Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2019 (CA3) and to receive information arising from them.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 December 2019 were approved and signed as an accurate record.

11 Questions with notice were asked.  Details of the questions and answers and the supplementary questions and answers (where asked) are set out in Annex 1 to the Minutes.

Cabinet Received the following Petitions and Public Address:

Petitions

Mr Jamie Hartzell, local resident of Kingston Road presented a Petition of some 650 signatures calling on the council to keep the south end of Walton Street closed to traffic, on the basis that the majority of local residents wanted the closure to reman; it had brought huge benefits including: through traffic being eliminated, an improvement in air quality, and the overall street scape was now safer and far more pleasant for cyclists and pedestrians.

Mr Richard Brown, local resident presented a petition of some 350 signatures requesting a review of the safety of the road running through the village of Middle Barton.

Councillor Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment thanked the petitioners for their petitions.

Public Address

Sushila Dhall addressing the Cabinet in her role as Chair of the Oxford Pedestrian Association explained that despite successive County documents purporting to put pedestrians and other vulnerable road users at the centre of road and transport planning, the experience of walking from Oxford rail station to the city centre, and throughout many of Oxford's most heavily used pavements was that pedestrians were kept to narrow, neglected margins; were highly over-crowded; held up at road crossings; that pavements were dirty and often obstructed or in bad shape. Pedestrians were unable to see the historic buildings as were crammed between walls and metal vehicles, even on wide historic streets like St Giles, you could not hear birds for the roar of engines. The air stank. People could not breathe deeply or properly. New schmes included the pavements being narrowed to 1.5m, the County's minimum, which was not wide enough for a wheelchair user to pass a double buggy, or for two couples to walk past one another.

The Pedestrian Association welcomed Connecting Oxford as a radical vision, where Oxford could become a beautiful city, like Bath, where the public realm is celebrated and the historic buildings can be properly seen in their magnificence, and where independent shops were not closing like in Oxford, but thriving;  where one day people may have air they can breathe, roads they can cross; see the trees and hear the birds on St Giles; and have more public space, and walk, gaze, and breathe in a kind of ordinary joy.

Councillor Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment thanked Ms Sushila Dhall for her support.

Item 6

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Chair of Performance Scrutiny Committee 

Item 10

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Chair of Performance Scrutiny Committee 

Item 11

Sushila Dhall, Chair of Oxford Pedestrians Association

Ms Alison Hill, Chair of Cyclox the Cycle Campaign for Oxford

Mr Robin Tucker, Oxfordshire Cycle Network

Councillor Liz Brighouse, speaking as Local Member

Councillor John Howson, speaking as Local Member

Councillor Susanna Pressel, speaking as Local Member

Councillor Paul Buckley, speaking as Local Member

(Addresses are recorded at the relevant item)

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/116

Contact: Hannah Doney, Strategic Finance Manager (Assurance & Reporting) Tel: 07584 174654

Report by Director of Finance (CA6).

This report is the culmination of the Service & Resource Planning process for 2020/21 to 2023/24 and sets out the Cabinet’s proposed Corporate Plan and supporting budget, medium term financial plan, capital programme and supporting strategies.

The report is set out in three sections; the Corporate Plan; the revenue budget including the draft council tax precept for 2020/21 and the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) to 2023/24; and the Capital & Investment Strategy and Capital Programme including the Treasury Management Strategy.  Information outstanding at the time of the Cabinet meeting will be reported to Council when it considers the budget on 11 February 2020.

Cabinet’s Corporate Plan and revenue and capital budget proposals take into consideration the latest information on the council’s financial position outlined in this report and comments from the Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting on 9 January 2020.

The public consultation on the budget closes on 29 January 2020. The budget consultation report and any changes to the proposed budget as a result of comments received will be incorporated into the Service & Resource Planning 2020/21 – 2023/24 report to Council on 11 February 2020.

As final notification of some funding streams is awaited, some further changes may be made to the budget proposals ahead of full Council on 11 February 2020.

In relation to the Corporate Plan (Annex 1);

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to RECOMMEND Council to:

(a)       approve the Corporate Plan.

