Decisions

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 January 2026 be approved and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings.

This decision achieves the following key outcomes:

-          OCC will receive the necessary grant funding contribution from OxCity to be able to pay its chosen supplier (Connected Kerb) to deliver an additional 140 new GULO-funded chargers within its wider LEVI contract

-          The Department for Transport grant funded GULO will successfully be completed – meeting OxCity’s obligations to the funders at the Department of Transport and providing an additional 140 public EV charging sockets in Oxford

-          The existing estate of GULO P1 chargers will be operated by Connected Kerb under the OCC contract and will continue to provide a valuable service for residents

The responsibility for on-street public charging will sit with OCC which is clearer, more appropriate and easier to manage contractually than the prior temporary arrangements

In 2013, OxCity were granted special permission to be able to install, own and operate public EV chargers on the public Highway in order to deliver what was at the time an innovative trial of this type of EV charging technology as part of the Go Ultra Low Oxford project (GULO).

This was always intended to be a short-term practical arrangement to enable the OxCity-led project to go ahead; under normal circumstances OCC would not want assets to be installed and operated on the highway by third parties with whom OCC had no direct contractual relationship.

By 2015, around 51 chargepoint sockets had been delivered under the GULO project part 1 (GULO P1) but by 2022 the delivery of remainder of the scheme (GULO P2) had not been completed by OxCity.  Around the same time in 2022 the Department for Transport announced that OCC – as Highways Authority and strategic transport lead for Oxfordshire - would be receiving Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) grant funding and be expected to lead on the strategic planning and practical delivery of this large-scale public EV charging programme across the County.

It was agreed between OCC and OxCity at this point that no further public EV infrastructure would be installed on the Highway by OxCity, and that this would instead be delivered by OCC under their own chargepoint operator contracts, as was always in the intention in the long-term.

As a result of this decision around changing responsibilities, it was decided that:

-          a) OCC – via their chosen chargepoint operator - would adopt and be responsible for the existing on-street infrastructure that had been delivery by OxCity in the GULO P1 project

-          B) OxCity would transfer the remaining £402,000 of unspent GULO funding to OCC along with the responsibility for delivering the remaining 140 on-street EV charging sockets required to complete the GULO P2 project (to which Ox City insist on continuing to be responsible for to the funders at the Department of Transport).

-          c) In order to repay Ox City for their investment to date, OCC would pass to Ox City up to £451,000 from the income generated by the whole GULO charging estate over the next 15 years

A legally-binding GULO agreement has been drawn up to reflect the above responsibilities and financial and practical arrangements relating to the above decision.

The awards will support the purchase of 13 new electric vehicles and the conversion of a further 2 diesel minibuses. Various interior upgrades or additional features for a further 9 vehicles ranging from accessibility enhancements such as safety rails, installation of CCTV, USB chargers, 5G ready Wi-Fi and floor replacements.

The initiative has attracted an additional £4.056M in collective investment from the operators. It also enables timely investment in the local bus network utilising DfT Bus Grant.

The award of funding under the Vehicle Improvement Fund 2025/26 to local bus operators for upgrades to their bus fleets that aim to improve passenger experience and/or

advance the decarbonisation of the bus network.

The awards total £1.402M, (the maximum budget for this scheme was £1.443M), made up of seven individual grants.

A robust application and assessment process was followed in determining these awards, consistent with the DfT funding terms (MoU).

To secure external grant funding to support the establishment and ongoing operational activities of the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Chilterns RDSC, including maintaining free membership, delivering events and stakeholder engagement, maintaining an independent website, developing a regional capability “heat map”, and meeting MoD/UKDI reporting requirements through to 31 March 2027.

To accept the Ministry of Defence (MoD), acting through the UK Defence Innovation Organisation (UKDI), offer of grant funding (described as a “donation”) for a maximum of £109,932 for the period to 31 March 2027; and to authorise Oxfordshire County Council to act as the accountable authority / grant recipient on behalf of the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Chilterns RDSC, entering into the associated Grant Funding Agreement and complying with its terms, including reporting, audit and use-of-funds conditions.

Financial details: maximum grant £109,932 comprised of up to £47,780 in FY2025/26 and up to £62,152 in FY2026/27. Funding is revenue and must be applied only to eligible expenditure for the funded activities (e.g., project management/support, events, website, communications, branded materials, heat map development, quarterly reporting and assurance/audit fees). No overspend will be funded; any ineligible expenditure, duplicate funding or unspent monies may be subject to clawback/repayment under the Agreement.

The Chair introduced the item to the meeting, invited speakers to make their addresses and responded to their points in turn.

The Chair confirmed that the HIF1 scheme was separated into 3 sections; the Didcot Science Bridge, the Culham River Crossing and the Clifton Hampden Bypass. This decision related to the construction contract for the Clifton Hampden Bypass. Officers confirmed the intention of the wider scheme was to improve connectivity between Didcot and Culham, reducing congestion and to support the delivery of 12,000 homes being built in the vicinity.

Officers confirmed that the recommendation was to delegate the award of the contract to the Director of Environment and Highways. If approved, the main construction was due to begin in April and last for 18 months.

Officers noted that the scheme was fully funded from 4 different sources, with contingency funding that had not currently been drawn into from Homes England.

Officers confirmed that there would be quarterly updates with parish councils to keep them informed on the progress of the scheme and that e-newsletters had also been introduced.

