Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and temporary appointments.

Apologies were received from Cllr Ley, substituted by Cllr Batstone.

See guidance note on the back page.

Cllr Smith declared that her daughter worked for Oxfordshire Educational Services.

The Committee is recommended to APPROVE the minutes of the meeting held on 05 December 2025 and to receive information arising from them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 05 December 2025 were APPROVED as a true and accurate record.

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 speak must be submitted no later than 9am three working days before the meeting, i.e. Tuesday, 13 January 2026.

Requests should be submitted to the Scrutiny Officer at scrutiny@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.

Cllr Robert Parker, Shirburn Parish, sent his apologies however the Chair agreed that his comments on the Watlington Relief Road should be read out by the Scrutiny Manager. (Full text is appended to these minutes)

Cllr Boucher-Giles arrived at this stage.

All Cabinet members and directors have been invited to present a report on the Budget Proposals for 2026/27 – 2030/31

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

NB This report is to follow.

The expected order (and rough timings) are expected to be as follows:

All Cabinet members and directors have been invited to present a report on the Budget Proposals for 2026/27 – 2030/31.

Present for the item were:

• Cllr Leffman, Leader of the Council
• Cllr Fawcett, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet member for Resources
• Cllr Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adults
• Cllr Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People
• Cllr Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities
• Cllr Hannaby, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety
• Cllr Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation
• Cllr Roberts, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Change
• Martin Reeves, Chief Executive
• Lorna Baxter, Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer
• Ansaf Azhar, Director for Public Health and Communities
• Annette Perrington, Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion
• Delia Mann, Deputy Director of Children’s Social Care
• Ian Dyson, Director of Financial and Commercial Services
• Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Services
• Kathy Wilcox, Head of Corporate Finance
• Natalie Crawford, Capital Programme Manager
• Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways
• Rob MacDougall, Chief Fire Officer and Director for Community Safety
• Robin Rogers, Director of Economy and Place
• Susannah Wintersgill, Director of Public Affairs and Policy Partnerships
• Vic Kurzeja, Director of Property and Assets

All other Council Members were invited to attend as guests, those attending included:

• Cllr Barlow

• Cllr Brighouse
• Cllr Epps
• Cllr Fry
• Cllr Garnett
• Cllr Jones
• Cllr Kerr
• Cllr McLauchlan
• Cllr Pressel
• Cllr Robertshaw
• Cllr Worgan

The Leader of the Council introduced the budget item explaining that the government’s Fair Funding Review had resulted in a reduction of approximately £24 million in funding for Oxfordshire, creating a budget gap of £5.4 million for the current year. She noted that the Council had received a three-year settlement, which was appreciated as it aided planning, whilst also noting the challenge of larger budget gaps of £19.4 million and £25.9 million in the following two years. The Leader thanked Officers for their work in preparing the budget under tight timelines and emphasised the need to present a balanced budget and maintain the Council’s strong financial position ahead of local government reorganisation.

          Budget introduction

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, stated that the Council faced an uncomfortable financial position, with a current budget gap of £5.4 million. He suggested future options to close the budget gap, including £1.5 million in real cuts to services, alongside other measures such as reducing contingency funds, though future years would present greater difficulties. The Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation noted that the government’s multi-year settlement was helpful but had come late and meant that the Council was effectively required to raise Council tax by the maximum amount, reducing its autonomy. He highlighted ongoing uncertainties, especially around funding for children with high needs and the accumulated deficit within the High Needs Block.

The Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer presented an overview of the budget, recapping the funding changes and the context for the current financial year. She explained that the budget setting process had been unusually  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5/26

Cllr Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Ian Dyson, Director for Financial and Commercial Services, and Max Button, Commercial Excellence Lead have been invited to present a report on a draft of the refresh of the Council’s Social Value policy.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Cllr Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Martin Reeves, Chief Executive, Ian Dyson, Director for Financial and Commercial Services, and Max Button, Commercial Excellence Lead, were invited to present a report on a draft of the refresh of the Council’s Social Value policy.

The Cabinet Member and Officers introduced the Social Value Policy by outlining its purpose and the strategic direction it would set for Oxfordshire County Council. The Cabinet Member for Finance emphasised that the policy sought to ensure the Council’s procurement and commissioning activities delivered benefits that extended beyond strict financial return. The intention was to embed social value into all contracts so that local priorities, such as sustainability, inclusion, and economic development, were actively supported through public spending. By positioning social value at the centre of procurement, the Council aimed to strengthen community outcomes and promote long?term wellbeing for residents.

The Director for Financial and Commercial Services discussed how the policy would operate in practice. He explained that it would provide a clear framework for Officers, enabling consistent assessment and maximisation of social value within procurement processes. The policy was designed to ensure Officers had accessible guidance, measurable outcomes and transparent evaluation methods, so that consideration of social value became a routine element in decision?making. He noted that embedding these principles required sustained cultural change, supported through training and ongoing oversight.

The Commercial Excellence Lead added that the policy would strengthen the Council’s ability to work constructively with suppliers and partners, encouraging innovation and collaboration. He highlighted that meaningful social impact depended on strong relationships and the ability to track, monitor and report on commitments. Building a cycle of continuous improvement was essential, ensuring that the policy delivered real change rather than becoming a procedural formality.

During discussion, members raised concerns that social value risked being interpreted too narrowly if seen purely as a procurement exercise. They pointed to County Durham’s “Durham Pound” as an example of a wider approach that considered the full range of a Council’s activities and assets, including land and property. Members questioned why the current policy focused exclusively on procurement when social value could be embedded more broadly across Council functions.

In response, Officers acknowledged that while procurement was the initial focus, the wider potential was recognised. They agreed that future iterations of the policy should expand to include broader applications of social value, particularly in the context of forthcoming local government reorganisation. The Chief Executive reinforced this point, cautioning against a narrow interpretation and encouraging a more ambitious, place?based model aligned with strategic county?wide priorities.

Further questions explored how work on social value beyond procurement would be captured within Council processes. Officers confirmed that the current version of the policy did not yet cover this wider scope but recognised the need for a more holistic approach that integrated social value considerations into land management, property decisions and other operational were. Members expressed support for developing a more comprehensive strategic framework to ensure that social value was embedded across  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6/26

The Committee is recommended to NOTE the progress of previous recommendations and actions arising from previous meetings, having raised any questions on the contents.

The Committee NOTED the action and recommendation tracker.

The Committee is recommended to AGREE its work programme for forthcoming meetings, having heard any changes from previous iterations, and taking account of the Cabinet Forward Plan and of the Budget Management Monitoring Report.

The Council’s latest Forward Plan can be found here: Forward plan - February 2026 | Oxfordshire County Council

The Committee AGREED to the proposed forward work plan, with the following inclusions:

• Social Value policy within a year
• Public Health equality report would return in Dec 2026

Members were also encouraged to send additional suggestions to the Scrutiny Manager.

The Committee expressed desire for a ICB representative to attend the Adult Social Care focused BMMR item in April.

Attached is the Cabinet response to the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommendations made in relation to Devolution. The Committee is asked to NOTE the response.

The Committee NOTED the cabinet responses to the Devolution report.