Return to AgendaITEM CA3
CABINET
MINUTES of the meeting held on 20 May 2008 commencing at 2.00 pm and finishing at 3.50 pm
Present:
Voting Members: Councillor David Robertson – in the chair
Councillor Roger Belson Councillor Louise Chapman Councillor Jim Couchman Councillor John Howell OBE Councillor Ian Hudspeth Councillor C.H. Shouler Councillor Michael Waine
Other Members in Councillor Zoé Patrick (for Agenda Items 5, 6, 9, 10 & Attendance: 15) Councillor David Turner (for Agenda Item 8) Councillor Jean Fooks (for Agenda Items 11 & 12)
Officers:
Whole of meeting: S.D. Howell and S. Whitehead (Legal & Democratic Services)
Part of meeting:
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.
40/08 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Keith R Mitchell CBE and Councillor Mrs J. Heathcoat.
41/08 MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting held on 15 April 2008 were approved and signed.
42/08 OXFORDSHIRE'S LOCAL AREA AGREEMENT (2008 - 2011) (Agenda Item 5)
Oxfordshire County Council is the lead authority responsible for developing the Local Area Agreement with the Government on behalf of the authorities and organisations involved in the Oxfordshire Partnership. The Cabinet considered a report (CA5) that set out the final list of targets and levels for agreement, subject to the amendments detailed in the schedule of addenda.
Councillor Patrick, speaking as the Leader of the Opposition, welcomed the targets focused on educational attainment; and hoped that by agreeing challenging targets, this would mean positive change. In answering to a query from Councillor Patrick on NI 8, a national indicator on adult involvement in sport, officers responded that the figures were based on a national survey.
The Cabinet noted that Oxfordshire County Council would work with partner organisations in delivering the strategy and thanked the LAA2 Project Manager for her work.
RESOLVED: to:
(a) agree the targets for 28 of the 35 indicators recommended by the Oxfordshire Partnership for inclusion in the new Local Area Agreement for submission to GOSE by 30 May 2008;
(b) agree that work to establish baselines and targets for the remaining seven indicators can be carried out during 2008/09;
(c) delegate responsibility to the Leader of the Council to agree any changes to these targets recommended by the Public Service Board at their meeting on 22 May 2008;
(d) receive a further report on progress in September 2008; and
(e) delegate responsibility to the Leader of the Council to agree the target by 30 May 2008, for the one indicator (NI 131) for which a target has yet to be agreed.
43/08 OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT (Agenda Item 6)
The Cabinet considered the draft Oxfordshire County Council Annual Report (CA6). The Report was to highlight the council’s achievements and successes over the past year and would be submitted to Council for approval on 17 June 2008.
Councillor Patrick, speaking as the Leader of the Opposition, expressed concern regarding the quality of the report and suggested that it focused too heavily on particular areas in the county.
The Cabinet responded that a number of successful projects in certain areas, like the Resource Centres mentioned in the report, were planned to be expanded to other areas in the county. Further, the report as it appeared was not presented in a finished format.
RESOLVED: subject to consideration of any comments from the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, to approve the draft Annual Report as the basis for submission to the Council on 17 June 2008 for approval; incorporating the necessary detailed appendices and any presentational and editorial changes agreed by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.
44/08 TRAVEL AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT POLICY (Agenda Item 7)
The Cabinet considered a report (CA7) that outlined the Travel and Information Management policy. This has been developed to ensure that the Congestion Management group have the tools and equipment to operate the travel and information management service effectively. The policy document also covered wider strategic aims to ensure that the network is managed in line with wider transport strategies.
The Cabinet highlighted that information collected for Traffic Management was for monitoring traffic information and was not capable of performing any enforcement function.
RESOLVED: to adopt the Travel and Information Management Policy Document.
45/08 PRIMARY CAPITAL – STRATEGY FOR CHANGE (Agenda Item 8)
The Strategy for Change is the response to the Department for Children, Schools and Families, detailing the council’s approach to primary capital investment.
The Cabinet considered a report (CA8) that supplemented the consultation document on the Primary Capital Programme – Strategy for Change (PCP-SC), which had been sent out to stakeholders. The feedback obtained from the consultation, which ended on 9 May 2008, would be analysed to inform the final version of the PCP-SC. This was to be considered at the Delegated Decisions meeting by the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement on 3 June 2008.
Councillor David Turner, speaking as the Shadow Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement, stated that it would have been preferable for the schools to have been ranked individually. He expressed concern at the impact on rural areas.
The Cabinet noted that a greater weighting should be given to the condition of buildings and strategic objectives; and that the locality priority did not override the priority needs of individual schools.
The Cabinet Member for Finance undertook to respond to a query regarding whether any school buildings were classified as being not fit for purpose in the Asset Management Plan.
RESOLVED: to:
(a) note the content of the consultation document, the questionnaire format for stakeholder responses and the range of stakeholders contacted for response;
(b) instruct officers to undertake further work on the criteria for capital investment (and hence the local priority list), and to take into account consultation response; and
(c) agree to delegate to the Cabinet Member for School Improvement the decision to approve the final version of the strategy, which will include the locality priority list for capital investment, for submission to the DCSF by 16 June 2008.
46/08 ASK OXFORDSHIRE – CONSULTATION & ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY (Agenda Item 9)
The Cabinet considered a report (CA9) that set out the direction of travel for the Ask Oxfordshire Consultation Strategy and the proposed approach to consultation to inform its further development.
Coucillor Patrick, speaking as the Leader of the Opposition, welcomed the commitment to consulting the people of Oxfordshire and asked that the council adhered to the proposals.
