Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2025 (CC1) and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2025 were approved and signed as a correct record by the Chair

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bulmer, Gawrysiak, Ilott, van Mierlo, Miller,  Murphy, and Povolotsky.

There were none.

The Chair reported that Oxfordshire was the first county council in the country to achieve Council of Sanctuary status. This achievement underpinned the Council’s commitment to supporting people fleeing war, persecution and serious human rights violations. She expressed thanks to the Migration team in Public Health and Communities, supported by colleagues in the county education team, as well as children’s and adult social care for all their work in achieving this.

The Chair also referred to the new link between the county of Oxfordshire with the Royal Navy ship HMS Diamond which was sealed at a special ceremony at Blenheim Palace on Tuesday, 25 February with senior naval officers, including past commanders of HMS Diamond, and Lady Suzie Johns, the Lady Sponsor for HMS Diamond present. They were joined by civic and military representatives from across Oxfordshire including the Lord-Lieutenant Marjorie Glasgow, Oxfordshire County Council leader Cllr Liz Leffman and the Chair of the Council.

Other events attended by the Chair and Vice Chair since the last Council meeting were listed in the Schedule of Business.  The Chair highlighted three:

The Chair’s Charity Donation reception, County Hall on 25 March. raised £8,738 for Earth Trust, My Vision Oxfordshire, and Parkinson's UK Oxfordshire branches – Henley, Banbury, and Oxford.

Chipping Norton Branch Visit on 11 March.

Launch of the Standing with Giants VE Day event 26 March – especially Bert Courtney.

To make any changes to the membership of scrutiny and other committees on the nomination of political groups and to note any changes to the Cabinet made by the Leader of the Council.

See item 12 Committees and Review of Political Balance.

Appointments were covered under Item 12 on the agenda – Committees and Review of Political Balance.

Members of the public who wish to speak on an item on the agenda at this meeting, or present a petition, can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. Requests must be submitted no later than 9am one working day before the meeting i.e., 9am on Monday 31 March 2025. Requests to speak should be sent to committeesdemocraticservices@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 9am on the day of the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

Petitions

Teresa Fieldwick presented a petition with 392 signatures to allow Carers through all LTNs and ANPR cameras

Bryony McCraw and pupils from Barton Park Primary School presented a petition with 376 signatures requesting the Council to adopt their road and implement traffic calming measures outside their school

Caroline Raine presented a petition with 1,133 signatures to extend the 3 and 3A bus routes to Oxford train station

Matthew Richardson presented a petition with 32 signatures opposing any plan to remove parking from the slip road off the Banbury Road at the Summertown shops

Public Address

Item 9:

Summer Alston-Smith

Claire Brenner

Mina Fazel

Emma Coles

Two questions were asked. The questions, responses and supplementary questions are recorded in an Annex below

Twenty-two questions were asked. The questions, responses and supplementary questions are recorded in an Annex below.

Report by Director of Public Health and Communities

The Council is to be informed on the structure and overview of content, including key messages, of the upcoming Oxfordshire County Council Director of Public Health Annual Report (2024/2025) focussed on children and young people’s mental health and economic activity.

The Council is RECOMMENDED to note the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report in Annex 1 and to take every opportunity to support actions and initiatives that will progress related work.

Directors of Public Health have a statutory duty to publish an annual report on a subject of their choice that they feel demonstrates the state of health within their community. Council considered this report which focussed on children and young people’s mental health and economic activity.

Before the report was proposed, Council heard from two experts on climate change and the health impacts, Mina Fazel, Chair of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, and Emma Coles from Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership.

The report was proposed by Councillor Nathan Ley, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities & Community Safety and seconded by Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of the Council.  Following discussion, the recommendations were agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED to note the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report in Annex 1 and to take every opportunity to support actions and initiatives that will progress related work.

Report from Leader of the Council.

The report summarises the decisions from the Cabinet meetings on 17 December 2024, 21 and 28 January 2025 and 25 February 2025.

Council received the report of Cabinet covering the Cabinet meetings on 17 December 2024, 21 and 28 January 2025, and 25 February 2025.

Under Item 2, Councillor Bearder asked if he could raise Councillor Johnston’s question in his stead. The Chair declined the request.

Under Item 3, Councillor Edosomwan and Councillor Elphinstone asked the Leader why bus gates, traffic filters, and low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) were not included in the Citizens’ Assembly. Councillor Leffman said that they were included on the recommendation of a cross-party advisory committee and 15 hours were added specifically for the Assembly to talk about these issues. Councillor Smith asked whether those 15 hours were well spent, and Councillor Leffman said that they were.

