Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Cabinet Member for Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/001

Contact: Louise Tustian, Head of Insight & Corporate Programmes Tel: 07741 607452/Hannah Doney, Head of Corporate Finance Tel: 07584 174654

Report by Corporate Director Customers & Organisational Development and Director of Finance (CA7).

This report sets out Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC’s) progress towards Corporate Plan priorities for 2020/21 – March 2021. 

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)           notethis month’sbusiness management andmonitoring report; 

(b)           note the annual review2020/21; 

(c)           note the virements set out in Annex C-2b; 

(d)       notethe summaryof financialposition for 2020/21along with theyear- end position on general balances and earmarked reserves as set out in Annex C;

(e)       approvethe underspend£5.9m shouldbe transferredto balances. 

Cabinet considered a report setting out Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC’s) progress towards Corporate Plan priorities for 2020/21 – March 2021.

Councillor Calum Miller, Cabinet Member for Finance, introduced the report which showed that the Council preformed very strongly last year in very difficult circumstances and he thanked officers for their exceptionally hard work.  Of the 27 performance indicators in the Corporate Plan, 17 were rated Green, 9 Amber and one could not be reported due to Covid-19.

At 31 March 2021, there had been an underspend of £5.9m on directorate services largely due to lower demand for some services due to the pandemic.  It was proposed that this balance be transferred to general reserves.  At the year end, there was a balance of £14.2m remaining of the COVID-19 budget and this was proposed to be transferred to the COVID-19 reserve.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, praised the exceptional work of staff, particularly in the Customer Services Centre, who provided an extended hours service to vulnerable people who were shielding.  She also highlighted the work of the IT teams in providing superfast broadband across the county, enabling employees to work from home almost immediately when the lockdown happened and finding innovative ways to allow Cabinet and committee meetings to continue.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, thanked his predecessor Councillor Yvonne Constance and former Councillor Suzanne Bartington, who championed active travel, and committed to bringing forward and enhancing their work.  He confirmed that the Zero Emissions Zone was due to be launched in August and there were plans to extend the e-scooter hire scheme which had been successful in Headington to other areas.  He thanked bus providers and workers for improving services, even during the pandemic, particularly in regard to access to the Westgate Centre.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, noted the difficulties created for rural villages with the reduction in bus services in 2016 and stated that there was now an opportunity to redefine how the bus system worked.  He was looking to expand the School Streets pilots to other areas as well as other measures to reduce traffic, thereby cutting emissions and pollution and making the streets safer.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, described how the Council continued to help more people to receive care in the home and live more independently, working in partnership with Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford Health and Age UK Oxfordshire.  90.4% of people with learning disabilities were living on their own or with families compared to the national average of 76%.  She also noted that 94% percent of care homes were rated good our outstanding.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, expressed concern about the long-term effects of Covid-19 on the mental health of young people in particular.  The Mental Wellbeing Hub for Young People had been launched in March 2021 and was intended to support young people suffering from psychological challenges.  Family Solutions Services have been strengthened and have brought the numbers on Child Protection Plans to the lowest level since 2012/13.  However, due to the pandemic, there had been a hold-up in court hearings to get children off plans.  She drew particular attention to the magnificent work of social workers, family support workers and teachers and staff in schools.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equality, noted the joint framework with Cherwell District Council on Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion, setting out the vision to be leaders in this field.  He welcomed the local government declaration by Oxfordshire councils and NHS partners on tobacco control.  He stated that there was a need to re-focus on physical activity which was impacted during the lockdown, for example with young children missing out on swimming lessons.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Cabinet Member for Climate Change Delivery and Environment, acknowledged the work done by Councillor Yvonne Constance and in particular the green homes grant, the Climate Action Framework and the fact that the county was the best performing on recycling.  He wanted to step that work up to move to a circular economy and accelerate decarbonisation and he intended to work together with all partners on a themed programme to achieve that.

RESOLVED to:

(a)             notethis month’sbusiness managementand monitoringreport;

(b)             note the annual review2020/21;

(c)             note the virements set out in Annex C-2b;

(d)             notethe summaryof financialposition for2020/21 alongwith theyear-end position on general balances and earmarked reserves as set out in Annex C;

(e)             approve theunderspend £5.9mshould betransferred tobalances.