Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 17 December 2013 (CA3) and to receive information arising from them.

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed:

Petitions – David Hipkiss, Oxon School Bus Action Group (OSBAG) regarding Proposed changes to the Home to School Transport Policy;

Lesley Dewhurst, regarding the Housing Support Fund

Refugee Resource,- submitted on behalf of Dr Antony Kingsley

Public Address:

Councillor Liz Brighouse,

Councillor Nick Hards

Councillor Charles Mathew,

Mark Thompson, Connection floating support

Mr Kevin Kennedy, Supporting people User Group

Mrs Sue Tanner, Convenor Oxford Advice Forum

Ms. Emily Boughton,

Gill Tishler, Oxford City Advice Bureau

Susy Drohan, Oxfordshire Welfare Rights, Barton Neighbourhood Centre

Fran Bennett, Treasurer and Trustee of Agnes Smith Advice Centre, Blackbird Leys

Gail Hanrahan,

District Councillor David Dodds, Chairman Oxfordshire Waste Partnership

Item 7  Councillor Anne Purse,

Councillor John Sanders,

Councillor Charles Mathew,

John Taylor - PAGE Chairman

Item 8 Councillor Liz Brighouse

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/126

Contact: Stephanie Skivington, Corporate Finance Manager Tel: (01865) 323995

Report by Chief Finance Officer (CA6).

This report is the final report to Cabinet in the series on the service & resource planning process for 2014/15 to 2017/18, providing councillors with information on budget issues for 2014/15 and the medium term. It sets out the proposed 2014/15 budget and the draft 2014/15 – 2017/18 Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

The Cabinet Member for Finance has prepared a separate report, circulated alongside this report, which sets out the basis for the Cabinet’s proposals. The proposals take into account comments to date from the public consultation on the budget as well as the latest information on the Council’s financial position outlined in this report. Also attached is a separate report from the Income Generation Cabinet Advisory Group.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)         RECOMMEND Council to approve the updated Financial Strategy;

(b)         (in respect of revenue) RECOMMEND Council to approve:

(1)  a budget for 2014/15 and a medium term plan to 2017/18, based on the proposals set out by the Cabinet Member for Finance;

(2)  a council tax requirement (precept) for 2014/15;

(3)  a council tax for band D equivalent properties;

(4)  virement arrangements to operate within the approved budget;

(c)         (in respect of treasury management) RECOMMEND Council to approve:

(1)  the Treasury Management Strategy Statement ;

(2)  that any further changes required to the 2014/15 strategy be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance.

(d)RECOMMEND Council to approve the Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix A of Annex 7;

(e)         RECOMMEND Council to approve the Minimum Revenue Provision Methodology Statement as set out in Appendix B of Annex 7;

(f)           (in respect of capital) RECOMMEND Council to approve:

(1)  the updated Asset Management Plan and Transport Asset Management Plan;

(2)  a Capital Programme for 2013/14 to 2017/18;

(g)         to delegate authority to the Leader of the Council, following consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, to make appropriate changes to the proposed budget.

Cabinet had before them the final report in the series on the service & resource planning process for 2014/15 to 2017/18, which provided councillors with information on budget issues for 2014/15 and the medium term. It set out the proposed 2014/15 budget and the draft 2014/15 – 2017/18 Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

Cabinet also had before them a report by the Cabinet Member for Finance which set out the basis for the Cabinet’s proposals. The proposals took into account comments to date from the public consultation on the budget as well as the latest information on the Council’s financial position outlined in the report. Also considered by Cabinet was: a separate report from the Income Generation Cabinet Advisory Group and a supplementary report by the Chief Finance Officer setting out additional information and consequent recommendations.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Chairman, Performance Scrutiny Committee presented the comments of the Committee, set out in Annex 12. She highlighted a key concern which was to ensure that they were able to monitor the reduction in the budget and make sure that action plans were in place. She added that it was important that the Council worked together with partners including those affected in the community and voluntary sector. She referred to the Refugee Resource that had asked for the cuts to be phased to avoid loss of other funding streams and noted that at the Committee meeting this had been agreed. Councillor Hudspeth thanked the Committee for their work, and in noting that it was the first year that an opposition member had chaired the Committee thanked Councillor Brighouse for her approach and the work she had put in to it.

Councillor Nick Hards, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance referred to the pressures on the budget and that he was impressed by the professionalism and skill of officers at a difficult time. He commented that the Income Generation Cabinet Advisory a Group had been helpful and he hoped that something would come out it. Looking at the broad picture he felt that Central Government were out of touch with the way the Council worked and had an unrealistic view of the demands placed on the Council. He expressed concern that the Council had still not been advised whether the referendum limit for Council Tax rises would be lowered. He hoped that the Council would be allowed to go to the limit currently included in the budget proposals.

Councillor Mathew speaking as Vice Chairman of the Income Generation Cabinet Advisory Group stressed that they were keen to discuss the opportunities for income generation within operations. He referred to the initial ideas set out in the paper and added that there was still much work to do.

