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ITEM CA3

CABINET

MINUTES of the meeting held on 17 October 2006 commencing at 2.00 pm and finishing at 3.15 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.

155/06. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor John Howell declared a prejudicial interest in relation to Agenda Item 11 on the grounds that he was Chairman of Parishes Against Gravel Extraction (P.A.G.E).

Councillors Keith R. Mitchell and Jim Couchman declared personal interests in relation to Agenda Item 8 on the grounds that they were both members of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

156/06. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2006 were approved and signed.

157/06. FINANCIAL MONITORING

(Agenda Item 5)The Cabinet considered a report (CA5) which covered the period to 31 August 2006 for both revenue and capital. The consolidated revenue forecast for the year-end showed a balance of £12.747m. This was made up of £15.685m general balances and a forecast Directorate overspend of £2.938m, which was in part the result of allowing for the proposed additional contribution to the Older People's Pooled Budget.

Councillor Armitage, speaking as Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, concurred with the Cabinet Member for Finance’s concern regarding overspends in the Early Years & Family Support and Youth divisions. He added that he was a member of the Customer Focus Review Group and was looking forward to the Oxfordshire Wide Information System (OWIS) coming online as soon as possible in the new year. He also requested clarification of the details for the virement to fund Oxfordshire’s damaged roads.

Councillor Shouler responded that the predicted overspend would be more thoroughly examined at the next Full Cabinet Meeting in December 2006 and the Business Case would be put through the Star Chamber process. He stated that the £0.5m virement was solely for urgent safety work on Oxfordshire roads and the remaining £3.5m was subject to the approval of a specific Government grant. He further responded that the OWIS system would be prioritised in 2007 but offered no guarantees as to if and when the scheme would proceed.

RESOLVED: to:

1. approve the supplementary estimate of £0.500m to Environment & Economy – Transport to support the costs of the roads most urgently requiring treatment due to the affects of July’s heat-wave as set out in paragraph 59 of the report, to be repaid if a specific grant is provided by the Government;
2. approve the updated Capital Programme;
3. RECOMMEND Council approve the permanent virement of £0.450m from Waste Landfill to Hazardous waste as set out in paragraph 61 of the report.
   
   

158/06. ORMEROD SCHOOL - REPORT OF INFORMAL CONSULTATION

(Agenda Item 6)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA6) of a consultation on the future role of the Ormerod School for children with physical disabilities (PD). This was carried out as numbers of pupils on the school roll was falling and the Physical Disability Support Service had been successfully supporting children with PD in mainstream schools.

Councillor Fooks, speaking in place of Councillor Turner, Shadow Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement spoke of her recent visit to Ormerod School in order to garner possible concerns over the changes taking place. She reported that there was concern over the lack of mutual support available after the splitting of services but this was allayed by the fact that a core support group remained on site. She requested information as to the future of the remainder of the site that was no longer used for PD service.

By way of response, Councillor Waine recognised Councillor Fooks’ concern and stated that as a result of the consultation process, a vast amount of the responses had expressed support for the school to remain as a Special Education Needs base.

Councillor Shouler questioned the need for the remainder of the unused buildings to be for educational needs and proposed pursuing other options for the site.

The report on Ormerod School was also considered by Members of the Children's Services Scrutiny Committee on 9 October 2006. The Group agreed to welcome the proposals outlined in Option 2 of the report and in particular the retention of specialist early years provision in Headington, subject to asking officers to explore what educational uses might be made of any potential surplus areas on the Ormerod Site.

RESOLVED: to:

1. approve the issuing of Public Notices setting out the proposals outlined in option 2 of the consultation and subject to no objections being received, authorise the Director for Children, Young People & Families to implement the proposals; and
2. agree to the transfer of the existing budget from Ormerod school to Special Education Needs Support Services from September 2007.
   
   

159/06. REVIEW OF PROPERTY ASSETS – OFFICE REORGANISATIONS

(Agenda Item 7)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA7) on proposals for office reorganisations in light of the recent Realignment of Directorates and the need to provide suitable accommodation for the Shared Services Centre.

The report was considered by the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee on 5 October 2006. The Committee expressed active support for the Council’s initiatives (such as flexible working and travel loan scheme/s) in order to improve and not worsen travel patterns to/from work and demand for parking facilities. They recognised that car use could be essential in travel from rural areas where alternative forms of transport were scarce or not available and considered that the paragraph in the report regarding risks should be clarified in order to show that the risks identified were potential rather than actual.

Councillor Armitage, speaking as Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, urged the Cabinet to build on the Scrutiny Committee’s comments and was concerned that the reorganisation process would incur a net increase in costs over time. He also pointed out that some benefits outlined in the strategy had not been achieved in practice.

Councillor Shouler responded by rejecting the claims of an unclear strategy and stated that once implemented, it would ensure better working conditions for staff in the long term. He expressed confidence in the Business Case and was positive that all the benefits outlined in the Strategy would be delivered.

