Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Mark Lygo declared, in relation to Item 10 Voluntary Sector Infrastructure Contract, that as Lord Mayor of Oxford he had a non-pecuniary interest in three charities: Wood Farm Youth Centre, Oxfordshire Mind and Ark-T.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2021 (CA3a) and resumed on 30 July 2021 (CA3b) and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2021 were approved and signed, with the addition of Councillor David Bartholomew to the list of other councillors attending.

The minutes of the resumed meeting held on 30 July 2021 were approved and signed.

The questions received from County Councillors and responses are set out

in an Annex to these Minutes.

Currently council meetings are taking place in-person (not virtually) with Covid-safety measures operating in the venues.  However, members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting ‘virtually’ through an online connection.  While you can ask to attend the meeting in person, you are strongly encouraged to attend ‘virtually’ to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection.

Please also note that in line with current government guidance all attendees are strongly encouraged to take a lateral flow test in advance of the meeting.

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 these new arrangements 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 15 September 2021.  Requests to speak should be sent to colm.ocaomhanaigh@oxfordshire.gov.uk .  You will be contacted by the officer regarding the arrangements for speaking.

If you ask to attend in person, the officer will also advise you regarding Covid-19 safety at the meeting.  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 following requests to address the meeting had been agreed by the

Chair:

Item 6 – Business Management and Monitoring Report:

Councillor David Bartholomew

Item 11 – Oxfordshire Street Design Guide:

Graham Smith, Cyclox

Robin Tucker, Co-Chair of CoHSAT, the Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel

Councillor Brad Baines

Councillor Andrew Gant

Item 13 – Watlington Relief Road:

Gill Bindoff, chair of the Watlington Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Board

Matt Reid, Chairman of Watlington Parish Council     

Robert Parker, Shirburn Parish Meeting

Councillor Freddie van Mierlo

Cabinet Member: Cabinet Member for Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/048

Contact: Louise Tustian, Head of Insight & Corporate Programmes Tel: 07741 607452/Kathy Wilcox, Chief Accountant Tel: 07788 302163

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

This report sets out Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC’s) progress towards the Corporate Plan priorities for 2021/22 – July 2021. This Cabinet report will concentrate on the latest performance and risk position (July 21).

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED:

a)            To note July business management and monitoring report.

b)           To approve virements set out in Annex 2b which include transferring £1m from the Covid-19 reserve to fund relevant expenditure within the directorates as set out in Annex C paragraph 72.

c)            To approve the revised Music Service fees and charges as set out in Annex C paragraph 85 and Annex C-5.

Cabinet considered a report setting out Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC’s) progress towards the Corporate Plan priorities for 2021/22 – July 2021.

Councillor David Bartholomew, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, noted that of the planned directorate savings for this year 24% were rated Amber and 1% Red.  He expected that the Cabinet Member for Finance would keep a close eye on those.

Councillor Bartholomew drew attention to an error in the table on Agenda Page 72.  The variation on Children’s Services should have been 0.7m, not zero.

Councillor Bartholomew asked the Cabinet Member for Finance to explain how a budget of £0.1m on Growth and Economy could become an estimated spend of £1m.  He also asked if the Corporate Contingency Budget would be able to accommodate the recent increases in inflation since the report was written.

Councillor Calum Miller, Cabinet Member for Finance, responded that the overspend of £1m was due to unanticipated consultancy costs related to the large number of infrastructure and other projects inherited from the previous administration.  He had also recently commissioned advice on inflationary pressures and looked forward to the efforts of national government to tackle these pressures.

Councillor Miller noted that the two biggest pressures were currently in children’s services and construction.  However, there was adequate space in the balances to accommodate any potential pressures in the course of the year.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy confirmed that the risks surrounding construction, resources and skills shortages were being monitored closely.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, in relation to High Needs Block Funding, reported that proposals were being developed for consultation that would help the most vulnerable young people.  The long-promised review by central government had been put back to Spring 2022 at the earliest.

Councillor Brighouse noted that, although the new Family Safeguarding service had helped, the number of referrals to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) had increased by 66% since pre-pandemic.  The skills and knowledge were there to tackle the challenges but what was needed was central government funding.

