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ITEM CA3

CABINET – 19 JULY 2005

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 2.00 pm and finishing at 4.58 pm

Present:

The Cabinet 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.

150/05. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Chapman declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 15 on the grounds that her daughter attended a Church of England Aided Primary School.

Councillor Howell declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 15 on the grounds that he was a member of the Aston & Cuddesdon Deanery Synod and a member of his family taught at a Church of England Aided Primary School.

Councillor Waine declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 15 on the grounds that he was a member of a Roman Catholic Church congregation.

151/05. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 July 2005 were approved and signed.

152/05. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

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


Request from	Agenda Item
Mr Ben Brown (Chair of Friends of Stowford)	12 - Stowford House, Shippon: Hostel for People with Learning Difficulties
Dr Tony Eaude (Oxford University)	15 – ‘Faith in Our Schools’ Scrutiny Review
Mrs Margaret Godden (member of Review Group)	17 – Healthy Eating Scrutiny Review
Councillor Paul Sargent (Chair, City Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee)

153/05. PROVISIONAL REVENUE AND CAPITAL OUTTURN: ALLOCATION OF 2004/05 REVENUE CARRY FORWARDS

(Agenda Item 5)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA5) supplementary to the Provisional Revenue & Capital Outturn Report considered by the Cabinet on 22 June, which gave further consideration to the revenue outturn position and the carryforwards requested by Directorates and included a formal request for the allocation of revenue carry forwards to Directorates in 2005/06.

RESOLVED: to:

1. note the updated provisional revenue outturn position set out in the report;
2. agree that in the future, fortuitous and unplanned income occurring in year should be returned to balances in the first instance where it could be requested for specific purposes;
3. note the Directorate carry forwards set out in Annexes 2-6 and approve the allocation of all carry forwards not highlighted;
4. for the Learning & Culture underspends on Joint Sports Agreements and Health & Safety works, to agree to carry the underspends forward with a requirement to offset the funding against 2004/05 overspends carried forward or 2005/06 pressures;
5. for the Environment & Economy underspends on Public Transport, Strategic Policy & Economic Development and Waste Management, to require the elements of the underspends identified in paragraphs 15, 17 and 19 and highlighted in Annex 4 to be returned to Council balances and held against a risk-assessed schedule of potential commitments;
6. for the underspend on the Scrutiny budget held within the Chief Executive’s Office, to ask the Cabinet Member for Finance to review the position in conjunction with the Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group of Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen.
   
   

154/05. FINANCIAL MONITORING

(Agenda Item 6)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA6) which covered the period up to the end of May 2005 for revenue and capital.

RESOLVED: to:

1. note the report;
2. agree the changes to the amount of specific grants notified for 2005/06, as summarised at paragraph 6 and shown in Annex 3a of the report;
3. agree the transfer of £0.442m of Access & Systems Capacity grant to fund an additional 10 Care Management posts;
4. ask officers to bring back to a future meeting the funding issues surrounding the reduction in Oxfordshire’s Supporting People grant allocation;
5. agree a supplementary estimate of £0.118m to enable internal customers of County Facilities Management to meet the increased charges resulting from the Pension Fund revaluation;
6. agree a supplementary estimate of £0.034m to meet the additional salary costs resulting from the Fire & Rescue Services pay award;
7. agree the adjustments to the capital programme as shown in Part 2 of the report;
8. approve the revised lending limits set out in Annex 6 of the report.
   
   

155/05. STATEMENT ON INTERNAL CONTROL

(Agenda Item 7)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA7) which reviewed the process for the production of the Statement on Internal Control, presented this for 2004/05 and sought confirmation from the Cabinet that they were satisfied with the process for reviewing the system of internal control.

RESOLVED: to endorse the review of internal control undertaken during 2004/05 as evidenced by the Statement on Internal Control 2004/05.

156/05. SAP REVITALISATION

(Agenda Item 8)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA8) which recorded progress to date on the SAP Revitalisation Programme, outlining a recommended programme of work and identifying the resources required to sustain this.

