To Members of the Cabinet
Notice of a Meeting of the Cabinet
County
Hall,
Tony
Cloke
Assistant Head of Service (Democratic)
July 2007
Contact
officer: Michele Cooke
Tel: 01865 815463
E-mail: michele.cooke@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Membership
Decisions taken at the meeting
will
become effective at the end of the working day on
unless
called in by that date for review by the appropriate Scrutiny Committee.
Copies of this Notice,
Agenda and supporting papers are circulated
to
all Members of the County Council.
Date of next meeting:
AGENDA
1.
Apologies for Absence
2.
Declarations of Interest –
see guidance note
3. Minutes
To confirm the minutes of
the meeting held on
4.
Petitions and Public Address
5.
Financial Monitoring
Cabinet
Member: Finance
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/53
Contact: Stephanie Skivington, Strategic Finance Manager/Mike Petty,
Strategic Financial Planning Manager (01865 815426/815622)
Report by Head of Finance &
Procurement (CA5) (download as .doc file).
(CA 5 - Annexes 1- 5 (download as .pdf file) (CA 5 - Annex 6 (download as .pdf file)
(Draft Capital Programme 2007/08 to 2010/11 - Contents - download as .doc file)
The financial monitoring
report covers the period ended
There are no changes to
report this month to the general balances forecast of £23.537m. When taken with the Directorate forecast
in-year overspend of £1.044m (excluding the City Schools reorganisation) and
the Transport Days variation for 2007/08 of £0.588m this gives a consolidated
balances forecast of £21.905m.
Within Children, Young
People and Families the main area of pressure continues to be the Early Years
and Family Support Service. The
volatility of the Agency Placements budget makes this a high risk area. Within Asylum Seekers significant risk
remains in relation to grant claims although progress has been made in
resolving the issues. Overspends are
also forecast in relation to the Legal Services and Children’s Homes budgets.
Within the Social & Community
Services Directorate the current forecast is a small underspend, although once
the virements approved at the June Cabinet meeting have been reflected in the
forecast this would become an overspend of £0.463m. The most significant variance is an overspend
of £0.719m within External Home Support:- options are being considered to
manage this and an action plan will be drawn up. There is a forecast underspend of £0.689m
relating to additional residential and nursing income on the budget funding the
contribution to the Older People's pooled budget, and an overspend of £0.369m
arising on Older People's Fairer Charging income.
Within Environment & Economy, the majority of
the forecast underspend relates to £0.200m matched funding to meet the costs of
the Salix project in 2008/09 and 2009/10. A saving of £0.350m has been secured on the Street lighting budget which
it is proposed to apply to fund work within this budget to reduce future energy
consumption and carbon emissions.
The Directorates for Community
Safety and Corporate Core have not identified any key risks that could cause a
significant variation to budget at this point in the year.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a)
note
the report;
(b)
approve
the use of £0.350m saving in 2007/08 on the Street Lighting energy contract to
invest in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in Street Lighting
(Paragraph 19);
(c)
approve
the virements as set out in annex 2a (paragraph 24); and,
(d)
approve
the updated Capital programme as referred to in paragraphs 41- 53.
6.
Treasury Management Outturn
Cabinet
Member: Finance
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/88
Contact: Linda Arch, Treasury Manager (01865 815684)
Report by Head of Finance &
Procurement (CA6).
This report
seeks to review the Council's treasury management activity for the financial
year 2006/07. In doing so, it fulfils a requirement of CIPFA's Code of
Practice 'Treasury Management in the
Public Services', adopted by this authority in April 2003, that the
organisation will receive an annual report after the close of the year on its
treasury management activities.
The report draws attention to the three areas which
have dominated treasury management activity during 2006/07: the investing of
the Council's temporary surplus cash balances; the raising of external loans to
finance its capital expenditure; and, the restructuring of exisitng debt to
ensure that the cost of borrowing is minimized. The context within which these
activities have taken place has been one in which interest rates have been
rising, from 4.50% at the beginning of the financial year to 5.25% by
The Cabinet is
RECOMMENDED to note the Council’s treasury management activity carried out in
2006/07.
7.
Supported Living for people
with a Learning Disability: proposal for the use of Prudential Borrowing.
Cabinet
Member: Finance, Social & Community
Services
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/135
Contact: Nick Welch, Head of Service, Planning and Partnerships (01865
815714)
Report by Director for Social &
Community Services (CA7).
(CA7 - Annex 1 - (download as .xls file) (CA7 - Resource Appraisal - (download as .xls file)
This report seeks approval to the use of Prudential borrowing to
increase the capacity in a number of homes accommodating adults with a learning
disability. In doing so this should enable revenue costs to be reduced as
clients can be moved from more expensive placements to these more cost
effective solutions. CSG recommend that the report be approved subject to there
being a robust business case.
