Council will receive and note a report from the Leader on:

1.           the appointment of the deputy Leader of the Council;

2.           the appointment of up to 8 additional members of the Cabinet;

3.           the responsibilities of the Leader, Deputy Leader, and other Cabinet Members;

4.           the Council’s representative and their substitute on the Oxfordshire Growth Board (both members of this Council’s Cabinet)

5.           the Council’s representatives (and their substitutes) on the Oxfordshire Growth Board’s four advisory sub-groups (drawn from members of this Council’s Cabinet):

·         Oxfordshire Plan 2050

·         Housing

·         Infrastructure

·         Environment

6.     the appointment of Shareholders for:

·         Oxford City Housing Limited (comprising OCH Ltd; OCH (Development) Ltd, OCH (Investment) Ltd;

·         Oxford West End Development Ltd

·         Oxford Direct Services (comprising ODS Ltd; ODS (Trading) Ltd)

7.     the Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution dated 10 May 2021 (and agreed by Council on 17 February 2021); and

8.     any other matters.

The Constitution is available on the Council’s website

The Leader of the Council gave her report. She congratulated the civic office holders and welcomed everyone including the new councillors to the first meeting after their election.

She announced her appointment of the Deputy Leader and her Cabinet, and also on a number of appointments as set out below. Detailed portfolio responsibilities were available separately on the Council’s website.

The Leader of the Council confirmed that

• shareholder arrangements for Oxford City Housing Limited, Oxford West End Development Ltd, and Oxford Direct Services would be announced at a later date.
• there were no changes to the Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution.

Cllr Brown also notified Council that the 2021 G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting will be held in-person in Oxford on 3-4 June, convening at Oxford University.

Council is asked to elect a Leader of Council in accordance with the Council’s executive arrangements as set out in the Constitution for a term of office beginning immediately and ending at the annual Council meeting immediately following the end of their current term of office (i.e. either May 2022 or May 2024).

Cllr Turner proposed, seconded by Cllr Clarkson, that Cllr Brown be elected as the Leader of the Council. There were no other nominations.

Council resolved to elect Cllr Brown as Leader of the Council for a term of office ending on the day of the Annual Council Meeting in 2022.

Council will recall that on 15 May 2018 Councillor Brown was elected as Leader of the Council for a term of office ending on the day of the Annual Council meeting in 2020 (following all-out elections scheduled in May 2020). The term of office of the Leader ordinarily continues until the end of her term of office as a councillor (see Section 1.4 of the Constitution), now extended to May 2021 following the postponement of the scheduled elections.

Council is asked to note that Councillor Brown’s term is extended and she remains as Leader until the day of the Annual Council meeting in 2021.

Cllr Djafari-Marbini joined the meeting during this item.

Council noted that Councillor Brown remained as Leader of the Council for a term of office ending on the day of the annual council meeting in 2021.

Council will receive and note a report from the Leader, Councillor Brown, on:

1.      the appointment of the deputy Leader of the Council;

2.      the appointment of up to 8 additional members of the Cabinet;

3.      the responsibilities of the Leader, Deputy Leader, and other Cabinet Members;

4.      the Council’s representative on the Oxfordshire Growth Board;

5.      the Council’s representatives (and substitutes if any) on the Oxfordshire Growth Board’s three advisory sub-groups:

o    Oxfordshire Plan 2050

o    Affordable Housing

o    Infrastructure

6.      the appointment of Shareholders for:

o      Oxford City Housing Limited (comprising OCH Ltd; OCH (Development) Ltd, OCH (Investment) Ltd;

o      Oxford West End Development Ltd

o      Oxford Direct Services (comprising ODS Ltd; ODS (Trading) Ltd)

7.      the Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution; and

8.      any other matters

The Constitution is available on the Council’s website

The Leader of the Council gave her report. She noted the truly exceptional circumstances and changes over the last three months as the COVID19 pandemic took hold, and its impact on council and on the city. She paid tribute to council staff who had led the changes to service delivery and the community work; and to the astonishing and heart-warming response to the crisis from communities across the city. She thanked all the key workers across all sectors keeping healthcare and services running. Looking forward there were challenges in the ongoing health crisis; supporting an economic recovery; supporting communities and businesses; maintaining increased cycling and walking.

