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To Members of the Executive

Notice of a Meeting of the Executive

Tuesday 10 December 2002 at 2.00 pm

County Hall, Oxford

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

Contact officer: Graham Warrington (Tel: 01865 815321; E-mail)

Membership

The Agenda follows. Decisions taken at the meeting will become effective at the end of the working day on 18 December 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

Addenda

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

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2002 (EX3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address
   
   
5. Fire Service Dispute

Executive Member: Community Safety
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/220
Contact Officer: John Parry, Chief Fire Officer (01865 855205)

The Chief Fire Officer reports as follows:

On Friday 22 November the Fire Brigade Union commenced their second planned industrial action. The Chief Fire Officer will provide an oral update at the meeting on the situation.

6. Call-In of Executive Decision
   Changes in Social Services Provision – Children’s Disability Service

1. note the … reports and the responses to consultation and financial implications described therein, and in the light of these and of the advice of the Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee, confirm the proposals for changes in the Children’s Disability Service set out in the report to the Executive on 16 July 2002;
2. request the Director for Social & Health Care to:
   
   

1. proceed with the development of a new partnership between the County Council, the Oxfordshire Learning Disability NHS Trust and Barnardo’s for the provision of residential respite care in Oxfordshire as outlined in that report;

2. continue to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the transfer to Barnardo’s of:

1. the Home Care/Relief to Care service; and
2. the Thame/Bicester Play & Leisure scheme;
   
   

3. keep the Executive Member for Children & Young People informed of progress on (1) and (2) above and bring a report with an implementation timetable to the Executive in early March 2003.

7. Early Education and Childcare Developments

• approval of the County Council Partnership Early Years Unit Scheme;
• approval of plans for Local Authority managed Neighbourhood Nurseries in Wood Farm and Barton and revised plans for a Neighbourhood Nursery in Banbury as part of the developments for Orchard Fields Primary School;
• expenditure of capital grant for places for 3 and 4 year olds for 2003/2004.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. approve the Partnership Early Years Unit Agreement, and authorise the Acting Chief Education Officer/Director for Learning & Culture or his nominated representative to sign agreements on behalf of the Authority in individual cases;
2. support in principle the proposals to develop a Neighbourhood Nursery as part of the new Orchard Fields School in Banbury;
3. approve the plans to develop Local Authority-managed Neighbourhood Nurseries in Oxford City;
4. approve the allocations for capital developments from Early Years Capital Grant 2002- 2003 as proposed in the report.

8. Teenage Pregnancy

• Local Co-ordination arrangements
• Better prevention – Sex and Relationship Education
• Better prevention – services
• Better support for teenage parents

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. note the areas of strength and weakness of the Oxfordshire Teenage Pregnancy Plan;
2. endorse the Action Plan in Annex 2 to the report, developed in response to the Regional Assessment Panel’s Report;
3. authorise the Director of Social & Health Care to ratify the 2002/03 Oxfordshire Teenage Pregnancy Annual Report and the 2003-4 Action Plan in consultation with the Executive Members for Children & Young People and Community Care & Health.

9. Redevelopment Proposals for Homes for Older People

Executive Member: Community Care & Health
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/205
Contact Officer: Nick Welch, Head of Health & Social Care Partnerships (01865 815714)

Report by Director for Social & Health Care (EX9).

The Executive in October considered proposals for the redevelopment of 5 of the homes for older people that were transferred to the Oxfordshire Care Partnership, and an option appraisal process for 3 homes that were not identified for redevelopment. This report sets out the results of the consultations that have been taking place on these proposals, and on the financial and other evaluations that officers have been undertaking on the redevelopment proposals.

The redevelopment programme has been generally welcomed, and for the 3 homes for which there are redevelopment proposals, an agreed option appraisal process has been put in place. Very considerable concern has been expressed in all 3 localities over the possibility that any of these homes might close. The option appraisal process will be directed at finding and evaluating all the possible ways that there could be for ensuring the continuation of services for older people in the localities in question.

Recommendations will be included in the report (to follow).

10. Integrated Mental Health Services – Administration Services

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to :

1. agree the proposed model outlined in the report for the provision of administrative support to Community Mental Health Teams by the Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare NHS Trust on behalf of the County Council under contract;
2. agree for the purpose of Rule 3.2 of the Contract Procedure Rules to exempt the contract from the requirement to tender, for the reasons set out in the report, and authorise the Director for Social & Health Care to complete the contract with Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare NHS Trust accordingly.