Mr Monaghan endorsed Councillor Shouler’s views and stated that if no action had been taken the costs incurred would have been much higher, due to the property portfolio requiring large amounts of upgrading.

RESOLVED: to:

1. endorse the updated office re-organisations strategy for the period 2006-2009 as set out in the report; and
2. approve the principle that the space vacated by Shared Services Centre staff was used to help facilitate the office re-organisations in (a) above and that the capital receipts from disposals and revenue savings arising from the office reorganisations were used to contribute to the financing of the Review of Assets.
   
   

160/06. REVISED POLICIES ON REDUNDANCY COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT

(Agenda Item 8)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA8) on new legislation making it illegal to discriminate in employment on the basis of age. In addition to the legislation, the report also covered new regulations which affected the Council's powers to award compensation to employees upon termination of their employment.

Ms Corrigan explained that this was a complex and delicate situation and that there were currently disputes at a national level regarding both pension and redundancy schemes. She reported back on discussions with both the Teachers Joint Committee and the Employees Joint Committee by stating that the Employees’ side had asked for a multiplier of 2 to be applied to the number of weeks’ pay that was awarded as redundancy compensation for employees not eligible for an immediate payment of pension. The Employees’ side had also asked that this be reviewed once the new Regulations had been put in place.

Councillor Howell endorsed the report’s recommendations and UNISON’S request for a multiplier of 2 to be applied to the scheme.

RESOLVED: subject to the publication of the Local Government (Early Termination of Employment) (Discretionary Compensation) Regulations 2006), to:

1. adopt the Statutory Formula for calculating the number of weeks’ pay awarded as redundancy compensation for those employees who were not eligible for an immediate payment of pension, based on actual pay rather than the statutory maximum, as at present, and apply a multiplier of 2 to this across all ages;
2. withdraw the payment of added years compensation currently made to teachers who receive an early payment of pension under the Teachers’ Pension Fund Regulations in line with the implications of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006;
3. ask officers, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Change Management and the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement, to undertake a review of the Retirement Policy and the Teachers’ Premature Retirement Scheme (including the consultation of relevant trade unions) and to report back to the Cabinet in January 2007; and,
4. ask officers to review the Redundancy Procedure in line with these changes and to consult trade unions before bringing a revised Procedure back to the Cabinet for approval.
   
   

161/06. DIRECT PAYMENTS SCRUTINY REVIEW

(Agenda Item 9)

The Cabinet considered a review (CA9) of Oxfordshire County Council's Direct Payments strategy, which was undertaken by the Social & Community Services Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Haffenden presented the report and thanked the Scrutiny officer involved for his clear and concise work. She urged the Cabinet to consider the establishment of direct payment user groups to cover the relevant geographical areas and client groups involved with the scheme.

Councillor Couchman endorsed the Review’s recommendations, a copy of which is attached at Annex 1 (download as .doc file) to the signed minutes. He responded that the user groups had been tried before and were not successful. This would need to be re-examined, which would require officer time and had financial implications.

RESOLVED: to endorse the Cabinet Member’s response to the Social & Community Services Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations as set out at Annex 1; and to advise the Social & Community Services Scrutiny Committee accordingly.

162/06. STEVENTON - PROPOSED RESERVOIR

(Agenda Item 10)

The Cabinet considered a report (CA10), which recommended the County Council's response to the first stage of consultation by Thames Water on a package of measures to supply water, including the construction of a very large reservoir near Steventon in the Vale of White Horse District.

The Leader of The Council affirmed the Cabinet’s position of challenge, rather that outright opposition to the proposed reservoir at Steventon. He stressed the need to highlight to Thames Water the issues of proving a need for this reservoir and other site-specific issues; and asked that officers conduct preparatory work in the event that this project was approved.

RESOLVED: to:

1. agree paragraphs 9 to 15 of the report as the County Council’s response to Thames Water’s consultation, subject to authorising the Leader of the Council to make any changes that might be appropriate following consideration by the County Council at its meeting on 7 November 2006; and
2. to confirm its support for the actions outlined in paragraphs 16 to 19 of the report.
   
   

163/06. MINERALS AND WASTE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK: STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

(Agenda Item 11)

Councillor Howell withdrew from the meeting for the duration of this item.

The Cabinet considered a report (CA11) on the Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), which was a public statement of how and when the Council would involve the community in the preparation and review of the Minerals and Waste Development Framework.

RESOLVED: to RECOMMEND the Council to:

1. formally adopt the Oxfordshire Statement of Community Involvement with the amendments recommended in the Inspector’s Report, July 2006, as shown in Annex 3 to the report; and
2. authorise the Head of Sustainable Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, to make any further factual corrections or updating required and finalise the adopted Statement of Community Involvement for publication.
   
   

164/06. FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

in the Chair

Date of signing 2006

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