Notice of Meeting

Environment Scrutiny Committee Wednesday 23 February 2005 at 10.00 am at County Hall, Oxford

Membership

Chairman – Councillor C.H. Shouler

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

February 2005

About the County Council

The Oxfordshire County Council is made up of 70 councillors who are democratically elected every four years. The Council provides a range of services to Oxfordshire’s 622,000 people. These include:

The Council employs 18,840 people. Each year the Council manages £0.7 billion of public money in providing these services. Most decisions are taken by an Executive of 9 Councillors, which makes decisions about service priorities and spending.

About Scrutiny

Scrutiny is about:

• Providing a challenge to the Executive
• Examining how well the Executive and the Authority are performing
• Influencing the Executive on decisions that affect local people
• Helping the Executive to develop Council policies
• Representing the community in Council decision making
• Promoting joined up working across the authority’s work

Scrutiny is NOT about:

• Making day to day service decisions
• Investigating individual complaints.

Five Scrutiny committees ‘scrutinise’ or review and challenge decisions made by the Executive and help it develop Council policies. There are Scrutiny Committees for:

• Corporate Governance
• Learning & Culture
• Environment
• Community Safety
• Social & Health Care

There is also a Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee which brings together councillors from the County and the five district councils in Oxfordshire to scrutinise health issues.

What does this Committee do?

The Committee meets up to 6 times a year or more. It develops a work programme, which lists the issues it plans to investigate. These investigations can include whole committee investigations undertaken during the meeting, or reviews by a panel of members doing research and talking to lots of people outside of the meeting. Once an investigation is completed the Committee provides its advice to the Executive, the full Council or other scrutiny committees. Meetings are open to the public and all reports are available to the public unless exempt or confidential, when the items would be considered in closed session.

AGENDA

1. Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments
   
   
2. Declarations of Interest – see guidance note
   
   
3. Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2004 (EN3) and to note for information any matters arising on them.

4. Speaking to or Petitioning the Committee
   
   
5. Structure Plan Review – Next Stages

10.10

(EN5 - OXFORDSHIRE STRUCTURE PLAN 2016 – REPORT OF THE EIP PANEL AND PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS)


Why has it been included?	This item has been placed on the agenda to enable members of the Committee to advise the Executive on the report of the examination in public of the draft Structure Plan Alteration. The Oxfordshire Structure Plan 2016 deposit draft was published for consultation in September 2003 and proposed pre-EIP changes to the draft Plan in April 2004. An examination in public (EIP) of the main policies and proposals in the draft plan was held from 12 to 27 October 2004. The EIP was conducted by an independent Panel appointed by the First Secretary of State. Their report was received on 13 December 2004, and the Council must now decide whether or not to accept their recommendations.
How is the Committee going to deal with it?	In a one meeting session. Officers will give a brief presentation outlining the key issues in the report. Members of the Committee will then have the opportunity to question the Head of Sustainable Development and Executive Member for Sustainable Development and formulate their advice to the Executive. The committee is asked to consider the report and decide what advice to give to the Executive. The report was circulated to all Members of the County Council and relevant officers on 15 February 2005. Members are asked to bring the report (copies of which are available for public inspection) to the Meeting. The report is also available on the Oxfordshire County Council Website www.oxfordshire.gov.uk or from Deborah Mitchell on (01865) 815463.
When are they going to do it?	At this meeting.
Who is going to take part in this piece of work?	All Members of the Committee.

 

Work to be done prior to the meeting:	Members are asked to consider the circulated report, in preparation for discussion.
Documents Members should bring to the meeting:	The report circulated with the letter dated 15 February 2005.
Background Information Overall the Panel’s recommendations are reasonable and will help to clarify the intentions of the Plan. With some exceptions on points of detail of the precise wording of some of the policies, it is recommended that the Panel’s recommendations are accepted. In addition, there are some modifications proposed to policies arising from the representations and objections made to the deposit draft Plan concerning issues that were not matters of debate at the EIP. Subject to the agreement of Council, the proposed modifications to the Plan (arising from the Panel’s recommendations and representations on the draft Plan), will be published for public consultation for six weeks May and June 2005, with the intention of reporting back to Council for adoption by November 2005 at the latest.

