Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet meetings held on 24 May and 21 June 2022

Council received the report of the Cabinet

In relation to a question from Cllr John Howson, Cllr Liz Brighouse said that it was important to make our SEND system better through improved engagement  from the health sector.

In relation to a question from Cllr Ian Corkin, Cllr Liz Brighouse undertook to provide a written response on the number of children from Ukraine waiting for school places and the wating times for those places

In relation to a question from Cllr Brad Baines, Cllr Mark Lygo explained that the Council was working with partners on the strategy for the next steps of the food strategy in order to achieve the desired outcomes

In relation to a question from Cllr Ian Middleton, Cllr Mark Lygo said that initiatives had been taken to encourage more involvement by schools in the development of the Food Strategy

In relation to a question from Cllr Robin Bennett, Cllr Mark Lygo explained ways in which the district councils and other partners would be involved in development of the Food Strategy

In relation to a question from Cllr Ian Corkin, Cllr Pete Sudbury undertook to provide a written response to concerns regarding the planning application to restore a destroyed landfill site at Ardley

In relation to a question from Cllr David Batholomew, Cllr Calum Miller explained the measures being taken to address the deficit to the High Needs Dedicated Schools Grant fund and that local authorities were working together to lobby central government for more financial support for a measure which he considered had been inadequately funded since it had been introduced.

In relation to a question from Cllr Charlie Hicks, Cllr Duncan Enright undertook to speak to officers about the review of LTCP 4

In relation to a question from Cllr Robin Bennett. Cllr Pete Sudbury explained the measures being taken to reduce Scope 3 carbon emissions and a report would be submitted to the Cabinet in the autumn

In relation to a question from Cllr Roz Smith, Cllr Jenny Hannaby said that she intended to visit all 44 of the county’s libraries and would be looking at the measures needed to improve buildings and services where required

In relation to a question from Cllr Robin Bennett, Cllr Calum Miller said that the new administration had put in place new capital expenditure controls and steps to deal with inadequately funded schemes inherited from the previous administration.

In relation to a question from Cllr David Bartholomew, Cllr Calum Miller said that it had been disappointing that a proportion of capital funds allocated in the previous financial year had been unspent but that they had been earmarked in the current year and that the administration would ensure continued close scrutiny of the council’s capital expenditure

In relation to a question from Cllr David Bartholomew, Cllr Calum Miller undertook to provide a written response on the contradiction between statements in the Treasury Management annual report and the Capital Programme report regarding new borrowing in 2021/22

In relation to a question from Cllr Brad Baines, Cllr Andrew Gant said that the Active Travel Strategy, which formed part of the evidence base to the LTCP, had addressed the issue of good quality segregated active travel infrastructure.

In relation to a question from Cllr Yvonne Constance, Cllr Andrew Gant said that he would speak to officers on the plans for “Vision Zero” on the A420 road

In relation to a question from Cllr Andrew Coles, Cllr Andrew Gant explained the current status of the Woodstock Road scheme and that the primary aims were to reduce congestion and car use and encourage use of buses as part of the Active Travel Scheme

In relation to a question from Cllr George Reynolds, Cllr Andrew Gant said that he would be ensuring that bus services from rural areas of the County  into the Oxford continued to be prioritised.

In relation to a question from Cllr Robin Bennett, Cllr Duncan Enright said that he would ensure that input from parish Councils and Didcot Town Council was taken into account in the development of the Didcot area strategy

In relation to a question from Cllr Yvonne Constance, Cllr Duncan Enright said that the governance of the HIF2 scheme had been reviewed, a cabinet advisory group had been established, monitoring of environmental performance, and that he was confident that the scheme would provide considerable improvements to the infrastructure of the county.

In relation to a question from Cllr John Howson, Cllr Duncan Enright said that

he would ensure that neighbourhood forums and resident group were consulted on the HIF2 scheme.