RESOLVED:

a)            To note July business management and monitoring report.

b)           To approve virements set out in Annex 2b which include transferring £1m from the Covid-19 reserve to fund relevant expenditure within the directorates as set out in Annex C paragraph 72;

c)            To approve the revised Music Service fees and charges as set out in Annex C paragraph 85 and Annex C-5.

Cabinet Member: Corporate Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/049

Contact: Sarah Currell, HR Manager – Business Systems Tel: 07867 467793

Report by Corporate Director Customers, Organisational Development & Resources (CA7).

Quarterly staffing report providing details of key people numbers and analysis of main changes since the previous report.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the report.

Cabinet had before it for noting the quarterly staffing report providing details of key people numbers and analysis of the main changes since the previous report.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, introduced the report.  While many staff continued to work primarily from home following government advice, Councillor Phillips wished to recognise that teachers, teaching assistants, catering staff, social care staff and many others continue to support residents in very challenging circumstances.

The report updated on progress with Mentoring and the Reverse Mentoring Programme: Mentoring for Diversity.  There will be a review in October and the intention was to roll out a further programme into 2022.  A new position of Apprenticeships Manager was recruited on 1 July and increases in the number of enrolments was expected. 

Councillor Phillips also pointed to the Lone Worker Mobile Technology as a good example of how technology helps to keep staff safer.

The Chair expressed the thanks of Council to all the staff who had worked through difficult circumstances for the previous 18 months and continue to provide services to residents.

Councillor Calum Miller noted the decrease in spend on agency staff and hoped that this trend would continue.

Councillor Duncan Enright noted the use of exit questionnaires and asked if an entry questionnaire might be considered to find out why people join the Council workforce.  Councillor Phillips responded that she would raise that with HR.

RESOLVED to note the report.

Cabinet Member: Travel & Development Strategy

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/122

Contact: Dawn Pettis, Strategic Planning Team Leader Tel: 07771 983395

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA8).

To seek agreement of the County Council’s formal response to the OP2050 consultation.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider the draft OCC response to the Oxfordshire Plan Regulation 18 (Stage 2) consultation and suggest changes to be made to the response as necessary.

Cabinet was asked to consider a draft OCC response to the Oxfordshire Plan Regulation 18 (Stage 2) consultation and suggest changes to be made to the response as necessary.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, gave the background to the report and outlined some of the main points of the Council’s draft submission which included:

·         Risk-based zoning of development with rigorous enforcement, including an absolute ban on building on flood plains.

·         The approach to zero carbon must not have a disproportionate impact on rural or deprived areas.

·         Securing 20 minutes neighbourhoods where residents’ everyday needs can be met within a short walk or cycle ride.

·         Making sports fields and halls available to the local community.

Councillor Enright urged everyone to make their own submission to the consultation.  He thanked officers for all of the work that went into drafting the submission.

Other Cabinet Members made the following comments:

·         There was nothing about digital infrastructure (Agenda Page 306) which was a key omission given its importance and that Oxfordshire was ahead of the curve on fibre broadband for example.

·         There was a real opportunity to build a society that was resilient to anything that nature could throw at it.

·         There were three scenarios given in the Plan for expected housing growth but should there be a further scenario which would take into account the pattern of growth we would envisage?

Councillor Enright responded that better information will be available at each stage and a decision on the level of growth is expected by December this year.

The Chair noted that no changes had been proposed to the draft.  She proposed that the submission be agreed as drafted.

RESOLVED: to agree the draft OCC response to the Oxfordshire Plan Regulation 18 (Stage 2) consultation.

Cabinet Member: Community Services & Safety

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/119

Contact: Paul Bremble, Group Manager – Strategic Risk & Assurance Tel: 07990 780805

Report by Corporate Director, Commercial Development Assets and Investment (CA9).

The 2018 Fire and Rescue National Framework requires each Fire and Rescue Authority to produce a publicly available Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP). Within Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (OFRS) we have called this our Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) to make it more meaningful to the public.

Our current CRMP is due to End in March 2022 so the production of a new CRMP has taken place which will run from April 2022 to March 2026. The CRMP is subject to public consultation which will take place for 12 weeks from 22nd September 2021.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to accept and adopt in the final version the Community Risk Management Plan 2022 - 2026, for public Consultation.

