Agenda and draft minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2025 (CC1) and to receive information arising from them.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2025 be approved and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings.

Apologies were received from Councillors Edwards, Field-Johnson, Fry, Garnett, Gawrysiak, Sargent and Smith.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair announced that Oxfordshire County Council had again been awarded gold in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme recognising its ongoing commitment to the armed forces community.

The Gold Award was the highest honour for employers who demonstrated exceptional advocacy, flexible HR policies, and sustained support for defence.  First awarded to the council in 2020, this year’s revalidation highlighted the authority’s ongoing commitment to supporting veterans and reservists, as well as adult cadet volunteers and the spouses and partners of armed forces personnel who work in the council.  The Chair congratulated all involved.

The Oxfordshire recipients of awards in the New Year’s Honours were listed in Annex 1 of the Schedule of Business.  The Chair congratulated all those honoured.

A list of events attended by the Chair and Vice-Chair since the December Council meeting was included in Annex 2.

The Chair thanked those who attended his Gala Dinner on 30 January and those who could not attend but donated to the charities.  £816 was raised from this event, which will be distributed between the Chair’s three charities: Abingdon Riding for the Disabled, Oxford United in the Community and OXSRAD.

The Council had been informed of the passing of two former county councillors in recent months.

Former Cllr David Nicholson was elected as the Liberal Democrat Member for Woodstock Division in 1997 and stood down ahead of the 2001 elections.  He was a member of the Education Committee, Schools Performance & Quality Sub-Committee, Community Education (Youth & Adult) Sub-Committee and Public Protection Committee during his term of office.

Former Cllr Nicholson was also a member of West Oxfordshire District Council, representing the Witney East Ward from 2003 to 2007 and a parliamentary candidate.  Councillors paid tribute to his contribution to public service.

Former Leader of the Council, Ian Hudspeth, had been a member of Bladon Parish Council, and West Oxfordshire District Council, before becoming the Conservative Member for Woodstock Division on 5th May 2005, a seat he held until May 2021.

Ian held the Cabinet portfolio for Transport Implementation, later Transport from 2007, changing to take on the Growth & Infrastructure portfolio from 2009 until 2011. 

He was elected Leader of the Council in May 2012, a position he held until 2021.  He remained active in politics and stood again for election in May 2025 even though he was not elected.

Councillors paid tribute to his work as Leader of the Council and contribution to public service.

Members stood for a minute’s silence.

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.

RESOLVED:

That the amendments to the Scheme of Delegation for the Cabinet as set out in the report from the Proper Officer in Addenda 4, be noted.

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 to present a petition must be submitted no later than 9am ten working days before the meeting.

Requests to speak must be submitted no later than 9am three working days before the meeting.

Requests should be submitted 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.

The Chair accepted a request from Linda Goodhead to present a petition calling for a weight limit on Hinksey Hill.  She stated that the local community had understood that a vehicle weight limit would be applied to Hinksey Hill following the construction of the Lodge Hill interchange on the A34.  However, they were told that there was insufficient funding for the signage on the A34.  Petitioners asked the Council to look again at the funding for the signage and put it high on their list of priorities.

Councillor Roberts, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, thanked petitioners for their proactive approach towards ensuring the safety and well-being of the local community.  She responded that officers were exploring potential alternative designs and specification, for implementation of a Weight Limit Traffic Regulation Order on Hinksey Hill as part of the Lodge Hill Scheme.  The matter has been referred to the Director of Environment and Highways.

The Chair accepted three requests to speak on Item 8 - Budget and Business Planning:

·         Debbie Davies

·         Richard Drew

·         Steve Bolingbroke

Speeches that have been provided to the Council are published alongside the minutes.

Report of the Director of Human Resources and Cultural Change 

The pay policy statement sets out the council’s approach to pay in accordance with the requirements of Section 38-43 of the Localism Act 2011. It has been drafted with due regard to the associated statutory guidance, including the supplementary statutory guidance issued in February 2013, the Local Government Transparency Code 2015, and the statutory guidance on special severance payments issued in May 2022 under section 26 of the Local Government Act 1999.  

Council is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    Approve and adopt the 2026/27 pay policy statement and agree to its publication on the council website and intranet, as required by The Localism Act 2011 (the Act) and the Code of Practice on Data Transparency.

Council considered a report on the pay policy statement which set out the council’s approach to pay in accordance with the requirements of Section 38-43 of the Localism Act 2011.

The report was moved by Councillor Fawcett and seconded by Councillor Leffman.  Following discussion, the recommendations were approved with 44 votes in favour, 14 against and 4 abstentions.

RESOLVED:

That approval be given to the adoption of the 2026/27 pay policy statement and that it be published on the council website and intranet, as required by The Localism Act 2011 (the Act) and the Code of Practice on Data Transparency.

Report by the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer)

This report is the culmination of the Budget and Business Planning process for 2026/27 to 2030/31. It sets out the Cabinet’s proposed budget for 2026/27, medium term financial plan to 2030/31 and capital programme to 2036/37, together with a number of strategies and policies that the Council is required to approve for the 2026/27 financial year.

