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To Members of the Executive

Notice of a Meeting of the Executive

Wednesday 17 April 2002 at 2.00 pm

County Hall, Oxford

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

Contact officer: Deborah Mitchell (Tel: 01865 815463; E-mail)

Membership

The Agenda follows. Decisions taken at the meetingwill become effective at the end of the working day on 18 April 2002unless called in by that date for review by the appropriate Scrutiny Committee.

Copies of this Notice, Agenda and supporting papers are circulated to all Members of the County Council.

AGENDA

Apologies for Absence

Declarations of Interest



Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2002 (EX3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

Petitions and Public Address



Social Services Budget 2002/03

Executive Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref:
Contact Officer: Paul Gerrish, Assistant County Treasurer (01865 815370)

Report by the Director of Social Services and Director for Business Support & County Treasurer (EX5).

The Council will have considered the budget proposals for Social Services at their meeting on 2 April (with the debate on the Social Services budget adjourned until 9 April). Included within the budget proposals were reductions in three broad areas where a further re-allocation to specific services was required, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health and Support Services. This report addresses that re-allocation.

The report also explains that some of the proposed reductions are literally just proposals at this stage and are subject to appropriate consultation before a final decision is taken.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to agree the proposed service reductions contained in paragraphs 3, 6 and 8 of the report, subject to consideration of any responses to consultation on individual proposals.

Capital Programme

Executive Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 79/2002
Contact Officer: Mike Petty, Principal Financial Manager (01865 815622)

Report by Director for Business Support and County Treasurer and Director of Environmental Services (EX6).

This report updates the Capital Programme, including changes on Education and Transport programmes, and the addition of projects approved by the Executive in January.

A detailed Capital Programme booklet is circulated with the Agenda.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. note the report;
2. note that a revised Capital Strategy and Asset Management Plan will be brought to the Executive in June.

Transport Capital Programme 2002/05

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 122/2001
Contact Officer: Peter Mann (01865 815479)

Report by Director of Environmental Services and the Director of Business Support & County Treasurer (EX7).

This report seeks approval for the schemes proposed to be included in the transport capital programme for 2002/03 under the six main budget headings set out the Local Transport Plan (LTP) and identifies those schemes that are proposed to be included provisionally in the programmes for 2003/04 and 2004/05.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:-

1. approve the 2002/03 transport capital programme set out in Annexes 2 to 7, subject to any additional schemes, for which finance is available, being added following consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management;
2. approve the provisional programmes for 2003/04 and 2004/05 set out in Annexes 8 to 13 as a basis for the development of future programmes; and
3. ask the Director of Environmental Services to update the Executive on progress on the transport capital programme in October 2002.

Minor Traffic Schemes Assessment Framework

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 66/2001
Contact Officer: Phil Crossland (01865 815083)

Report by Director of Environmental Services (EX8).

The Transport Capital Programme Procurement best Value Review recommended the development and adoption of a framework to assess requests for minor traffic schemes in a systematic and consistent manner. This report details and recommends the adoption of an assessment framework for these requests.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. approve the prioritisation of Casualty Reduction schemes on the basis of First Year Economic Rates of Return as set out in Paragraph 3 of the report; and
2. approve the assessment framework for minor traffic schemes as set out in paragraphs 4-6 and Annexes 2-5 of the report.

Harcourt Hill, North Hinksey – Proposed Traffic Calming

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 12/2002
Contact Officer: Arshad Khan (01235 466120)

Report by Director of Environmental Services (EX9).

Local residents are concerned at the speed of traffic using Harcourt Hill, North Hinksey. A waiting restrictions scheme was recently introduced on Harcourt Hill. The removal of parked vehicles has encouraged higher speeds.

New traffic calming features are therefore proposed to reduce traffic speeds and improve road safety.

A full consultation exercise on the proposals has been undertaken with all interested parties. The majority of replies were in favour of the new proposals.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to authorise the implementation of the traffic calming scheme as described in the report.

