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To Members of the Executive

Notice of a Meeting of the Executive

Tuesday 30 September 2003 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 8 October 2003 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 2 September 2003 (EX3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address
   
   (See Addenda)
   
   
5. Financial Monitoring

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. to note the report;
2. to ask the Head of Finance to report on the following next time:
1. the closedown position on the closed City Schools;
2. the forecast position on Job Evaluation;
3. the movement forecast on the Carry Forward Reserves between 2002/03 and 2003/04.

6. Review of the Implementation of the Fairer Charging Policy
   
   (See also Addenda)

1. to approve an increase in the Benefits Advice service agreement with Age Concern, at an annual cost of £25,000, to be met from the additional income resulting from the service;
2. not to make changes to the fairer charging scheme in respect of the Severe Disability Premium, but to ensure the waiver scheme is brought to the attention of anyone suffering exceptional financial hardship as a result of the existing arrangements;
3. to agree amendment of the charges for day care from 1 October 2003, on the following basis:-

1. the charges to be based on the level and costs of service provided;
2. these charges to be set at 50p intervals, initially in line with current centre charges, but to be reviewed as part of future service level agreement re-negotiations; and
3. the charges for the Council’s own day centres for people with a learning disability being reduced to £3.50; the net cost of £130,000 to be met from existing budget provision, including the additional income resulting from the success of the Benefits Advice service.

7. Children’s Residential Placement Service

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to agree the proposals set out in the report for:

1. the sale and reprovisioning of Holme Leigh subject to the retention of the proceeds of sale for reprovisioning purposes;
2. the temporary release of capital to meet the initial costs of reprovisioning of Holme Leigh pending realisation of the proceeds of sale;
3. a further report outlining developments, progress and challenges within the service.

8. Elms Road Nursery School, Botley

Executive Member: Children & Young People, Schools
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/025
Contact: Kevin Griffin, Principal Project Officer (01865 428164)

Report by Director for Learning & Culture, Head of Finance and Head of Property (EX8).

The Executive’s approval is sought for a detailed project appraisal in respect of a scheme for the construction of replacement accommodation for Elms Road Nursery School. The project will replace the existing HORSA nursery building and a three-classroom HORSA building used by Botley Primary School. The new accommodation will be located on the adjoining Botley Primary School site and will provide improved facilities for the delivery of the Foundation Stage of learning, extended day-care and family support services.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to approve project appraisal ED588/1.

9. Public Library Position Statement
   
   (See also Addenda)
   

Executive Member: Learning & Culture
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/062
Contact: Andrew Coggins, County Librarian (01865 810212)

Report by Head of Cultural Services (EX9).

This report meets the requirements of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for library authorities to submit an account of their current performance and future prospects in the new format of Position Statements (replacing the previous longer Annual Library Plans. The content of the Position Statement stems mainly from the 2003 DCMS report "Framework for the Future: Libraries, Learning and Information in the Next Decade". As the priorities of the Framework accord well with the priorities of Oxfordshire’s Library Service in its Best Value Review Action Plan, the draft Statement provides a comprehensive assessment of the progress the Service is making.

The Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee has considered a draft of the report and their views will be reported at the meeting.

The Executive is RECOMMENDED, subject to consideration of any comments of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee, to approve the draft Library Position Statement 2003, for submission under the signature of the Executive Member for Learning & Culture to the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport.

10. Soldiers of Oxfordshire

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. agree in principle that the military collections of Oxfordshire described in the report should be housed in the Oxfordshire Museums Store at Standlake, subject to funding and implementation of the Phase II development of the Store, in accordance with option (e) described in the Options Appraisal at Annex A to the report;
2. endorse the proposal that, in the event that it proves possible to proceed as set out in (a) above, staff time for care and maintenance of the collection be charged at cost and no charge be made for occupation of storage space of the order estimated in the report.

