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Agenda and minutes

Venue: County Hall, Oxford OX1 1ND

Contact: Deborah Miller  Tel: (01865) 815384; E-Mail: deborah.miller@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Items
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1/13

Minutes pdf icon PDF 314 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2012 (CC1) and to receive information arising from them.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 December 2012 were approved and signed.

 

Matters Arising

 

Minute 222/12 (Question from Councillor John Sanders) Councillor Rose reported that the situation was still being monitored closely and that there was nothing further to report at this time.

 

Minute 222/12 (Question from Councillor Gill Sanders) Councillor Rose reported that he had sent a reply to all members of the County Council on this matter today.

 

Minute 225/12 (Questions from Councillor Alan Armitage and from Councillor Liz Brighouse) Councillor Rose reported that he had sent a reply to all members of the County Council on these matters today.

 

Minute 225/12 (Questions by Councillor Liz Brighouse) Councillor Fatemian reported that there had not yet been a meeting of the Adult Health & Social Care Board and that it had been placed on the Agenda for the next meeting.

 

Minute 225/12 (Question by Councillor Roz Smith) Councillor Tilley reported that the consultation had only just been completed and that she would report back to Councillor Smith in due course.

 

The Chairman drew members attention to the update in relation to the Dilnot Report printed on the Schedule of Business.

2/13

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gibbard, Harvey, Hibbert-Biles, Jones, Mitchell, Robertson, Sexton, Skolar and Val Smith.

 

RESOLVED:  to send a card to Councillor Val Smith with the best wishes of the Council.

3/13

Declarations of Interest - see guidance note

Members are reminded that they must declare their interests orally at the meeting and specify (a) the nature of the interest and (b) which items on the agenda are the relevant items. This applies also to items where members have interests by virtue of their membership of a district council in Oxfordshire.

Minutes:

The Chairman clarified the position in relation to the declaration of disclosable pecuniary interests as set out in Annex 2 of the Schedule of Business.

4/13

Official Communications

Minutes:

The Chairman reported as follows:

 

(i)                 The Chairman reminded members of the restrictions in connection with the non-payment of Council tax and voting on budget matters.

(ii)               The Chairman reported that he had written and congratulated those on the New Years Honours list with a connection to Oxfordshire services as attached at Annex 1 to the decisions);

(iii)             The Council congratulated Debbie Dance and Fran Fonsecca both of whom became OBE's;

(iv)              The Chairman reported that he would be hosting a formal ceremony at County Hall on the evening of Tuesday 23rd April where The Lord Lieutenant on behalf of The Queen would present the BEM medals to the recipients;

(v)                The Chairman reported that two public meetings would be held to discuss the closure of Didcot A Power Station in March 2013.  All Members had been invited to attend.

5/13

Appointments

(a)               The Leader of the Council, Councillor Hudspeth, has given formal notice of the following additions and clarifications (shown in bold below) to the Cabinet Member portfolios to take effect from Tuesday 18th December 2012;

 

Deputy Leader of the Council:

Councillor Rodney Rose

 

Transport; internal management;

 

Cabinet Member for Police & Policies:

Councillor Kieron Mallon

 

Police issues; equalities and Community safety; property and facilities management;

 

(b)               to make any changes to the membership of the Cabinet, scrutiny and other committees on the nomination of political groups.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: to note the formal notice from the Leader of the Council of the following additions and clarifications (shown in bold below) to the Cabinet Member portfolios to take effect from Tuesday 18th December 2012:

 

Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Rodney Rose

 

Transport, Internal Management

 

Cabinet Member for Police & Policies, Councillor Kieron Mallon

 

Police Issues, Equalities and Community Safety, Property & Facilities Management.

6/13

Petitions and Public Address

Minutes:

The following petition was received by the Chairman of the Council:

 

Mr Brian Yoxall, Mayor of Woodstock Town Council on behalf of the Woodstock Conservation Area Action Group against the new Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock.

 

The petition was referred to Director of Environment & Economy.

7/13

Report of the Remuneration Committee to Oxfordshire County Council on the Council's Pay Policy Statement pdf icon PDF 517 KB

Report by the Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CC7)

 

The Remuneration Committee are required to report annually to Council on the Pay Policy Statement. This report updates the pay policy statement and indicates the future proposals of the Remuneration Committee, including consideration of introducing the Living Wage and opening negotiations on introducing local bargaining on pay and terms and conditions.

 

The Council is RECOMMENDED to:

 

(a)              receive the report of the Remuneration Committee and to note the proposals to consider the introduction of the Living Wage and to open negotiations with trade unions with a view to introducing local pay;

(b)              approve the revised Pay Policy Statement at Annex 2 to this report.

Minutes:

The Council considered the Report of the Remuneration Committee (CC7) on the Council’s Pay Policy Statement, including the consideration of introducing the Living Wage and opening negotiations on introducing local bargaining on pay and terms and conditions.

 

RESOLVED:  (on a motion by Councillor Hudspeth, seconded by Councillor Rose and carried nem con) to:

 

(a)               receive the report of the Remuneration Committee and to note the proposals to consider the introduction of the Living Wage and to open negotiations with trade unions with a view to introducing local pay;

(b)               approve the revised Pay Policy Statement set out at Annex 2 to the report.

8/13

Oxfordshire County Council Corporate Plan 2013/14 - 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 77 KB

This report and Annex (CC8) provides Council with the proposed Corporate Plan for 2013/14-2017/18. This is one of the Plans and strategies that forms the policy framework and requires full Council approval.

 

The Strategy & Partnerships Committee submitted comments to the Cabinet, who approved the draft on 29 January 2013.

 

A summary of the key elements of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) will be included once the Council has approved the budget, and the MTFP will form an Annex to the Plan.

