Meeting documents

Cabinet
Wednesday, 20 June 2007

 

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ITEM CA3

 

CABINET

 

MINUTES of the meeting held on 15 May 2007 commencing at 2.00 pm and finishing at 3.25 pm

 

Present:

 

Voting Members:          Councillor Keith R Mitchell – in the chair

 

Councillor Roger Belson

Councillor Louise Chapman

Councillor Jim Couchman

Councillor Mrs J. Heathcoat

Councillor John Howell

Councillor Ian Hudspeth

Councillor David Robertson

Councillor C.H. Shouler

Councillor Michael Waine

 

Other Members in         Councillor Neville Harris (for Agenda Item 7)

Attendance:                   Councillor Lawrie Stratford (for Agenda Item 10)       

                                          Councillor Zoé Patrick (for Agenda Item 12)

 

Officers:

 

Whole of meeting:           Chief Executive, A.R. Cloke and M. Bayliss (Legal & Democratic Services).

 

Part of Meeting:

 

Agenda Item

Officer Attending

             5

L. Baxter (Corporate Core)

             6

P. Edwards (Corporate Core)

             7

M. Mill (Children, Young People & Families)

             8

M. Mill (Children, Young People & Families)

             9

G. Hales & M. Mill (Children, Young People & Families)

           10

M. Mill (Children, Young People & Families)

           11

R. Dudding (Environment & Economy)

           12

G. Malcolm (Corporate Core)

 

 

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.

 


 

59/07         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

Councillor Mitchell declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 8 on the grounds that he was the Chairman of the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA).

 

Councillor Waine declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 8 on the grounds that he was a Governor of Coopers School.

 

60/07         MINUTES

 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2007 were approved and signed.

 

61/07         PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

 

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

 

Request from

Agenda Item

 

Ms Paula Taylor Moore (Head Teacher of Didcot Girls' School)

7. Secondary School Provision in Didcot

 

62/07         REVENUE BUDGET 2007/08

(Agenda item 5)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA5) which set out amendments to the 2007/08 budget previously agreed by Council in February 2007.  None of the changes affected the budget requirement but represented a different allocation between Directorates and Services or a change in the gross expenditure and income from that agreed in February 2007. 

 

RESOLVED:         to RECOMMEND Council to approve the changes to the agreed budget for 2007/08, the amended detailed budget for 2007/08, and the amended Medium Term Financial Plan 2007/08 – 2011/12.

 

63/07         OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT

(Agenda Item 6)

 

The Cabinet considered the Annual Report (CA6) which provided an overview of the previous year highlighting the Council's achievements and successes.

 

RESOLVED: subject to consideration of any comment from the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, to approve the draft Annual Report as the basis for submission to the Council on 19 June 2007 for approval, incorporating the necessary detailed appendices and any presentational and editorial changes agreed by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

 

64/07         SECONDARY SCHOOL PROVISION IN DIDCOT

(Agenda Item 7)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA7) which updated Members on the progress made to resolve the need for additional secondary pupil places in the Didcot area and sought approval to enter into a joint public consultation with the Learning & Skills Council on the options identified.

 

Councillor Neville Harris, speaking as a Local Member, expressed concern that the previous consultation had indicated a preference for a Co-educational school in this area but this was not the preferred option being considered by the Cabinet. He also requested the removal of Learning & Skills Council involvement and greater consultation in future, particularly with Local Members.

 

Ms Paula Taylor Moore, speaking as Head Teacher of Didcot Girls' School, recognised that there was a need to provide sufficient 6th form facilities and opportunities for learning non-traditional subjects. She would like to see enhanced ties between academic and applied learning and expressed a desire for the next round of consultation to proceed successfully.

 

Councillor Waine responded that this item and the following item had several factors in common and he recommended greater joint working in both cases, not less. He also agreed that consultation with Local Members in the Didcot catchment area was a useful suggestion.

 

RESOLVED:          to:

 

(a)         agree consultation with all local Members in the Didcot catchment area;

 

(b)         authorise joint public consultation with the Learning & Skills Council on options for provision of additional secondary pupil places in Didcot as outlined in the report subject to agreement of the consultation plan by the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement; and,

 

(c)         ask Officers to report back on the outcome of the consultations and future proposals.