11. Private Finance Initiative - Schools

Executive Member: Leader of the Council, Schools
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/143
Contact Officer: Michael Mill, Senior Education Officer Premises Development (01865 428161)

Report by Acting Chief Education Officer (EX11).

This report outlines investigations into the potential for a PFI bid to fund school developments.

Following option appraisals of a variety of schools, it is felt that a strong bid could be submitted on the basis that, having carried out a successful reorganisation within Oxford City, it is sensible for the Education Department to seek to make a significant difference in the other Country towns and that an expression of interest be submitted which encompasses a 3^rd new secondary school at Didcot and the redevelopment of the existing two schools, the Cooper School in Bicester and Banbury School. It is also proposed that a new primary school in the centre of Banbury should be promoted and Greenmere School drawn into the redevelopment of the St Birinus site.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED, subject to consideration of any views on the part of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee, to approve the submission of an expression of interest for schools’ PFI credits to the DfES by 3 January 2003, to include a new aided secondary school in Didcot (subject to formal consultation); remodelling/re-furbishing of St Birinus, Didcot Girls, Greenmere School, Banbury School and The Cooper School; and a new primary school in Banbury.

12. Education Asset Management Plan

Executive Member: Schools
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/228
Contact Officer: Gerald Hales, Education Officer (01865 428162)

Report by Acting Chief Education Officer (EX12).

The report seeks approval of the Authority’s priorities for capital and revenue investment in school buildings for 2002-06 and the targets for measuring achievement as set out in the draft Statement of Priorities. The results of the DfES appraisal of the Statement of Priorities are also reported together with the need for a future additional priority.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to approve the Statement of Priorities as set out in the annexes to the report, with the future inclusion of supporting the 14 – 19 agenda.

13. Woodeaton Manor and Iffley Mead Special Schools

There appear to be three options that need to be considered. These are to:

1. close Woodeaton Manor and transfer the remaining children to Iffley Mead;
2. close Iffley Mead and transfer the remaining children to Woodeaton Manor;
3. close both and open a new school on one of the sites or a new site, as yet unidentified.

In all three cases any resources released could be used to further increase support in mainstream schools.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to ask the Acting Chief Education Officer to:

1. Undertake consultation, on the basis outlined in paragraphs 19 and 20 of the report, on the proposals set out in paragraph 15 and to include the option of closing the residential facility and the possibility of either September 2003 or 2004 for the start of any new arrangements;
2. carry out further detailed work on premises and funding implications;
3. report the outcome of the consultation and further work to a future meeting for consideration of further action.

14. Special School Planned Places

1. agree the planned places proposals set out in Annex 1 to the report; and
2. agree the reduction in residential planned places at Woodeaton Manor from 20 to 10 from September 2003.

15. Elms Road Nursery School, Botley

Executive Member: Schools
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/231
Contact Officer: Kevin Griffin, Principal Project Officer (01865 428164)

The Acting Chief Education Officer reports as follows:

An outline project appraisal is appended (EX15) to provide a foundation for further work on the proposals approved in principle by the Executive In November 2001 for development of early years and childcare provision within the Botley area, including the relocation of Elms Road Nursery School. The Executive requested officers to undertake wider consultation and produce more detailed costed proposals. A project group consisting of representatives from Elms Road Nursery School, Botley Primary School, North Hinksey Primary School and Botley Pre-School was established to consider the options available.

Elms Road Nursery is currently housed in a HORSA building. The project will provide replacement purpose built accommodation for Elms Road Nursery School on the adjoining Botley Primary School site. A three-classroom HORSA building, used by Botley Primary School for Foundation Stage/KS1 accommodation, will also be replaced. As well as replacing a poor quality building, this is necessary to provide space for the replacement nursery school accommodation.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to approve the project appraisal.

16. Adult Learning Plan 2003/04

Executive Member: Learning & Culture
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/179
Contact Officer: Mari Pritchard, Head of Adult and Community Learning (01865 815153)

Report by Acting Chief Education Officer (EX16).

