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ITEM EX3

EXECUTIVE – 28 MAY 2002

EXECUTIVE – 14 MAY 2002

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 4.00 pm

Present:

The Executive considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting, together with a schedule of addenda tabled at the meeting and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda, reports and schedule, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.

206/02. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Don Seale.

207/02. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 30 April 2002 were approved and signed.

Minute 190/02: Social Services Budget 2002/03

The Leader of the Council drew attention to the outcome of the call in meeting of the Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee, and their comments as to consultation on proposals for service charges, as detailed in the Addenda.

The Executive Member for Children & Young People commended the record of Social Services in relation to such consultations and undertook to ensure that consultation on each individual proposal would be clear and genuine, and would be accompanied by an explanation of the criteria which led to that proposal and of the need to find alternative savings within the Social Services budget if that proposal was not carried through.

208/02. CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS REVIEW

(Agenda Item 5)

The Executive considered a report (EX5) which outlined a review of all the County Council’s communications activities, and set out proposals for expanding the scope and scale of these activities, including strengthening of the Media and Communications Unit; installing Community Information Points in key County Council buildings; and the publication of a County Council magazine.

The Deputy Leader of the Council thanked officers for the report and set out the conclusions of the IdeA Peer Review and the aims set out in "Raising our Performance" and the Executive’s Budget Strategy. The IDeA Peer Review had found that the departmental and devolved nature of the Council had resulted in departments producing their own range of information sheets for the public which had resulted in a proliferation of different documents and an absence of a corporate newsletter. In addition, the 1999/2000 Communications Strategy had identified different a core message for each department. The consequence was that there were few corporate messages being consistently disseminated, resulting in the potential for confusion and the failure of the public to recognise the council as a corporate whole. Therefore, it had been concluded that a review could be valuable in identifying the current range of external communication by the Council and in investigating opportunities for a more co-ordinated, efficient, and corporate approach.

In relation to questions raised by Councillor Brown, the Deputy Leader of the Council further reported that of the £175,000 costs identified in the report, £85,000 was estimated as required to fund the new magazine, £18,000 for other publications, £47,000 for staffing costs and £25,000 for other small items. The funding had been identified from departmental publicity budgets. This would mean that departments would not be able to produce so many small leaflets, but would be able to disseminate information more effectively via the proposal co-ordinated arrangements.

There had been a considerable study into how other authorities produced and distributed their magazines. The possibility of sharing delivery with the districts was being further investigated. There had not been great member support for keeping the Members’ bulletin, and evidence showed that people would welcome a publication through the door.

RESOLVED: to approve the proposals contained in the report.

209/02. LIBRARY SERVICE BEST VALUE REVIEW

(Agenda Item 6)

The Executive considered the Review and Action Plan (EX23) as endorsed by the Best Value Committee, and the comments thereon of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee.

The Executive Member for Learning & Culture acknowledged these comments as a useful contribution, which should be taken into account and reflected where appropriate in the Annual Library Plan.

Reference was made to the need to monitor progress on the actions recommended by the Review, and the potential for involvement of the Scrutiny Committee in that process.

RESOLVED: to welcome the comments from the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee, note the outcomes of the Review and approve the identified action for service improvement.

210/02. ADULT LEARNING PLAN 2002/03

(Agenda Item 7)

The Executive considered a report (EX7) which outlined progress with the Adult Learning Plan thus far and the comments thereon of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee.

Ms Prichard reported that the Council’s bid for capital funding referred to in the report had been successful, with 4 projects qualifying of a total of 12 approved nationally; the allocation of £91,000 funds for family learning; and the response to the Adult Learning Plan of the Learning & Skills Council, who had asked for additional detail to be included in a revised submission.

The Executive Member for Learning & Culture welcomed the comments of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee and recommended that they be incorporated in the revised submission required by the Learning & Skills Council. He also recorded a further comment made at the Scrutiny Committee meeting, expressing concern about the reference in the Plan to carers as a "low status occupation"

RESOLVED:

1. to welcome the comments from the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee and incorporate them, together with the additional information required by the Learning & Skills Council, in the revised Plan to be submitted to the Learning & Skills Council;
2. subject to (a) above, to RECOMMEND the Council to approve the Adult Learning Plan 2002/03.
   
   

211/02. NEW EARLY YEARS UNIT: WITNEY, RADLEY AND SONNING COMMON

RESOLVED:

1. to approve the proposals for a new Early Years Unit at Radley Primary School from September 2002;
2. to note the satisfactory report from the Early Years Team with regard to outdoor provision at the Blake CE Aided School, Witney, and to approve an Early Years Unit at the School from September 2002.

212/02. STANDING ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (SACRE)

(Agenda Item 9)

The Executive considered a report (EX9) which outlined proposals from SACRE members that the teachers’ group be increased from three to four and that the additional representative should be from the primary sector.

RESOLVED: to agree an increase in the teacher representatives on the Oxfordshire SACRE from three to four, on the basis that this would enable the inclusion of an additional primary school teacher.