 

65/07         SECONDARY SCHOOL PROVISION IN BICESTER

(Agenda Item 8)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA8) which proposed a consultation on provision of new secondary education facilities at a site in south-west Bicester to accommodate increased pupil numbers.

 


RESOLVED:         to:

 

(a)         agree Consultation within Bicester catchment area, based on the options outlined in the paper, subject to agreement of the consultation plan by the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement; and,

 

(b)         request that the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement write to the Leader of Cherwell District Council requesting clarification of their support, financial and otherwise, for secondary education provision in the Bicester catchment area. 

 

66/07       CHANGES TO THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES OF THE SPICEBALL PARK , KIDLINGTON & GOSFORD AND BICESTER & PLOUGHLEY SPORTS CENTRES

(Agenda Item 9)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA9) which sought approval to the planned change of the Management and Advisory Committees established under the Joint Use Agreements for the Kidlington & Gosford, Bicester & Ploughley and Spiceball Park Sports Centres in the Cherwell area to become Advisory Panels.  This change formed part of the modernisation programme that was underway for these centres.

 

RESOLVED:         to approve the changes to the Management Committees for the Kidlington & Gosford and Bicester & Ploughley Sports Centres and the existing Advisory Panel at Spiceball Park Sports Centres to become Advisory Panels as set out in the report.

 

67/07          NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR DECISION MAKING ON SCHOOL ORGANISATION PROPOSALS

(Agenda Item 10)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA10) on proposals to allow the County Council to fulfil its obligation in respect of School Organisation matters in line with the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Arrangements were proposed pro tem until further consultation took place.

 

Councillor Lawrie Stratford, speaking as Chairman of the School Organisation Committee, endorsed the recommendations before the Cabinet and welcomed the widening of membership to include non-Executive Members.

 

RESOLVED:         to:

 

(a)          accept the proposals in principle as outlined in the report;

 

(b)          request officers seek the views and comments of all stakeholders currently represented on the School Organisation Committee; and

 

(c)          agree final procedures to replace the School Organisation Committee at the 20 June 2007 Cabinet meeting.

 

68/07          CLIMATE CHANGE BILL – CONSULTATION LETTER

(Agenda Item 11)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA11) containing a response to the consultation the UK Government had carried out on its Draft Climate Change Bill.

 

RESOLVED:         endorse the comments on the draft UK Climate Change Bill as outlined in the report, subject to the inclusion of a comment about the lack of a coherent Government policy on energy generation.

 

69/07          APPOINTMENTS

(Agenda Item 12)

 

Under Section H of the Constitution the Cabinet was responsible for appointments to those outside bodies which had been identified by the Cabinet as "strategic”. These bodies were listed in the report (CA12), which also identified the members appointed to the respective bodies following the County Council election.

 

Councillor Zoé Patrick, speaking as Leader of the Opposition, expressed concern that currently there was only representation from the Conservative group on several of the Outside Bodies and requested that Members from other political groups also be allowed to sit on these bodies.

 

In response to Councillor Patrick, the Leader of the Council stated that representation on the Outside Bodies reflected the fact that the Council was Conservative controlled.

 

The addition of Councillor Melinda Tilley to South East Employers was noted.

 

RESOLVED:         to approve the following replacement appointments:

 

Body

Existing Appointee

Councillor …

Replacement Appointee

Councillor …

GTE for Oxfordshire

Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development (deputy)

Cabinet Member for Transport Implementation – Ian Hudspeth (deputy)

Local Government Association (LGA)

Steve Hayward

Colin Lamont

 

LGA:

County Councils Network

Keith Mitchell

 

 Melinda Tilley

Oxfordshire Economic Partnership Board

Roger Belson

Keith Mitchell

South East Employers

 

Vacancy (deputy)

Melinda Tilley (deputy)

 

70/07          FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

(Agenda Item 13)

 

RESOLVED:         to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings.

 

       

................................................................................... in the Chair

 

Date of signing.................................................................. 2007

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