6. South East Plan

11.00

Why has it been included?	This item has been included at the request of the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Committee to enable members to advise the Executive on the South East Plan. The South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) is consulting the public on the draft South East Plan. The consultation period is from 24 January to 15 April 2005. A report on the South East Plan is due to go to the Executive on 15 March.
How is the Committee going to deal with it?	Mr Ian Walker, Principal Planning Officer has been invited to attend to give a presentation outlining the key issues addressed by the draft South East Plan, including the housing options for the region that are being consulted on and issues in relation to the sub regional elements of the Plan that relate to Oxfordshire. A report setting out the issues and the current position on Swindon, the South West Regional Strategy and the Milton Keynes and South Midland Sub Regional Strategy is attached at EN6 for consideration. The Committee is asked to consider: (a) any initial views that it would wish to convey to the Executive. (b) whether it would wish to nominate a task group of 3 members to scrutinise the South East Plan prior to its consideration by the Executive on 15 March 2005.
When are they going to do it?	At this meeting.
Who is going to take part in this piece of work?	All Members of the Committee.

 

Work to be done prior to the meeting:	Members are asked to consider the attached report EN6, in preparation for discussion.
Documents Members should bring to the meeting:	None.

7. Local Transport Plan

11.30

Why has it been included?	This item has been placed on the agenda to enable members of this Committee to advise the Executive on the initial proposals for the Local Transport Plan.
How is the Committee going to deal with it?	In a one meeting session. Mr John Disley, Group Manager, Environment & Economy has been invited to attend the meeting to present the overarching principles and initial proposals for the Local Transport Plan 2006-2011, in particular covering: (i) LTP2 Vision and links with corporate vision; (ii) the Shared Priorities for LTP2, including problem identification and prioritising; (iii) taking forward the Transport Networks Review programme approved by Executive in September 2004 and developing a 5 year programme; (iv) document structure and organization; (v) proposals for Stakeholder and public engagement and (vi) funding guidelines and submission process. The Committee is asked to consider: (a) any initial views that it would wish to convey to the Executive. (b) whether it would wish to nominate a task group of 3 members to scrutinise the Local Transport Plan prior to its consideration by the Executive on 15 March 2005.
When are they going to do it?	At this meeting.
Who is going to take part in this piece of work?	All Members of the Committee.
Work to be done prior to the meeting:	None.
Documents Members should bring to the meeting:	None.

8. County Council Energy Management Policy

12.10

Why has it been included?	This item has been placed on the agenda to enable members of this Committee to advise the Executive on the proposed County Council Energy Management Policy (please see background information below).
How is the Committee going to deal with it?	In a one meeting session. Mr Darrell Marchand, Energy & Environmental Management Officer has been invited to give a short presentation, which explains the background to the proposals and key issues in the policy. Members of the Committee will then have the opportunity to question Mr Marchand and formulate their advice to the Executive. The Committee is asked to consider what advice, if any, to offer to the Executive.
When are they going to do it?	At the meeting.
Who is going to take part in this piece of work?	All Members of the Committee.
Work to be done prior to the meeting:	Members are asked to consider the attached policy and report EN8, in preparation for discussion. (EN8 -Draft Oxfordshire County Council Energy Policy (Buildings) (EN8 - Oxfordshire County Council Revised Energy Policy (2005) - Report)
Documents Members should bring to the meeting:	None.
Background Information The Environment Scrutiny Committee recently reviewed the Corporate Environmental Policy including in respect of climate change and energy recommending that the Council should take all necessary measures to reduce its energy consumption and the carbon emissions caused by its own activities. It further recommended the adoption of a target of a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 (base year 1990) and the consideration of ways of increasing the capacity for renewable energy within Oxfordshire. The recommendations were not approved by the Executive, pending the outcome of the Audit Commission review. The Inspection Report of the County Council’s approach to Sustainable Development by the Audit Commission, noted that the Council provides good Sustainable Development services but that its aims are broad and the implications for service delivery are not always clear. In addition, it stated that ‘the Council’s progress in improving its own sustainability has been inconsistent’ and ‘the Council’s integration of sustainable development into its property services is still developing’. In the 2003 publication ‘Raising our performance 2: Organisational Improvement Plan 2003 – 2005’, the County Council has acknowledged that ‘many of our buildings suffer from a history of under investment’ and that ‘failure to invest is short sighted … we need to turn this situation around.’’. While this applies most visibly to maintenance issues, it applies equally to energy use and resulting environmental impact. Furthermore, there is, in general, a link between maintenance and energy use in buildings.
The County Council has had an Energy policy relating solely to Buildings for some time. It is one of the key guiding documents governing the delivery of the Energy Management service for the County Council’s properties. The Strategic Planning & Economic Development Team (Environment & Economy) has given some thought to a wider Council Energy Policy that would include transport, street lighting, purchasing and IT equipment, along with Buildings. Whilst that may be an outcome from ‘Future First’, the Buildings Energy Policy needs updating because the current emissions target expires at the end of 2004/05 and because of the new Property Consultant contract (the policy is an integral part of the Property Consultants Manual) and the objectives and targets contained therein.