The
Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the use of Prudential Borrowing of £1.2m to
fund an increase in the capacity of some of the supported living schemes, with
the costs of borrowing being a first call on the savings arising from the
project.
8.
Detailed Project Appraisal:
Developing day services at Moorview, Witney
Cabinet
Member: Finance, Social & Community
Services
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/136
Contact: Nick Welch, Head of Service, Planning and Partnerships (01865
815714)
Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA8) (download as .doc file)
(CA8 - Detailed Resource Appraisal - download as .doc file)
The report
seeks approval to the Moorview Project so that it can proceed to tender stage.
This project consolidates three current different day
services, currently in two other buuildings and includes a fourth health trust
service. into one building.
The
Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to agree the project appraisal and agree that the
funding shortfall of £355,000 be met from unallocated capital programme
resources.
9.
Homes for Older People
Cabinet
Member: Social & Community Services
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/19
Contact: Nick Welch, Head of Planning & Partnerships(01865 815714)
Report by Director for Social &
Community Services (CA9) (download as .doc file).
This report
describes an Extra Care Housing (ECH) Strategy, the principles of which the
Cabinet are asked to approve as a basis for further consultation with older
people and key stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
The report
highlights the demographic changes ahead and in particular the increase in the
'very elderly' population and the implications this has for their housing,
health and care needs. The report also descibes the main 'policy drivers', both
locally and nationally, that this Strategy both responds to and helps achieve.
The report
descibes how the strategy contributes to the prime corporate objective of
'supporting older people to maintain their health and independence' by
promoting various models of new housing which offer care, support and
well-being services. These models may include care villages or different sized
extra care housing schemes serving both urban and rural communities. The report
belives that such new initiatives offer more choice for older people as well as
promoting stronger, safer and more sustainable communities.
The report
also examines best practice from other local authorities who have developed
such strategies as a means of enabling more older people to live in their own
homes and therfore providing an alternative to having to enter residential or
nursing homes.
The report
highlights potential revenue savings for the Council providing the strategy can
be supported by various planning, land use and capital initiatives. The report
concludes by suggesting the potential scale and scope of the strategy, ways in
which the strategy can be taken forward and the outline timescale for achieving
this. Finally, an outline consultation plan is provided.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a)
approve
the Extra Care Housing Strategy for Older People in Oxfordshire; and,
(b)
agree
to consultations with older people and key stakeholders and partners on the
best means of implementing the Extra Care Housing Strategy for Older People.
10.
Review of First Year of the
Children’s & Young People’s Plan
Cabinet
Member: Children Young People &
Families
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/141
Contact: Mike Simm, Acting Head of Children & Young People Service
(01865 815555)
Report by Director for Children, Young
People & Families (CA10).
Oxfordshire’s first Children and Young People’s
Plan was produced in April 2006. There
is a new statutory requirement to carry out an annual review of the CYPP and
publish the outcome.
The aim of
the review is to focus on the impact of the plan on outcomes and quality of
services for children, young people and families and to inform the development
of priorities for Year 2 of the Plan.
The review
has focused on:
·
strengths and achievements in Year 1 of the plan with
a focus on improvements in outcomes and quality of services for children, young
people and families;
·
areas for further development to address needs;
·
priorities for Year 2 of the plan.
The review of the Plan has to be submitted to
the DfES on
The Cabinet is
RECOMMENDED to approve the Review of the Children and Young People’s Plan.
11.
Youth Justice Plan
Cabinet
Member: Children, Young People &
Families
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/134
Contact: Tan Lea, Deputy Head of Youth Offending Service (01865
202218)
Report by Director for Children, Young
People & Families (CA11).
The annual Youth Justice
Plan is one of the strategic plans which is subject to approval by Full Council
following consideration by both the Cabinet and relevant Scrutiny Committee in
accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out in the
Constitution.
Normally, each Youth
Offending Service is required by statute to produce an annual Youth Justice
Plan for approval by the constituent agencies that are responsible for the
service. This has then to be submitted to the Youth Justice Board. Core funding from the Board is dependent on
the submission of a report that meets its extensive guidance. Following the Council’s successful rating as
a four-star authority, this requirement has been waived. However, given the strategic importance of
the youth justice agenda for the Council, a Youth Justice Plan has been drawn
up and agreed by the Youth Offending Service Steering Group and is being
submitted for approval in the normal way.