On 12 November the Executive adopted a report and statement of purpose and strategic objectives, as the basis for the Adult Learning Plan 2003/04 and referred these for comment to the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee. The Scrutiny Committee are considering this on 3 December, and any comments will be reported orally.

The Adult Learning Plan is one of the strategic plans which are subject to approval by full Council following consideration by both the Executive and relevant Scrutiny Committee In accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution. The submission date for the Plan is 28 March 2003, which will (as last year) be before the Council can complete the full Spring decision-making cycle, but this year the LSC are aware of the need for the plan to be submitted in provisional form, and subject to endorsement by Council (with change still possible) in April. It is therefore intended to submit an actual draft Plan to the Scrutiny Committee and the Executive in March, with a view to a recommendation to Council on 1 April. In the meantime the Executive may wish to instruct officers as to the drafting of the plan in the light of the Scrutiny Committee’s initial comments.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to consider any comments and/or recommendations of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee and subject thereto, authorise the Acting Chief Education Officer, in consultation with the Executive Members for Learning & Culture and Schools, to submit a draft Adult Learning Plan to the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee for comment, taking account of available guidance from the Learning & Skills Council .

17. Pilot Home Zones

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. approve the Hughes Close/Sturt Close, Charlbury; Stapleton Road, Headington, Oxford; and Inner East Oxford areas to be taken forward as pilot Home Zones in accordance with this report;
2. authorise the Director of Environmental Services to commence the next stages of these schemes in accordance with the schedule of processes and procedures in Annex 2;
3. note that the traffic issues in West Street, Grimsbury, Banbury will be investigated as part of the ongoing Banbury ITS work; and
4. note the progress of work on the Saxton Road, Abingdon Home Zone.

18. Broad Street, Oxford - Experimental Parking

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. authorise the promotion of an Order to introduce 21 pay and display parking spaces in Broad Street, with a maximum stay of one hour, and three disabled persons’ parking bays, as shown in Annex 1 to the report; and
2. in the meantime, retain the Experimental Order for Broad Street with the option of continuing its effect in the longer term by an appropriate Traffic Regulation Order if the proposals in (a) above cannot be introduced by 17 September 2003.

19. Public Transport Information Strategy

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. note the apparent willingness of bus operators to meet the improved standards for information provision contained in the Council’s Transport Information Strategy for Bus Services;
2. authorise officers to produce a County Public Transport Guide for 2003 at an approximate cost to the Council of £8,000, using funding previously agreed for the Oxford Guide, on the basis that joint funding by bus operators will be secured;
3. agree that the County Guide should be published every year, with funding being shared between the County Council and operators;
4. authorise officers to incur costs of up to £100,000 in assisting operators of current subsidised services to meet the standards in the Information Strategy, as outlined in paragraph 33 of the report;
5. note the concern in the report over the possible cost implications for future subsidy contract prices of the additional expense likely to be incurred by the operators of these services; and that the sum of £200,000 a year has been included in the list of Expenditure Pressures for Environment, Roads and Transport for 2003/04-2007/08; and
6. ask officers to ensure that the basic standards of information provision are met, and that costs are redistributed in accordance with the Transport Act 2000.

20. GTE for Oxfordshire

1. the significant additional (and ongoing) County Council funding agreed in principle for the project;]
2. the increased strategic importance of GTE, given for example the recently agreed strategy for the A40 corridor (which includes the GTE project as an essential element) and the close interrelationship between GTE and the development of the railway through Oxford (in particular the proposed relocation of Oxford Station); and
3. the increased likelihood of funding to implement GTE being bid for as a Major Scheme in the next Local Transport Plan.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. RECOMMEND the Council to agree the inclusion of GTE for Oxfordshire in the list of strategic outside bodies for the purpose of Section H of the Constitution;
2. subject to (a) above, approve the appointment of the Executive Member for Transport as an additional County Council Director on the GTE board, together with the appointment of the Executive Member for Strategic Planning & Waste Management as an alternate Director for either County Council board member;
3. subject to the finalisation of the Capital Programme for 2003/04, agree that the funding provisionally allocated to the project for 2003/04 be conditionally granted to the Project Company in up to four stages, with the amounts and conditions for each stage to be agreed by the County Council Directors on the board in consultation with the Director for Environment & Economy.