9. Economic Development Strategy and Energy from Waste: Scoping Templates

12.30

Why has it been included?	At its meeting on 10 November 2004 , the Committee agreed to set up Lead Member Review Groups to draft scoping templates for its scrutiny reviews on the Economic Development Strategy and Energy from Waste. The Lead Member Review Groups have now produced draft templates, which are attached at EN9. (EN9 - Scoping Template - Economic Development Strategy) (EN9 - Scoping Template - Energy from Waste) The Templates were considered by the Scrutiny Co-ordinationg Group on 24 January 2005. The Group agreed the scoping template "Economic Development Strategy" and to allocate the resources indicated, subject to changing Stage 1 under ‘Purpose of Review/Objective’, to reflect that the Lead Member Review Group would consider the draft Annual Report on the Economic Development Action Plan and make their comments directly to the Executive, as the Plan would not be available in time for consideration at the February meeting of the Environment Scrutiny Committee. The Group further noted that Councillor Moley had now been nominated as the 3rd member of the Lead Member Review Group.   The Group agreed the scoping template "Energy from Waste" and to allocate the resources indicated, on the grounds that the Lead Member Review Group be requested to justify the need for the possible site visits.
How is the Committee going to deal with it?	The Committee is asked to agree the draft templates as the basis for the above reviews.
When are they going to do it?	During the meeting.
Who is going to take part in this piece of work?	All Members of this Committee.
Work to be done prior to the meeting:	Members are asked to consider the scoping templates in preparation for the discussion. These are attached at EN9.
Documents Members should bring to the meeting:	None.

1.00- 2.00 – lunch

10. Inland Waterways : Final Review Report

2.00

Why has it been included?	The Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group had commissioned the Lead Member Review Group to lead this review on behalf of the Scrutiny Committee. Having collected a wide-variety of evidence, the review group now presents its findings in this report (EN10) (download as .doc file), which must now be agreed (or otherwise) by the whole Committee and signed off before being submitted by the Proper Officer to the Executive for it to consider its response.
How is the Committee going to deal with it?	Members of the Review Group will talk to the final Review Report, highlighting the key findings and recommendations in the Report. The Committee will then be asked to evaluate the response paying particular regard to whether the Review has achieved its objectives and if the findings and conclusions follow from the evidence. The Scrutiny Committee is RECOMMENDED by members of the Lead Member Review Group to agree the report as submitted to this meeting, or amend the report by consensus with a view to it being submitted to the Executive.
When are they going to do it?	During the meeting.
Who is going to take part in this piece of work?	All Members of the Committee.
Work to be done prior to the meeting:	Members are asked to consider the report in preparation for the discussion. The Report is attached at EN10 (download as .doc file).
Documents Members should bring to the meeting:	None.
Background Information: The Lead Member Review Group comprises Councillors Andrew Crawford, Mrs Dee Bulley and Roy Mold.

11. Tracking Scrutiny Items

2.40

• Parking on Bus Routes Scrutiny Review
• Cornmarket
• Rail Projects

12. Forward Plan

3.20