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ITEM EX3

EXECUTIVE – 16 JUNE 2004

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 12.18 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.

145/04. ORDER OF BUSINESS

RESOLVED: to vary the order of business as indicated in these Minutes.

146/04. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Keith Mitchell.

147/04. DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Item 9 - Councillor Janet Godden declared a personal interest as Chair of the Learning Disability Partnership Board.

148/04. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2004 were approved and signed.

149/04. PROVISIONAL REVENUE AND CAPITAL OUTTURN

(Agenda Item 5)

The Executive considered a report (EX5) on the provisional outturn.

With reference to paragraph 14 of the report and paragraph 11 of the report by the Leader and Deputy Leader under agenda item 6, Councillor Roaf reported that he and the Leader had explored with officers the waste management underspend and were now satisfied as to the reasons for it. They accordingly supported the proposal for use of the underspend to set up a "better working environment" fund.

RESOLVED: to:

1. note the provisional revenue and capital outturn set out in the report;
2. note the Directorate carry forwards set out in Annexes 2-6 and approve those where there was a virement above the specified limit of £0.250m and endorse the proposal set out in paragraph 14 of the report for the setting up of a ‘better working investment’ budget fund for Environment & Economy using the underspend carried forward from 2003/04; and
3. agree that the surplus in the On-Street Parking Account at the end of the 2003/04 financial year, so far as not applied to particular eligible purposes in accordance with Section 55(4) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, be carried forward in the account to the 2004/05 financial year.
   
   

150/04. FINANCIAL MONITORING

(Agenda Item 6)

The Executive considered a report (EX6) which set out the financial position for 2004/05 to the end of April.

The Head of Finance’s report was preceded by a paper (EX6 Supplement) by the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council which gave a general overview of the current financial position and highlighted areas to which the Executive would need to pay particular attention during the 2004/05 financial year.

Councillor Brighouse expressed surprise at the level of carried forward underspend and especially the amount of money in school balances. She was concerned about the extent of reported fluctuations, particularly in Social & Health Care, and the degree for which increasing ‘market capacity’ might create demands which the Council would not be able to accommodate. She believed there was a need for a new approach to be found to deal with future problems. She was also concerned that care staff might be lost due to the new requirements for specific qualifications. She commended the Director for Social & Health Care for his work.

RESOLVED: to

1. note the report;
2. approve the proposals to allocate funding in Social & Health Care set out at Annex 3 to the report; and
3. approve the variations and additions for Learning & Culture to the capital programme shown in Annex 10.
   
   

151/04. VILLAGE HALL GRANTS 2004-2005

1. approve the grants proposed in Annex 2 to the report;
2. thank the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council for their work.

152/04. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

(Agenda Item 7)

The Committee considered a report (EX7) which proposed a Code of Corporate Governance produced by a working party set up under the direction of the Solicitor to the Council and Head of Legal Services to follow through guidance issued by CIPFA/SOLACE on corporate governance in local government.

RESOLVED:

1. subject to (b)(1) and (c)(1) below, to adopt the draft Code of Corporate Governance set out at Annex 1;
2. to invite the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee to:
   
   

1. consider the Code and make any observations to be taken into account as mentioned in (c)(1) below; and
2. carry out an annual review of the Code to ensure that the Code was being complied with and was updated to recognise ongoing developments, and report the outcome back to the Executive with proposals for any changes to the Code or other action to be taken;
   
   
3. to authorise the Monitoring Officer, following consultation with the Solicitor to the Council and the Section 151 Officer and with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, to:
   
   

1. make any final adjustments to the Code in the light of the observations of the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, subject to any material concerns on the part of the Committee being referred back to the Executive for consideration; and
2. approve new or amended operational policies and procedures as set out in paragraph 13 of the report.
   