21. Comprehensive Performance Assessment – Action Plan

• What is the council trying to achieve?
• Ambition
• Focus
• Prioritisation
• How has the Council set about delivering its priorities?
• Capacity
• Performance management
• What has the Council achieved/ not achieved to date?
• Achievement
• Investment
• In the light of what has been learnt, what does the Council plan to do next?
• Learning
• Future plans

22. Review of Charges

• Annex 1A and 1B Services and Charges constrained by legislation;
• Annex 2A and 2B Services where there is discretion to determine charges;
• Annex 3A and 3B Services of Social Benefit (where relevant).

23. General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) Negotiations

Executive Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/244
Contact Officer: John Leverton, Head of Committee Services (01865 815314)

Report by Assistant Chief Executive (EX23).

The report outlines certain specific concerns which have been identified in the local government community about the possible effect of current GATS negotiations on local authority freedoms and powers. These are in the areas of procurement, regulation and planning, and the concerns centre on problems of definition (and resultant uncertainty of effect) and the danger of "over-liberalisation" at the possible expense of the well-being of local communities.

The Department of Trade and Industry have invited comments by 3 January 2003 on a consultation document – "Liberalising Trade in Services" – about the issues raised by the GATS negotiations. The LGA will be considering their response to the consultation in mid-December and have invited member authorities to inform them of their concerns.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to decide whether to make formal representations to the Department of Trade and Industry on these and any other points arising on the current GATS negotiations.

24. Forward Plan and Future Business

EXECUTIVE – 10 DECEMBER 2002

ADDENDA

ITEM

4. Petitions and Public Address

Item	Speaker
9. Redevelopment Proposals for Homes for Older People	Councillor C H Shouler Councillor Brian Hodgson
11. Schools PFI Credits	Mr Harold Brew, Wantage resident Councillor Brian Hodgson Councillor Robert Evans Councillor Jim Moley
13. Consultation on the Future of Woodeaton Manor and Iffley Mead Special Schools	Mrs Cynthia Bartlett , Chair of Oxfordshire Secondary Schools Head Teachers Association Mrs Carole Thomson, Chair of Oxfordshire Governors Association Mr Steve Whatmore (Chair of Governors, Woodeaton Manor School) Mrs Chris Kyle (Governor Iffley School) Mrs Heidi Plowman (parent of pupil at Woodeaton Manor School) Mr Peter Symonds (parent of pupil at Iffley School) Councillor Christine Witcher
14. Special School Planned Places	Mrs Carole Thomson, Chair of Oxfordshire Governors Association Mr Steve Whatmore (Chair of Governors, Woodeaton Manor School)
17. Pilot Home Zones	Councillor Brian Hodgson
18. Broad Street, Oxford - Experimental Parking	Mr Graham Jones – ROX Mr Alan Lester – Covered Market Tenants Assoc Mr John Moyle – Boswells of Oxford Mrs Corinne Grimley-Evans - Oxford Pedestrians Association, also representing Civic Society & Oxford Consumer Group
19. Public Transport Information Strategy	Councillor Ken Harper
20. GTE for Oxfordshire	Mr Harold Brew, Grove Parish Transport Representative
21. Comprehensive Performance Assessment – Action Plan	Councillor Brian Hodgson
23. General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) Negotiations	Councillor Brian Hodgson

6. Call In of Executive Decision

Changes in Social Services Provision - Children’s Disability Service

9. Redevelopment Proposals for Homes for Older People

11. Schools PFI Credits

13. Consultation on the Future of Woodeaton Manor and Iffley Mead Special Schools

A submission by Councillor Christine Witcher is appended (EX13 Supplement).

16. Adult Learning Plan 2003/04

• the position in relation to fee standardisation;
• joint working with libraries
• developing community learning including 'learn direct'
• the developing provision for settled ethnic groups

18. Broad Street, Oxford - Experimental Parking

24. Forward Plan and Future Business

Schools’ delegated budgets formula To consider formula proposals in the light of formal consultation	Schools	21 January 2003
Integrated Day Services To consider a project plan for the proposed introduction of Adult Mental Health Services	Community Care & Health	21 January 2003
Teaching of British Sign Language To consider an invitation from the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee (following a motion by Councillor Brian Hodgson) on investigation and funding of teaching of BSL	Deputy Leader of the Council, Schools	TBA

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