The draft Plan for 2007/08
has been circulated to all Members and a copy has been made available in the
Members’ Resource Centre for inspection. It will be tabled at the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee on
Following investment in
preventative services over the last four years, the number of new entrants to
the youth justice system has reduced by 20%, already exceeding the Local Area
Agreement target to be achieved by 2009. However, all funding streams for preventative services for young offenders
are currently at risk from April 2008, an essential year in achieving the Local
Area Agreement target. They include
Children’s Fund, Positive Activities for Young People and the Youth Justice
Board Prevention budget. The Cabinet is
asked to note this position.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED, subject
to consideration of any comments from the Children’s Services Scrutiny
Committee, to recommend the Council to approve the Youth Justice Plan for
submission to the Youth Justice Board.
12.
School Organisation
Arrangements
Cabinet
Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/145
Contact: Michael Mill, Strategic Manager (Property & Assets),
Strategy & Performance Service (01865 816458)
Report by Director for Children, Young
People & Families (CA12).
Following its meeting on 15 May a limited consultation
has taken place with key stakeholders as to their role in being involved in
School Organisation issues following the implementation of the Education &
Inspections Act 2006. The consultation ran until 29 June and centred
around the remit, terms of reference and membership of the group. This report
reports outlines the outcome of that consultation and discusses how the
stakeholder group will operate. It also covers some of the procedural issues by
which The cabinet will fulfill its new role as decision maker. At the time of
submission the consultation had not closed and a further update will be
submitted to the meeting.
The Cabinet is recommended to:
(a)
agree the Membership and
terms of reference of the proposed school organisation stakeholder group; and,
(b)
Agree the procedural
arrangements for making school organisation decision as outlined in the report.
13.
Full Time Admission for All
Reception Year
Cabinet
Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/51
Contact: Annie Davy – Assistant Head of Service Early Years &
Family Support (01865 815493)
Report by Director for Children, Young
People & Families (CA13) (download as .doc file).
Oxfordshire
schools are funded to offer half-time places for children from the September
after their fourth birthday until the term after their fifth birthday, when the
funding becomes full time. Many schools, however take children full-time
earler. The current position of differing admission arragnements generates an
increasing number of complaints from parents on the grounds of quality and equity. Many other authorities now offer full time
education from the beginning of the reception year.
Oxfordshire
County Council has undertaken a cost benefit analysis on proposals to change
the current admission arrangements to offer full time education to all
reception aged pupils. As part of this process the council commissioned an
independent survey of the views of parents on this issue. It has also undertaken full consultation with
other stakeholders such as schools and private, voluntary and independent early years settings.
This report includes a full
analysis of consultation responses and recommends that Cabinet considers a change to full-time
admission from January 2009.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED
to:
(a)
approve a change to full-time admission for all
reception aged children from January 2009; and,
(b)
instruct officers to work with the private and
voluntary sector providers to implement actions outlined in the report.
14.
Planning Preparation and
Assessment Time Scrutiny Review
Cabinet
Member: Schools Improvement
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/107
Contact: Julian Hehir, Scrutiny Review Officer (01865 816673)
Report by Children’s Services Scrutiny
Committee (CA14) (download as .pdf file).
The report is
the final review report of the Children Servuces Scrutiny Committee. The aim of
the review was to: ‘undertake a wode ranging and systematic examination of the
impact on headteachers, teachers, other rlevant staff and pupils in Oxfordshire
primary and nursery schools of the introduction of guaranteed professional tiem
for Planning, Preparation and Assesment (PPA) and make recommendations’.
The Review has regard to the County Council’s aim to
raise stanards ofeducational attainment, and its other duties such as that of
care for employees. It describes what has happened in Oxfordshire and tried ot
identify features of sustainable and educationally appropriate models,
recognising that these will vary considerably according to context. However,
such models will contribute positivley to the drive for higher standards such
as, for pupils, a broader and better-prepared raneg of learning experinces and,
for staff, improved work/life balance.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider the Scrutiny Review Report and
communicate to the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee its response to the
Review’s recommendations.
15.
Implementation Plan for the
Regional Economic Strategy
Cabinet
Member: Leader of the Council
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/143
Contact: Dave Waller, Strategic Policy and Economic Development
(SPED) Manager (01865 810813)
Report by Head of Sustainable
Development (CA15) (download as .pdf file).
During 2006 SEEDA developed the Regional Economic Strategy 2006-2016.
SEEDA have now produced a draft implementation plan which they are consulting
on until
At the time, and with a consultation date of July 13, SEEDA is
consulting on the appropriate structure of it relations with partners across
the region. The proposition they have made aims to produce a structure of
partnerships that is both easier to support and more efficient in terms of
delivering the objectives set out in the Regional Economic Strategy.