Cabinet had before it the draft Community Risk Management Plan for 2022-26 to approve to go out to consultation.

Councillor Neil Fawcett thanked officers for producing the draft in a shorter timescale than initially envisaged due to the timing of the next inspection.  The plan was mostly about the assessment of risk and the response to that.

The consultation process with staff was exemplary with significant participation.  The service itself had a good track record of long-term prevention policies.

It was hoped that this new plan will be more accessible and will receive greater feedback than before.

Councillor Duncan Enright asked why there was not more in the plan on response to extreme weather events.  Councillor Fawcett responded that the framework was set down by national government and it was partly dependent on what could be usefully monitored.

Cabinet Members expressed their pride in the service and appreciation of the wide range of services provided by the Fire and Rescue Service as well as their emergency response.  The Chair asked the Chief Fire Officer to pass the comments on to his staff.

RESOLVED: to accept and adopt in the final version the Community Risk Management Plan 2022 - 2026, for public Consultation.

Cabinet Member: Public Health & Equality

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/105

Contact: Emily Schofield, Acting Head of Strategy Tel: 07881 311707/Karina Russell, Senior Policy Officer Tel: 07917 921511

Report by Acting Head of Strategy (CA10).

To seek approval for a grant agreement for a year in place of the current Voluntary Sector Infrastructure Contract, and the production of a wider Voluntary Sector Strategy across services.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)            Endorse the development of an organisational Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Strategy;

b)           Approve the recommendation of converting the current VCS infrastructure contract into a grant for the next year (2022/23) to enable the development of the VCS Strategy.

Cabinet was asked to approve a grant agreement for a year in place of the current Voluntary Sector Infrastructure Contract, and the production of a wider Voluntary Sector Strategy across services.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equality, introduced the report.  A Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review in 2018 had noted that the contract was low for the investment needed in Oxfordshire.  The Council has seen strengthened relationships with the sector over the last couple of years and wanted to build and maintain these.

In order to develop the strategy, it is recommended that the current VCS infrastructure contract be changed to a grant for one year (2022/23).  Councillor Lygo confirmed that this would involve the same amount of money and does not create any additional budget pressures.

Cabinet Members stressed the importance of the voluntary sector in the County which is well organised and very extensive.  In particular they played a crucial part in adult social care.  It was suggested that Parish and Town Councils be involved in the review as they frequently received requests for funding from voluntary organisations.

Members also supported the timeline to complete the strategy by June 2022 which would give voluntary organisation time to input.  There was also a suggestion to perform a gap analysis especially in areas of high deprivation.

Councillor Miller cautioned that the development of the strategy and the funding of the partner organisation should be two distinct processes.

Councillor Lygo thanked officers and voluntary organisations for their input.  This was a working document.  He welcomed the suggestions from other Cabinet Members and confirmed that it was a key part of the process to engage with all those involved.

RESOLVED to:

a)            Endorse the development of an organisational Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Strategy;

b)           Approve the recommendation of converting the current VCS infrastructure contract into a grant for the next year (2022/23) to enable the development of the VCS Strategy.

Cabinet Member: Travel & Development Strategy

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/174

Contact: Chanika Farmer, Transport Development Control Lead Tel: 07557 082590

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA11).

Oxfordshire County Council aims to enable Oxfordshire as a whole to become zero-carbon by 2050. This ambition extends into our role as the Local Highway Authority when advising and assessing new developments. The Design Guide presents how we can prioritise active and healthy travel through street design in new developments meeting our carbon ambitions and that of established transport policy.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to endorse the Oxfordshire Street Design Guide for adoption and thereafter publication of the guidance document.

Cabinet had before it for endorsement a Design Guide presenting how to prioritise active and healthy travel through street design in new developments, meeting carbon ambitions and established transport policy.  Before considering the report, Cabinet heard from four speakers.

Graham Smith, Cyclox, Cycling UK, noted that the proposed guide replaced ‘Oxfordshire Residential Roads Guidance’ which dated from before 2003 and so he guardedly welcomed its replacement.  However, the new Guide should change car dependency and it did not.

