Meeting documents

Return to Agenda

ITEM EX3

EXECUTIVE – 6 APRIL 2005

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 12.07 pm

Present:

The Executive 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.

74/05. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors John Farrow, Neil Fawcett and Janet Godden.

75/05. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 15 March 2005 were approved and signed.

Minute 67/05: "Faith in our Schools" Scrutiny Review.

Mr Leverton advised the Executive that the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee on 22 March had decided to advise the Executive of the Committee’s concern about the lack of progress in bringing the report previously requested by the Executive forward and had asked the Executive to require the Director for Learning & Culture to produce costings and a timetable for the implementation of the Review recommendations. He reported confirmation from the Director that the report to be presented to the Executive in July would provide costings and timetable implications in respect of all the outstanding recommendations from the Review.

76/05. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

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

Request from	Agenda Item
Mr Brian Roberts (Inland Waterways Association)	6 Oxford’s West End
Mr Mark Fysh (Unison)	8 Corporate Policy For Modern Workstyle in Council Offices

The addresses on items 6 and 8 are recorded below.

77/05. ANNUAL AUDIT LETTER 2004/2005

(Agenda Item 5)

The Executive considered the Annual Audit Letter key findings relating to the financial year 2003/04 (EX5), together with the comments of the Best Value & Audit Committee thereon.

Councillor Brighouse endorsed the concern expressed by the Committee over transparency and stated in particular that much information was not made available to members, citing the fact that the final report on the Council’s Comprehensive Performance Assessment had not been forwarded to all Members of the County Council.

Councillor Bryden pointed out that, in addition to the Best Value & Audit Committee’s request set out on the agenda, the Committee had agreed to invite individual Executive Members to pursue the respective Audit Letter recommendations with the appropriate Directors. He also reported that the Committee was developing a protocol with KPMG whereby the final agreed version of their reports would be released to the Best Value & Audit Committee as public documents.

The Director for Resources spoke in support of the procedures proposed by the Best Value & Audit Committee and reported that a guide for all members would be produced to enable them to track the progress of actions in response to all the Audit Letter recommendations.

RESOLVED: to:

(a) receive the Annual Audit & Inspection Letter 2004 and note that the identified actions were already incorporated in a variety of existing action plans;

(b) endorse the Best Value & Audit Committee’s invitation to individual Executive Members to pursue the respective Audit Letter recommendations with the appropriate Directors;

(c) endorse the Director for Resources’ proposal to produce a guide for all members to enable them easily to track action in response to the various Audit Letter recommendations;

(d) ask officers to ensure that the full Audit Commission report on the Council’s CPA assessment was circulated to all members of the Council;

(e) extend the Executive’s thanks to Mr Geoff Jones for his work as Chair of the Audit Working Group.

78/05. OXFORD'S WEST END

(Agenda Item 6)

The Executive considered a report (EX6) which set out the Area Development Framework for the renaissance of Oxford’s West End, together with a note of the City Executive Board’s decisions thereon.

Mr Roberts urged the Executive to ensure that a re-established canal basin at the Worcester Street car park site would be incorporated within the Area Development Framework and any future Area Action Plan.

Councillor Mitchell indicated his support in principle for the Inland Waterways Association request but emphasised that it would be for those ultimately undertaking the development to find solutions that would work.

Councillor Roaf commended the scheme but stated his view that it was not appropriate at this stage to make a firm commitment to it, in view of unresolved concerns over the future of the Railway Station, the College of Further Education and traffic movements. Whilst emphasising that he did not wish to delay further development work, he proposed an amendment to the wording in the motion recorded in resolution (b) below by changing ‘endorse’ to ‘note’. The amendment the wording was put to the vote and was lost by 3 votes to 2, Councillors Purse and Roaf voting in favour and Councillors Crabbe, Mitchell and Robertson against.

