Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/140

Contact: Martin Kraftl, Oxford Locality Manager Tel: 07920 084336

Report by Director for Planning & Place (CMDE7).

In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Local Authorities (Executive

Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended), the Chairman of the Performance Scrutiny Committee has agreed that the need to take the decision is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred. Councillor Constance as chairman of the meeting will be asked to confirm her opinion that the matter is urgent.

Cabinet previously approved an experimental TRO to close Queen Street to buses, taxis and private hire, subject to Secretary of State approval (please see link to Cabinet report above). Recent advice from the Department for Transport has indicated further monitoring will be required prior to closing the street to buses on an experimental basis.

As there is still a requirement to close the street to taxis and private hire vehicles, this report seeks approval to defer the decision on exclusion of buses, and implement the exclusion of taxis and private hire vehicles in line with the proposals reported to Cabinet in July 2017.

Note: As set out under Rule 19(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 it would cause delay in the implementation of the TRO, prior to the new Westgate centre opening on Tuesday 24^th October.

The Cabinet Member is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)          pending the decision of the SoS, defer a decision on the part of the experimental TRO reported to Cabinet in July 2017 excluding buses from Queen Street until further monitoring has been undertaken with the Westgate centre open; and

(b)         approve the implementation of the part of the experimental TRO to exclude taxis and private hire vehicles from Queen Street.

Cabinet previously approved an experimental TRO to close Queen Street to buses, taxis and private hire, subject to Secretary of State approval. Recent advice from the Department for Transport has indicated further monitoring will be required prior to closing the street to buses on an experimental basis. As there is still a requirement to close the street to taxis and private hire vehicles, this report seeks approval to defer the decision on exclusion of buses, and implement the exclusion of taxis and private hire vehicles in line with the proposals reported to Cabinet in July 2017.

The Cabinet Member is RECOMMENDED to:

(a) pending the decision of the SoS, defer a decision on the part of the

experimental TRO reported to Cabinet in July 2017 excluding buses

from Queen Street until further monitoring has been undertaken with

the Westgate centre open; and

(b) approve the implementation of the part of the experimental TRO to

exclude taxis and private hire vehicles from Queen Street.

In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Local Authorities (Executive

Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended), the Chairman of the Performance Scrutiny Committee has agreed that the need to take the decision is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred.

As set out under Rule 19(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 it would cause delay in the implementation of the TRO, prior to the new Westgate centre opening on Tuesday 24th October.

Cabinet had previously approved an experimental TRO to close Queen Street to buses, taxis and private hire, subject to Secretary of State approval. However, recent advice from the Department for Transport had indicated further monitoring would be required prior to closing the street to buses on an experimental basis.  However, there was still a requirement to close the street to taxis and private hire vehicles and the Cabinet Member for Environment had agreed to consider an urgent report which sought approval to defer a decision on exclusion of buses, but implement the exclusion of taxis and private hire vehicles in line with the proposals reported to Cabinet in July 2017.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that in accordance with Regulation 16 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended), the Chairman of the Performance Scrutiny Committee had agreed that in her opinion the matter was urgent and could not reasonably be deferred insofar as it would cause delay in the implementation of the TRO, prior to the new Westgate centre opening on Tuesday 24 October.

.

Also as set out under Rule 19(a) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this decision was declared exempt from Call-In as it was deemed urgent and any delay would seriously prejudice the Council’s interests.

Officers confirmed that there would be an opportunity for further comment from taxi groups as part of the experimental traffic order process.

Councillor Sanders raised the issue of opening Turl street and Market Street to taxis.

Having regard to the information before her in the printed report and the representations made to her at the meeting the Cabinet Member for Environment confirmed her decision as follows:

(a)          pending the decision of the Secretary of State, to defer a decision on the part of the experimental TRO reported to Cabinet in July 2017 excluding buses from Queen Street until further monitoring had been undertaken with the Westgate centre open; and

(b)          approve implementation of the part of the experimental TRO to exclude taxis and private hire vehicles from Queen Street.

Signed……………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing……………………………