Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Glynis Phillips.

Councillors Neil Fawcett and Calum Miller attended remotely.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 March 2022 (CA3) and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 March 2022 were approved and signed.

The questions received from County Councillors and responses are set out in an Annex to these Minutes.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection.  In line with current Government advice, those attending the meeting in person are asked to consider wearing a face-covering.

Normally requests to speak at this public meeting are required by 9 am on the day preceding the published date of the meeting. However, during the current situation and to facilitate ‘hybrid’ meetings we are asking that requests to speak are submitted by no later than 9am four working days before the meeting i.e. 9 am on Wednesday 20 April 2022.  Requests to speak should be sent to colm.ocaomhanaigh@oxfordshire.gov.uk .

If you are speaking ‘virtually’, you may submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that if the technology fails, then your views can still be taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9 am 2 working days before the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

The Chair agreed to the following requests to speak:

Item 7: A40 HIF2 Smart Corridor

Graham Smith

Ian Leggett

Councillor Dan Levy

Cabinet Member: Climate Change Delivery & Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2022/014

Contact: Paul Fermer, Assistant Director Operations Tel: 07825 273984 / Andy Lederer, Principal Officer – Arboriculture Tel: 07860 453603

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA6).

This new Tree Policy puts the emphasis on ‘Presumption in favour of trees’ to maximise canopy cover opportunities and address the Climate Emergency across the Oxfordshire Landscape and Streetscape.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)               Approve the updated Tree Policy as at ANNEX 1;

b)              Approve the inclusion of related matters into the Street Design Guidance;

c)               Support the additonal information provided as ‘Application of Tree Policy Guidance’ as set out at ANNEX 2.

Cabinet considered a new Tree Policy putting the emphasis on ‘Presumption in favour of trees’ to maximise canopy cover opportunities and address the Climate Emergency across the Oxfordshire Landscape and Streetscape.  Cabinet was recommended to approve the policy and related guidance.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Cabinet Member for Climate Change Delivery & Environment introduced the policy.  He described it as part of a much-needed strategic shift.  The old policy viewed trees as something nice to have but saw them largely in terms of costs and risks rather than as assets and something that helps us reduce risks.  Under the new policy trees were regarded as critical climate infrastructure.  It sets out the need to expand the supply chain for locally grown trees.

The Climate Change Committee outlined 10 principles for successful adaptation.  He emphasised four of them: a clear vision, clarity of targets, impact of unpredictable extremes and threshold effects – triggered by particular levels of climate heating.  There were two pillars: people and the natural world.  The latter will survive no matter what, the question was whether we can accompany it.

There was a broader strategy being worked on but the Climate Change Committee recommended acting quickly on measures such as those in this policy - recognising that tree planting had multiple benefits.  He thanked officers for their work on the policy, especially Andy Lederer and Nick Mottram, and also acknowledged the work done by a former Labour councillor for Hackney, John Burke, who led that council’s very innovative tree strategy.  Many of his ideas informed this policy.

The Chair put the recommendations.

RESOLVED to:

a)              Approve the updated Tree Policy as at ANNEX 1;

b)              Approve the inclusion of related matters into the Street Design Guidance;

c)              Support the additional information provided as ‘Application of Tree Policy Guidance’ as set out at ANNEX 2.

Cabinet Member: Travel and Development Strategy

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/233

Contact: Julian Richardson, Senior Engineer (Road Agreements Team C&W) Tel: 07825 052736

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA8).

To seek approval for delegated powers to negotiate alternative Section 278 bond solutions with recognised Public Bodies to the Corporate Director for Environment & Place.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to delegate powers to negotiate and put in place alternative solutions to a conventional Section 278 Agreement Bond with Public Bodies to the Corporate Director for Environment and Place in consultation with the Director of Finance.

Cabinet had before it a report seeking approval for delegated powers to negotiate alternative Section 278 bond solutions with recognised Public Bodies to the Corporate Director for Environment & Place.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel & Development Strategy, introduced the report and invited Bill Cotton, Corporate Director Environment & Place, to describe the details.

Bill Cotton stated that it was normal to seek a bond from third party partners involved in public highway works to give assurance that work will be done to a high enough standard.  If it was not, then the money from the bond was there to rectify the matter.  It has been the practice to seek the same from public sector partners such as Network Rail or the Department of Education but this gave rise to budget problems for them as they had to find extra funding.

It would be much more efficient for the tax payer if we do not take those bonds from trusted public sector partners.  It is proposed that he, as Corporate Director Environment Place, in consultation with the Cabinet Member and the Director of Finance, could agree those exceptions and that any over £5m would be reported to Cabinet.

Councillor Enright added that this should reduce administration costs and it was important to note that public bodies were not going to go bankrupt and different remedies could be sought should there be problems.

The Chair put the recommendations which were agreed.

RESOLVED: to delegate powers to negotiate and put in place alternative solutions to a conventional Section 278 Agreement Bond with Public Bodies to the Corporate Director for Environment and Place in consultation with the Director of Finance.

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/201

Contact: Colm Ó Caomhánaigh, Committee Officer Tel: 07393 001096

Report by Director of Law & Governance

There were no delegated decisions taken during the period January to March 2022.

It was noted that there were no delegated decisions taken by the Chief Executive during the period January to March 2022.

Cabinet Member: All

Contact Officer: Colm Ó Caomhánaigh, Committee Officer Tel: 07393 001096

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 CA10.  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 (CA10) 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.