Councillor Enright asked the Leader whether the Assembly had gone well in general and, secondly, whether Citizens’ Assemblies would be pursued by the Council as a model in the future, especially with respect to controversial issues such as traffic filters.  Councillor Leffman stressed that traffic filters were going ahead but reiterated that questions about them were included in the Assembly. She said that she attended the final session of the Assembly. Citizens’ Assemblies were something she wanted to see again in the future as this Assembly had gone well and had been especially well-recruited. Nevertheless, she said that Citizens’ Assemblies should be reserved for big issues such as transport because they are expensive and take time to implement. She added, other options such as Citizens’ Juries were available to hear the people’s voice.

Councillor Baines noted the success of the Assembly in bringing the public into the heart of decision making. He asked the Leader, if her administration were re-elected, what steps would be taken to change how the Council operated to regain trust of communities and to ensure public buy-in for ambitious new transport schemes. Councillor Leffman said there were several ways the Council engaged with the public, including regular consultation that would continue into a second term.

Councillor Brighouse asked for clarity on why the contract for the Assembly did not initially include the Central Oxfordshire Traffic Plan. Councillor Leffman said that the purpose of the Assembly had been to look forward to 2050, not back. She said that LTNs and traffic filters were included in the discussions of the Assembly because of representations by the Labour Group. She said that it was now clear that people endorsed those measures in Oxford to reduce traffic, make walking and cycling safer, and reduce air pollution.

Councillor Leffman mentioned the budget containing LTNs in her response to Councillor Brighouse and noted that the administration that included the Labour Group at the time had approved that budget. Councillor O’Connor raised a point of order: Under 3.2, s.1 of the Constitution, the budget was the responsibility of the whole Council, not just the administration.

Under Item 7, Councillor Baines asked whether the Cabinet Member welcomed the decision by the new Labour government to extend the Warm Home Discount to a further 2.7 million eligible  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20/25

Report by Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

The Constitution Working Group met between November 2024 and February 2025 and has proposed amendments to the Constitution as outlined in this report.  A small number of additional changes agreed by the Audit & Governance Committee and by the Oxfordshire Health & Wellbeing Board are also included in the report.

Council is RECOMMENDED to

(a)      to approve amendments listed and tracked in Annex 1 (including Appendices 1 to 21) to the following Parts of the Council’s Constitution, as proposed by the Constitution Working Group and, in the cases of (iii), (xii), (xiv) and (xvii), as amended by the Audit & Governance Committee:

(i)               Part 1.2 How Oxfordshire County Council Operates;

(ii)             Part 1.3 Decision Making;

(iii)            Part 3.1 Council Procedure Rules;

(iv)            Part 3.1A Virtual Meeting Procedure Rules (delete);

(v)             Part 3.3 Virement Rules;

(vi)            Part 4.2 Cabinet Procedure Rules;

(vii)           Part 4.4 Delegated Decisions by Individual Cabinet Members;

(viii)          Part 4.6 Transport Advisory Panel (delete);

(ix)            Part 5.1A Regulatory and Other Committees;

(x)             Part 5.1B Health and Wellbeing Board;

(xi)            Part 6.1A Overview and Scrutiny Committees;

(xii)           Part 6.1B Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

(xiii)          Part 6.1C Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference (new Part);

(xiv)         Part 6.2 Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules;

(xv)          Part 6.3 Protocol on Scrutiny Participation (delete);

(xvi)         Part 7.2 Scheme of Delegation to Officers;

(xvii)        Part 8.3 Contract Procedure Rules;

(xviii)       Part 9.2 Protocol on Councillors’ Rights and Responsibilities;

(xix)         Part 9.4 Policy on IT Use by Members of the County Council (delete);

(xx)          Part 9.6 Protocol on Member-Officer Relations;

(xxi)         Part 10.1 Members’ Allowances;

(xxii)        correct erroneous references and update titles where they have changed;

(b)      to approve additional items in Annex 2 agreed by the Audit & Governance Committee;

(c)       to approve amendments in Annex 3 agreed by the Oxfordshire Health & Wellbeing Board to its Terms of Reference;

(d)      to delegate to the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer the ability to make any necessary additional changes to the Constitution to amend any inconsistencies arising from these proposed changes and where any existing drafting in the Constitution is inconsistent with the changes set out in this report and approved by Council.

Council had before it a report and recommendations on proposed amendments to the Council’s constitution. The cross-party Constitution Working Group had proposed a number of changes to the Constitution  which had been reviewed by the by the Audit & Governance Committee at its meeting on 12 March 2025. The Oxfordshire Health & Wellbeing Board at its meeting on 13 March 2025 agreed further amendments to its Terms of Reference to reflect changes to the operating model and staffing structure of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB).

The report was moved by Councillor Ted Fenton and seconded by Councillor Roz Smith.