RESOLVED: to:-

1. endorse the workplan proposals contained in the report;
2. approve progression to Stage 2 of the Shared Services work at a cost of up to £205,000 in 2005/6, funded from the SAP Revitalisation Budget;
3. approve the additional expenditure of up to £1,315,000 in 2005/6, £1,305,000 in 2006/7 and £737,000 in 2007/8, funded from the SAP Revitalisation Budget, to support the identified work in Finance, HR, Procurement and SAP Support;
4. approve the allocation of procurement process savings of £245,000 in 2008/9 and £254,000 thereafter, as a contribution to the full year continuing costs of £575,000;
5. note that the balance of the future operating costs would be incorporated into detailed implementation and benefits realisation plans for Shared Services and that if Shared Services was not adopted, these costs would be incorporated into efficiency savings plans.
   
   

157/05. REVIEW OF PROPERTY ASSETS

(Agenda Item 9)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA9) which gave information on progress with the Review of Property Assets Implementation Plan.

RESOLVED: to:

1. agree the strategy for non-central Oxford offices set out in the report;
2. consider detailed appraisals for the North, South and Oxford non-central office reviews in Autumn 2005;
3. consider a report on the central offices project in Autumn 2005;
4. agree that the Council should in principle undertake the refurbishment of Old County Hall to provide conference, training and meeting facilities, subject to a detailed business case and specific funding arrangements being agreed by the Capital Steering Group and with a further report to the Cabinet before a commitment was made;
5. agree to the process for considering the future of caretaker housing when vacancies occurred and incrementally removing the subsidy to schools, as set out in the report;
6. agree to the disposal of temporary staff houses when appropriate with the Capital Steering Group giving consideration to capital receipts being re-invested in key worker housing.
   
   

158/05. GREEN PAPER: ‘INDEPENDENCE, WELL-BEING AND CHOICE’

(Agenda Item 10)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA10) summarising the Green Paper and proposing a response on behalf of the County Council to the proposals.

Councillor Godden welcomed the draft response, whilst expressing disappointment that it had in her view insufficiently addressed some of the issues raised in the consultation paper, for example, the appropriate balance in managing risks between individuals, the community and the social care worker; the scope of direct payments, and the proposal to extend the system via agents to groups currently excluded; the best approach to strengthening leadership at council member level; what support social care providers needed in working with people using services in order to transform services; and appropriate performance measures to encourage the implementation of the vision.

The Director for Social & Health Care undertook to discuss with the Cabinet Member for Health & Community Services possible ways of strengthening the response in the light of Councillor Godden’s comments. He emphasised that he considered the key shortcomings in the Green Paper to be a lack of ambition and vision and the absence of any offer of further funding. Endorsing his remarks, Councillor Seale expressed the view that attention should also be drawn in the response to inadequate treatment facilities for those suffering from mental health problems.

RESOLVED: to agree the proposed response to the Secretary of State for Health on the Government’s Green Paper, subject to further amendment to be agreed by the Director for Social & Health Care, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health & Community Services, in order to incorporate some of the issues identified in Councillor Godden’s address and to strengthen paragraph (iv) - Mental Health.

159/05. STABILITY OF PLACEMENTS FOR CHILDREN LOOKED AFTER – SCRUTINY REVIEW

(Agenda Item 11)

The Cabinet considered this Review undertaken by the former Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee. The executive summary and recommendations had been circulated with the agenda for the meeting (CA11).

Councillor Fooks introduced the Review report and commended its recommendations. She highlighted the Council’s role as corporate parent for approximately 462 children who were looked after by the Authority, and emphasised that the Council needed to improve performance with regard to the long term stability of children looked after. Improving performance in this area would require finding more of the right kind of foster carers at the right time, the right kinds of placements, more support for foster carers and foster children and cheaper care in the County.

Councillor Mrs Fitzgerald-O’Connor elaborated upon the findings and recommendations of the review.

Councillor Chapman welcomed the report and thanked the Review Team. She gave a detailed response, which is reproduced as Annex 1 to these minutes.

