Agenda item

Report by Director of Law & Governance

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

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

5. Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Annexes A & B containing exempt information under the above paragraphs are attached.

The purpose of the report is to make members aware of the history of the Charlotte Coxe Trust and the key decisions the Committee will need to make, as well as recommending steps that should be taken before the next meeting of this Committee.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to

(a)                Request a written presentation from Watlington Parish Council (“the Parish Council”) in advance of the next meeting of the Committee explaining why it would be an appropriate manager of the Charlotte Coxe Trust and how it has the necessary technical capacity and resources (including legal, financial and surveying expertise) to deal with the management of the Trust.

(b)                Request a written presentation from Oxfordshire County Council (“the County Council”) in its capacity as library authority in advance of the next meeting of the Committee with its proposals for the terms of the new lease of Watlington Library.

(c)                Agree that consideration of matters in connection with 10 Davenport Place should be postponed in view of the recent rejection of the relevant planning application.

The Committee considered a report on the history of the Charlotte Coxe Trust and the key decisions the Committee will need to make, as well as recommending steps that should be taken before the next meeting of this Committee.

The public was excluded for part of the discussion on this item because discussion of the matters in public was likely to lead to the disclosure to members of the public present of information in the following prescribed category:

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

5. Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Members questioned whether it was correct to seek payment for the time spent working on this by Council Officers as the work would have been part of their normal business.  They also questioned whether it was appropriate to seek retrospective payments for currently unknown amounts.

Members asked if planning permission would be needed for work, given that the building was listed.  Richard Hodby responded that the licence will specify that the Parish Council will have to comply with all building regulations and listed building requirements.  Any structural work will have to be done by professionals.  Work by volunteers will be limited to tasks such as decorating and gardening.

The Chair emphasised that the Parish Council was being asked to make a presentation to enable the County Council to satisfy itself that the Parish Council has the capacity to take on the responsibilities involved.

Action: It was agreed to invite Watlington Parish Council to a meeting of this Committee to present their case and take questions on it.  The questioning should include querying if they have taken their own legal advice.

RESOLVED to:

(a)                Request a written presentation from Watlington Parish Council (“the Parish Council”) in advance of the next meeting of the Committee explaining why it would be an appropriate manager of the Charlotte Coxe Trust and how it has the necessary technical capacity and resources (including legal, financial and surveying expertise) to deal with the management of the Trust.

(b)               Request a written presentation from Oxfordshire County Council (“the County Council”) in its capacity as library authority in advance of the next meeting of the Committee with its proposals for the terms of the new lease of Watlington Library.

(c)                Agree that consideration of matters in connection with 10 Davenport Place should be postponed in view of the recent rejection of the relevant planning application.