The Cabinet highlighted the key outcomes that the strategy aimed to deliver and
RESOLVED: to:
(a) note the draft Summary Ask Oxfordshire Consultation Strategy 2008/11;
(b) endorse the approach to consultation and formulation of the full Strategy document, noting that the Cabinet Member for Change Management will be asked to approve the final Strategy as a delegated decision on 15 July 2008; and
(c) submit to the Change Board, for its approval, a Project Initiation Document setting out how the implementation of the Strategy will be achieved.
47/08 CORPORATE ASSESSMENT UPDATE AND ACTION PLAN (Agenda item 10)
The Cabinet considered a report (CA10) that summarised the detailed report from the Audit Commission on the Corporate Assessment that took place in December 2007.
Councillor Patrick, speaking as Leader of the Opposition, highlighted the role of Scrutiny in holding the Cabinet to account; linking areas of work to the council’s corporate objectives; and scrutinising the performance of partnerships.
The Cabinet highlighted that the assessors had been impressed with the improvement and change since the last assessment and that the workload and role of Scrutiny needed evaluating. Additional resources could be examined through the budget setting process as a pressure for 2010/11.
RESOLVED: to note the report.
48/08 OXFORDSHIRE JOINT AREA REVIEW OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES (Agenda item 11)
The Cabinet considered a report (CA10) that summarised the detailed report on the Joint Area Review of services for children and young people in Oxfordshire that took place in December 2007. The report detailed the recommendations made by the Joint Area Review and outlined how they would be responded to.
Councillor Fooks, speaking as the Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families, asked for the Cabinet to invite comments from the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee and that the actions be reviewed beyond the Cabinet.
The Cabinet responded that all young people partners would monitor progress, as Oxfordshire County Council was not the only delivery authority; that Scrutiny could assist by examining areas of underperformance; and that the forthcoming restructuring of the Children, Young People & Families directorate would assist in the delivery of the 14-19 Strategy. The Cabinet highlighted the ‘Outstanding’ level of working in consultation with children and the strong partnership working noted in the report and gave thanks to all those involved.
RESOLVED: to note the Joint Area Review report.
49/08 CORPORATE PARENTING – THE COUNCIL’S ROLE AS CORPORATE PARENT TO ITS LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN: ISSUES AND PROGRESS (Agenda item 12)
The Cabinet considered the first of regular six-monthly reports (CA12) to Cabinet and Council on its role as legal "Corporate Parent" to the children and young people Looked After by the Council; and those Leaving Care to live independently.
Councillor Fooks, speaking as the Shadow Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families, congratulated officers but believed there was room for improvement. Further, she disagreed with the departure from political proportionality on the Corporate Parenting Panel.
The Cabinet responded that the report sent a clear message to members and officers across the council; that the action plan addressed further work; and that the Panel was not intended to be political in nature. The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families undertook to review the Panel’s membership.
RESOLVED: to:
(a) approve the Corporate Parenting Strategy and the priorities contained therein;
(b) note the information on outcomes for our Looked After Children and the service performance measures;
(c) approve a change of name from the Children’s Panel to the Corporate Parenting Panel, so as explicitly to address this key responsibility; and
(d) approve an invitation to the Chairman of Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee to join the Corporate Parenting Panel as an additional member.
50/08 ANNUAL AUDIT & INSPECTION LETTER 2006/7 (Agenda item 13)
The Audit Commission issued the Annual Audit & Inspection Letter in March 2008. The Letter represents a summary of the Auditors’ work and key findings relating to the financial year 2006/07. The Letter was considered by the Audit Committee 23 April 2008, who felt that Cabinet may wish to comment themselves on its content. In the light of discussion with the Committee, the Audit Commission Relationship Manager had undertaken to make any necessary minor textual corrections / clarifications to the Letter and this would be circulated to Cabinet Members.
The Cabinet particularly noted the high number of services receiving a Four Star – Excellent rating.
RESOLVED: to receive the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter.
51/08 MINIMUM REVENUE PROVISION METHODOLOGY (Agenda Item 14)
The Cabinet considered a report (CA14) on the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) methodology used by the authority, applicable to the 2007/08 accounts and beyond. The MRP is a statutory charge relating to the repayment of debt. A statement is required to be approved by Council, arising from legislation which came into effect on 31 March 2008.
The Cabinet noted that the government was now giving authorities a choice of methodology for supported and unsupported borrowing and that the proposed statement was a confirmation of existing practice and not a change in policy.
RESOLVED: to recommend the Council to approve the Minimum Revenue Provision Methodology as set out in paragraphs 10 and 11 of the report.
52/08 APPOINTMENTS (Agenda item 15)
The Cabinet conducted its annual review of appointments to ‘strategic’ outside bodies and considered any changes as appropriate.
The report (CA15) also invited the Cabinet to consider whether it wished to develop a broad, overall approach to the ‘Member Champion’ role in order to achieve a strategic, consistent approach to such designations.
RESOLVED: to:
(a) to make the revised appointments as shown at Annex 1 (download as .doc file) and in the light of any nominations made by the date of the meeting; and
(b) to ask the Assistant Head of Legal & Democratic Services to develop for consideration by the Cabinet at a future meeting draft guidance in relation to the role of ‘Member Champion’, to include a person specification / role description and reporting framework.
53/08 FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS(Agenda Item 16)
The Cabinet considered a list of items for the immediately forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet and the amendments to the Forward Plan, as detailed in the schedule of addenda.
RESOLVED: to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings.
................................................................................... in the Chair
Date of signing.................................................................. 2008
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