The following amendment to the recommendations was proposed by Councillor Phillips and seconded by Councillor Baines:-

“Part 4.2 Cabinet Procedure Rules

Rights of Members to speak 4.1 which refers to Part 9.2 of the Constitution ‘ Protocol on Councillors’ Rights and Responsibilities’

Part 9.2 of the Constitution Para 3 to be amended to include

‘All other members may request by 9.00 a.m. on third working day before the meeting to speak on a matter under consideration at meetings of the Cabinet or any committee of the Cabinet or when an individual member of the Cabinet is taking decisions in accordance with the rules of the Constitution and agreement to speak will be at the discretion of the Chair. Consideration will also be made for the relevant local member to speak if a matter under consideration relates to a specific Division. This request will be made by 9.00 am on the third working day before the meeting and shall not exceed 3 minutes.’

Following debate, the amendment was lost with 17 votes in favour, 1 abstention and 32 against.

Following further debate, the recommendations were approved unanimously.

RESOLVED to:

(a)           to approve amendments listed and tracked in Annex 1 (including Appendices 1 to 21) to the following Parts of the Council’s Constitution, as proposed by the Constitution Working Group and, in the cases of (iii), (xii), (xiv) and (xvii), as amended by the Audit & Governance Committee:

(i)                Part 1.2 How Oxfordshire County Council Operates;

(ii)              Part 1.3 Decision Making;

(iii)             Part 3.1 Council Procedure Rules;

(iv)             Part 3.1A Virtual Meeting Procedure Rules (delete);

(v)              Part 3.3 Virement Rules;

(vi)             Part 4.2 Cabinet Procedure Rules;

(vii)           Part 4.4 Delegated Decisions by Individual Cabinet Members;

(viii)         Part 4.6 Transport Advisory Panel (delete);

(ix)             Part 5.1A Regulatory and Other Committees;

(x)              Part 5.1B Health and Wellbeing Board;

(xi)             Part 6.1A Overview and Scrutiny Committees;

(xii)           Part 6.1B Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

(xiii)         Part 6.1C Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference (new Part);

(xiv)         Part 6.2 Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules;

(xv)           Part 6.3 Protocol on Scrutiny Participation (delete);

(xvi)         Part 7.2 Scheme of Delegation to Officers;

(xvii)        Part 8.3 Contract Procedure Rules;

(xviii)      Part 9.2 Protocol on Councillors’ Rights and Responsibilities;

(xix)         Part 9.4 Policy on IT Use by Members of the County Council (delete);

(xx)           Part 9.6 Protocol on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21/25

Report by Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

Council is requested to approve committee appointments based on revised political balance calculations following the formation of the Green Group and Reform UK Group.

Council is RECOMMENDED

a)            To note the review of political balance of committees to reflect the formation of the Green Group and Reform UK Group. 

b)           To appoint members to the committees of the Council as listed at Annex 1.

Council was requested to approve committee appointments based on revised political balance calculations following group membership changes.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Rooke and seconded by Councillor Lygo. The proposals were approved unanimously.

RESOLVED to:-

a)             note the review of political balance of committees to reflect the formation of the Green Group and Reform UK Group. 

b)             appoint members to the committees of the Council as listed at Annex 1 to the report.

Report by Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer

The Constitution makes provision for urgent decisions to be made exempt from call-in on the agreement of the Chair of the Council.  When this occurs, it must be reported to the next meeting of Council.

Council is RECOMMENDED to note

(a)         the exemption from Call-in of the following decision:

·           Cabinet on 20 March 2025 - Initial Response to Government: Statutory invitation for Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution

Council had before it a report on one urgent decision which had been exempt from call-in on the agreement of the Chair of the Council, in accordance with the Constitution.

The report was proposed by Councillor Leffman and seconded by Councillor Sudbury.

RESOLVED to note the exemption from Call-in of the following decision:

·       Cabinet on 20 March 2025 - Initial Response to Government: Statutory invitation for Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution

Report by Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

The report seeks approval to a temporary variation to the delegated powers of the Chief Executive to aid effective decision making in the period between the retirement of councillors following the elections in May and the Annual Council meeting on 20 May 2025.

Council is RECOMMENDED to agree a temporary variation to Part 7.2 of the Scheme of Delegation to Officers with effect that from 5 May to 20 May 2025 paragraph 6.3 (c) is to be read as follows:-

“(c) Any function of the Cabinet or of a Council committee or sub-committee, after consultation with the appropriate Director and thereafter with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council and the Leader, as appropriate.”

Council received a report seeking approval to a temporary variation to the delegated powers of the Chief Executive to aid effective decision making in the period between the retirement of councillors following the elections in May and the Annual Council meeting on 20 May 2025. A revised version of the report stating the correct dates during which the variation would apply had been published in the Schedule of Business.

