Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Robin Bennett (substituted by Councillor Ian Middleton) and Councillor Jane Murphy.

Please see guidance note

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 4 November 2022 and the minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2023.

           .

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2023 were approved as an accurate record.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. 

To facilitate ‘hybrid’ meetings we are asking that requests to speak are submitted by no later than 9am four working days before the meeting i.e., 9am on <<DATE>>.  Requests to speak should be sent to colm.ocaomhanaigh@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 2 working days before the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

The Chair agreed to two requests to address the committee:

·         Gill Bindoff

·         Parish Councillor Denise Mallan

Gill Bindoff stated that the cottage had been renovated to a good standard.  An energy rating would be sought which they were hoping will achieve level C.  She thanked the Council for extending the term to August for the family living in the property.  She supported the idea of an informal meeting to move things on.

Denise Mallan added that the work of the welcome committee and commitment of the local people to help the family in the cottage was a good example of how the Watlington community can work together.

In response to a question from Gill Bindoff, Richard Hodby explained that the lease for the library cannot be completed until the transfer to Watlington Parish Council takes place because the County Council cannot be landlord and tenant.

Report by Director of Law & Governance

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

a)                  Approve the Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31 March 2023 annexed to this report and

b)                  Authorise a Council officer to submit data from the Statement to the Charity Commission online before midnight on 31 January 2024 so that annual financial reporting obligations are complied with.

The Committee considered the Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31 March 2023 and the recommendation to authorise its submission.

It was clarified that the accounts followed the usual local authority format whereby income is denoted with a minus number.

Richard Hodby confirmed that there was no tax liability as the interest was exempt for a charity.

RESOLVED to:

a)                          Approve the Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31 March 2023 annexed to this report and

b)                          Authorise a Council officer to submit data from the Statement to the Charity Commission online before midnight on 31 January 2024 so that annual financial reporting obligations are complied with.

The information in this case is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed categories:

1.         Information relating to any individual;

3.         Information relating to the financial and business affairs of any person (including the authority holding that information); and

5.         Information in which a claim to Legal Professional Privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings

and since it is considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The report containing exempt information under the above paragraph is attached.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED:

(a)         To allow the family of Ukrainian refugees currently occupying 33 High Street, Watlington to remain there until the earlier of 31 August 2024 and the date when the transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council has completed (at which point the management of the property will cease to be the Council’s responsibility);

(b)         To instruct officers of the Council  to write to Watlington Parish Council on behalf of the Trust (i) expressing its disappointment at the fact it allowed the family into occupation of the property without going through the procedures mandated by the Committee at its meeting on 28 April 2022, (ii) advising that occupation on the current basis should not carry on beyond 31 August 2024 and (iii) advising that occupation beyond 31 August 2024 will require further renovation work to be carried out at the property so its energy performance rating is improved; and

(c)         To agree not to pay any of Watlington Parish Council’s legal fees.

RESOLVED that the public be excluded during the consideration of the report since it is likely that if they were present during that discussion there would be a disclosure of "exempt" information as described in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and specified below the item in the Agenda.

Members discussed the report and proposed to amend recommendation b) as follows:

To instruct officers of the Council  to write to Watlington Parish Council on behalf of the Trust (i) expressing its disappointment concern at the fact it allowed the family into with the occupation of the property by a family without going through the procedures mandated by the Committee at its meeting on 28 April 2022, (ii) advising that occupation on the current basis should must not carry on beyond 31 August 2024 without formal arrangements being in place and (iii) advising that occupation beyond 31 August 2024 will require further renovation work to be carried out at the property so its energy performance rating is improved; and (iv) reiterating the offer to work collaboratively, including a face to face meeting, to resolve any issues with the occupation of the property and enable a timely transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council; and

The amendment was agreed and the recommendations as amended were agreed.

RESOLVED:

(a)                To allow the family of Ukrainian refugees currently occupying 33 High Street, Watlington to remain there until the earlier of 31 August 2024 and the date when the transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council has completed (at which point the management of the property will cease to be the Council’s responsibility);

(b)               To instruct officers of the Council  to write to Watlington Parish Council on behalf of the Trust (i) expressing its concern with the occupation of the property by a family without going through the procedures mandated by the Committee at its meeting on 28 April 2022, (ii) advising that occupation on the current basis must not carry on beyond 31 August 2024 without formal arrangements being in place, and (iii) advising that occupation beyond 31 August 2024 will require further renovation work to be carried out at the property so its energy performance rating is improved; and (iv) reiterating the offer to work collaboratively, including a face to face meeting, to resolve any issues with the occupation of the property and enable a timely transfer of the Trust to Watlington Parish Council; and

(c)                To agree not to pay any of Watlington Parish Council’s legal fees.