 

The Cabinet RECOMMENDS Council to approve the Corporate Plan 2013/14-2017/18 subject to the inclusion of consequential and editorial changes in the text as agreed by the Chief Executive after consultation with the Leader of the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council had before them a report by the Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CC8) which set out the proposed Corporate Plan for 2013/14-2017/18. This was one of the Plans and strategies that formed the policy framework and required full Council approval.

 

The Strategy & Partnerships Committee had submitted comments to the Cabinet, who had approved the draft on 29 January 2013.

 

RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Hudspeth, seconded by Councillor Rose and carried by 42 votes to 8, with 12 abstentions) to approve the Corporate Plan 2013/14-2017/18 subject to the inclusion of consequential and editorial changes in the text as agreed by the Chief Executive after consultation with the Leader of the Council.

9/13

Service & Resource Planning 2013/14 - 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 170 KB

Report of the Cabinet by the Leader of the Council (CC9(a)) and Report by the Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CC9(b)). The recommendations set out below (and in the report) are made subject to the Commentary on the Budget Proposals by the Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer, as the Council’s Section 151 Officer, to be circulated separately.

The Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green Groups propose to submit amendments to the budget proposals (CC9 Liberal Democrat), (CC9 Labour) and (CC9 Green) respectively and these will be circulated separately.

 

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

(1)         a medium term plan for 2013/14 to 2016/17 as set out in Annex 1  (which incorporates changes the existing medium term financial plan as set out in Annex 3);

(2)         a budget for 2013/14 as set out in Annex 2

(3)         the Council Tax and Precept calculations for 2013/14 set out in Annex 4 and in particular:

(i)                 a precept of £268,449,208;

(ii)               a Council Tax for band D equivalent properties of £1,184.83;

(4)               the updated financial strategy at Annex 5.

(5)         the planned level of balances and reserves for 2013/14 to 2016/17 as set out in Annex 6;

(6)         virement arrangements to operate within the approved budget for 2013/14 as set out in Annex 8;

(7)         the use of Dedicated Schools Grant (provisional allocation) for 2013/14 as set out in Annex 9;

 

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

(1)         the Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2013/14 as set out in Annex 7; and

(2)         that any further changes required to the 2013/14 strategy be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

(3)         the continued delegation of authority to withdraw or advance additional funds to/from external fund managers to the Treasury Management Strategy Team;

(4)         the Draft Treasury Management Policy Statement as set out at Appendix E of Annex 7;

 

c)        RECOMMEND Council to approve the Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix A of Annex 7.

 

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

 

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

(1)         the Corporate Asset Management Plan at Annex 10, the Transport Asset Management Plan at Annex 11 and the updated Capital Strategy at Annex 12;

(2)         a Capital Programme for 2012/13 to 2016/17 as set out in Annex 13;

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council had before them the Report of the Cabinet (CC9(a)), the Report of the Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CC9(b)), a supplementary Report of the Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer, together with the Commentary on the Cabinet’s Budget Proposals by the Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer as the Council’s Section 151 Officer (Additional Papers 1).  The Council also had before it budget proposals in the form of:  Amendments by the Liberal Democrat Group to the Cabinet’s Revenue Budget, Amendments by the Labour Group to the Cabinet’s Revenue Budget and Amendments by the Green Group to the Cabinet’s Revenue Budget together with Commentary by the Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer as the Council’s Section 151 Officer (Additional Papers 2).

 

Councillor Hudspeth moved and Councillor Rose seconded the Cabinet’s recommendations on Service and Resource Planning 2013/14 to 2016/17 (CC8(a)).  In moving and seconding the motion, Councillor Hudspeth and Councillor Rose paid tribute to Sue Scane and her staff for all their work in preparing the Budget.

 

In moving the recommendations, Councillor Hudspeth announced his intention to make changes to to the budget as follows:

 

One off funding of £50,000 to come from the Efficiency reserve in 2013/14 to develop improved and joined up technical solutions to paying for journeys across Oxfordshire and beyond;

 

The extention of the Councillor Community Budget scheme into 2013/14 with £10,000 per councillor to be funded from the Efficiency Reserve in 2013/14, to allow local councillors to make local decisions for their divisions.

 

Councillor Patrick moved and Councillor Armitage seconded an amendment to the Cabinet’s budget as set out in the Additional Papers 2 (CC9 Liberal Democrat Amendments).  Councillor Patrick paid tribute to the finance staff responsible for preparing the budget.

 

Following debate, the amendment was lost by 51 votes to 6.

 

Councillor Brighouse moved and Councillor Tanner seconded an amendment to the Cabinet’s budget as set out in the Additional Papers 2 (CC9 Labour Group Amendments).  Councillor Brighouse paid tribute to members of the finance team.

 

Following debate, the amendment was lost by 50 votes to 10 with 1 Abstention.

 

Councillor L Sanders moved and Councillor Sherwood seconded an amendment to the Cabinet’s budget as set out in the Additional Papers 2 (CC9 Green Group Amendments). Councillor Sanders paid tribute to Sue Scane and her team.

 

Following debate, the amendment was lost by 54 votes to 2.

 

Members of the Cabinet then gave an overview of the areas of the Budget falling under their responsibility.

 

Following debate, the Chairman moved and Councillor Hallchurch seconded that the ‘Question be now put’.  Accordingly this was put to the vote and it was carried by 28 votes to 17 that the ‘Question be now put.

 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and carried by 38 votes to 19.

 

RESOLVED: (by 38 votes to 19):

 

(a)          (in respect of revenue) to approve:

(1)      a medium term plan for 2013/14 to 2016/17 as set out in Annex 1  (which incorporates changes the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9/13