West Oxford Residents’ Parking Scheme Review

Proposed Revisions to Scheme and Public Comment

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 12/2002
Contact Officer: Peter Egawhary, Environmental Services (01865 815857)

Report by Director of Environmental Services (EX10).

This report on the revisions to the West Oxford Residents’ Parking scheme seeks consent to implement the amendments to the existing scheme as advertised in the recent formal public consultation and as recommended in the report. The reason for advertising the published Order was to promote changes to improve the operation of the existing parking scheme. These changes resulted from informal consultations with the residents of West Oxford and their representatives in October 1999 and again, in January 2000 by Oxford City Council under the agency agreement which ended in November 2001.

The principal changes include some minor alterations to the Waiting and Parking controls and the introduction to permit restraint to regulate the demand for residents’ parking permits, which exceeds the capacity of on-street parking area. In order to establish a more equitable means of sharing out the available parking on the various streets in the area, a limit on the number of permits per household and per "self-contained" bedsit is also proposed.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to approve the making and implementation of the advertised order as illustrated by drawing no. 271/26777a, subject to the minor modifications set out in paragraph 6 (a)-(f) of the report.

Woodstock: Hensington Road, Shipton Road

1. note the objections and representations in response to formal consultation for the scheme as set out in Annex 1 and the comments of the Director of Environmental Services;
2. note the representation made by Woodstock Town Council following the informal consultation (and subsequent meeting and correspondence) as set out in Annex 2; and
3. approve the implementation of the traffic calming works and the making and implementation of the 20mph speed limit order as set out in Annex 3.

Pedestrian Crossing Facilities Oxford –

Windmill Road by Margaret Road

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 12/2002
Contact Officer: David Clough (01865 815743)

Report by Director of Environmental Services (EX12).

The report details the response to the consultation on the Pelican crossing proposal along Windmill Road just north of Margaret Road and asks Members to consider endorsing the scheme in light of comments outlined.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to approve the implementation of the scheme in principle, as shown on drawing No BPN698/F3316 (Annex 2), subject to the exact location being determined by the Director of Environmental Services in consultation with adjoining frontagers.

European Car Free Day

The Council on 2 April 2002 considered the following motion by Councillor Simmons:

This Council supports the closure of Broad Street, Oxford on European Car Free Day (Sunday 22 September 2002) as requested by the Oxford Pedestrians Association, provided the opportunity can be taken to organise a fun day, making it a celebration of a traffic-free Broad Street rather than an anti-car event.

The Council concluded that the matter related to an Executive function, and referred it to the Executive for determination.

Although the motion as moved was rejected, some support was expressed during the debate for a suggestion that the Executive explore the possibility of Broad Street being closed for May Day 2003.

The Executive is asked to determine the motion.

Measures to Reduce the Risk to Asthma Suffers

The Council on 2 April 2002 considered the following motion by Councillor Hodgson to the Executive to determine:

This Council welcomes the government’s proposals to address the growing problem of asthma in this County and in the country, and in particular the policies to ensure that:

1. Every school has an asthma policy to ensure that pupils who suffer from asthma are encouraged always to have their inhalers available, avoidable triggers are removed and teachers know what to do when a pupil has an attack;

2. Asthma sufferers to be given a voice in planning, transport, health and education.

This Council its commitment to anti-pollution policies in this County and urges the government to support the following measures:

1. public funding for a major programme of research into the causes of asthma, including links with pollution;
2. Ministers to set clear targets for the introduction of low- or no-emission vehicles;
3. more funding for the development of non-carbon vehicles that do not pollute and the infrastructure that people will need to use them;
4. reduction of the level of traffic on our roads and by providing viable public transport;
5. extending and improving schemes such as the "Cube It" scheme to remove unroadworthy and heavily polluting vehicles from our roads.

The Council concluded that the matter related to an Executive function, and referred it to the Executive for determination.

The Executive is asked to determine the motion.

Family Centre Provision in Banbury

Executive Member: Children & Young People
Forward Plan Ref: 63/2002
Contact Officer: Chris Sewell, Family and Community Support Manager (01865 810517)

Report by Acting Chief Education Officer (EX15).

