Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Rodney Rose.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2011 (CA3) and to receive for information any matters arising on them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2011 were agreed and signed.

Any county councillor may, by giving notice to the Proper Officer by 9 am on the working day before the meeting, ask a question on any matter in respect of the Cabinet’s delegated powers.

The number of questions which may be asked by any councillor at any one meeting is limited to two (or one question with notice and a supplementary question at the meeting) and the time for questions will be limited to 30 minutes in total. As with questions at Council, any questions which remain unanswered at the end of this item will receive a written response.

Questions submitted prior to the agenda being despatched are shown below and will be the subject of a response from the appropriate Cabinet Member or such other councillor or officer as is determined by the Cabinet Member, and shall not be the subject of further debate at this meeting. Questions received after the despatch of the agenda, but before the deadline, will be shown on the Schedule of Addenda circulated at the meeting, together with any written response which is available at that time.

Councillor John Sanders had given notice of the following question to the Cabinet Member for Growth & Infrastructure:

“What measures will LPT3 include to improve cross-city cycle routes in Oxford?

” Councillor Hudspeth replied:

 “Radial cycle routes as well as routes across the city centre will be improved and there will be schemes to improve cycle access to park and ride sites. 

Schemes and investigative work will include:

·        cycle/pedestrian improvements to allow 2-way cycling on Pembroke Street;

·        Jackdaw Lane cycle and footbridge over the Thames;

·        identification of other ‘missing links’ and potential schemes to further join up the city’s cycle network.

It is unfortunate that due to the country’s deficit that the previous government left behind that funding for such schemes will be difficult to identify.”

Councillor John Sanders had given notice of the following question to the Cabinet Member for Growth & Infrastructure:

“Paragraph 10 of the report on LPT3 claims under aims and strategic objectives that it will "tackle deprivation" how does the Cabinet Member for Transport envisage that LPT3 will tackle deprivation?”

Councillor Hudspeth replied:

“The LTP will tackle deprivation by:

·        Supporting growth and the competitiveness of the local economy - by reducing congestion, securing infrastructure and improving the local environment the Plan will help to retain existing jobs and attract new ones to the county

·        Making it easier to get around the county and improving access to jobs and services – by creating the conditions for sustainable long term transport services the Plan will give real choice to the deprived and open up opportunities for them

·        Promoting healthier travel – the most deprived people often have the least healthy lifestyles and the Plan will provide more opportunities for them to choose more healthy travel options

These ambitions may not be realised in the first few years of the Plan because of the deficit that the previous government left behind but the plan will guide investment for 20 years towards these important goals.”

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed:

Item 6.             Mr Andrew Churchill-Stone, Chair of

Governors of Culham Parochial

School;

Mr Kitson Thomas (Chair of Save

Culham School Group);

Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, local member

Item 8.             Councillor Janet Godden, local member, 

Ms Brockliss, Headteacher Elms Road Nursery, 

Ms Marsh, Headteacher Botley  Primary School  

Item 11.          Councillor Janet Godden, Shadow Cabinet Member

Item 14.          Councillor Jean Fooks, Opposition Deputy Leader

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/007

Contact: Roy Leach, Strategic Lead – School Organisation & Planning Tel: (01865) 816458

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA6).

The viability of Culham Parochial Primary School has been called into question due to a combination of factors: inability of the governing body to recruit a headteacher, falling pupil roll and deficit budget.  Efforts have been made by the governing body, supported by the council and the Oxford Diocese, to address these issues but it has not been possible to put in place a viable recovery plan. Reluctantly, council officers, the Diocese and  governors in post at the start of the 2010-11 academic year, concluded that the school does not have a future and the council has undertaken a public consultation about a proposal to close the school with effect from the end of the current academic year. The report presents the outcomes of the consultation and describes the next steps required if effect is to be given to the proposal to close the school.

Cabinet decided in February to “defer the decision on whether to publish a statutory notice for the closure of Culham Parochial School to the March Cabinet to allow time for [three] conditions to be met”.