In relation to the Revenue Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan (Annex 2);

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       approve the Review of Charges for 2020/21;

(b)       approve the Financial Strategy for 2020/21;

(c)       approve the Earmarked Reserves and General Balances Policy Statement 2020/21; and

(d)       to delegate authority to the Leader of the Council, following consultation with the Director of Finance and the Cabinet Member for Finance, to make appropriate changes to the proposed budget.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to RECOMMEND Council to:

(a)       approve a budget for 2020/21 and a Medium Term Financial Plan to 2023/24, based on the proposals set out in Annex 2 – Appendix 2;

(b)       approve a council tax requirement (precept) for 2020/21;

(c)       approve a 2020/21 council tax for band D equivalent properties; and

(d)       approve the virement arrangements to operate within the approved budget.

In relation to the Capital & Investment Strategy and Capital Programme (Annex 3);

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       approve the Pupil Place Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24; and

(b)       approve the Highways Asset Management Strategy for 2019/20 – 2023/24.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to RECOMMEND Council to approve:

(a)       the Capital & Investment Strategy for 2020/21 - 2029/30 including:

(i)         the Investment Strategy;

(ii)       the Prudential Indicators; and

(iii)     the Minimum Revenue Provision Methodology Statement;

(b)       the new capital proposals for inclusion in the Capital Programme as set out in Annex 3 – Appendix C;

(c)       the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2020/21  ...  view the full agenda text for item 4/20

The Cabinet considered the final report in the series of the Service & Resource Planning process for 2020/21 to 2023/24.  The report was set out in three sections; the Corporate Plan; the revenue budget including the draft council tax precept for 2020/21 and the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) to 2023/24; and the Capital & Investment Strategy and Capital Programme including the Treasury Management Strategy.  Information outstanding at the time of the Cabinet meeting would be reported to Council when it considers the budget on 11 February 2020.

Cabinet’s Corporate Plan and revenue and capital budget proposals took into consideration the latest information on the council’s financial position outlined in this report and comments from the Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting on 9 January 2020.

The public consultation on the budget closed on 29 January 2020. The budget consultation report and any changes to the proposed budget as a result of comments received would be incorporated into the Service & Resource Planning 2020/21 – 2023/24 report to Council on 11 February 2020.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance welcomed the additional funding allocated to children’s and adult social care, although noted it was currently for one year only pending a number of reviews, and explained the importance of knowing the sustainable funding position for as many years as possible.

The Labour Group remained concerned about the continued use of one-off financial grants allocated by councillors and felt the money should be used to directly support the work of the Council. When initially challenged on this use of funds the argument presented was that there was no guarantee of funds being available beyond that year. So, recruiting staff was not considered an option because of the short-term nature of the known funding streams. This was not the current situation and she urged the Cabinet to use the funding to recruit more staff to to reduce the number of children in care or put more funds into Public Health to (for example) reduce the number of people dependent on drugs and alcohol.

In relation to the Review of Charges she noted that it still referred to developers making a contribution to the cost of officers providing advice and attending meetings. The Labour Group would support  the strategic objective of moving to charging actual costs.

On the Capital & Investment Strategy, she noted that during 2021/2022 there would be a fundamental review. Given that in the next financial year 2020/2021 only essential requirements were built into the programme, the group felt that should be capacity for this review to take place next year and not the year after.  In relation to 145 she questioned what allocations had been removed and whether they had been removed permanently or reassigned to another year?

The Group were keeping an eye on the current £18.4m shortfall, to ensure that the amount did not drift upwards without some really good reasons.

She echoed Performance Scrutiny’s support given the Director of Public Health’s approach to use health inequalities data to inform service provision.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4/20

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/117

Contact: Steven Fairhurst Jones, Corporate Performance & Risk Manager Tel: 07932 318890/Hannah Doney, Strategic Finance Manager (Assurance & Reporting) Tel: 07584 174654

Report by Corporate Director Customers & Organisational Development and Director of Finance (CA7).

The report sets out Oxfordshire County Council's (OCC's) progress towards Corporate Plan priorities, and provides an update on the delivery of the Medium Term Financial Plan, at 30 November. A summary of overall performance and description of change is contained within the report. The report contains three annexes:

·            Annex A shows our current performance against targets and summarises progress towards overall outcomes set out in our Corporate Plan.