The report was proposed by Councillor Rooke and seconded by Councillor Lygo.

The recommendations were approved unanimously.

RECOMMENDED to agree a temporary variation to Part 7.2 of the Scheme of Delegation to Officers with effect that from 6 May to 20 May 2025 paragraph 6.3 (c) is to be read as follows:-

“(c) Any function of the Cabinet or of a Council committee or sub[1]committee, after consultation with the appropriate Director and thereafter with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council and the Leader, as appropriate.”

A National Care Service is required in England to provide consistent high-quality care and provide further support for unpaid carers by creating and implementing national standards.

There is a crisis in the adult social care workforce with the figures from Skills for Care showing that there are currently over 131,000 vacancies in the care sector. There are variations across the country in the way this vital workforce is treated with some care workers suffering from poor pay and conditions.

This council agrees for the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care setting out our support for a National Care Service that will

-       Improve the quality of care for everyone who needs it and providing further support for unpaid carers

-       Support independent living and enable people to recover outside hospital and care homes with the right level of support

-       Promote public sector and not for profit organisations delivering care services

-       Support partnership working with care providers including the voluntary sector, unions and government

-       Implement a fair pay agreement with all care providers including the voluntary sector.

This council supports the setting up of a National Care Service and urges the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to prioritise this reform.

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Phillips and seconded by Councillor Edosomwan.

The following amendment proposed by Councillor Sudbury and seconded by Councillor Bennett was accepted by the proposer and seconder of the original motion and by Council.

“A National Care Service funded through fair taxation is required in England to provide consistent high-quality care and provide further support for unpaid carers by creating and implementing national standards.

There is a crisis in the adult social care workforce with the figures from Skills for Care showing that there are currently over 131,000 vacancies in the care sector. There are variations across the country in the way this vital workforce is treated with some care workers suffering from poor pay and conditions.

This council agrees for the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care setting out our support for a National Care Service that will

-       Improve the quality of care for everyone who needs it and providing further support for unpaid carers

-       Support independent living and enable people to recover outside hospital and care homes with the right level of support

-       Promote public sector and not for profit organisations delivering care services

-       Support partnership working with care providers including the voluntary sector, unions and government

-       Implement a fair pay agreement with all care providers including the voluntary sector.

-       End the current unjust funding lottery, with funding coming instead from progressive taxes on land, property, or extreme wealth.

This council supports the setting up of a National Care Service and urges the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to prioritise this reform”

Following debate, the motion, as amended, was lost with 16 votes in favour, 4 abstentions and 27 against.

Councillors note the increasing number of vacant bank and building society buildings on our high streets, which are largely the result of technological change. The loss of community banking services is of concern to many residents, especially older constituents and those with disabilities and adaptive needs.

Buckinghamshire Council has set up a Banking Hub in Buckingham library for people to access banking services in the town centre.

Established in partnership with Buckinghamshire Council through its Buckingham and Villages Community Board, with the support of Buckingham Town Council and community representatives, the temporary Banking Hub provides local people with access to banking services. This offers a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions. It also offers a Community Banker service where customers can talk to their banking provider about more complicated issues. Community Bankers work on rotation, with a different bank or building society available on each day of the week, to ensure fair and equitable access to major banking and building society customers.

Council requests the relevant Cabinet member for Community and Corporate Services and the Cabinet Member for Finance to take a lead from forward-thinking colleagues at Buckinghamshire Council and, working with its Town Council, and District Council partners, invite banks and building societies that have left – or are due to leave – our high streets to explore opportunities to work with this Council to set up similar banking hubs within appropriate Council libraries.

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Ford and seconded by Councillor Fenton.  Following debate, the motion was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

Councillors note the increasing number of vacant bank and building society buildings on our high streets, which are largely the result of technological change. The loss of community banking services is of concern to many residents, especially older constituents and those with disabilities and adaptive needs.

Buckinghamshire Council has set up a Banking Hub in Buckingham library for people to access banking services in the town centre.

Established in partnership with Buckinghamshire Council through its Buckingham and Villages Community Board, with the support of Buckingham Town Council and community representatives, the temporary Banking Hub provides local people with access to banking services. This offers a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions. It also offers a Community Banker service where customers can talk to their banking provider about more complicated issues. Community Bankers work on rotation, with a different bank or building society available on each day of the week, to ensure fair and equitable access to major banking and building society customers.

Council requests the relevant Cabinet member for Community and Corporate Services and the Cabinet Member for Finance to take a lead from forward-thinking colleagues at Buckinghamshire Council and, working with its Town Council, and District Council partners, invite banks and building societies that have left – or are due to leave – our high streets to explore opportunities to work with this Council to set up similar banking hubs within appropriate Council libraries.