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To Members of the Executive

Notice of a Meeting of the Executive

Tuesday 29 October 2002 at 2.00 pm

County Hall, Oxford

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

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

Membership

The Agenda follows. Decisions taken at the meeting will become effective at the end of the working day on 6 November 2002 unless 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

1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest
3. Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2002 (EX3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address
5. Budget Monitoring

Executive Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/136
Contact Officer: Mike Petty, Principal Financial Manager (01865 815622)

Report by Director for Business Support & County Treasurer (EX5).

This report details the budget monitoring position of the Council for 2002/03 as at 31 August 2002 and the latest forecast of the Council’s reserves and provisions at 31 March 2003.

The projected Budget Area Carryforward Reserves at 31 March 2003 show a potential deficit of £3.775m after allowing for City School Reorganisation planned overspend of £3.465m. Overall, we have forecast balances of around £2.6m to meet outlined pressures of potentially around £1.2m (plus the firefighters pay award). Programme areas are currently holding back on non urgent expenditure of £1.4m (this is part of the £2.6m under spend) to help alleviate any problems, which might arise later in the year. It would not be appropriate to release any of this at this stage, until there is further sustained evidence that the position on Social and Health Care has stabilised and there are no other pressures arising elsewhere. I will review the position again in November.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to receive the report and to ask directors to continue to proceed cautiously and at least maintain their levels of underspend until further advice is issued.

6. Performance Management

• An update on progress towards our targets in priority areas for the current year.
• A comparison between actual performance for 2001/02 and the targets we have established for the current year is provided. This has been undertaken to review the reasonability of those targets.

1. those areas where performance for 2001/02 fell below 75% of target, as shown in Annex 1; and
2. those areas where actual performance for 2001/02 differs by more than 20%

7. County Council Property

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. note that it will be necessary to give appropriate priority to funding for repairs and maintenance in the medium term financing plans as part of the measures to address the maintenance backlog;
2. agree that costed proposals for making more effective use of the central buildings (including Albion House and Cricket Road), including the extension of more flexible working arrangements, the provision of corporate facilities to assist such arrangements, and general improvement in working conditions be reported to the Executive in February 2003;
3. agree that a strategy for the rationalisation of the non-central administrative offices, including the introduction of more flexible working arrangements, provision of corporate facilities, ICT and Records Management arrangements with targets for any achievable reduction in the overall office space to be included in the Asset Management Plan to be submitted for approval in July 2003 and that consideration be given to submission of an outline proposal for a PFI scheme subject further consultation with members and a report to the Executive if appropriate;
4. note that a report on the introduction of a system of option appraisals will be brought to the Executive in January 2003.

8. Fire Service Dispute

Executive Member: Community Safety
Forward Plan Ref: -
Contact Officer: John Parry, Chief Fire Officer (01865 855205)

The Chief Fire Officer reports as follows:-

The announcement of the Fire Brigade Union Ballot for Strike Action is taking place on 18 October 2002. The Chief Fire Officer will provide an oral update at the meeting on the situation in light of this, and any subsequent decision by the Fire Brigade Union regarding potential strike action.

9. Highway Management Policy Manual

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. approve the Highway Management Policy Manual incorporating the additions and amendments as described in Annex 3 of the report;
2. agree that any future significant departures from standard policy as reflected in the Manual be brought to the attention of the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management at the earliest opportunity and be subsequently reported to the Executive where appropriate;
3. agree that the Highway Management Policy Manual should be reviewed on a regular basis

10. Parking on Bus Routes – Scrutiny Review

1. approval of the principle of introducing countywide decriminalised parking enforcement be subject to the Director of Environmental Services carrying out a feasibility study into the costs of implementation and operation; and
2. approval of action at individual sites being subject to the Director of Environmental Services agreeing the most appropriate solutions to problems at the respective sites following consultation with the bus companies, and agreeing the programming of these in consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management.

11. Call-in of Executive Decision Proposals for Toucan Crossings – Witney

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/77
Contact Officer: Jon Winstanley (01865 815070)

The Assistant Chief Executive reports as follows: -

On 17 September 2002 the Executive resolved to: -

1. approve the implementation of the Curbridge Road and Mill Street Toucan crossings, subject to the Director of Environmental Services making any detailed amendments appearing necessary as a result of the safety audit of the proposals, and receiving the formal approval by GOSE for the layout of the Mill Street Toucan crossing, and
2. authorise officers to promote and implement:

1. the conversion of the lengths of footways required for implementation of the proposals described in the report to shared use footway/cycle track under sections 66(4) and 65(1) of the Highways Act 1980;
2. introduction of "no-waiting at any time" restrictions as detailed on drawings MP/4/010 subject to any representations or objections being considered by the Director of Environmental Services, in conjunction with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management and relevant local member(s).
   
   

The decision was called in by the Environment Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the Council’s Scrutiny Procedure Rules set out in the constitution. The reason given was "that we believe that this decision of the Executive is premature and should be deferred, pending the opening of the first phase of the West End Link, and until an assessment is made of the effects of changes to the Park Lane and Corn Street access and egress arrangements and of the reconfiguration of the Mill Street/High Street junction.

The Call-in was considered by the Environment Scrutiny Committee on 16 October 2002. The Scrutiny Committee had material concerns about the Executive’s decision on the implementation of a toucan crossing in Mill Street, and agreed to refer the decision back to the Executive for reconsideration on the basis that the decision to implement a toucan crossing in Mill Street was premature and should be considered in conjunction with all other measures proposed for Mill Street/Burford Road.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to reconsider its decision in the light of the views expressed by the Scrutiny Committee.

12. Market Square/Wessex Way, Bicester Traffic Measures to follow the Skimmingdish Lane Improvement

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. approve for implementation the Phase 1 measures of the Post Skimmingdish Lane traffic management arrangements, as described in the report, subject to the consideration of any representation or objections resulting from consultation on the scheme by the Director Environmental Services, in consultation with the Executive Members for Transport & Strategic Planning and Waste Management);
2. agree that Wessex Way (Town Centre Link Road) be included in the approved programme for the Bicester Integrated Transport Strategy; and
3. endorse the work led by the Steering Group and agree Option 5 as the preferred Option to be developed for Market Square/Market Hill.

13. Traffic Management Proposals: Moor Avenue/Moorland Road/Dark Lane, Witney

The Executive is RECOMMENDED:

1. not to proceed with the introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order to close the eastern end of Dark Lane; and
2. to develop proposals in consultation with residents of Moor Avenue, Moorland Road and Dark Lane for comprehensive traffic calming/management measures to reduce through traffic in the area.

14. Forward Plan and Future Business

18 October 2002

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