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To Members of the Executive

Notice of a Meeting of the Executive

Wednesday 2 April 2003 at 10.00 am

County Hall, Oxford

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

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

Membership

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 18 March 2003 (EX3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address
   
   see Addenda
   
5. Regional Transport Strategy

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/42
Contact Officer: Andy Barton/Peter Mann (01865 815479)

Report by Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Transport Development) (EX5).

In June 2002 the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) published a draft revised Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) ‘From Crisis to Cutting Edge’ for consultation. In a report to the Executive on the 4 September 2002 comments were made which were fed back to SEERA on the Strategy. The RTS has now progressed to the next level of the adoption process, and in January 2003 the Secretary of State began his formal consultation process. This report provides some background to the Strategy and provides comments by the Assistant Director (Transport Development), recommending that these form the basis of the County Council’s response to this final consultation stage.

The current version of the RTS is clearer and easier to read and comprehend as the policies and the supporting statements have been separated into two documents. Many of the areas which caused confusion and concern in the earlier version, have been clarified. Virtually all the policies and approaches highlighted within the document are in line with current policies and proposals in the Structure Plan and Transport Plan. These include support for the promotion of East West Rail and the relocation of Oxford Station. It is particularly pleasing to see that the Oxford Transport Strategy has been singled out as a case study of Best Practice. However, a number of issues remain of particular concern. These include the treatment of congestion charging and the supply and management of on and off street parking.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. agree that the report and Annex C form the basis of a written response to the Secretary of State on the draft Regional Transport Strategy; and
2. note the updated position on Multi Modal Studies.

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

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/18
Contact Officer: David Clough (01865 815743)

Report by Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Transport Development) (EX6).

This report presents the results of the appraisal of alternative traffic routes that could support the plan for the pedestrianisation of the Market Square based on Option 5 that was previously considered by the Executive on 29 October 2002. The main purpose of this report is to explain why any alternative routes to Wessex Way have been found unacceptable. The report outlines the results of the study, and considers the predicted levels of diverted traffic, the number of properties that would be affected by changes in traffic flow, the effect on junctions and traffic management changes that would need to be made to junctions or the highway network. It concludes that it is not desirable to implement the proposed Option 5 scheme without building the extension of Wessex Way

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. agree that the approved Option for Market Square (Option 5) is not achievable without the extension of Wessex Way; and
2. instruct officers to examine further in consultation with Cherwell District Council and Bicester Town Council the environmental and road safety implications of the extension of Wessex Way and the pedestrianisation of Market Square.

7. Bus Stop Standards and Procurement of Bus Shelters

Executive Member: Transport
Forward Plan Ref: 2002/236
Contact Officer: David Taylor (01865 816519)

Report by Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Transport Development) (EX7).

Consultants Halcrow were commissioned last year to investigate how this Council could facilitate higher standards for Bus Stop Infrastructure and Shelters. A draft design guide for stop and shelter layouts has now been produced after considerable discussion with stakeholders. Consultation is underway on the revised draft, with a view to printing and issuing it to relevant parties this summer. A copy of the draft guide has been placed in the Members’ Resource Centre.

The larger Town and Parish Councils and the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils were invited to a seminar on 3 March 2003, where the County Council’s aspirations for higher infrastructure standards were expressed in the context of the Premium Routes strategy and the Council’s targets for growth in bus usage. There was general agreement that the County Council should investigate the possibility of negotiating a county-wide contract for the provision and maintenance of advertising and non-advertising shelters, for those local Councils wishing to opt in.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. note the progress towards the production of a Bus Stop Infrastructure design guide;
2. authorise officers to pursue a negotiated contract procedure for the procurement of new bus shelters for the Premium Routes Network and elsewhere in Oxfordshire; and
3. ask officers to report back to a future meeting on the full financial implications of entering into such a contract.

8. Children’s Disability Services - Respite Care Partnership Arrangements

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:-

1. note the progress towards the development of a new respite care service and associated play and leisure services, through the partnership between the County Council, the Oxfordshire Learning Disability NHS Trust and Barnardo’s;
2. endorse the plans to develop the three centres at Sycamore, Oxford, Saxon Way and Summerfield, on the basis outlined in the report, including the estimated finance and staffing implications and project management arrangements;
3. agree the establishment of an informal Respite Care Development Reference Group, made up of representatives from the three partner agencies, to oversee the service redesign and implementation, on the basis that the County Council representation should be the Executive Members for Children & Young People and Community Care & Health together with the Director for Social & Health Care or their respective nominees.

9. Children's Panel

1. To discuss national and local policy issues which affect children in need and children looked after and undertake strategy development.
2. To receive quarterly reports on specified performance indicators relating to the management of children in need and children looked after.
3. To undertake general performance management of services for children in need and children looked after and alert the relevant Scrutiny Committee to matters of concern.

10. Fair Access to Care Services

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. approve the revised eligibility criteria for all adults as described in the report, for immediate implementation;
2. note the changes in practice, both in language and process, embodied in the guidance;
3. request the Director for Social & Health Care to report on the first six months of implementation to the Executive Members for Community Care & Health and Children & Young People.