213/02. STOPPING UP OF HIGHWAY – MILTON PARK TRADING ESTATE, SUTTON COURTENEY

(Agenda Item 10)

The Executive considered a report (EX10) which sought approval for an application to the Magistrates for the stopping up of three sections of highway that formed part of Milton Park Estate.

RESOLVED: to authorise the Solicitor to the Council to make an application to the Magistrates under section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 for the stopping up of the three sections of highway in Milton Park Estate on the grounds that they were unnecessary as highway.

THE DEPUTY LEADER TOOK THE CHAIR FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEM

214/02. ADDERBURY TO BANBURY CYCLE ROUTE

(Agenda Item 11)

The Executive considered a report (EX11) which outlined proposals for improved cycling facilities between Adderbury and Banbury which had been the subject of a public exhibition in Bodicote and Adderbury in March this year respectively. It also summarised the views of those who had attended.

The Leader of the Council speaking as local member, indicated that he felt unable to support the Scheme as proposed on the basis of costs relative to likely benefits; lack of appreciable local support; higher priority needs in the division, such as footways and road repairs. He urged the investigation of a shortened route of cycle route on the quieter roads in Adderbury and Bodicote.

The Director of Environmental Services urged the Executive to agree the proposals before them, and undertook to investigate modified proposals on the lines advocated by the Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED: (Councillors Fawcett, Janet Godden, Margaret Godden, Purse and Robertson voting in favour and Councillors Crabbe, Fawcett and Mitchell against) to:

1. note the results of the questionnaire survey as showing significant support for the options for improved cycling and walking facilities between Adderbury and Banbury displayed at the exhibitions;
2. approve Option 3, for the reasons set out in the report, as a basis for further investigation and detailed design and further consultations with the local councils, the local member and the police;
3. ask the Director of Environmental Services in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport, to determine the detailed design, in the light of the consultations and subject to the satisfactory resolution of the issues mentioned in paragraph 20 of the report; and
4. ask the Director of Environmental Services to take the necessary steps for the introduction of the scheme accordingly (subject to its inclusion in a future year’s capital programme) including the promotion of any necessary formal orders, unless there were unresolved representations in response to consultation in which case these be referred back to the Executive for consideration and decision.
   
   

THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL RESUMED THE CHAIR

215/02. ST BARNABAS SCHOOL OXFORD - BETTER WAYS TO SCHOOL

1. approve the implementation of the Walton Well Road Zebra Crossing;
2. approve the implementation of the entry treatments in Hart Street, Jericho Street and King Street;
3. subject to the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management being satisfied that progressing this scheme in advance of the scheme for parking bays in Kingston Road (due to be considered on 8 May) would not prejudice either scheme, approve the implementation of a closure to motor vehicles in Jericho Street and a ‘no entry’ point from a north west direction in King Street as shown on drawing No 1320/G200 subject to any objections resulting from formal consultation being determined by the Director of Environmental Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport and the Local Member.

216/02. FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

(Agenda Item 13)

The Executive considered a list of items from the Forward Plan for the next two meetings (EX19). Councillor Mitchell reported that an additional item had arisen which was not in the Forward Plan (replacement appointment to the ACTVaR European Group).

RESOLVED: to:

(a) agree the additions and amendments set out in Schedules 1 - 3 for the purpose of the Forward Plan for the ensuing four months subject to the inclusion of provision for a replacement appointment to the ACTVaR European Group;

(b) subject to (a) above, note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings as set out in Schedule 4.

217/02. EXEMPT ITEM

RESOLVED: that the public be excluded during the consideration of item 14E in the Agenda since it was likely that if they were present during that item 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 the item in the Agenda, i.e. information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority).

PROCEEDINGS FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

218/02. BUS SUBSIDIES

(Agenda Item 14E)

The Executive considered a report (EX14E) which reviewed existing subsidised services in the Oxford and Abingdon areas and reported on bids from operators for these and certain other services which were otherwise likely to terminate.

Councillors Gatehouse, Mold, McIntosh-Stedman and MacKenzie addressed the Executive as local members in support of services within their divisions.

The Executive Member for Transport commended the proposals set out in the exempt annexes to the report EX14E, but suggested that he be authorised as Executive Member for Transport, in consultation with the Public Transport Officer and relevant local members, to agree further subsidies up to an overall value of £100,000 in response to outstanding representations to which it had not been possible to respond in the circulated report.

Councillor Janet Godden expressed concern that the present bus service to Littlemore Mental Health Hospital was unsatisfactory for a hospital with a substantial number of inpatients. In the light of her comments Councillor Robertson undertook to look at all possible options for providing Littlemore Hospital with a better service.

The Leader of the Council asked officers to ensure that the decision of the Executive Member for Transport were made known to all members.

RESOLVED: to adopt the recommendations on subsidy for services described in the report on the basis of the prices contained in exempt Annex 3, subject to:

1. authorising officers to invite tenders for a stand alone service to Littlemore Hospital and look for Health Budget funds;
2. the Executive Member for Transport, after consulting the Public Transport Officer and relevant local members, being authorised to agree further subsidies up to a total value of £100,000 for services arising on the reported requests from local members which were not met by (i) above;
3. the Executive Member for Transport reporting back on action taken under (ii) above.

in the Chair

Date of signing 2002

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