RES0LVED: (nem con) to:

1. welcome the Area Development Framework as a significant step towards the renaissance of Oxford’s West End, based as it was on joint working between SEEDA and the City and County Councils, and building on the comments received from last autumn’s consultation exercise;
2. endorse the Design Concept and the Development Principles in the Area Development Framework as material planning considerations, whilst recognising there was much to be finalised particularly in relation to transport issues, to enable the work in the Area Development Framework to be taken forward into the Local Development Framework and to form the basis for an Area Action Plan;
3. confirm the next steps as described in paragraph 8 of the report;
4. note that the above decisions would not preclude officers holding discussions with relevant stakeholders concerning reinstatement of the canal basin in the Worcester Street car park site, although it was also noted that it was not within the City or County Council's remit to deliver such a scheme.
   
   

79/05. CORPORATE PROCUREMENT STRATEGY

(Agenda Item 7)

The Executive had before it a draft Corporate Procurement Strategy (EX7) which provided for the setting of targets and programmes and monitoring of the performance of the organisation in complying with corporate requirements and meeting those targets and programmes.

RESOLVED: to approve and adopt the Corporate Procurement Strategy.

80/05. CORPORATE POLICY FOR MODERN WORKSTYLE IN COUNCIL OFFICES

(Agenda Item 8)

The Executive considered a report (EX8) which sought endorsement of a draft policy for Modern Workstyle and guidance for Flexible Working.

Mr Fysh referred to what UNISON saw as the failure of previous Modern Workstyle initiatives, highlighting in particular the costs of the project to relocate Social & Health Care area staff at Foxcombe Court, Abingdon and difficulties reported by those staff in finding quiet places to conduct confidential interviews and telephone calls in the open plan areas, with consequent inefficiencies. He said cost and confidentiality were the two biggest issues of concern but that UNISON were not against the principle of change provided it took into account the practical implications for staff and work requirements.

Mr Monaghan stated in response that modern workstyle had not yet been fully implemented in any location and that staff would be consulted before it was introduced in any particular office. He advised that the cost of the Foxcombe Court project had increased not because of modern workstyle but because the project and scale had changed since its original inception. He indicated that if the facilities at Foxcombe Court were shown to be inadequate in point of confidential working, this provision could be reviewed.

The Director for Social & Health Care confirmed that he would be reviewing the operation of the new offices at Foxcombe Court in consultation with staff at those offices and UNISON and would report on the outcome in due course.

RESOLVED: to endorse the draft Corporate Policy for Modern Workstyle and Guidance for Flexible Working, including the consolidated Flexible Working/Work Life Balance Policy at Annex E to the Policy/Guidance.

81/05. OXFORD CASTLE HERITAGE INTERPRETATION CENTRE

(Agenda Item 9)

The Executive considered a report (EX9) on progress thus far with the redevelopment of the Oxford Castle site, including arrangements to be made for the Heritage Interpretation and Education Centre, and recommended that there be a further Supplemental Agreement with Oxford Castle Limited to allow for the consequences of changes in the building programme.

RESOLVED: to:

1. confirm formally that revenue support of up to £50,000 per annum would be provided for the Oxford Castle Heritage Interpretation Centre in the event that there was a revenue deficit over and above the amount underwritten by the Oxford Preservation Trust for the Centre during the first five years of operation, unless the terms of any agreement with a commercial operator would make such public subsidy inappropriate;
2. support further discussions on the operation and management of the Oxford Castle Heritage Interpretation Centre with a prospective commercial operator and authorise an agreement on terms to be agreed with the Oxford Castle Trust, in the event that this was selected as the preferred option;
3. endorse the process set out in the report for the future nomination of County Council nominated trustees for the Oxford Castle Trust;
4. authorise a further supplemental agreement between the County Council and Oxford Castle Limited providing for the headlease of the Oxford Castle site to be granted to Oxford Castle Limited upon completion of building works to be detailed in a revised schedule (this to include the ancient buildings on the site), retaining adequate protection from the Bank Guarantee Bond, making provision for access to the site for Oxford Preservation Trust, and including such other incidental provisions as might in the opinion of the Head of Property and Solicitor to the Council be required.
   