The Children's Society has announced that it will be closing the Banbury Family Centre during the summer of this year. This report briefs members on the background to the closure and the actions that officers are taking to address the issues that arise from the closure.

The Children's Society has been providing support for families in Banbury since 1985. Throughout the period The Children's Society has funded its work from its own fundraising, from successful bids for government funding (e.g. Opportunities for Volunteering) and from Social Services through a Service Level Agreement. The current grant from the County Council to the Banbury Family Centre is £41,990 p.a. It is calculated that over the last 17 years The Children's Society has contributed in the region of £1,000,000 to the support of families in Banbury.

There are four main areas requiring action:

1. to ensure that current successful activities of the Family Centre are sustained within the local community;
2. to review the annual grant currently made to The Children's Society and re-allocate it towards further family support in the county;
3. to contribute to discussions on the future of the family centre building in order to ensure its continued use for the benefit of the community;
4. to consider what interim arrangements are needed to ensure continuity and transition of provision.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to instruct officers to:

1. convey to The Children's Society the County Council's regret at the closure of the Banbury Family Centre and its appreciation of the valuable and innovative contribution it has made to the lives of needy families in Banbury over the last 17 years;
2. conduct a review of the need for family support in Banbury in order to assess options for the re-allocation of the sum previously allocated to Banbury Family Centre, taking into account both the need to sustain existing services provided by the Family Centre and the need to ensure equitable provision of support to needy families across the county as a whole;
3. report to the Executive in the early autumn with recommendations for the re-allocation of funds for the year 2003-04;
4. make such interim arrangements as are appropriate to ensure continuity and transition of family support services for the Bretch Hill area in 2002-03 following the withdrawal of The Children's Society.

Oxford City Centre Newco Ltd

1. approve in principle the setting up jointly with other partners of a company limited by guarantee to achieve the objectives as set out in paragraph 2 above, and authorise the Director of Environmental Services and Solicitor to the Council, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport to take all necessary action for this purpose;
2. appoint the Director of Environmental Services, or such alternative person as he may nominate, to represent the County Council as director of the company when created.

Call In – Representation on Cross Thames Travel Study Group

• failed to inform or consult the existing representatives on the group;
• failed to have regard to the importance of having representatives on the group from the area affected by the study; and
• failed to recognise the value of continuing with the present representatives in view of their experience and understanding of the issues involved."

Appointments to Sub-Committees etc.

Bicester & Ploughley Sports Centre Management Committee

SEERA

Forward Plan and Future Business

Exempt Items

The meeting will be invited to resolve to exclude the public for the consideration of the following exempt items (marked E) by passing a resolution in relation to each such item in the following terms:

"that the public be excluded during the consideration of the following items in the Agenda since it is likely that if they were present during those items there would be a disclosure of "exempt" information as described in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and specified below each item in the Agenda".

THE REPORTS RELATING TO THE EXEMPT ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC AND SHOULD BE REGARDED AS STRICTLY PRIVATE TO MEMBERS AND OFFICERS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THEM.

20E. Organisational Issues at a Maintained School

Executive Member: Schools
Forward Plan Ref: 197/2001
Contact Officer: Robert Capstick, Principal Education Officer (01865 815155)

Report by Roy Leach, Principal Education Officer (01865 815693) (EX20E).

This report gives the background to the problems surrounding a named school, and suggests some possible ways forward, all of which entail structural changes in the pattern of local schooling. The Executive are asked to consider the report, and to decide whether they would wish officers to undertake the necessary informal, and open, consultations which would necessarily precede any statutory change proposals.

(Information Exempt in that it relates to a particular employee, former employee or applicant to become an employee of, or a particular office-holder, former office-holder or applicant to become an office-holder under, the Authority.)

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to determine which of the four options presented in Paragraph 8 (a) – (d) of the report to put forward for informal consultations.

21E. Independent Sector Home Support for Older People – Contract Tender Evaluation

April 2002

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