.5m towards the planned major carriageway and footway reconstruction scheme in Oxford High Street, to enable a substantial proportion of the scheme to be completed in 2006/07; C: the allocation of £0.5m towards meeting the pressures identified in paragraph 21 of the Cabinet’s report relating to certain corporate ICT Projects, namely:
on the basis that complementary funding will be available as mentioned in that paragraph from Local Authority Business Growth Initiative income and the corporate centre’s share of PSA Reward Grant;
(b)
(in respect
of Capital) to approve:
27/06. TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2006/07
(Agenda Item 8) The Council had before it the report of the Cabinet (CC8). The Council was reminded that the Local Government Act 2003 required the Council to set out its treasury strategy for borrowing and prepare an annual investment strategy specifying the Council’s policies for managing its investments and for giving priority to the security and liquidity of those investments. RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Mitchell and seconded by Councillor Shouler and carried nem con):
in the Chair Date
of signing 2006
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