11. Village Hall/Community Centre Grants 2003-2004
    
    (See also Addenda)
    

The Executive is RECOMMENDED to approve:

1. a grant of £4,678 to Sunningwell Village Hall, subject to its receiving Community Fund grant approval by June 2004;
2. additional grants to schemes already approved, as follows:

12. Vulnerable Road User Audit
    
    (See also Addenda)
    

1. approve the introduction of Vulnerable Road User Audits for all new transport schemes from 1 April 2004;
2. approve the "Audit Checklist" and "Standards and Guidelines" documents;
3. approve Annex 1 as the basis for selecting which stages of Vulnerable Road User Audit will be required for individual schemes;
4. authorise the Director for Environment & Economy to consider additional staff appointments to undertake Vulnerable Road User Audits, as part of the ongoing Directorate structure review; and
5. authorise the Director for Environment & Economy to make any changes to the Vulnerable Road User Audit procedure or documents, thought necessary as experience in auditing develops.

13. Review of Management & Operation of Park and Ride Car Parks
    
    (See also Addenda)

1. note that the contract for the management of the two County Council-operated park and ride sites is performing successfully;
2. leave the hours of staff cover at the two County Council-operated sites unchanged at present, but authorise the Director of Environment & Economy, in consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management, to adjust those hours if this appears desirable in the light of future changes in the pattern of park and ride bus services;
3. request the Oxford Transport Strategy Working Party to develop an Action Plan to improve the attractiveness of the Park & Ride facilities and services in the longer term, for consideration by the City and County Councils.

14. Forward Plan and Future Business
    
    (See also Addenda)
    

1. subject to any changes and/or additional items it would wish to see incorporated in the next Forward Plan, to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings;
2. to decide on arrangements for consideration of the matters arising from the three motions in Council, namely:

(i) Communication, Consultation and Scrutiny;

(ii) Nitrogen Dioxide Emissions in Central Oxford;

(iii) Fire Station for Carterton;

3. to note the revised timescale for completion of and report on the review of the operation of the assessment and resources panels for children with Special Educational Needs.

Exempt Item

The meeting will be invited to resolve to exclude the public for the consideration of the following item (marked E) by passing a resolution in the following terms:

"that the public be excluded during the consideration of the following item in the Agenda since it is 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".

THE REPORT RELATING TO THE EXEMPT ITEM HAS NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC AND SHOULD BE REGARDED AS STRICTLY PRIVATE TO MEMBERS AND OFFICERS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE IT.

15. West Witney Primary School

September 2003

ADDENDA

ITEM

Request	Item
Councillor Liz Brighouse	5. Financial Monitoring
Councillor Jean Fooks	7. Children’s Residential Placement Service
Colonel John Bridgeman, Vice Chairman, Oxfordshire Yeomanry Trust and Colonel Robin Evelegh, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Trust	10. Soldiers of Oxfordshire

9. Public Library Position Statement

1. The benefits of moving away from the ‘traditional’ image/roles of libraries were recognised, but caution was expressed about moving too far from core values towards a ‘leisure centres’ culture.
2. The value of local knowledge, for example in shared use of premises/partnership working both with other authorities and individuals and groups, was acknowledged and welcomed.
3. The aims/values of the library service, Friends of Libraries, inclusion of young people and ethnic minorities should be given a higher profile in the Statement.
4. Improvements in the provision in the County’s libraries of bookstock, other material and implementing the Government’s e-government strategy was welcomed, but constraints such as limitations in space in library buildings and access were identified.
5. Rural and urban deprivation could be addressed through re-ordered priorities within existing resources.
6. Review of mobile library provision/schedules was supported to secure improvements in access, links with local services, communications and a better focused service.
7. On page 7 the meaning of the phrase ‘less=more’ should be clarified.
8. Information shown as percentages could be expanded (on page 6, paragraph 1.6) for greater clarity.
9. Councillors Evans, Ferriman, Moley and Hayward/Mallon would discuss informally Phase 2 Library opening Hours proposals with the County Librarian.

7. Amend the penultimate bullet point in table 2.1 on pages 6/7):

· As part of Reader Development Plan implementation, to introduce more effective display of books and convince staff of Central and branch libraries that a smaller number of well displayed books can provide a better service than closely-packed ranks of books: therefore, "less=more".

8. Amend the first two bullet points in 1.6 on page 6:

11. Village Hall/Community Centre Grants 2003-2004

12. Vulnerable Road User Audit

• 2002/251: E-Government – IEG3 Statement (to 28 October)
• 2003/164: Cotswolds and Chilterns AONB Conservation Boards (to 14 January)
• 2003/168 : Property Assets Review – Strategy Options (to 27 January)
• 2003/170 : Oxfordshire Plan – Scrutiny comments on Priorities (to 11 November)
  
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