The Chair noted that she felt the scheme would be worthwhile to alleviate congestion in Clifton Hampden and also make it a better environment for children attending the primary school.

The Chair thanked speakers for their contributions, officers for their work and agreed to the recommendations in the report.

RESOLVED to:

a)    Delegate authority to the Director of Environment and Highways to award the Stage Two NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract for the HIF1 Clifton Hampden Bypass scheme to John Graham Construction Limited under the Crown Commercial Service Construction Works and Associated Services Framework RM6088, Lot 4.1 (England and Wales) subject to:

(i)             agreement of the target cost (within the released budget),

(ii)           agreement of the programme for the works and

(iii)         finalising the contract terms.

The Chair introduced the item to the meeting.

Officers confirmed that the report had been prepared to report how the Council was fulfilling its ‘strengthened’ biodiversity duty under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (as amended). Approval to publish the report had been recommended to fulfil statutory obligations.

The period covered by the report was from January 2023 to December 2025.

The Chair thanked officers and agreed to the recommendations in the report.

RESOLVED to:

a)    Approve the ‘Biodiversity Action at Oxfordshire County Council Jan 2023-Dec 2025’ report for publication.

Recommendations approved.

Recommendations approved.

Recommendations approved.

Cabinet received the reports and will respond in due course.

Cllr Ben Higgins had been appointed to the Music Service Hub Board.

Cllr Gareth Epps had been appointed to the Children’s Trust Board.

There were none.

See attached.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2026 were approved as a correct record.

There were none.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jenny Hannaby.

The Cabinet Member considered the report which indicated that Early Years Providers and Schools Forum were consulted on the Early Years

Funding Formula, and the overwhelming response was to pass on the increase in hourly rate in full to providers.

Resolved to:

a)    Pass the funding increase received by Oxfordshire onto providers

(after allowing for centrally retained funding per Department of Education (DfE) criteria) and approve the 2026-27 Early Years funding formula for 3- and 4-year-old provision with an underlying hourly rate of £6.04 (excluding the supplements, SEN Inclusion Fund and Contingency).

b)    Pass the funding increase received by Oxfordshire onto providers

(after allowing for centrally retained funding per Department of Education (DfE) criteria) and approve the 2026-27 Early Years funding Formula for 2-year-old working parent provision at an hourly rate of £8.29.

c)    Pass the funding increase received by Oxfordshire onto providers

(after allowing for centrally retained funding per Department of Education (DfE) criteria) and approve the 2026-27 Early Years funding formula for 2-year-olds of families receiving additional support at an hourly rate of £8.29.

d)    Pass the funding increase received by Oxfordshire onto providers (after allowing for centrally retained funding per Department of Education (DfE) criteria) and approve the 2026-27 Early Years funding formula for 9 Months to 2-year-old provision at an hourly rate of £11.33.

The Cabinet Member considered a report that outlined the proposed school admissions arrangements for Oxfordshire for the 2027–28 academic year following public consultation. North Kidlington Primary School and  Ducklington Church of England Primary School had requested a reduction to its Published Admission Number (PAN) for 2027/28.

Resolved to:

a)             Approve Scheme of Co-ordination for Normal Points of Transfer

b)             Approve Admission Arrangements and Oversubscription Criteria

for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools

c)             Approve Published Admission Numbers (PANs)

d)       Approve In-Year Admissions Scheme

The Cabinet Member considered the report which indicated that the latest Area SEND monitoring inspection from Ofsted and the CQC highlighted that as a result of Enhanced Pathways, many children’s and young people’s needs were being more effectively met in mainstream settings. The business case was also seeking to once again expand the project further to ensure more children and young people could have their needs met successfully. The Cabinet Member highlighted that the Enhanced Pathways started with only 9, then grew to 40. It was further said that the plan was to grow it to 60.

Furthermore, in the academic year 2024 - 25 £1,194,718 had been spent on 20 Enhanced Pathways. This benefitted 292 children and young people, which could be compared to the same value potentially benefiting only 17 children placed at Independent Non-maintained Special School (INMSS) at an average cost of £70,000 or 96 pupils accessing alternative education provision packages at an average cost of £12,354.55.

Resolved to:

a)    Approve the Council to fund a further 20 Enhanced Pathways to triple the reach of the project to enable the Council to offer a more equitable offer across the county to meet the increasing numbers and complexities of children and young people with Special Educational Needs in mainstream schools and to realise probable savings through this spend to save model.

b)    Approve the Council’s budgetary commitment for a period of 3 years for each Enhanced Pathway (barring significant changes to central government funding of SEND during that period).

c)    Commit to consider and review opportunities to upscale the Enhanced Pathways programme over the coming years in line with the impact evidence provided.

Councillor Ben Higgins, Cabinet Member for Future Economy and Innovation, presented the report.

During discussion, it was noted that the Board of Enterprise Oxfordshire approved these plans on 29^th January. It was further noted that a second version of the business plan would be produced after the Economic Development Strategy had been considered by Cabinet, which would feed into other areas of work produced by Enterprise Oxfordshire.

The Chair thanked officers for their work. Councillor Higgins proposed and Councillor Roberts seconded the recommendations, and they were approved.

RESOLVED to:

a) Approve the 2026/27 Enterprise Oxfordshire Business Plan version 1 and indicative budget for 2027/28; and

b) Note that a version 2 of the Business Plan will be developed following the Economic Strategy.