Councillor Waine endorsed this response, emphasising the need for better respite care and for pensions to be considered for foster carers, who often gave up work in order to undertake this essential role.

In response to a question from the Cabinet, Mr Richards confirmed that children with very challenging behaviour were placed in residential out of county placements and that this would always be needed for some children in order to provide adequate support. At present, approximately 30 children were in external residential foster care and 30 children were in County foster placements. "Placement Matters" anticipated that by 2008, only 18 residential placements would be needed.

RESOLVED: to endorse the response of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

160/05. STOWFORD HOUSE, SHIPPON: HOSTEL FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

(Agenda Item 12)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA12), which recommended a proposal for the future of the service provided at Stowford House.

Mr Brown emphasised that whilst Friends of Stowford supported the current trend towards supported living, carers in the Abingdon area could not support the report’s second recommendation. From a quick postal survey carried out to carers in the Abingdon area in conjunction with Mencap, it was clear that Stowford House was still wanted by carers in the Abingdon area. The survey had indicated that respondents wished to retain the option of small hostel type residential care.

Councillor Godden, speaking both as Shadow Cabinet Member and on behalf of Councillor Chris Wise as local member, emphasised that the bungalows should be constructed quickly and asked for confirmation that these would be provided on the Stowford House site and whether planning permission had been sought. She expressed sadness at the demise of Stowford House and concern that respite arrangements should not be lost.

Mr Sinclair stated that it would take a significant amount of money to make Stowford House fit for purpose, whereas the proposed bungalows that would be funded under the proposed arrangements would provide accommodation to current standards, with 24 hour staff presence. He confirmed that planning permission would be sought for the bungalows and that discussions with the district planning authority had already taken place. He also stated that options for increasing local respite care were being explored.

RESOLVED: that:

1. the services provided at Stowford House be re-provided in two supported living bungalows on the Stowford House site;
2. Stowford House be declared surplus to the Social & Health Care Directorate’s requirements.
   
   

161/05. THE RIDGEWAY: SEASONAL TRAFFIC REGULATION ORDERS

(Agenda Item 13)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA13) which set out proposals for making traffic regulation orders (TROs) to prohibit motorised vehicles (except for access) between 1 October and 30 April each year on two sections of The Ridgeway National Trail in Oxfordshire and a short adjoining section of the Swans Way.

Councillor Mrs Fitzgerald-O’Connor expressed her support for the proposal but asked for an all year restriction to be explored. She emphasised that the Ridgeway could be muddy in Summer as well as Winter and that use by motorcyclists travelling at speed was noisy and potentially dangerous. There had also been incidents where people had been intimidated by motorcyclists.

Councillor Roaf, on behalf of Councillors Bill Bradshaw, Jim Moley and Zoe Patrick as local members, spoke in favour of the ban and concurred with the idea that it should be extended for the whole year. He commented that other councils had successfully put permanent TROs in place on the Ridgeway through their areas.

In response to questions from the Cabinet, Mr Wheal stated that there had been good co-operation from Thames Valley Police in taking action against contraventions of the previous temporary TROs on three sections of the Ridgeway in Oxfordshire. The part-year TRO had been promoted as a proportionate response to the identified problems but this could be reviewed if felt necessary in future.

Councillor Belson indicated that he would be prepared to approach the local police if necessary to secure adequate policing of the seasonal TRO.

RESOLVED: having regard to the responses received during the consultation, to proceed with the proposed seasonal traffic regulation orders to prohibit motorised vehicles during the Winter (1 October to 30 April) each year, subject to the minor clerical amendment referred to at paragraph 22 of the report.

162/05. SOCIAL INCLUSION ACTION PLAN

(Agenda Item 14)

The Cabinet had before it a report (CA14) which provided information on the Council’s proposed Social Inclusion Action Plan, together with the Plan.

Councillor Roaf commented that the Social Inclusion Action Plan Framework approved previously had referred to the behaviour of children in schools, including the need for early assessments of those children with behavioural problems, whereas the Action Plan did not. He suggested that the Cabinet might include early years and childcare, healthy eating and gypsy and traveller services as priorities.

