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ITEM EX3

EXECUTIVE – 2 APRIL 2003

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 12.30 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.

86/03. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Keith R. Mitchell.

87/03. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2003 were approved and signed.

88/03. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

Petitions

Ms Ruth Shalev presented a petition containing 145 signatures in the following terms:

"We believe that running SS Phillip and James primary school on two sites is causing a great strain on the whole school community (children, teachers and parents). We believe that unless the school is reunited as soon as possible (and never later than September 2003) the harm caused will be almost irreparable and the school will decline as parents will choose to take their children to other schools where they can all be educated under the same roof. We have faith that the governing body and the teachers can make a reunited school work well in our excellent new buildings, and we call on the City and County Councils to provide adequate and safe access to the school.

We understand the complex planning and legal issues involved is across to the new school site, but we are sure that solutions can be found if all parties decided immediately that the school should reunite and at the latest by September 2003, and plan accordingly for adequate and safe access to it."

Members thanked Ms Shalev for the petition and assured her that the County Council shared the concerns of parents and teachers and was endeavouring urgently to resolve the problems.

RESOLVED: to refer the petition to the Director for Learning & Culture and the Executive Member for Schools.

Public Address

The following request to address the meeting had been agreed:-

Request from	Agenda Item
Mr Ivor Sunman, FORCe	8 – Respite Care Partnership Arrangements

The address on Item 8 is recorded below at Minute (92/03).

89/03. REGIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY

(Agenda Item 5)

The Executive considered a report (EX5) which provided the background to a consultation by the Secretary of State for Transport on the Regional Transport Strategy, recommending a basis for the County Council’s response to the Secretary of State.

Mr Mann reported on a further Multi-Modal Study, for the London to South Midlands corridor; although the Study had no direct effect on Oxfordshire it contained references to the East West rail link and road user charging.

Members stressed the need for the A34 Corridor through Oxfordshire to be taken into account in the North of Southampton Multi-Modal Study. Mr Mann reported that the early discussions on this Study had taken place on that basis.

RESOLVED: 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.
   
   

90/03. MARKET SQUARE/WESSEX WAY, BICESTER - TRAFFIC MEASURES TO FOLLOW THE SKIMMINGDISH LANE IMPROVEMENT

(Agenda Item 6)

The Executive considered a report (EX6) which presented 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 considered by the Executive on 29 October 2002. The report explained why any alternative routes to Wessex Way had been found unacceptable and concluded that it was not desirable to implement the proposed Option 5 scheme without building the extension of Wessex Way.

Councillor Shouler spoke as local member for Bicester South in support of the recommendations set out in the report. He urged the Executive to confirm that Priory Road would no longer be pursued as an alternative for the westbound traffic diverted from the Market Square under Option 5.

Councillor Robertson, in response to representations made to him by Councillor Leslie Sibley, the local member for Bicester North, reported that the positive impact of the Skimmingdish Lane improvement and a long term environmental assessment would be incorporated in the further examination proposed in recommendation (b) of the report.

RESOLVED: to:

1. agree that the approved Option for Market Square (Option 5) was 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.
   
   

91/03. BUS STOP STANDARDS AND PROCUREMENT OF BUS SHELTERS

(Agenda Item 7)

The Executive considered a report (EX7) which outlined the findings of an investigation by the consultants Halcrow into how the Council could facilitate higher standards for bus stop infrastructure and shelters.

RESOLVED: 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.
   
   

92/03. CHILDREN’S DISABILITY SERVICES – RESPITE CARE PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS

(Agenda Item 8)

The Executive considered a report (EX8) which outlined progress on the development of an integrated respite scheme through a partnership between the County Council, Barnardo’s and the Oxfordshire Learning Disability NHS Trust, including associated leisure and play services.

Mr Sunman addressed the Executive on behalf of FORCe. He raised a number of concerns relating to the cost and value for money of the project, problems of transition to the new arrangements, the provision of emergency care, day care and home care, the balance of provision between the north, centre and south of the County, the development of the play and leisure facilities, and the capacity that the proposals would provide.

Councillor Gatehouse expressed concern that the current proposals would cost more than the original proposal and would provide for fewer children. She urged the Executive to await the findings of the Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee’s Review of Unmet Need, to retain the Chilterns centre in the overall equation and to seek further contributions from the Health sector.

Mr Hodgson, in introducing the report, gave a detailed response to the points raised by Mr Sunman and Councillor Gatehouse. He stressed that all the proposals were subject to further consultation and development. Councillor Janet Godden emphasised that the report had been brought forward at the Executive's specific request, purely to provide an update on the proposals agreed in November 2002.

RESOLVED: 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.
   
   

93/03. CHILDREN'S PANEL

(Agenda Item 9)

The Executive had before them a report (EX9) which proposed extension of the remit of the Corporate Parenting Panel agreed in Autumn 2002 to include matters relating to children in need, in line with the recommendations in the report of the Laming Inquiry.

RESOLVED to agree the setting up of a Children’s Panel on the terms set out on the face of the agenda, and that the political groups be requested to review their nominations to the Panel accordingly.

94/03. FAIR ACCESS TO CARE SERVICES

(Agenda Item 10)

The Executive considered a report (EX10) outlining progress of work towards implementation of the Department of Health’s Fair Access to Care Services Guidance which set out the framework for councils to use when setting and applying their eligibility criteria for adult social care.

RESOLVED: 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.
   
   

95/03. FIRE SERVICE DISPUTE

(Agenda Item 11)

The Chief Fire Officer gave an oral update on the Fire Service dispute in the light of national negotiations. He reported that the last 24 hour strike action had been cancelled, and that there was currently a national offer of a 16% increase to be phased over 3 years, the first two years of which had already been budgeted for by the Council. Pay would related to skill levels and retained fire fighters would be paid on an equivalent hourly rate. Pay for control staff was under review. The current offer was coupled with changes in working practices, most of which were consistent with changes already introduced in Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED: to note the position.

96/03. TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR 2003/04

(Agenda Item 12)

The Executive considered a report (EX12) which set out a Treasury Management Strategy for 2003/04 and covered both the Council’s Debt Management and daily cash flow.

RESOLVED: 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:
1. to keep the range for fixed interest debt at 75 to 100%;
2. 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
3. to add the Debt Management Account to the approved list of investments with a limit of up to £15 million;
1. 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.
   
   

97/03. COMMUNICATIONS MAST, BURFORD SCHOOL

(Agenda Item 13)

The Executive considered a report (EX13) which sought approval to a waiver of the policy that radio masts should not be sited on Council property within 200 metres of school land unless on fire service property, to permit a mast erected on land at Burford School to be retained.

Mr Wilby reported that the Burford School Governors had endorsed the recommendations set out in the report, subject to the securing of the arrangements currently under negotiation to replace the access obstructed by the siting of the mast.

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

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

98/03. REPRESENTATION ON STRATEGIC OUTSIDE BODIES 2003/04

(Agenda Item 14)

The Executive considered the list of appointments to "strategic" outside bodies (EX14) for 2003/04 Council year.

Mr Leverton reported that the Oxfordshire Health Authority Modernisation & Partnership Board had ceased to exist and that no equivalent successor body requiring appointment of members had been created.

RESOLVED: to make the appointments listed in Annex 1 to these Minutes for the 2003/04 Council Year.

99/03. FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

1. agree the additions and amendments set out in Schedules 1 - 3 as amended by the Schedule of Addenda for the purpose of the Forward Plan for the ensuing four months;
2. subject to (a) above, note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings as set out in Schedule 4.

In the Chair

Date of signing 2003

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