   

82/05. DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY AT LEIDEN ROAD, OXFORD

(Agenda Item 10)

The Executive considered a report (EX10) on the preparation of the Wood Farm Site Development Plan and progress with the Marywood House planning appeal.

Councillor Brighouse referred to the deficiencies in community infrastructure in this area and to the fact that during the Oxford schools reorganisation, Wood Farm School had received no additional money to help move to the new system. She commended the Site Development Plan as a good way forward and urged the Executive to recognise the further community needs for the future, for example, for library provision ideally incorporating a children’s library to help raise literacy levels.

RESOLVED:

1. that the City Council be advised that, should it wish to acquire the Marywood House site, a deadline would be set to agree terms, such deadline to be within four weeks of the notification of the Inspector’s decision on the planning appeal;
2. that if the City Council confirmed it wished to acquire the site and if terms could be agreed, then the site should be sold to the City Council;
3. that if the City Council did not wish to acquire the site or if terms could be agreed, and if the planning appeal was successful, then the site should be sold on the open market, otherwise there would need to be a further report to the Executive with a recommendation on the future use of the site;
4. to welcome the emergence of the Site Development Plan for Wood Farm School, noting the need for resources in order to meet its potential and that a further report would come forward in due course.
   
   

83/05. 20 MPH SPEED LIMITS

(Agenda Item 11)

The Executive had before it a report (EX11) which outlined the need for a consistent framework on all new speed limits and focused on the most effective limits promoted within the works programme.

RESOLVED: to adopt the criteria governing 20 limits and zones outlined in the report.

84/05. PEGASUS THEATRE

(Agenda Item 12)

The Executive considered a report (EX12) which outlined progress thus far on the independent operation of the Pegasus Theatre.

RESOLVED: to:

1. note the progress towards the independent operation of Pegasus Theatre;
2. authorise a short-term lease agreement with the Pegasus Theatre Trust based on the Heads of Terms at Annex 1 to the report;
3. authorise a longer-term lease agreement, on terms approved by the Head of Cultural Services, Head of Property and Head of Legal Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Learning & Culture, upon the successful completion of the Pegasus Theatre capital development.
   
   

85/05. CO-ORDINATED ADMISSIONS ARRANGEMENTS

(Agenda Item 13)

The Executive considered a report (EX13) which set out proposals for and changes to the co-ordinated admissions schemes for both primary and secondary schools for September 2006.

Councillor Hodgson stated that he had no issues with the current document but that there seemed to be some practical difficulties in the procedures for notifying parents of the allocation of their children to particular schools and of their rights of appeal. He suggested changes to the admissions letter to better highlight the urgency and importance of returning applications by the deadline; and also that procedures should be amended to ensure individual cases were not overlooked. Councillor Tony Crabbe endorsed these concerns.

RESOLVED: to:

1. agree the co-ordinated admission arrangements and admission policies described in the report;
2. ask the Director for Learning & Culture to consider possible further steps to ensure that all affected parents are aware of the relevant admissions procedures.
   
   

86/05. EXPLOSIVES ACT LICENCES

(Agenda Item 14)

The Executive had before it a report (EX14) which sought approval to arrangements for discharge of the County Council’s functions in respect of applications for County Council assent to the grant or amendment of any explosives licence under Sections 7 and 12 of the Explosives Act 1875.

RESOLVED:

1. that hearings of such applications and of any objections be before the Executive Member for Community Safety (or, if that member was not available to act, before the Leader of the Council or such other Executive Member as he might agree), supported by the Director for Community Safety or his nominee as expert adviser;
2. to authorise the Director for Community Safety to issue the Council’s formal decision on such application for assent, in accordance with the findings of the hearing under (a) above.
   
   

87/05. FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

in the Chair

Date of signing 2005

Return to TOP