Agenda item

Report from Leader of the Council.

The report summarises the decisions from the Cabinet meetings on 17 September and 15 October 2024.

Council received the report of Cabinet covering the Cabinet meetings on 17 September and 15 October 2024.

On item 4, Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children's Board Annual Report 2023-24, Councillor Pressel noted that the number of strengths and needs forms completed in 2023-24 was well below target and asked what was being done to meet the target this year.  Councillor Baines asked how the Council was ensuring that children were not at increased risk.  Councillor Howson responded that the targets had been set by his predecessor and that officers were working on a strategy to increase the number of assessments in the current year.

Councillor Corkin quoted statistics indicating that people who were in care as a child had a greater risk of entering into the criminal justice system and asked if more attention should be given to that.  Councillor Howson responded and agreed that everything possible should be done to keep young children out of the criminal justice system.

On item Workforce Report and Staffing Data - Quarter 1 - April to June 2024, Councillor Baines asked when the anticipated £4m saving from reducing agency staff and consultancy work will be achieved and Councillor Phillips asked what was the target figure for reduced spending on agency staff.  Councillor Fawcett responded that the figures showed that the Council was consistently moving in the right direction.  He did not have the target figure to hand but it was in the budget.  He believed that the new simpler recruitment process would lead to a reduction in reliance on agency staff which were often being engaged to provide cover during the recruitment process which was lengthy under the old system.

On item 6, Ethical Procurement Policy, Councillor O’Connor asked if the Cabinet Member would consider inserting fair employment clauses at the contract level.  Councillor Levy responded that the point of the new policy was to embed ethical practices in the procurement policy but he would take the councillor’s point to officers to see if there was more that could be done.

Councillor Baines asked if the Cabinet Member would bring forward an ethical policy for the disposal of public buildings.  Councillor Levy responded that the Council would attempt to maximise the income so that this could be reinvested in services or other capital expenditure while at the same time doing that in an ethical way.

On item 7, Business Management and Monitoring Report - July 2024, Councillor Baines asked what the plans were to strengthen the savings plan for Children’s Services and drive down the cost of care.  Councillor Levy responded that, regarding the High Needs Block, some money would come from the government but it was not yet known how much.  Delivering services was the number one priority.  There was progress on achieving savings but it was slower than hoped for.

Councillor Brighouse noted how the High Needs Block had grown in the last year and asked if the Cabinet Member will be providing additional resources in the budget as central government had.  Councillor Levy noted that the same problem of growing demand was faced by all councils.  The new government recognised the issue and awarded extra funding of £1b but that would not go far.  The key issue was how the government would tackle the accumulated deficits and that had not been decided yet.

On item 9, Capital Programme Approvals - September 2024, Councillor Enright asked if there was going to be a strategic plan to continue on from the Housing and Growth Deal.  Councillor Levy responded that there had been issues with the different pots of money – some time-limited and others not linked to inflation.  The projects that will not be funded from the deal will need to be included in the capital budget.

Councillor Hicks asked if the Cabinet Member could confirm that all budget lines will align with LTCP5 (Local Transport and Connectivity Plan).  Councillor Levy confirmed that LTCP5 is the policy of the Council and so all budget proposals will be in line with that.

On item 10, Budget and Business Planning Report, Councillor Baines asked if the Cabinet Member welcomed the increased funding from the new government for local services.  Councillor Levy responded that he would welcome all extra funding but it was unclear how those funds would be distributed and there was concern that Oxfordshire might not get its fair share.

Councillor Bartholomew asked if the budget plans had been seriously disrupted by the government’s increase in national insurance contributions.  Councillor Levy responded that it was expected that some or all of that would be reimbursed for the Council.  The bigger impact was likely to be on the Council’s contractors and subcontractors.

On item 11, Capital Programme and Monitoring Report, Councillor Hicks noted that only £1 out of every £14 spent on travel overall was being spent on Active Travel and asked if the Cabinet Member planned on increasing that ratio.  Councillor Levy responded that he was a supporter of active travel and he welcomed the government’s commitment to providing multi-year funding from next year as that would enable the Council to plan projects properly.

Councillor Baines asked for an update on the capital funding shortfall including which schemes were the biggest drivers of inflation and which schemes were at greatest risk.  Councillor Levy said that he would respond to that question in writing.

Councillor Enright asked if there were lessons to be learned from the Housing and Growth deal in terms of delays in projects and the impact of inflation.  Councillor Levy agreed that there were some things the Council could improve to be more efficient but he did not believe that the Council was the main source of the delays.  Projects needed to be better matched to the funding available with better account taken of the impact of delays and inflation.

On item 12, Sustainable School Travel Strategy 2024-25, Councillor Brighouse noted that this came to Cabinet on 17 September while three days later there was a scrutiny committee discussion on school transport.  She asked if scrutiny should not have been consulted before the Cabinet decision.  Councillor Roberts responded that the strategy was a statutory requirement that had to be decided by a particular date.  There would then be an action plan and the feedback from the scrutiny meeting would feed into that.

Councillor Constance asked if school bus schedules could be altered to ensure that children arrive in time for the start of their school day.  Councillor Howson responded that his main concern was that free school transport ended at age 16 and he hoped that the new government would address that.

Councillor Coles asked if the Council could provide more support for the School Streets scheme as some schools struggle to have enough volunteers.  Councillor Baines noted that only a small number of schools had been included and asked if this displayed a lack of ambition.  Councillor Gant responded that the schemes would move to camera enforcement reducing the dependence on volunteers who have been doing great work in supporting these schemes.  He stated that it was a case of lack of funding not a lack of ambition.

Councillor Phillips asked when a pedestrian crossing could be installed to allow children from Risinghurst to cross the dual carriageway safely to their bus stop for travel to Wheatley Park School.  Councillor Gant noted that there were legal constraints on the impact that pedestrian crossings could have on traffic flows which meant that reducing car traffic was a key part of ensuring safe travel to school.

On item 13, Community Wealth Building - Action Plan and Next Steps, Councillor Baines asked about the application of a recommendation in the report, to prioritise surplus land for affordable housing and business space rather than maximum return, in the sale of County Hall.  Councillor Ley responded that he could not answer that now but that the Cabinet will continue to be transparent about the process as it develops.

Councillor Cherry asked if there was collaboration with district councils on tackling inequalities and deprivation.  Councillor Ley confirmed that this was the case as there were issues in many towns around the county.

On item 14, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Report for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Councillor Baines asked why there had been a decline in all but two assessed areas and if the public can be confident that OFRS will manage money responsibly and take appropriate preventative action.  Councillor Ley responded that six of the key recommendations had already been addressed, an improvement board had been put place which will report to scrutiny committee and the plan will be completed within the two years.