·            Annex B sets out the new Leadership Risk Register which has been developed as part of the Council’s work to strengthen risk and opportunities management.

Annex C sets out the current financial position, providing detailed explanations of significant budget variations and an update on the Medium-Term Financial Plan including the delivery of savings agreed by Council in February 2019.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       note the contents of this report;

(b)       note the virements set out in Annex C – 2b;

(c)       approve the creation of a new Redundancy Reserve and approve the transfer of £1m from the Budget Priorities Reserve to the Redundancy Reserve as set out in Annex C.

Cabinet considered a report which set out Oxfordshire County Council's (OCC's) progress towards Corporate Plan priorities, and provided an update on the delivery of the Medium Term Financial Plan, at 30 November, including current performance against targets; the new Leadership Risk Register which had been developed as part of the Council’s work to strengthen risk and opportunities management; and the current financial position, providing detailed explanations of significant budget variations and an update on the Medium-Term Financial Plan including the delivery of savings agreed by Council in February 2019.

Councillor Heathcoat, Deputy Leader of the Council, in moving the recommendations stated that the Business Management Report supported the Council’s vision on transparency and formed part of the suit of documents which highlighted ambitions, priorities and financial performance and confirmed that good progress was being made towards the Corporate Plan priorities.  The report followed each of the Cabinet portfolios.

In relation to her portfolio she reported that trading standards had continued to introduce junior friends against scams, with 60 new pupils pledged, bring the total to 116 and a fire safety day for Oxfordshire schools.

In relation to the amber indicators and the red indicator set in the report which referred to the number of people leaving hospital awaiting Social Care, she asked the Cabinet to note that the report set out the position as at November 2019 and that most of the amber indicators should be green in the final quarter.

Councillor Bartholomew, Cabinet Member for Finance referred to the forecast position of the Revenue Budget as at the end of November 2019 set out in the report which included MTFP savings, reserves and balances.  He thanked Lorna Baxter and her team for their work.

Based on expenditure to the end of November 2019, there was forecast directorate overspend of £3.6 million.  This was partly off-set by net underspend on corporate measures, including interest at £0.3 million, and remained unchanged from the position reported in December.

In relation to Corporate Parenting, a significant increase in demand of high-cost placements had recently been identified and would likely cause an overspend against budget in the current financial year.

80% of the planned savings totalling £36.8 million were on track to being delivered in 2019/20.  The £5.1 million savings that were not expected to be achieved in year were reflected in the directorate forecast outturn position and would be addressed as part of the service and resource planning process.

Councillor Lawrie Stratford reported that delayed discharges of care remained to be a challenge and was still very variable, but it was improving.  Part of that was ensuring that they were working with health partners to improve outcomes.  A number of consultations had been carried out to get people to not use A&E as their first port of call.

Councillor Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment reported that they had seen a 10% increase in the satisfaction levels expressed by residents in the annual survey on highway improvements.

RESOLVED: to:

(a)       note the contents  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5/20

Cabinet Member: Children & Family Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/207

Contact: Diane Cameron, Policy & Performance Officer Tel: 07795 301254

Report by Deputy Director – Children’s Social Care (CA8).

This report is a draft proposed policy on establishing a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers across Oxfordshire. The scheme is proposed to establish care leavers as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992 and reduce their liability for council tax payments to nil between the ages of 18-21. Further arrangements on a case-by-case basis up to the age of 25 are proposed within the draft policy. A joint Memorandum of Understanding is also proposed and a draft is attached at Annex 1.

Cabinet is asked to note the contents of a draft joint policy proposing to establish a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers, and to request appropriate officers respond to it ahead of a final policy being taken to all Oxfordshire authorities’ Executives for approval ahead of implementation on 1 April 2020;

Cabinet is Recommended to approve that:

(a)       care Leavers are determined as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(b)       all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police implement the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers from 1 April 2020;

(c)       all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police are signatories to a joint Memorandum of Understanding stating the joint commitment to the proposed scheme.

Cabinet had before it a draft proposed policy on establishing a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers across Oxfordshire. The scheme was proposed to establish care leavers as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992 and reduce their liability for council tax payments to nil between the ages of 18-21. Further arrangements on a case-by-case basis up to the age of 25 are proposed within the draft policy. A joint Memorandum of Understanding was also proposed, and a draft is attached at Annex 1.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of the Council in moving the recommendations welcomed the proposal, particularly for those that needed as much help as possible.  He welcomed the partnership working with other councils and the police.