Councillor Mathew, speaking as a councillor then indicated that he could not support crowd funding. He believed it would cost more than it would bring in. Councillor Hudspeth thanked those involved in the Cabinet Advisory Group and noted the initial suggestions and on-going work of the Group.

Mark Thompson,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4/14

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/132

Contact: Peter Day, Minerals & Waste Policy Team Leader Tel: (01865) 815544

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy – Strategy & Infrastructure Planning (CA7).

The County Council has a statutory duty to prepare a new Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Plan, to provide an effective planning strategy and policies for the supply of minerals and management of waste in the county, consistent with environmental, social and economic needs. The Plan must be prepared in accordance with current government policy in the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) and having due regard to the emerging new National Planning Practice Guidance.

 The Cabinet on 26 November 2013 approved a revised Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (Fifth Revision) 2013, setting out the following programme for preparing the Minerals and Waste Local Plan:

•Public consultation on draft revised Plan – Feb/March 2014;

•Consultation on proposed submission document – Oct/Nov 2014;

•Submit Plan to Secretary of State for examination – March 2015;

•Examination hearings – July 2015;

•Inspector’s report – October 2015;

•Council adopts Plan – December 2015.

This report recommends a draft Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Core Strategy for public consultation.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)          agree the draft Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Core Strategy at Annex 1, subject to final detailed amendment, updating and editing, as a draft for consultation;

(b)          authorise the Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Strategy & Infrastructure Planning) to:

(i)            carry out final detailed amendment, updating and editing of the draft Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Core Strategy, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment;

(ii)          publish the draft Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Core Strategy for public consultation.

The County Council has a statutory duty to prepare a new Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Plan, to provide an effective planning strategy and policies for the supply of minerals and management of waste in the county, consistent with environmental, social and economic needs. The Plan must be prepared in accordance with current government policy in the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) and having due regard to the emerging new National Planning Practice Guidance.

 In line with the revised Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (Fifth Revision) 2013, setting out the programme for preparing the Minerals and Waste Local Plan Cabinet had before them a report recommending a draft Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Core Strategy for public consultation.

Councillor Purse, spoke in respect of the findings of the Cabinet Advisory Group who she felt had done a good job of scrutinising the documents. Although not surprisingly unable to come to any conclusions about specific areas they had reached a view on the balance between West Oxfordshire and elsewhere. She also asked that in the final consultation documents the maps be in colour. She highlighted specific recommendations made by the Group and included in the draft before Cabinet. She commented that it would be helpful for the Plan to be tied back to Planning & Regulation Committee in some way. Councillor Hudspeth thanked Councillor Purse and the cabinet Advisory Group for their work.

Councillor John Sanders, Shadow Cabinet member for Environment, queried the role of the Cabinet Advisory Group and was informed that many of their recommendations had been included in the draft Plan before Cabinet.

Councillor Mathew welcomed the amendments to the earlier versions of the Plan but highlighted a number of aspects he felt still needed to be addressed. These included the need for: expert witnesses to be paid for by the applicant but chosen by the County Council to preserve independence; an annual review of fees; enforcement and time limits on the start date following approval.

Mr Taylor, Chairman of PAGE, commented that the descriptive map at Figure 12 was impossible to interpret and felt that there was a lack of certainty about specific sites. He still felt that the balance referred to between North and South was vague. Table 12 was unclear and he had a query regarding the Caversham and Gill Mill areas. He was concerned that the consultation document would blight large areas and alarm residents.

Councillor Nimmo Smith, Cabinet Member for Environment in proposing the Plan for consultation emphasised that material could only be dug out where it existed and that therefore areas not in the Plan today were not ruled out forever.

During discussion Cabinet Members in welcoming the balance set out in the report considered the definition of the term broad balance, with some expressing the view that this should mean that 50:50 was the aspiration whilst other suggested a wider interpretation. There was discussion about the removal of some areas from Figure 12 and it was agreed that the Plan be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5/14

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/142

Contact: Maggie Scott, Head of Policy;  Tel: (01865) 816081

Report by Head of Policy (CA8).

This paper provides details of performance for quarter two for the Cabinet to consider. The report is required so that the Cabinet can monitor the performance of the Council in key service areas and be assured that progress is being made to improve areas where performance is below the expected level.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note and discuss the performance reported in the dashboards and to note the concerns of the Performance Scrutiny Committee that, across all three Directorates, resources are stretched due to an increase in demand, which is not mirrored by funding streams, and is threatening the future performance of the Council.

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/128

Contact: Sue Whitehead, Committee Services Manager Tel: (01865) 810262

To report on a quarterly basis any executive decisions taken by the Chief Executive under the specific powers and functions delegated to her under the terms of Part 7.4 of the Council’s Constitution – Paragraph 1(A)(c)(i).  It is not for scrutiny call in.

Cabinet Member: All

Contact Officer: Sue Whitehead, Committee Services Manager (01865 810262)

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 CA12.  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.