She would retain her responsibility for economic development and regeneration and for partnerships.

She reported her appointment of the Deputy Leader and her Cabinet, and also on a number of appointments as set out below.

She would arrange for circulation of portfolio responsibilities separately.

The Leader of the Council confirmed there were no changes to the Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution.

Council will receive and note a report from the Leader, Councillor Brown, on:

1.      the appointment of the deputy Leader of the Council;

2.      the appointment of up to 8 additional members of the City Executive Board;

3.      the responsibilities of the Leader, Deputy Leader, and other City Executive Board Members;

4.      the Council’s representative on the Oxfordshire Growth Board;

5.      the Council’s representatives (and substitutes if any) on the three advisory sub-groups:

o    Oxfordshire Plan 2050

o    Affordable Housing

o    Infrastructure

6.      the appointment of Shareholders for:

o      Oxford City Housing Limited (comprising OCH Ltd; OCH (Development) Ltd, OCH (Investment) Ltd;

o      Oxford West End Development Ltd

o      Oxford Direct Services (comprising ODS Ltd; ODS (Trading) Ltd)

7.      the Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution; and

8.      any other matters

The Constitution is available on the Council’s website

The Leader of the Council reported that she was changing the name of the executive from ‘City Executive Board’ to ‘Cabinet’ with immediate effect.

She reported her appointment of the Deputy Leader and her Cabinet, and also on a number of appointments as set out below.

She would arrange for circulation of portfolio names and responsibilities once she had determined these.

The Leader of the Council confirmed there were no changes to the Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Section 4 of the Council’s Constitution (apart from replacing City Executive Board with Cabinet throughout).

Council will recall that on 15 May 2018 Councillor Brown was elected as Leader of the Council for a term of office ending on the day of the Annual Council meeting in 2020 (following all-out elections scheduled in May 2020)

Council noted that Councillor Brown remained as Leader of the Council for a term of office ending on the day of the annual council meeting in 2020.

Council is asked to elect a Leader of Council in accordance with the Council’s executive arrangements as set out in the Constitution for a term of office beginning immediately and ending on the day of the annual Council meeting in 2020 (following all-out elections scheduled for May 2020).

Councillor Turner proposed and Councillor Simm seconded, and there being no other nominations, Council resolved that Councillor Brown be elected as Leader of the Council for a term of office ending on the day of the annual council meeting in 2020 (following all-out elections scheduled for May 2020)

Council may receive and note a report from the Leader on:

1.         the appointment of the Deputy Leader of the Council;

2.         the appointment of City Executive Board Members;

3.         the appointment of a member of the Oxfordshire Growth Board;

4.         the appointment of a member and substitute for each of the three Oxfordshire Growth Board sub-groups (see report at item 9):

a.    Infrastructure

b.    Housing

c.    Joint Statutory Spatial Plan

5.         the appointment of Shareholders for:

a.    Oxford City Housing Limited

b.    Oxford West End Development

c.    Oxford Direct Services Company; and

6.         the Executive Scheme of Delegation (either as set out in the Council’s Constitution or amended)

The Leader may confirm or change these appointments and set the scheme of delegation separately by notification in writing to the Head of Law and Governance.

The Leader of the Council referred Council to the tabled paper setting out her appointments of the Deputy Leader and the membership of the City Executive Board with their portfolios and appointments to partnerships, as notified by the Leader of the Council to the Proper Officer on 14 and 15 May 2018. 

The Leader of the Council did not confirm the following appointments.  These appointments can be notified by the Leader of the Council to the Proper Officer at any time and then notified to Council:

·         Council representatives on the three Oxfordshire Growth Board sub-groups.

·         Shareholders for Oxford City Housing Ltd, Oxford West End Development, or Oxford Direct Services Ltd.

The Leader of the Council did not notify any amendments to the Executive Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Constitution.