Councillor Stratford, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health welcomed the proposal, particularly for those young people who may not have had a good start to life. It demonstrated excellent working in partnership with the districts.

Councillor Corkin, Cabinet Member for Cherwell Partnership welcomed the innovative piece of work and the interface the scheme provided between adolescence and adult life and worked towards the preventative nature of focusing resources so that young people had good lifestyles.  He believed there was a lot more work that could be done on this area to drive prevention forward.

RESOLVED:

to note the contents of a draft joint policy proposing to establish a joint Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers, and to request appropriate officers respond to it ahead of a final policy being taken to all Oxfordshire authorities’ Executives for approval ahead of implementation on 1 April 2020;

to approve that:

(a)       care Leavers are determined as a class for the purpose of Section 13A(1)(c) of The Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(b)       all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police implement the Council Tax Discount Scheme for Care Leavers from 1 April 2020;

(c)        all Oxfordshire Authorities and Thames Valley Police are signatories to a joint Memorandum of Understanding stating the joint commitment to the proposed scheme.

Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care & Public Health

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/120

Contact: Rebecca Lanchbury, Commissioning Officer (Older People) Tel: 07584 481255

Report by Deputy Director for Joint Commissioning (CA9).

The Innovation and Sustainability Funds were introduced in 2018, following the review of daytime support services and the implementation of a new, flexible countywide system of daytime support in Oxfordshire. The Innovation Fund for Daytime Support 2018-19 was open to applications from all community and voluntary organisations to deliver new innovative projects for daytime support in Oxfordshire.

This report is regarding the Innovation & Sustainability Funds for Daytime Support, administered by Adult Social Care to support the development of daytime opportunities for adults in Oxfordshire. This fund helps support people to live well at home and in their communities.

The aim of the sustainability funding is to provide support to existing services and the innovation funding is to provide one-off funding to support the development of self-sustaining projects, delivering new opportunities for adults in Oxfordshire.

This round of applications to the Innovation and Sustainability Funds opened on 12 August 2019 and the closing date for both funds was originally 20 September 2019. However, an unprecedented number of requests to extend the deadline resulted in an extension of the closing date to 30 September 2019.

Funding of £250,000 per annum is available through the Sustainability Fund from 2020/21 to 2022/23.  We received 38 applications to this fund, requesting an overall amount of £370,634.30 in 2020/21. 30 applicants applied for funding over the 3-year period with further total requests of £282,499 in 2021/22 and £248,200 in 2022/23. 

The Innovation Fund totals £123,265 in 2020/21, and we received 5 applications to this fund, requesting an overall amount of £63,097.00 in 2020/21.

The strategic plan is to move towards a rolling three-year programme of awards for the Sustainability Fund, whereby a third of the available funding is awarded each year to applicants requesting funding over a three-year period.

As per the agreed cross-party decision-making process, the cross-party panel reviewed the applications and assessed them against grant criteria. Decisions on recommendations for award were coproduced with people who use services, supported by officers pre- scoring.

This paper sets out the final cross-party panel recommendations for allocation of the Innovation and Sustainability Funds for Daytime Support 2020-21, for decision by Cabinet.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       approve the recommendations, as set out under 28 (a-b);

(b)       approve the recommendation to transfer £40,138 from the Innovation Fund 2020/21 to the Sustainability Fund 2020/21, to cover the extra funding awarded, as set out under 28(c);

(c)       to carry forward the remaining balance of £39,430 from the Innovation Fund 2020/21 to the Innovation Fund 2021/22, as set out under 28 (d).

Cabinet considered a report on the Innovation and Sustainability Funds, which had been introduced in 2018, following the review of daytime support services and the implementation of a new, flexible countywide system of daytime support in Oxfordshire. The Innovation Fund for Daytime Support 2018-19 was open to applications from all community and voluntary organisations to deliver new innovative projects for daytime support in Oxfordshire.

This report outlined the Innovation & Sustainability Funds for Daytime Support, administered by Adult Social Care to support the development of daytime opportunities for adults in Oxfordshire. The fund helped support people to live well at home and in their communities.