In response, Councillor Couchman stated that the Action Plan focussed on headline actions for one year. He cautioned that action should not be taken with regard to the provision of more traveller sites until the Government had issued guidelines on this matter.

Councillor Chapman commented that the Council was already focussing in other contexts on the early years and childcare issues raised by Councillor Roaf.

RESOLVED: to agree the Social Inclusion Action Plan set out in Annex 1 to the report.

163/05. 'FAITH IN OUR SCHOOLS' SCRUTINY REVIEW

(Agenda Item 15)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA15) responding to the outstanding recommendations of the "Faith in Our Schools" Scrutiny Review and examining their implications for the Children and Young People’s Plan.

Dr Eaude had acted as a research consultant to the Scrutiny Review. In his view, the County Council had a responsibility to engage further with faith groups. He urged the Cabinet at least to agree the recommendations on guidance and training and suggested that the recommendation to review with the relevant Diocese admissions to any future new voluntary aided secondary school should apply to any school with a religious foundation.

Councillor David Turner expressed disappointment that only one school had responded to the consultation and urged the Cabinet to proceed with the review recommendations, and undertake a second consultation with Oxfordshire schools.

Councillor Waine stated that the Council’s Administration had a very positive view towards support for the religious education dimension in schools. He was proposing the issue to schools of the substance of the guidelines in the form of a checklist as being effective and quick to implement.

RESOLVED: that all schools be circulated, in checklist format, with the framework guidelines (Scrutiny Report Recommendation 2), along with the "Principles" as agreed by the Executive on 20 July 2004, this as an aid for headteachers, governing bodies and local communities to make any decision regarding Faith in their School; and additionally that copies of "A Guide to Culture and Faiths in Oxfordshire" be made available on request to schools.

164/05. MANAGEMENT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS

(Agenda Item 16)

The Cabinet considered a draft joint response and action plan (CA16) prepared further to the Oxford City & Oxfordshire County Council Scrutiny Review of the Cornmarket Street Reconstruction Scheme reported in February 2005.

RESOLVED to adopt the response and endorse the proposals set out in the Action Plan.

165/05. HEALTHY EATING SCRUTINY REVIEW

(Agenda Item 17)

The Cabinet had before it the executive summary and recommendations from this Review by the Oxford City Council’s Health Overview & Scrutiny Sub-Committee together with an officer report (CA17) which set out comments on the Review recommendations and suggested a response where appropriate.

Mrs Godden welcomed the officer report. She stated that the City Council was keen to progress the Review findings in partnership with other agencies, and suggested that the Review might be taken forward as a county-wide project. She reminded the Cabinet that the former Best Value & Audit Committee had agreed that the County Facilities Management Best Value Review should take into account the quality of school meals, as well as their cost. She also suggested that active participation of schools in the Healthy Oxfordshire Schools Award Scheme might have been low due to the daunting amount of paperwork issued to schools once they had registered to be part of the scheme.

Councillor Fooks emphasised that health promotion posts should be jointly funded and considered in the context of the development of extended services around schools, within the priorities of the Children and Young People’s Plan. Furthermore, it was important that good dental health began in pre-school age children. Therefore, Children’s Centres should advise parents on how to look after their children’s teeth.

Councillor Waine emphasised that schools should not be expected to take over parental responsibilities, as children should be taught good dental hygiene before they started school and were not in school at the key times of day when they would need to brush their teeth. He added that a poor diet, together with poor dental hygiene, were to blame. He undertook to look at the Healthy Oxfordshire Schools Award Scheme to see if the administration could be simplified.

Councillor Chapman pointed out that the good health of children was one of the five fundamental principles for children’s services authorities specified under the Children Act 2004. She suggested that the staffing implications for the Authority and the health sector arising from the Review recommendations could be considered in the context in the Children & Young People’s Plan.

RESOLVED: to welcome the Scrutiny Review and endorse the response on the part of the County Council set out in Annex 2 to the report.

166/05. FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

in the Chair

Date of signing 2005

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