This paper sets out a combined response to both the implementation plan
and the partnership proposition as they are inextricably linked.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to
endorse the comments in paragraphs 15 to 27 and the detailed comments in Annex
2 as the County’s response to the Regional Economic Strategy Implementation
Plan and the Sub-Regional Partnership Arrangements Proposition.
16.
Establishing a Health and Well-Being Partnership Board
for Oxfordshire
Cabinet
Member: Social & Community Services
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/124
Contact: John Jackson, Director for Social & Community
Services(01865 816041)/Dr Jonathan McWilliam, Director of Public Health (01865
226626)
Report by Director for Social &
Community Services and Director of Public Health (CA16).
The Government gave a clear indication in the Local Government White
Paper ‘Strong and Prosperous Communities’ that it is expecting health and
well-being partnership arrangements to be established across
We believe that there are significant benefits from the creation of an
effective Partnership board. The Board will need to operate with existing
governance arrangements (including the already agreed and effective)
operational partnerships and within the overall partnership approach agreed but
the Oxfordshire Partnership.
The Board would consist of about 20 people reflecting the key
stakeholders: the County Council, Primary Care Trust, County Council, City and
District Councils, users the meetings will be co-chaired by the County
Council’s Cabinet Member for Social & Community Services and the Chair of
the Clinical Executive Committee.
We expect the first meetings of the Partnership Board to take place in
September and that it will meet quarterly thereafter. The Primary Care Trust
and the County Council are discussing with relevant stakeholders how user
representation will be determined so that nominations can be in place for the
first meeting.
These proposals have been agreed by the Oxfordshire LAA Public Service
Board and Oxfordshire Partnership Board. They will be subject to formal
approval by the Board of the Primary Care Trust.
The Cabinet is
RECOMMENDED to agree the creation of a Health & Well-Being Partnership
Board as set out in the report.
17.
Developer Contributions to
Service Infrastructure
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/132
Contact: Howard Cox, Team Leader - Developer Funding (01865 810436)
Report by Head of Sustainable
Development (CA17) (download as .doc file).
(CA17 - Annex 1 - download as .doc file).
(CA17 - Annex 2 - download as .doc file).
(CA17 - Annex 3 - download as .doc file).
(CA17 - Annex 4 - download as .doc file).
This report
presents a summary of the developer contributions secured through the planning
process for 2006/07, identifying the financial contributions negotiated,
received and spent throughout the year.
The report shows that 86 planning obligations were
completed in 2006/07 securing the largest annual financial contributions to the
County Council for future infrastructure provision. The total secured was
£19.449M. The report shows the actual amount of contributions received in the
year to be £4.964M with £7.291M expended.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a)
note the information
reported on the developer contributions negotiated and received through the
planning process in 2006/07; and,
(b)
quest a report from
the Head of Sustainable Development on the findings and recommendations of the
review by the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee of planning
obligations in Oxfordshire and such report to coincide with that to be
presented to the Cabinet by the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee.
18.
Planning for a Sustainable
Future and Meeting the Energy Challenge White Papers
Cabinet
Member: Sustainable Development
Forward Plan
Ref: 2007/137
Contact: Ian Walker, Spatial Planning Manager (01865 815588)
Report by Head of Sustainable
Development (CA18) (download as .doc file).
The Government has published two related White Papers – Planning for a
Sustainable Future and Meeting the Energy Challenge. The Planning White Paper
sets out a wide ranging package of reforms to improve and streamline the
planning system, including for key national infrastructure proposals. Meeting
the Energy Challenge, sets out a framework for tackling climate change and
seeking source and affordable energy supplies. This report outlines the main
points in the two papers and recommends a response to them.
The
Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the comments in paragraphs 5 to 19 and
detailed comments in Annex 1 as the County Council’s response to the Government
on the White Papers Planning for a Sustainable Future and Meeting the Energy
Challenge.
19. Forward Plan and Future Business(See also Addenda)
Cabinet Member: All
Contact Officer: Tony Cloke, Assistant Head of Service (Democratic)
(01865 815314)
The Cabinet Procedure Rules
provide that the business of each meeting
at the Cabinet is to include “updating of the Forward Plan and proposals for
business to be conducted at the following meeting”. Items from the Forward Plan for the
immediately forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet appear in the Schedule at CA 19. This includes any updated information
relating to the business for those meetings that has already been identified
for inclusion in the next Forward Plan update.
The
Schedule is for noting, but Cabinet Members may also wish to
take this opportunity to identify any further changes they would wish to be
incorporated in the next Forward Plan update.
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the items currently identified for forthcoming
meetings.
|