The aim of the sustainability funding was to provide support to existing services and the innovation funding was to provide one-off funding to support the development of self-sustaining projects, delivering new opportunities for adults in Oxfordshire.

The round of applications to the Innovation and Sustainability Funds opened on 12 August 2019 and the closing date for both funds was originally 20 September 2019. However, an unprecedented number of requests to extend the deadline resulted in an extension of the closing date to 30 September 2019.

The report set out the final cross-party panel recommendations for allocation of the Innovation and Sustainability Funds for Daytime Support 2020-21.

Councillor Lawrie Stratford, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health in moving the recommendations thanked the cross party working group for their work on finding what was best for the residents and thanked the service users who had contributed.

Councillor Heathcoat, Deputy Leader of the Council welcomed the proposals set out in the report.  She referred to her local Daytime support centre which provided excellent support for those who were lonely within the communities, providing a hot meal and a chance to come together.  She also praised the Farcycles scheme which carried out work with Children and the elderely.

RESOLVED: to:

(a)       approve the recommendations, as set out under 28 (a-b);

(b)       approve the recommendation to transfer £40,138 from the Innovation Fund 2020/21 to the Sustainability Fund 2020/21, to cover the extra funding awarded, as set out under 28(c);

(c)        to carry forward the remaining balance of £39,430 from the Innovation Fund 2020/21 to the Innovation Fund 2021/22, as set out under 28 (d).

Cabinet Member: Education & Cultural Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/201

Contact: Jayne Howarth, Head of SEND Tel: 07776 996944

Report by Head of SEND (CA10).

The final SEND re-visit report was published by Ofsted on the 23 December 2019, following the revisit on the 15 - 17 October 2019.  The findings of the report detail the outcome, which advised that the Local Area had made significant progress in three out of five areas of significant weakness, which was highlighted in the Ofsted SEND Inspection held in September 2017.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the outcome of the SEND Local Area Re-Visit report, published on the 23 December 2019.

The Cabinet had before it the final SEND re-visit report, which had been published by Ofsted on the 23 December 2019, following the revisit on the 15 - 17 October 2019.  The findings of the report detailed the outcome, which advised that the Local Area had made significant progress in three out of five areas of significant weakness, which was highlighted in the Ofsted SEND Inspection held in September 2017.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, speaking as Chairman of the Performance Scrutiny Committee explained that the Scrutiny Committee had considered the report at its meeting on 9 January.  Overall, the Committee had been pleased that Ofsted had recognised the progress that the Council’s partners had made in relation to supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities, with 3 out of the 5 significant weaknesses identified having made significant progress.

A key aspect the Committee wished to highlight was the level of joint working with colleagues in the NHS to produce EHCPs.  The Committee wanted everyone involved in making these plans, to keep the language as simple as possible as the documents were often very complex.

The Committee had noted through their monitoring reports that keeping to the timescales for EHCPs had been challenging due to rising demand and were pleased to see that Ofsted acknowledged the progress made in relation to timeliness. However, quality should not sacrifice, and the Committee remained concerned over the variable quality highlighted through the inspection.  The Committee supported Ofsted’s view regarding officers working directly with parents for co-production of solutions.

The Committee would continue to keep as an area of concern the long waiting times for Child and Mental Health Services, until children were seen in a timely fashion.  The Committee further noted that the decision to exclude children from Academies was out of the local authorities control and under the responsibilities of the Multi Academy Trusts.

Councillor Lorraine Lindsay Gale, Cabinet Member for Education & Cultural Services welcomed the report.  Despite the fact that only 3 out of the 5 areas had made significant progress, the comments from the inspectors on the remaining 2 areas had been encouraging, rather than hyper-critical.  The inspectors had been very pleased to hear of the plans to improve those areas.  Therefore, it was not expected that there would be a further inspection but would instead be monitored on the action plan going forward.  She commended and moved the report.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of the Council emphasised the importance of the co-production with parents.

RESOLVED: to note the outcome of the SEND Local Area Re-Visit report, published on the 23 December 2019.