11. Fire Service Dispute

Executive Member: Community Safety
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/51
Contact Officer: John Parry, Chief Fire Officer (01865855205)

The Chief Fire Officer will give an oral update on the Fire Service dispute in the light of national negotiations.

Subject to any further information that may be reported at the meeting, the Executive is RECOMMENDED to note the position.

12. Treasury Management Strategy for 2003/04

1. take up the maximum Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) quota of £45.4 million to finance the capital programme;
2. continue to monitor interest rates to ensure that we borrow from the PWLB at the most advantageous rate;
3. continue to monitor the performance of Alliance Capital;
4. expand our short-term investment options by using new low risk areas available to local authorities, namely Money Market Funds and Debt Management Account;
5. implement the revised CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management in the Public Services.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. adopt the key recommendations of CIPFA’s Code of Practice for Treasury Management in the Public Services, as set out in Annex 1 to the report;
2. adopt the Treasury Management Policy Statement attached at Annex 2;
3. subject to (d) below, endorse the proposals set out in the report:

(i) to keep the range for fixed interest debt at 75 to 100%;

(ii) to add a Money Market Fund to the approved list of investments with a limit of up to £15 million and to delegate the selection of a Fund to the Head of Finance; and

(iii) to add the Debt Management Account to the approved list of investments with a limit of up to £15 million;

4. refer the report to the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee for comments, particularly in respect of the proposed strategy for the control of the Council’s borrowing, with a view to making a recommendation on the strategy to the June 2003 Council.

13. Communications Mast, Burford School

Executive Member: Leader of the Council, Schools
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/73
Contact Officer: John Wilby, Assistant Property Officer (01865 815589)

Report by Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Property) (EX13).

The Council agreed in 2000 a policy that radio masts should not be sited on Council property within 200 metres of school land except for Fire Service property. O₂ Airwaves have erected without County Council consent a mast on property in a position which conflicts with that policy. It is recommended that in the circumstances the Executive agree to a waiver of the policy to permit the mast to be retained: emission levels from the mast, including the beam of greatest intensity, will be many times below the levels that have now been adopted as a national standard. 0₂ Airwave have also offered to carry out monitoring on the school site to confirm the emission levels

The Burford School and School Governors have been asked to comment on the mast and their views will be reported to the meeting.

If the mast is retained in its existing position then a revised freehold access must be provided to the County Council’s land. 0₂ Airwave has agreed to negotiate this with the adjoining landowner at 0₂ Airwave’s expense including the Council’s total costs.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to approve a waiver of the County Council’s existing policy on the siting of masts in order to allow the mast to remain at Tanners Lane Burford subject to:-

1. the negotiation of acceptable terms for a lease;
2. the provision of an alternative freehold access, as described in the report.

14. Representation on Strategic Outside Bodies 2003/04

Executive Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/4
Contact Officer: John Leverton, Head of Committee Services (01865 815314)

The Assistant Chief Executive reports as follows:

The Executive is responsible for appointments to "strategic" outside bodies (ie those noted on the list complied by the Executive and endorsed by full Council). The current list of bodies and appointees is appended (EX14). As shown in the list (Part A), many of the appointments are expressed to be for the duration of the Council Year. New appointments (or re-appointments) for those bodies now need to be made for 2003/04. No action is required in relation to the bodies in Part B of the list.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to make appointments to the bodies listed in Part A of EX14 for the 2003/04 Council Year.

15. Forward Plan and Future Business
    
    see Addenda
    

March 2003

ADDENDA

Item

4. Petitions and Public Address

Speaker(s)
Item	Speaker
6. Market Square/Wessex Way, Bicester	Councillor Leslie Sibley Councillor Charles Shouler
8. Respite Care Partnership Arrangements	Mr Ivor Sunman, FORCe Councillor Barbara Gatehouse

15. Forward Plan and Future Business

Chewing Gum on Pavements To consider action in conjunction with other authorities countywide (referred by Council on a motion by Cllr Patrick Greene)	Transport	13 May 2003
Vehicular Traffic on the Ridgeway To consider promoting traffic orders banning non-essential vehicles on specific sections if shown to be appropriate (referred by Council on a motion by Cllr Brian Hodgson)	Learning & Culture	13 May 2003
Concessionary Fares To consider joining the district councils in giving the new entitlement the widest publicity possible (referred by Council on a motion by Cllr Roy Mold)	Transport	13 May 2003
Planning for Housing Development To consider advising the Council on a motion by Cllr Ken Harper on the location of housing development and the provision of affordable housing and homes for key workers.	Strategic Planning & Waste Management	13 May 2003
Discretionary Awards for Students Determination of the County Council’s Policy for 2002/03	Schools	13 May 2003
Orchard Fields Primary School, Banbury Outline project appraisal for redevelopment scheme	Schools	13 May 2003
Biodiversity in Oxfordshire To consider a request by the Environment Scrutiny Committee for an assurance that biodiversity is properly taken into account in the relevant policies and plans which the Executive determines	Strategic Planning & Waste Management	24 June 2003

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