The Council is RECOMMENDED to:

a.     have regard to the statutory report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer) (at Section 3) in approving recommendations b to d below;

b.    (in respect of the budget and medium term financial strategy – at Section 4) approve:

(1)  the council tax and precept calculations for 2026/27 set out in Section 4.3 and in particular:

(i)              a precept of £567,372,273.74

(ii)             a council tax for band D equivalent properties of £2,006.78;

(2)  a budget for 2026/27 as set out in Section 4.4;

(3)  a medium term financial strategy for 2026/27 to 2030/31 as set out in Section 4.1 (which incorporates changes to the existing medium term financial strategy as set out in Section 4.2);

(4)  the Financial Strategy for 2026/27 at Section 4.5;

(5)  the Earmarked Reserves and General Balances Policy Statement 2026/27 at Section 4.6 including

(i)              the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer)’s recommended level of General Balances for 2026/27 (Section 4.6), and

(ii)             the planned level of Earmarked Reserves for 2026/27 to 2030/31 (Section 4.6.1)

c.      (in respect of capital – at Section 5) approve:

(1)  the Capital & Investment Strategy for 2026/27 to 2036/37 including the Prudential Indicators and Minimum Revenue Provision Methodology Statement as set out in Section 5.1;

(2)  a Capital Programme for 2026/27 to 2036/37 as set out in Section 5.4 which includes new capital proposals set out in Section 5.3.

d.    (in respect of treasury management – at Section 5) approve:

(1)  the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2026/27 at Section 5.2 including the Treasury Management Prudential Indicators and the Specified Investment and Non-Specified Investment Instruments.

(2)  that any further changes required to the 2026/27 strategy be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer) in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation;

Council had before it a report on the Budget and Business Planning process for 2026/27 to 2030/31. It set out the Cabinet’s proposed budget for 2026/27, medium term financial plan to 2030/31 and capital programme to 2036/37, together with a number of strategies and policies that the Council was required to approve for the 2026/27 financial year.  Officer amendments to the report had been set out in Addenda 4.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Leffman, Leader of the Council and seconded by Councillor Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation.

A set of amendments, set out in Addenda 1, were proposed by Councillor Brighouse, Leader of the Labour and Cooperative Group, and seconded by Councillor Baines, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation.  Following debate, the amendments were put to the vote and a roll call vote was taken. The amendments were lost.

The result of the roll call vote for the amendments in Addenda 1, was as follows: 

Councillors voting in favour (11): Baines, Brighouse, Cherry, Coles, Creed, Crichton, Edosomwan, Lygo, Philips, Pressel and Saul.

Councillors voting against (45): Ashby, Batstone, Bearder, Boucher-Giles, Brant, Cotter, Du, Epps, Evans, Fawcett, Fenton, Filipova-Rivers, Fletcher, Gant, Gaul, Gordon, Graham, Greenaway, Gregory, Hanna, Hannaby, Henwood, Heritage, Higgins, Hingley, Hope-Smith, Leffman, Levy, Ley, Lugova, Malik, Mallon, McLean, Overton, Plumb, Rawlins, Roberts, Robertshaw, Shiri, Snowdon, Stevens, Thomas, Walker, Webb and Worgan.

Councillors abstaining (6): Barlow, Jones, Kerr, Markham, McLauchlan and Middleton.

A set of amendments, set out in Addenda 2, were proposed by Councillor Walker, Leader of the Oxfordshire Alliance and seconded by Councillor Mallon, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation.  Following debate the amendments were put to the vote and a roll call vote was taken. The amendments were lost. 

The result of the roll call vote for the amendments in Addenda 2, was as follows: 

Councillors voting in favour (10): Ashby, Evans, Fenton, Henwood, Malik, Mallon, Plumb, Robertshaw, Snowdon and Walker.

Councillors voting against (51): Baines, Barlow, Batstone, Bearder, Boucher-Giles, Brant, Brighouse, Cherry, Coles, Cotter, Creed, Crichton, Edosomwan, Epps, Fawcett,  Filipova-Rivers, Fletcher, Gant, Gaul, Gordon, Graham, Greenaway, Gregory, Hanna, Hannaby, Heritage, Higgins, Hingley, Hope-Smith, Jones, Kerr, Leffman, Levy, Ley, Lugova, Lygo, Markham, McLauchlan, McLean, Middleton, Overton, Phillips, Pressel, Rawlins, Roberts, Saul, Shiri, Stevens, Thomas, Webb and Worgan.

Councillors abstaining (1): Du

A set of amendments, set out in Addenda 3, were proposed by Councillor Middleton, Leader of the Green Group and seconded by Councillor Markham.  Prior to the amendments being formally moved and seconded, Councillor Middleton withdrew and did not move the amendment relating to the Capital Programme to reallocate funds from Watlington Relief Road to drainage infrastructure investment and delivery of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).

Councillors Leffman and Levy accepted the revenue amendments set out in Addenda 3.

The meeting adjourned at 3pm to consider the proposal.

The meeting resumed at 3.30pm.  A Supplementary Report was circulated to councillors and published online detailing the amendments from Addenda 3 that had been accepted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8/26