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/061

Contact: Joanne Fellows, Infrastructure Locality Lead Tel: 07990 368897/Stewart Wilson, Principal Transport Planning Officer Tel: 07801 740354

Report by Director for Planning & Place (CA11).

The report outlines Connecting Oxford proposals - further traffic restrictions across Oxford and a workplace parking levy in Oxford's Eastern Arc - and the transport, environmental and other benefits it could deliver for Oxfordshire. A timetable and costs for the work required to design a detailed scheme and develop a DfT compliant business case, which will thoroughly assess a range of scheme benefits and impacts, are contained within the report. Initial proposals were recently subject to an extensive engagement exercise and the report confirms the main findings.

In addition, the report sets out the need for further consultation and engagement. It is proposed to develop a detailed scheme and business case between January/February 2020 and Autumn 2021. A decision is required on whether to proceed on this basis (with the necessary funding to undertake this work already secured from the Housing & Growth Deal).

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the overall approach proposed as the basis for further scheme and business case development of Connecting Oxford proposals in partnership with Oxford City Council.

Cabinet considered a report which outlined Connecting Oxford proposals - further traffic restrictions across Oxford and a workplace parking levy in Oxford's Eastern Arc - and the transport, environmental and other benefits it could deliver for Oxfordshire. A timetable and costs for the work required to design a detailed scheme and develop a DfT compliant business case, which would thoroughly assess a range of scheme benefits and impacts, were contained within the report. Initial proposals were recently subject to an extensive engagement exercise and the report confirmed the main findings.

Ms Alison Hill speaking as Chair of Cyclox (the cycle campaign for Oxford), welcomed Connecting Oxford as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the way people travelled in the city. They believed in approving this, the Council would be the first in the UK to tackle the problems of congestion in such a radical way.

Ghent in Belgium a medieval university city like Oxford, had demonstrated that it was possible to switch attitudes overnight. Streets were blocked to motorists one Sunday evening in 2017 and to the disappointment of the waiting media – there was no wailing, no gnashing of teeth, no gridlock. Motorists had found that, while their journeys were longer in distance, they took less time because there were fewer fellow travellers on the roads. Motor vehicles used to make up 55% of trips in Ghent – that number had now fallen to 27%.

There would inevitably be resistance as this was a huge change. CoHSAT offered support through engagement with their collective membership and with the local communities, by promoting the plans, and providing or obtaining expert advice in taking the next steps to making Connecting Oxford a reality and increasing its ambition.  She urged the Cabinet to approve the bold plan.

Councillor Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment thanked Ms Hill for her strong support and offer of assistance to reach the general public.

Mr Robin Tucker speaking as Chair of Oxfordshire Cycling Network and a member of the Oxfordshire Strategic Transport Forum and of the coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel, welcomed the proposals for Connecting Oxford. In a recent Government Survey, 74% agreed that everyone should reduce how much they use their motor vehicles in urban areas for the sake of public health.  The impact of climate crisis had reached a dramatic level, yet traffic increased year on year.  People understood the need for change but found it difficult to change long established habits.  It was up to the Council as policy makers to carry people in the right direction.

As well as individual benefits, Connecting Oxford enabled a positive transformation of the City, new spaces for people, supporting education and business became possible.

He urged the Cabinet to adopt the plan and offered their help to develop the details and to help engage with communities.

Councillor Constance thanked Mr Tucker for his comments, particularly around the emphasis on improvement on the public realm Hill. She reported that Birmingham had plans to stop all cars  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9/20

Cabinet Member: Leader of the Council

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/118

Contact: Sue Whitehead, Principal Committee Officer Tel: 07393 001213

To report on a quarterly basis any executive decisions taken under the specific powers and functions delegated under the terms of Part 7.2 (Scheme of Delegation to Officers) of the Council’s Constitution – Paragraph 6.3(c)(i).  It is not for Scrutiny call-in.

Cabinet noted a quarterly report on executive decisions taken under the specific powers and functions delegated under the terms of Part 7.2 (Scheme of Delegation to Officers) of the Council’s Constitution – Paragraph 6.3(c)(i).  It is not for Scrutiny call-in.

Cabinet Member: All

Contact Officer: Sue Whitehead, Committee Services Manager Tel: 07393 001213

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 CA13.  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.

The Cabinet considered a list of items 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.