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Cabinet
Tuesday, 23 June 2009

 

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ITEM CA3

 

CABINET

 

MINUTES of the meeting held on 26 May 2009 commencing at 2.00 pm and finishing at 2.50 pm.

 

Present:

 

Voting Members:          Councillor Keith R Mitchell CBE – in the chair

 

Councillor Roger Belson

Councillor Louise Chapman

Councillor Jim Couchman

Councillor Mrs J. Heathcoat

Councillor Melinda Tilley

Councillor Ian Hudspeth

Councillor David Robertson

Councillor C.H. Shouler

Councillor Michael Waine

 

Other Members in         Councillor David Turner (for Agenda Item 6)

Attendance:

 

Officers:

 

Whole of meeting:           Chief Executive, S. Whitehead (Legal & Democratic Services).

 

Part of meeting:

 

Agenda Item

Officer Attending

5 & 6

Director of Children, Young People & Families

7

C. Phillips (Partnerships & Communities)

8

Head of Transport, J. Hartless (Transport)

9

Head of Transport, J. Cramer (Transport)

 

 

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.

 

46/09         DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

Councillor Louise Chapman declared a prejudicial interest in Item 8 by reason of her seat on Witney Town Council and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

 

47/09         MINUTES

 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 21 April 2009 were approved and signed subject to the following amendment:

 

Minute 42/09 – delete the words ‘it was not the role of SIP’s to interpret their school’s performance data;’ and replace with the following:

 

‘with regard to recommendation XIII this may not be an effective use of SIP time: the SIP should explain the school’s performance and discuss this with the Governing Body rather than providing a data training session that could be provided by governor services;’.

 

 

48/09         PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

 

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

 

Request from

Agenda Item

 

Mr R. Gill and Mr D Bradley

5. Strategic Review of Funding Formula for Schools

 

46/09         STRATEGIC REVIEW OF FUNDING FORMULA FOR SCHOOLS

(Agenda Item 5)

 

Cabinet considered a report (CA5) seeking agreement to a strategic review of the school’s funding formula. The report set out: the reasons for the review, its intended outcomes; the principles which should underpin it; key questions to be asked; and the process to be followed.

 

Mr Gill and Mr Bradley as governors of schools in deprived areas spoke in support of a change in the funding formula to benefit such schools by better targeting of deprivation funding to the schools in the most deprived districts. They felt that past under funding had lead to provision deficit in their schools and as a result to staff overload.

 

The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement thanked Mr Gill and Mr Bradley for their comments. He referred to the reasons for the review as set out in the report noting that the funding formula had not been fully reviewed since its inception.

 

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families expressed satisfaction over the commitment to small village primary schools as detailed in the Guiding Principles of the Review.

 

RESOLVED:         to agree that a review should proceed on the basis outlined in the report

 

47/09         THE COOPER SCHOOL, BICESTER – SIXTH FORM PROPOSALS

(Agenda Item 6)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA6) seeking determination of proposals to expand the age range from 11-16 years to 11-18 years and enlarge The Cooper School, Bicester.

 

Councillor David Turner, speaking as Shadow Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement queried whether the survey was to be carried out in other areas where the issues raised were similar.

 

The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement noted that there had been no objections and that the decision was before Cabinet as he was a local Member. Responding to the comments made he pointed out that Bicester was one of the few areas where sixth form take up was below average. The proposals were part of the 14 -19 years working and there were other areas where there were relevant issues. At Carterton there was also a low take up combined with a high drop out rate and consideration was being to tailored courses in Carterton Community School. The context was the 14-19 partnership work and serious consideration would be given to any proposal in that context. 

 

RESOLVED:         to approve the proposals;

 

Note: As set out under Rule 17(a) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this decision is exempt from Call-In as it is deemed urgent and any delay would seriously prejudice the Council’s interests, in that the Cabinet’s role would be negated by referral to the Schools’ Adjudicator if the decision was not taken within two months of the publication of the Statutory Notice, in this case being 24 June 2009.

 

48/09         DISTRICT SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGIES

(Agenda Item 7)

 

Each district in Oxfordshire has a local strategic partnership (LSP) and has a duty to produce a Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS). As a key partner in all five district LSPs the County Council has a Cabinet Member representative from the council on each LSP.

 

Four district LSPs (Oxford City, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse, West Oxfordshire) have agreed their SCS and Cabinet considered a report (CA7) seeking their approval from as an individual partner organisation.

 

Cabinet was advised that Cherwell LSP had previously agreed their SCS and were currently working on a second version.

 

RESOLVED:         to endorse the district sustainable community strategies and commit its support to delivery of the priorities identified

 

49/09         WITNEY - COGGES LINK ROAD - REVISED PROJECT APPRAISAL TO FUND SCHEME TO COMPLETION

(Agenda Item 8)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA8) which sought approval to a revised project appraisal for the scheme following obtaining planning approval.

 

RESOLVED:          to approve the revised project appraisal for the Cogges Link Road, No. H175 in Appendix 1.

 

50/09         TRANSFORM OXFORD – QUEENS STREET – PROJECT APPRAISAL

(Agenda Item 9)

 

The Cabinet considered a report (CA9) seeking approval to the financial appraisal for the Queen Street project.

 

Responding to a query from the Cabinet Member for Place as to whether

disabled access had been discussed with the Disabled Access Group the Cabinet Member for Transport replied that he had spoken to a representative of the Group. She had attended the delegated decision session to put forward her ideas and they had been fully considered in reaching the decision. He noted that none of the reasons given for call in  had related to disabled access issues.

 

RESOLVED:         to approve the project appraisal No.H191 in Annex 1.

 

51/09         FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

(Agenda Item 10)

 

The Cabinet considered a list of items (CA10) for the immediately forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet together with changes and additions set out in the schedule of addenda.

 

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

 

52/09         DELEGATED POWERS OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (SCHEDULE TO SECTION L OF THE COUNCIL’S CONSTITUTION – PARAGRAPH (1)(C)(I))

(Agenda Item 11)

 

Paragraph (1)(c)(i) of Section l of the Council’s Constitution requires any executive decision taken by the Chief Executive under the specific powers and functions delegated to her under the terms of that Rule, to be reported to Cabinet.

 

RESOLVED:         to note the decisions taken in the period 1 January 2009 – 31 March 2009 are set out in the table below:

 

 

Date

Subject

Decision

25/03/2009

Provision of a Community led Planning Promotion and Support Service

Approved an exemption from the full tendering requirements of the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules

26/03/2009

1. Accommodation Services for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeker Children

2. Supported Lodgings Scheme

3. Homeless Prevention and Intervention Service

Approved an exemption from the full tendering requirements of the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules

 

56/09   VOTE OF THANKS

 

The Cabinet recorded its thanks to the Chief Executive, Directors, Heads of Service and technical specialists for their significant efforts.

 

The Leader thanked all Cabinet Members, past and present during the current term, paying tribute to their hard work in the pursuit of better services.  He also referred to the efforts of all Councillors on behalf of the residents of Oxfordshire.

 

 

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

 

 

Date of signing.................................................................. 2009

 

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