   

153/04. DOWNS ROAD, WITNEY – PROPOSED A40 INTERCHANGE

(Agenda Item 12)

The Executive considered a report (EX12) on proposals for a new junction of Downs Road, Witney with the A40, to provide an updated basis for evidence to be given to the inquiry into the Revised Deposit West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2001 which was taking place in July.

RESOLVED: to approve in principle, subject to further consideration in the context of the review of the Transport Capital Programme in October, the inclusion of a new junction of Downs Road with the A40 in the Capital Programme, the timing of the delivery of the junction being subject to the availability of funds from development and the type of the proposed junction being subject to more detailed design work.

154/04. THORNBURY HOUSE SECURE UNIT

(Agenda Item 8)

The Committee considered a report (EX8) which provided information on the outcome of consultation on the future of Thornbury House Secure Unit, following a report to the Executive on 4 May 2004 that the Youth Justice Board no longer required the beds they had hitherto commissioned.

Councillor Fooks introduced the Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee’s advice which was set out in the addenda. Councillor Janet Godden accepted the majority of the advice as reflected in the resolution below.

Councillor Gatehouse considered that Thornbury House was working well, supported the status quo and suggested that the position should be looked at again.

Mr Hodgson outlined the financial implications and risk to the Council in maintaining the current operation of Thornbury House.

RESOLVED: to:

1. note the outcome of the consultation with young people, parents and staff on the future and possible closure of the Secure Unit as a result of the termination of the Youth Justice Board contract;
2. on the basis of the financial risks to the authority as detailed in report EX7B to the Executive on 4 May 2004, and in the light of the outcome of consultation, agree:
   
   

1. the closure the Secure Unit by the end of September 2004;
2. disposal of the Thornbury House site and relocation and re-provisioning of the Open Unit;
3. utilisation of any future capital receipt arising from the disposal to defray the cost of relocation and re-provisioning of the Open Unit;
4. to recommend to the Youth Justice Board the careful monitoring of outcomes for young people in the new large secure training centre; and
   
   
3. congratulate the manager and staff of the Secure Unit on the high standard of care provided in the unit and note that this had been acknowledged by the Department of Health Social Services Inspection Unit.
   
   

155/04. BEST VALUE REVIEW : LEARNING DISABILITY SERVICES (ADULTS)

(Agenda Item 9)

The Executive considered the Review and Action Plans (EX9) which had been referred to the Executive by the Best Value Committee, together with the advice of the Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED: to:

1. note and endorse the advice received from Social & Health Care Scrutiny;
2. note and agree the improvement actions contained in the Best Value Review and Action Plans;
3. agree to Social & Health Care taking on the role of lead commissioner for Adult Learning Disability Services on behalf of the Oxfordshire PCTs, as specified in paragraph 12 of the report, and authorise the negotiation and implementation of a partnership agreement with the NHS Trusts accordingly;
4. request the Director for Social & Health Care to bring a further report to Executive on future change options for Adult Learning Disability Services.
   
   

156/04. COGGES MANOR FARM MUSEUM

(Agenda Item 11)

The Executive considered a report (EX11) which described the current position regarding Cogges Manor Farm Museum, including negotiations to date with West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) and proposals for exploring the marketing and development of the museum.

Councillor Brighouse expressed concern about the implications of the proposals for the Council and suggested that the Executive should consider innovative actions such as setting up a public interest company to operate the Museum.

Mr Brown indicated that this possibility would be investigated and the outcome included in his report back to the Executive on 7 September.

RESOLVED: to:

1. approve the extension of the lease of Cogges to West Oxfordshire District Council to 31 March 2005;
2. agree to support the District Council’s operation of Cogges in 2004/05 by a one-off contribution of £14,000 from delegated Repair and Maintenance budget and to agree a supplementary estimate of £69,000;
3. approve in principle further negotiation with a view to the County Council taking over the operation of Cogges from 1 April 2005; and
4. ask officers to report in September with a detailed business plan.
   
   

157/04. FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

in the Chair

Date of signing 2004

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