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Minutes:
Council received the following Petition and Public Address
Public Address
Ian Hill addressed the Council in support of Agenda Item 13 (Future Management of the Charlotte Coxe Trust) speaking on behalf of Watlington Parish Council. He said that the Town Council supported the proposals in the report and the measures that would be needed to bring the building at 33 High Street, Watlington, back into use.
Anni Byard addressed the Council regarding Agenda Item 14 (Motion by Cllr Sally Povolotsky). She was pleased to see the motion had been amended from that proposed previously. She said there was no no evidence that trans gender people are at any more disadvantage that any other group with protected characteristics when accessing services. She said that the law affords transgender people with the same rights as any other section of society. She asked whether the Council could define transphobia. While she supported the Council providing equal access to all groups she said this should not involve the removal of single sex spaces.
Hannah Massey addressed the Council in support of Agenda 14 (Motion by Cllr Sally Povolotsky). She referred to campaigns and propaganda to encourage transphobia in society including those in the media. She referred to medical and psychological treatments that transgender people had to undergo. She said there was no place for transphobia in society and thanked members of the Council for what she hoped would be their support
Chrissie Chevasuut addressed the Council in support of Agenda 14 (Motion by Cllr Sally Povolotsky) said she worked for St Columba URC Church in Oxford on a project supporting the trans gender and non-binary community. She explained her own experience as a transgender person. She gave examples where transgender people had died in tragic circumstances, and referred to schools which had refused to accept the identity of transgender pupils. She said that trans-hate crime had risen by 300% in the last five years. In early 2020 the Christian group Safe Schools Alliance forced the County Council to withdraw the trans-affirming guidelines and resources in schools. It was important than transgender people had the support of local government
Paul Boone addressed the Council in support of Item 16 (Motion by Councillor Freddie van Mierlo) He said he represented the Chalgrove Airfield Action Group. He said that the site was isolated which relied on car transport. There were no rail services or plans for a viable bus service. He said that there were proposals for bypasses and inadequate cycle routes, insufficient employment opportunities. The plans to use the airfield for ejector seat tests would result in carbon footprint and safety implications for the nearby housing and school. The proposals did not meet the NPPPF sustainability tests, climate emergency or OCC climate reduction targets and urged members to support the motion on the agenda.
A statement by Debbie Proctor regarding Item 16 (Motion by Cllr Freddie van Mierlo) was read as she was unable to connect to the meeting via Teams. The statement referred to announcements by Homes England on their plans for the Chalgrove Airfield site, and representations by the County Council for good cycle routes and active travel links. She said that any infrastructure would only support journeys by car which would mean it would be less likely that the County Council would meet its carbon reduction targets.
Petition
Linda Goodhead presented a petition regarding the withdrawal of the Stage Coach S8 and Oxford Bus Company X13 bus services at Hinksey Hill and requesting that one bus service per hour be reinstated