Agenda item

This Council agreed to set up a Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Transport in Central Oxfordshire as part of its last budget. This Council considers that it is time for such a Citizens’ Assembly, focused on reducing congestion, to be established. It should happen this financial year.

This Council notes that its ambitious suite of traffic management measures is due to be rolled out in the very near future. These include Oxford’s traffic filters and workplace parking levy, which are now largely enshrined in the Council’s budget and will take place unless there is a change of administration next year.

If all such measures go ahead, Oxfordshire motorists could be hit by £57million in fines in fines and charges, broken down as follows:

• Expanded Zero Emissions Zone £25m;
• Traffic Filters £11m;
• Workplace Parking Tax £21m.

For clarity, the purpose of a Congestion Citizens’ Assembly would be to assess the likely effectiveness of such measures, provide recommendations on existing proposals and advise as to whether other measures might be given effect after next year’s local elections as supplements or substitutes for such policies, putting residents’ voices at the heart of the decision-making process.

Council requests Cabinet to establish a Congestion Citizens’ Assembly of Central Oxfordshire citizens, with an advisory group to comprise elected members, local businesspeople, public sector leaders from the Council’s health, education and blue light partners, civil society and faith group leaders, and academics with relevant expertise in the field.

Note: The motion, if passed, would constitute the exercise of an executive function in which case it will be referred to the Cabinet together with any advice the Council may wish to give, in accordance with Rule 13.5.1 (i) of the Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Hicks and seconded by Councillor Enright.

Amendment 1 was proposed by Councillor Reeves and seconded by Councillor Bartholomew and was accepted by the proposer and seconder of the original motion and by Council.

The following Amendment 3 was proposed by Councillor Haywood and seconded by Councillor Bennett:

“This Council considered setting up a Congestion Commission and agreed to set up a Citizens’ Assembly as part of its last budget. With the formulation of this assembly underway this council reiterates that the assembly must take into consideration the main areas of congestion in Oxfordshire, especially the congestion that occurs travelling into, out of and around Oxford, and asks the cabinet to communicate this request to facilitators.

This Council considers that it is time to establish a Citizens’ Assembly of local residents or a Congestion Commission including businesspeople, public sector leaders, civil society and faith group leaders, and academics with relevant expertise, to ensure a greater democratic say in key decision-making.

This Council notes that its ambitious suite of traffic management measures is due to be rolled out in the very near future. These include Oxford’s traffic filters and workplace parking levy, which are now largely enshrined in the Council’s budget and will take place unless there is a change of administration next year.

If all such measures go ahead, Oxfordshire motorists could be hit by £57million in fines in fines and charges, broken down as follows:

• Expanded Zero Emissions Zone £25m;
• Traffic Filters £11m;
• Workplace Parking Tax £21m.

For clarity, the purpose of a Citizens’ Assembly or Congestion Commission would be to assess the effectiveness of such measures, provide recommendations on existing proposals and advise as to whether other measures might be given effect after next year’s local elections as supplements or substitutes for such policies, putting residents’, businesses’ and civil society groups’ voices at the heart of local decision-making.

Council requests Cabinet to establish a Congestion Commission or Citizens’ Assembly ensuring in so doing that the voices of elected members, businesspeople, public sector leaders and civil society and faith groups are properly heard.”

Following debate, amendment 3 was lost with 19 votes in favour, 28 against and 1 abstention.

Following further debate, the motion as amended was carried with 29 votes in favour, 20 against and no abstentions.

RESOLVED:

This Council considered setting up a Congestion Commission and agreed to set up a Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Transport in Central Oxfordshire as part of its last budget. This Council considers that it is time to establish for such a Citizens’ Assembly of local residents or a Congestion Commission, focused on reducing congestion, to be established. It should happen this financial year. including businesspeople, public sector leaders, civil society and faith group leaders, and academics with relevant expertise, to ensure a greater democratic say in key decision-making.

This Council notes that its ambitious suite of traffic management measures is due to be rolled out in the very near future. These include Oxford’s traffic filters and workplace parking levy, which are now largely enshrined in the Council’s budget and will take place unless there is a change of administration next year.

If all such measures go ahead, Oxfordshire motorists could be hit by £57million in fines in fines and charges, broken down as follows:

• Expanded Zero Emissions Zone £25m;
• Traffic Filters £11m;
• Workplace Parking Tax £21m.

For clarity, the purpose of a Congestion Citizens’ Assembly or Congestion Commission would be to assess the likely effectiveness of such measures, provide recommendations on existing proposals and advise as to whether other measures might be given effect after next year’s local elections as supplements or substitutes for such policies, putting residents’, businesses’ and civil society groups’ voices at the heart of local the decision-making process.

Council requests Cabinet to establish a Congestion Commission or Citizens’ Assembly of Central Oxfordshire citizens, with an advisory group to comprise ensuring in so doing that the voices of elected members, local businesspeople, public sector leaders from the Council’s health, education and blue light partners, and civil society and faith groups leaders are properly heard, and academics with relevant expertise in the field.