The Guide needed teeth to instruct developers and must reflect the Duty of Care to all road users, in particular children and other vulnerable road users.  The draft Guide was weak in these areas

If the journey leaving the housing area involved exiting along a road which had been widened for ‘free-flowing’ refuse vehicles, along an anti-social Distributor Road, travelling on fast and/or narrow ‘higher ‘level’ roads and then negotiating high-speed roundabouts then that Duty will not be fulfilled.

Robin Tucker, Co-Chair, CoHSAT (Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel) and Chair, Oxfordshire Cycling Network outlined three main concerns with the proposed guide.  The Guide was worded so it will have no force with developers, it did not address connectivity of developments and it still did not deliver places for people.

He stated that there was nothing about a street’s role in encouraging social activity or 20-minute neighbourhoods.  Comparing this to other street design guides, there were very few people in the pictures.  The only play spaces were a second function of SUDS and a manhole cover.

Despite these problems, he still urged Cabinet to approve the guide because it was an improvement on the previous guide based on 2003 practices.  He also appealed to them to update the guide next year to promote people-friendly, not car-dependent homes.

Councillor Brad Baines stated that it was regrettable that the guide was not more progressive.  Nonetheless he recommended adopting the guide as a massive improvement on its predecessor. 

Given the climate crisis, Oxfordshire needed to lead the way on active travel.  The guide should be more prescriptive and commit more firmly to LTN1/20 standards and 20-minute neighbourhood principles.

He regretted that there had not been a wider consultation on the guide which was almost entirely the work of the previous administration. He requested that the guide be put before the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to have a ‘deep dive’ before updating the guide for next year.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cycling Champion for the County Council, described the proposed guide as one step in the journey.  He endorsed everything that other speakers had already said.  He acknowledged the very valuable work that voluntary organisations had contributed on this issue.

The guide needed to be more robust, saying ‘must’ not ‘may’.  It should be more explicit in providing more joined up active travel.  Even some new developments were deficient in this and would need expensive retrofitting.

Councillor Gant asked for provision for the County’s historic market towns.  He also believed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90/21

Cabinet Member: Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport & Development Strategy

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/160

Contact: James Gagg, Principal Infrastructure Planner Tel: 07776 997303/John Disley, Infrastructure Strategy & Policy Manager Tel: 07767 006742

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA12).

Following discussions with Government and its Members, and in context of the emerging Oxford to Cambridge Arc Governance, England’s Economic Heartland (EEH), the sub-national transport body for the area which includes Oxfordshire, has produced a new governance framework, including changes to the political oversight process.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a)               Confirm that England’s Economic Heartland (EEH), the sub-national transport body encompassing Oxfordshire, should be considered as a ‘strategic’ outside body as per the definitions set out in Table 1 below;

b)              Endorse the new full EEH governance framework as set out in Annex 1; and

c)               Confirm appointment of the leader of the Council to the new EEH Political Forum, proposed to be called the Strategic Transport Leadership Board.

Cabinet had before it a new governance framework for England’s Economic Heartland (EEH), the sub-national transport body for the area.

The Chair introduced the report.  This regional transport body which includes Oxfordshire had produced a new governance framework that required OCC’s endorsement.  Given the key transport issues in the county, such as East-West Rail and the new Oxford railway station, the Council Leader believed that participation in this group was very important.

The Chair confirmed that the body did not have statutory powers and that the contribution ‘in kind’ referred to was, in reality, officer time for their participation in the process.  She agreed to provide a briefing for Cabinet Members after each meeting of the body.

Cabinet Members made the following points:

·         There was no scale of growth in the area mentioned and it was difficult to plan without an idea of that.  The Council needed to make it clear that there were limits to Oxfordshire’s participation.

·         It was welcome that the body included Swindon which has a lot of issues in common with this County.

·         Our participation might help advance some local proposals such as a railway station at Grove.

The Chair put the recommendations and proposed that Councillor Enright be the substitute as Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy.  This was agreed.