The Cabinet report considered on 16 February is attached and an update on the current position will be provided at the meeting to give maximum time for the conditions to be met

Note: As set out under Rule 18(a) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this decision is exempt from Call-In as it is deemed urgent in that any delay would seriously prejudice the Council’s interests, due to additional financial costs, and the interests of the public in that the publication of any necessary statutory notice would be delayed leading to significant disadvantage to parents with children at the School.

Cabinet at its meeting on 16 February considered a report that set out the

outcomes of the consultation about a proposal to close the school with effect

from the end of the current academic year and describing the next steps

required if effect was to be given to the proposal to close the school.

Following representations from the school, Cabinet deferred a decision to the

March Cabinet to allow three conditions to be met for the school to remain

open. Cabinet received an update on the interview process for the appointment of a head teacher.

Note: As set out under Rule 18(a) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this decision is exempt from Call-In as any delay would seriously prejudice the Council’s interests, due to additional financial costs, and the interests of the public in that the publication of any necessary statutory notice would be delayed leading to significant disadvantage to parents with children at the School.

Mr Churchill-Stone gave an update on the remaining two conditions advising that there would be 39 children on roll by  January 2012 and 46 by the January following. In terms of the financial position he referred to\the personal pledges of funding for 3 years from people in the audience of the meeting today and that a positive budget could be achieved. He was happy to meet with officers to prove his budget robust. He referred to the lack of appointment of a head teacher but commented that a further advertising round was underway and that he was confident that the leadership issue could be resolved. Help was being given by the National Education Trust.

Mr Kitson added that in respect of the numbers on roll the figures were based on detailed information that had been given to the Authority for verification.

Responding to a question about any progress towards a hard federation Mr Churchill-Stone advised that they were talking to other schools but that it was impossible to have something in place by September 2011.

Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale speaking as a local member commented on the hard work of the Governors. They had successfully met two of the three conditions and she hoped that the Cabinet would be able to respond to what had already been done.

The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement stated that he had met with those involved and officers in the last week. He stressed that it was the approach of the Council to support small schools and that there had been no closure of a small school in six years. Efforts had been made over a number of years to get the school to confront the need for a federation. He referred to the papers he had received today and indicated that the numbers and budget figures would need to be verified by officers. He acknowledged the work done and expressed his regret that it had not been possible to appoint from the short list. The school needs strong and sustainable leadership. He did not believe that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31/11

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/024

Contact: Geoff Malcolm, Committee Officer Tel: (01865) 815904

Report by Head of Law & Governance (CA 7).

To consider an invitation to Oxfordshire County Council to apply for a place on the Board of the South East Regional Arts Council.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)       nominate the Cabinet Member for Safer & Stronger Communities for a place on the Arts Council England’s Board of the South East Regional Arts Council; and

(b)       include the Board in the ‘All Appointments’ list as a 'Standing Advisory Body'.   

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)       nominate the Cabinet Member for Safer & Stronger Communities for a place on the Arts Council England’s Board of the South East Regional Arts Council; and

(b)       include the Board in the ‘All Appointments’ list as a 'Standing Advisory Body'.

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/104

Contact: Barbara Chillman, Principal Officer – School Organisation and Planning Tel: (01865) 816459

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA 8).

The merger of Botley Primary School with Elms Road Nursery School and Children's Centre requires the formal closure of Elms Road Nursery School and an extension in age range of Botley Primary School. Cabinet agreed on the 21 December 2010 to the issuing of a linked formal statutory closure notice which was published on the 7 January 2011. The period in which representations could be made by interested parties closed on the 18 February and these are summarised in the report.  A formal decision by Cabinet to close Elms Road Nursery School and extend the age range at Botley Primary School will allow the merged school to start operating from 1 September 2011.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)               Consider the representations made in response to the statutory closure notice with particular reference to the issues detailed in paragraphs 12-23 and the Statutory Guidance; and

(b)              Approve the closure of Elms Road Nursery School with effect from midnight, 31 August 2011, AND the extension of age range at Botley Primary School with effect from 1 September 2011.

Cabinet considered a report setting out representations made by interested parties following the decision of Cabinet on the 21 December 2010 to the issuing of a linked formal statutory closure notice which was publishedon the 7 January 2011.

Councillor Janet Godden speaking as local Member expressed some dismay at the letters and emails on this subject some of which had been personal and queried information in the local parish magazine which she felt was misleading. She remained convinced that the merger was the best way forward but stressed that this in no way diminished the lifetime achievement of the head teacher of the nursery school.

Ms Brockliss, Headteacher of Elms Road Nursery School spoke against the proposed merger. She commented that the accountability issue remained undefined that the Nursery School was an outstanding school and it made no sense for it to join with a school that was satisfactory. The expertise of the school in early years would be diluted. She referred to her leadership roll in respect of the Children’s Centre. The parents fight for the school to remain open told its own story.

Ms Marsh, Headteacher of Botley Primary School spoke in support of the proposed merger. She had experienced first hand the limitations of joint working. She did not believe that it would lead to declining standards. There was an experienced team for early years and it was about a single accountability.

Responding to a question Ms Marsh indicated that she would be the Headteacher of the merged school but that the remaining structure would be decided by the Governing Body.

The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement indicated that no new information had come out of the formal consultation except a hardening of views. There had been a series of misleading statements/articles and he stressed that the closure of the Nursery School was a technical matter, taking out the name and official number but was in fact a merger not a closure. He feared that some of the responses received were based on the misapprehension that the school would close and nursery places would be lost. He thanked Ms Brockliss for her work. The leadership role in respect of the Children’s Centre was well made but the shape of provision in this area would be reviewed in next twelve months. He added that every Children’s Centre had its own manager and the role of the Headteacher was strategic.

The Leader indicated that Cabinet members had received and considered prior to the meeting information from Sue Dowe, Extended Services Co-ordinator Elms Road Children's Centre.

RESOLVED:-           That following consideration of the representations made in response to the statutory closure notice with particular reference to the issues detailed in paragraphs 12-23 and the Statutory Guidance to approve the closure of Elms Road Nursery School with effect from midnight, 31 August 2011, and the extension of age range at Botley Primary School with effect from 1 September 2011

Cabinet Member: Safer & Stronger Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/039

Contact: Martyn Brown, County Heritage & Arts Officer Tel: (01993) 814114

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA9).

This report follows reports to the Cabinet in November 2008 and as a delegated decision to the Cabinet Member for Social and Community Services in May 2009.Those reports respectively instructed officers to establish a new charitable trust to manage Cogges Manor Farm Museum and established the objects and powers of the new Trust. This report describes the work that has continued subsequently, seeks approval for the final stages of leasing the Cogges Manor Farm Museum to the new Trust including related property issues, its proposed charitable objects, and the financial implications.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED, subject to one-off funding support of £50,000 from West Oxfordshire District Council:

a.                  to authorise the County Councils Assistant Head of Property to agree the grant of a lease of Cogges Manor Farm to the Trust on terms to be agreed

b.                 to authorise the County Councils Assistant Head of Property to enter into such other property arrangements in respect of the Mawles Lease and the Church Lease and on terms to be agreed as are appropriate to facilitate the new Trust in operating the Cogges Manor Farm

c.                  to authorise the Head of Legal Services to agree the creation of the Trust and its constitution

d.                  to nominate two representatives from the County Council as Trustees (currently Simon Kearey and Martyn Brown)

e.                  authorise the County Solicitor to agree suitable agreements with the Trust to cover the Council’s funding support, the loan of exhibits and the transfer of chattels

Cabinet considered a report that described the work that had continued since authority was given to officers to establish a new charitable trust to manage

Cogges Manor Farm Museum and since the objects and powers of the new

Trust had been established.

In introducing the report the Cabinet Member for Safer & Stronger Communities thanked officers for their efforts over a very long period of time working with the Shadow Board.

During discussion it was suggested that the Board should have at least one elected Member and it was proposed that Councillor David Robertson who had been involved throughout should be nominated.

RESOLVED:            subject to one-off funding support of £50,000 from West Oxfordshire District Council: to:

(a)       authorise the County Councils Assistant Head of Property to agree the grant of a lease of Cogges Manor Farm to the Trust on terms to be agreed;

(a)              authorise the County Councils Assistant Head of Property to enter into such other property arrangements in respect of the Mawles Lease and the Church Lease and on terms to be agreed as are appropriate to facilitate the new Trust in operating the Cogges Manor Farm;

(b)              authorise the Head of Legal Services to agree the creation of the Trust and its constitution; and

a.                  nominate Councillor David Robertson and one of either Simon Kearey or Martyn Brown as Trustees.

Cabinet Member: Children, Young People & Families

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/043

Contact: Sian Rodway, Strategic Lead, Performance Tel: (01865) 815142

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA11).

To update Cabinet on the outcome of the unannounced inspection by Ofsted of our contact referral and assessment services within children's services which took place in November 2010 and the annual Children's Services Assessment which were published in December 2010.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the positive outcome of the authority’s latest inspection of services to safeguard children and the 2010 Children’s services Assessment.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the positive outcome of the authority’s latest inspection of services to safeguard children and the 2010 Children’s Services Assessment.

Councillor Janet Godden welcomed the pleasing and positive report. There were no surprises and half the battle was to know the development issues and to be working on them. She highlighted concerns over workloads and capacity with which the Council had struggled for a long time. She also stressed the importance of suitable accommodation for people leaving care as it often unlocked access to jobs and training. She welcomed the strong performance of the Children’s Trust. She congratulated officers and Cabinet Members for their efforts.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families responded to the comments made highlighting the positives in the inspection that were set out particularly in paragraph 17 and thanking everyone involved for their efforts. With regard to workloads it was an area that needed to be addressed and there was additional money in the budget to provide support. She was pleased that currently there was only one agency worker. Referral rates had gone up and continued to rise but the Directorate was managing well. On care leavers she commented that they had worked closely with District Council colleagues and it was about partnership working. She agreed that the Trust could point to its achievements including a recent award for an employability scheme. Since the arrival of the Director record keeping had improved with new processes in place. 

RESOLVED:             to note the positive outcome of the authority’s latest inspection of services to safeguard children and the 2010 Children’s services Assessment Cabinet considered a report setting out the positive outcome of the authority’s latest inspection of services to safeguard children and the 2010 Children’s Services Assessment.

Councillor Janet Godden welcomed the pleasing and positive report. There were no surprises and half the battle was to know the development issues and to be working on them. *She highlighted improvements shown in the report in areas with which the Council had struggled for some time, such as caseloads for children's social workers and capacity issues; and finding suitable accommodation for people leaving care as it often unlocked access to jobs and training. She welcomed the strong performance of the Children’s Trust. She congratulated officers and Cabinet Members for their efforts.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families responded to the comments made highlighting the positives in the inspection that were set out particularly in paragraph 17 and thanking everyone involved for their efforts. With regard to workloads it was an area that needed to be addressed and there was additional money in the budget to provide support. She was pleased that currently there was only one agency worker. Referral rates had gone up and continued to rise but the Directorate was managing well. On care leavers she commented that they had worked closely with District Council colleagues and it was about partnership working. She agreed that the Trust  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35/11

Cabinet Member: Growth & Infrastructure

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/071

Contact: John Disley, LTP Project Director Tel: (01865) 810460

Report by Deputy Director of Environment & Economy

Highways & Transport (CA12).

The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the final version of the Local Transport Plan 2011 – 2030 (LTP3).  As a policy document LTP3, if approved, will be put to the full County Council for adoption as formal policy.

Oxfordshire County Council has a statutory requirement to produce a new Local Transport Plan (LTP) by April 2011.  This will be Oxfordshire's third Local Transport Plan (LTP3) and will cover the period from 2011 to 2030.  LTP3 will be a blueprint for all transport development across the county, not just the publicly funded elements, and will also form the basis for county council comments on planning application, local development frameworks and  other consultations. 

The background against which the Plan is being developed is changing fast.  It is important for the Plan to reflect the current economic climate whilst not losing sight of the longer term aspirations for Oxfordshire.  It is important that the County Council has an agreed LTP in order to facilitate the delivery of (and respond to) development and enable the delivery of priority transport schemes when funding becomes available.

A public consultation on the draft version of LTP3 was carried out between October 2010 and January 2011.  The draft Plan has been amended in line with the responses received and also to take account of external factors such as the Comprehensive Spending Review, Regional Growth Fund and the establishment of the Oxfordshire Local Economic Partnership.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       RECOMMEND the County Council to adopt the Local Transport Plan, subject to the inclusion of any consequential and editorial changes in the text as agreed by theDeputy Director of Environment & Economy Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure and the Cabinet Member for Transport; and

(b)       to delegate the authority for any interim changes to the Plan to be agreed by the Deputy Director of Environment & Economy

Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Growth and Infrastructure and Transport, for proposed adoption as Policy as part of the annual review of the Plan.

Cabinet considered a report that sought approval of the final version of the Local Transport Plan 2011 – 2030 (LTP3) prior to submission to the full Council meeting.

John Disley highlighted that the Plan would be updated annually and that there would be ongoing work over the next few months.

Cabinet Members in supporting the Plan commented on the cycling strategy, traffic to Bicester Village and the Cogges Link in Witney. The Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure responding to the comments made. The Leader drew attention to the additional information contained in the addenda.

RESOLVED:             to: RECOMMEND the County Council

(a)       to adopt the Local Transport Plan, subject to the inclusion of any consequential and editorial changes in the text as agreed by the Deputy Director of Environment & Economy Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure and the Cabinet Member for Transport; and

(b)       to delegate the authority for any interim changes to the Plan to be agreed by the Deputy Director of Environment & Economy Highways & Transport  in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Growth and Infrastructure and Transport, for proposed adoption as Policy as part of the annual review of the Plan.

Cabinet Member: Finance & Property

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/183

Contact: Kathy Wilcox, Principal Financial Manager Tel: (01865) 323981

Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CA13).

This is the the seventh financial monitoring report for the 2010/11 financial year and covers the period up to the end of January 2011.  Part 1 & 2 set out the Council's forecast position for the 2010/11 financial year and include projections for revenue, balances, reserves. The capital programme monitoring and capital programme review update is included at Part 3.  Funding changes and Other Financial Issues are included in Part 4.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)              note the report and approve the virement requests as set out in annex 2a;

(b)              Agree to use the exceptional funding from the Department of Transport on additional Highways Maintenance as set out in paragraphs 81 and 82;

(c)               Agree the removal the additional funding relating to the pay award for employees earning less than £21,000 and transfer £0.381m to the Efficiency Reserve as set out in paragraphs 83 and 84; and

(d)              Agree the creation of the Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Partnership reserve as set out in paragraph 55.

Cabinet considered the latest financial monitoring report for the 2010/11 financial year that covered the period up to the end of January 2011.  Part 1 & 2 set out the Council's forecast position for the 2010/11 financial year and included projections for revenue, balances, reserves. The capital programme monitoring and capital programme review update was included at Part 3.  Funding changes and Other Financial Issues were included in Part 4.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Property commented that the changes to accounting procedures meant that there were some very different figures in the report.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)               note the report and approve the virement requests as set out in annex 2a;

(b)               agree to use the exceptional funding from the Department of Transport on additional Highways Maintenance as set out in paragraphs 81 and 82;

(c)               agree the removal the additional funding relating to the pay award for employees earning less than £21,000 and transfer £0.381m to the Efficiency Reserve as set out in paragraphs 83 and 84; and

(d)               agree the creation of the Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Partnership reserve as set out in paragraph 55.

At this point the Chairman proposed and it was agreed to vary the order of the agenda.

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 CA15.  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.

Cabinet Member: Finance & Property

Forward Plan Ref:  2011/059

Contact: Sue Ryde, Principal Strategy Officer Tel: (01865) 862529; Nigel Holmes, Programme Manager, ECH Tel: (01865) 323684

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA16).

In accordance with Regulation 16 of the The Local Authorities (Executive

Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended), the Chairman of the Strategy & Partnerships Scrutiny Committee (since this is a finance related item) has agreed that the need to take the decision is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred.

The County Council has been planning for the development Extra Care Housing (ECH) on its site at Shotover View, Oxford with its partners in the Oxfordshire Care Partnership (OCP).  The ECH development is one of the Councils main strategies for the development of services for older people that meet the needs for support and care and also move away from the reliance on residential care.

The development of the Shotover ECH scheme requires grant subsidy from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).  The proposed allocation will not be sufficient for the scheme to be viable without further support.

This report proposes that this is from the County's Capital Programme allocation for the development of ECH. The sum required is £1.16million.

Note: As set out under Rule 18(a) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this decision is exempt from Call-In as the Council’s call-in procedure should not apply where the  decision being taken is urgent in the view of the decision maker. The decision maker considers that this decision is urgent in that any delay any delay would be detrimental to the Council’s financial interest and to the strategy for the development of services for older people. In accordance with Rule 18(a) the agreement of the  Chairman of the Council is being sought  that in all the circumstances the decision should be treated as a matter of urgency.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval of the payment of £1.2m grant to help secure the viability of a new, purpose built Extra Care Housing Scheme to provide a development of 55 one and two bedroom flats plus a full suite of communal facilities plus accommodation for care staff.

Note: As set out under Rule 18(a) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this decision is exempt from Call-In in that any delay would be detrimental to the Council’s financial interest and to the strategy for the development of services for older people.

Note: In accordance with Regulation 16 of The Local Authorities (Executive

Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 (as amended), the Chairman of the Strategy & Partnerships Scrutiny Committee (since this is a finance related item) has agreed that the need to take the decision is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred. The Chairman of the meeting agreed that the item be deemed a matter of urgency in view of the need to secure the viability of the scheme.

Cabinet was advised that the grant agreement would be with Oxfordshire Care Partnership and not Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association as set out in the report.

Cabinet Members noted that it would be the last meeting attended by Nick Welch before his retirement and they thanked him for his efforts for the Council and wished him well in his retirement.

RESOLVED:             to approve the payment of grant to Oxfordshire Care Partnership  in order to help secure the viability of a new, purpose built Extra Care Housing Scheme.

RESOLVED:             that the public be excluded for the duration of item 14 since it was likely that if they were present during that item there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and specified in minute no. 41 below and since it was considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information on the grounds set out in that minute.

PUBLIC SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/057

Contact: Sue Corrigan, Strategic HR Manager TelL01865) 810280

Report by Head of Human Resources (CA14).

(The information contained in the report is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed category:

4    –    Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matters arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or officer-holders under the authority.

It is considered that in this case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information in that disclosure would be detrimental to consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relations matters.)

During the final months of 2010, following the identification of the £8 million shortfall in the 2011-12 budget savings, consultations and negotiations were undertaken with major trade unions to seek agreement to changes to terms and conditions of employment which would render substantial savings towards meeting this deficit. The outcome of this was that Unison, following consultation with their membership, reluctantly reached an agreement for two years which made changes to car allowance rate, introduced a limited freeze on incremental rises and reduced the level of redundancy compensation. Discussions with other trade unions did not result in an agreement. Discussions are still taking place with these unions, however, if agreement cannot be reached it would be necessary to take steps to make changes to contracts of employment without agreement in order to maintain consistency across employment groups as far as possible and to maximise the savings made. This report seeks Cabinet agreement should it be necessary to make these changes without agreement.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to ask the officers to make every effort to obtain agreement from outstanding work groups to changes to terms and conditions in line with the Unison agreement, and, where this proves impossible, to authorise them to take appropriate steps to extend these changes to terms and conditions of employment to those groups of employees, so far as this is possible, where agreement has not proved to be possible.

The public was excluded during this item because its discussion in public would have been likely to lead to the disclosure to members of the public present of information in the following prescribed category:

4    –    Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matters arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or officer-holders under the authority;

and since it was considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, in that in that disclosure would be detrimental to consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relations matters.

Cabinet heard from Councillor Jean Fooks, Opposition Deputy Leader and following discussion agreed the recommendations set out in the report.