Executive Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/124
Contact: Mike Petty, Principal Financial Manager (01865 815622)

Report by Head of Finance (EX5).

The report sets out the budget monitoring position to the end of October 2003. The report is set out on a Directorate basis this time, the same format as the Medium Term Financial Plan – Service analysis, as opposed to the Programme Areas presentation used in previous reports. The Council’s financial position for 2003/04 remains very tight and the Council will need to adhere to the agreed action plan to ensure we are in balance at the year end.

Executive Member: Strategic Planning & Waste Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2003/204
Contact: Ian Walker (01865 815588)

Report by Head of Sustainable Development (EX6).

The report comments on draft planning policy statements (PPS) on regional planning and local development frameworks and also on proposed reforms of planning obligations. The documents have been published by the Government as part of the consultation on the detail of its planning reform agenda.

When the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill is enacted existing regional planning guidance will be replaced by regional spatial strategies for each region of England. The draft policy statement sets out the procedural policy on the nature of RSSs and the requirements for revising them. The Bill also provides for the abolition of Structure, Unitary and Local Plans which, at the local level, will be replaced by local development documents. PPS12 sets out the Government’s policy on the preparation of local development frameworks, which are seen as a key component in delivery of community strategies. The consultation on planning obligations includes a proposal to introduce a new optional planning charge, would be set in the local development document and in the interim in local plans. Levies would be specified for allocated development.

Officers’ main concerns about the draft policy statements revolve around "democratic deficit", the uncertain role of county councils, the complexity of the new system, the potential for delay, hiatus and consequent uncertainty and the absence of convincing proposals to ensure that adequate investment in infrastructure accompanies or precedes development.

Concerns about the planning obligations consultation centre upon the lack of a clear mechanism for apportioning contributions between district, county and other public service providers, the cumbersome and inflexible mechanism for setting the optional charge and shortcomings in the way the charge is proposed to apply to different developments.

Executive Member: All
Contact Officer: John Leverton (01865 815314)

The Executive Procedure Rules provide that the business of each meeting of the Executive is to include "updating of the Forward Plan and proposals for business to be conducted at the following meeting".

The publication date of the next Forward Plan, for the period January – April 2004, is 19 December 2003. It will be necessary to determine its content at the meeting on 14 January 2004, but members may wish at the present meeting to identify any changes they would wish to have incorporated in the next update.

In the meantime, a list of items from the Forward Plan for the next two meetings is attached (EX8) (download as .rtf file).

The Executive is RECOMMENDED, 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.

Correction: Minute 286/03

In resolution (c) the names of the respective movers of the original motions in Council have become transposed. Please note that in resolution (c)(i), the name of Councillor Purse should appear in place of Councillor Hodgson, and in (c)(ii) the name of Councillor Hodgson in place of Councillor Purse.

Matter Arising: Minute 287/03

Call In of Decision - Secondary Education in the Wantage/Grove Area

On 17 December 2003, 5 members of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee requested the Proper Officer of the Council to call in the decision of the Executive taken on 9 December.

The reason for their request is "that there was no balanced presentation at the meeting when the decision was taken by the Executive, that the educational perspective was not put, and that the governors of King Alfred’s College had not been officially notified of nor invited to attend the meeting. The background agenda papers considered only the opinion poll and publicity campaign, and did not attempt to address fully the educational arguments. Even if the latter were considered elsewhere or at another time, the papers do not take this into account, and nor does the decision. This is expressly contrary to the Leader of the Council’s categorical statement at the February meeting of the Executive to the effect that any decision would be taken on educational grounds, and not just on the outcome of an opinion survey."

A meeting of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee has been set down for Wednesday 7 January 2004 and any recommendations will be reported at the Executive’s meeting on 14 January.

Notice has been received from Mr Andrew Wood, 13 Princes Street, Oxford of his wish to present a petition at this meeting seeking urgent action following Councillor Purse’s motion in Council on 4 November on the subject of GM Crops. The Executive on 9 December (Minute 286/03) requested officers to report on this matter to the 17 February meeting with a view to considering what action to take.

The following amendments to the lists of items for 14 and 27 January have been identified since publication of the agenda:

14 January 2004

27 January 2004