RESOLVED: to

a)            Confirm that England’s Economic Heartland (EEH), the sub-national transport body encompassing Oxfordshire, should be considered as a ‘strategic’ outside body as per the definitions set out in Table 1 below;

b)           Endorse the new full EEH governance framework as set out in Annex 1; and

c)            Confirm appointment of the leader of the Council to the new EEH Political Forum, proposed to be called the Strategic Transport Leadership Board.

Cabinet Member: Travel & Development Strategy

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/073

Contact: Marco Assucena, Programme Lead – South & Vale Tel: 07922 849387 / Helen Powdrill, Programme Lead - Countywide, Tel: 07554 103476 / John McLauchlan, Head of Infrastructure Planning Office, Tel: 07554 103512

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA13).

Following completion of Stage 0 Options Appraisal Report and consultation, to seek acceptance to continue with the design of the identified preferred option.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a)               Approve the revised alignment route (figure 1) and approve progression into Design and Procurement Stage 2 of the project.

b)              Approve in principle the use of The Oxfordshire County Council (Watlington Relief Road) Compulsory Purchase Order 202[x] in parallel with negotiations for private acquisition, with such powers of compulsory purchase used only as a matter of last resort. If Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) is required to deliver the project, we will seek further approval, subject to the scheme meeting all CPO requirements and the paper will be brought back to Cabinet, once the necessary approval has been sought, including public engagement on preferred options and submission of a planning application for the scheme.

Cabinet considered a report seeking acceptance to continue with the design of the identified preferred option.  Before discussing the item Cabinet heard from a number of speakers.

Gill Bindoff, Watlington  Neighbourhood  Plan  Advisory  Board, stated the proposed road provided the only viable option to solve the air quality problem in the town, to conserve the historic town centre and enhance the attractiveness of Watlington for the visitors who support the High Street shops and local businesses which are crucial to its economic sustainability.

In addition, the footpath/cycleway along the length of the Relief Road will make a very useful contribution to connecting the local network of public paths and will support the local strategy for improving opportunities for walking, cycling, health and wellbeing. 

Housing development was already under construction so there should be a sense of urgency in making progress towards delivery.  Gill Bindoff welcomed the opportunities which had already been provided for input but believed that there was scope for a more productive partnership in order to ensure the best outcome for Watlington and for the County.  

Matt Reid sent a written contribution on behalf of both Watlington and Pyrton Parish Councils which was read to the meeting.  Cabinet should be aware that the route laid out before them for adoption today represented a ‘political compromise’.  The arrival at a route that was acceptable to the majority of stakeholders had been facilitated largely by the AECOM phase one optioneering process.

Cabinet should be aware that the planning submissions currently being made to district along the course of this route were dangerously ahead of the planning submission for the road itself.  Cabinet was urged to regain the initiative and do all they can to make sure this project was fully resourced and given appropriate priority.

This was perhaps the first time that a community centric design that alleviated many of the concerns held by both communities had made it this far.  Cabinet was urged to support the recommendations.

Robert Parker, Chairman, Shirburn Parish Meeting, stated that Shirburn was a listed and conservation village with a 13^th century castle located between  Watlington and the M40. The B4009 carried all the traffic from Watlington to the M40 passing through the centre of Shirburn.  There had been no consideration or modelling of Shirburn of any kind during Stage 1. AECOM had indicated that they did not intend to include Shirburn in Stage 2. This despite the road carrying the same traffic as Watlington.

In summary the concerns relate to three areas: incorrect level of Stakeholder Engagement; the AECOM statement that a new road will not generate traffic and referencing the Corporate Policies and Priorities; and the outdated overall approach by AECOM of “Predict and Provide” against the more modern approach to transport planning of “Vision and Validate”.

Cabinet was urged not to approve the recommendation to proceed to Stage 2 until an updated review of Stage 1 has taken place.

Councillor Freddie van Mierlo supported the proposal.  Watlington was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92/21

Cabinet Member: All

Contact Officer: Alison Bartlett, Democratic Support Officer Tel: 07741 607515

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 CA14.  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 (CA) for the immediately forthcoming meetings of the Cabinet together with changes and additions set out in the schedule of addenda.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, noted that the Local Transport Connectivity Plan should be listed as a joint responsibility between himself and the Cabinet Member for Highway Management.

RESOLVED:to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings.