None

When the chair agrees, questions from the public for up to 15 minutes – these must be about the items for decision at the meeting (excluding the minutes) and must have been given to the Head of Law and Governance by 9.30am on a day so that there is one clear working day before the meeting (email executiveboard@oxford.gov.uk or telephone the person named as staff contact).  No supplementary questions or questioning will be permitted.  Questions by the public will be taken as read and, when the Chair agrees, be responded to at the meeting.

With the Chair’s agreement - addresses by Councillors must be about the items for decision at the meeting and can be up to 3 minutes in length. The Board Member who has political responsibility for the item for decision may respond or the Board will have regard to the points raised in reaching its decision

Addresses must have been given to the Head of Law and Governance by 9.30am one clear working day before the meeting (email executiveboard@oxford.gov.uk or telephone the person named as staff contact).

None

There were no reports from the Scrutiny Committee.

The Head of Finance has submitted a report which considers a range of support schemes for the households and businesses affected by flooding in Winter 2013/14 to enable the Council to provide financial support to local residents and businesses affected.

Recommendations: That the City Executive agrees:

(i) The following flood support schemes for the payment of:

•           Support to businesses, including

       *   Business rates flooding relief

       *   Business support grant

       *   Repairs and renewals grants

•           Help to homeowners, including

       *   Council tax discount and

       *   Repairs and renewals grants

and that the schemes are in line with approved government guidance and follow the principles set out in Appendix A;

(ii) That members delegate the administration of the above schemes to the Executive Director of Community Services and Executive Director of Organisational Development and Corporate Services.

The Head of Finance submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning a range of support schemes for households and businesses affected by flooding in winter 2013/14. Councillor Bob Price presented the report to the Board and invited Nigel Kennedy (Head of Finance) to provide some background and context to it.

Nigel Kennedy informed that Board that 60 letters had been sent to premises that had been directly affected by flooding; and further batch would be sent to those properties that had been indirectly affected.  The Council had received 19 applications for help so far, with a further 2 for future resilience measures,  and these were being evaluated at present. One group of residents had made a combined application for a sump pump that would help them protect their properties in future.  It was not clear yet whether or not the Council could claim back its administration costs from the Government; however it was submitting a “Belwin” claim and hoped to receive approximately £200,000 to cover expenses incurred during the winter flooding event.

In answer to a question from Councillor Tanner, Councillor Price indicated that there was a flooding reserve allocated in the Budget, which could be used if necessary. Members of the Board felt it was important to make sure that people knew about this scheme. It was noted that there was information on the Council’s website; that letters had gone out and that Ward members were made aware of it, but it was suggested that community groups and community centres should also be contacted to ensure widest dissemination of the information.

The Board resolved to agree:-

(1)  The following support schemes for the payment of:

·         Support to businesses including

·           Business rates flooding relief;

·           Business support grants;

·           Repairs and renewals grants

·         Support for homeowners, including

·           Council tax discounts and

·           Repairs and renewals grants

And that the schemes are in line with approved Government guidance and follow the principles set out in Appendix A of the report;

(2)  That members of the Board delegate the administration of the above schemes to the Executive Director of Organisational Development and Corporate Services.

The Regeneration and Major Projects Service Manager has submitted a report which seeks approval to lease out the North Wing of the Town Hall.

Recommendations: That the City Executive Board:

1.    Approve the proposed lease of the surplus office space within Oxford Town Hall.  The outline details of the lease are set out in the Not for Publication Confidential Appendix 4 of this report.  The detailed provisions of the lease are be approved by the Regeneration and Major Projects Service Manager.

2.    Grant authority to the Regeneration and Major Projects Service Manager, in consultation with the Board Member, to vary or extend the areas to be leased as detailed herein provided the transaction continues to represent best consideration and operational benefit.

The Regeneration and Major Projects Manager submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning a proposed lease for the North Wing of the Town Hall. Councillor Turner presented the report to the Board and provided some context to it.  He observed that this was good news for the Council in that it will produce an ongoing revenue stream.

The Board noted that there was a confidential appendix to the report.

Resolved to:-

(1)  Approve the proposed lease of the surplus office space within Oxford Town Hall. The outline details of the lease are set out in the not for publication confidential appendix to the report. The detailed provisions of the lease are to be approved by the Regeneration and Major Projects Service Manager;

(2)  Grant authority to the Regeneration and Major Projects Service Manager, in consultation with the Board Member, to vary or extend the areas to be leased as detailed herein, provided the transaction continues to represent best consideration and operational benefit.

The Head of City Development has submitted a report which proposes the designation of the Headington neighbourhood area. For clarification, this is not intended to be designated as business areas.

Recommendations: That the City Executive Board

1.    Designates the proposed Headington Neighbourhood Area.

2.    Does not designate the area as a business area.

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning the proposed designation of the Headington Neighbourhood Area. Councillor Colin Cook presented this report to the Board.

Sarah Harrison (Senior Planning Officer) informed the Board of a late comment from the Centre for Islamic Studies; which had expressed concern that it had not been consulted by the Headington Neighbourhood Forum. Their contact details will be passed to the Forum so that they can be involved in future.

Councillor Cook observed that it was not always possible to consult everyone, and that it was necessary in this case to work within the Ward boundaries.

Councillor Susan Brown had been given assurances that it would be possible for planning gain funding to be spent legitimately outside the designated neighbourhood area – in this case, parts of Wood Farm and Lye Valley. Money raised by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) was fairly mobile, and while 25% of it should be spent within the neighbourhood area, 75% could be used elsewhere.

Councillor Turner felt that this idea was a good one, but added that he would not wish to see areas of the City with neighbourhood plans receive all the attention when it came to consultation.

With the agreement of the Board, Mike Ratcliffe (Chair of the Steering Group) addressed the meeting and confirmed that he would be happy to talk with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. The group aimed to make plans that were coherent for Headington, and although the task ahead was onerous they had plenty of enthusiasm!

Resolved to:-

(1)  Designate the proposed Headington Neighbourhood Area;

(2)  Not designate it as a business area.

Minutes of the meeting held on 9 April 2014.

Recommendation: The City Executive Board NOTES the minutes of the meeting held on 9 April 2014 as a true and accurate record.

Resolved to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9^th April 2014.

If the Board wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the exempt from publication part of the agenda, it will be necessary for the Board to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 21(1)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule I2A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Board may maintain the exemption if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Recommendation: That the City Executive Board exclude the press and public from the meeting to consider the item in the exempt from publication part of the agenda in accordance with the provisions in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Resolved to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the items in the exempt from publication part of the agenda in accordance with the provisions in Paragraph 21(1)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2000 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Summary of business transacted by the Board after passing the resolution contained in minute 179

The Board received and noted the contents of not for publication appendix to the reports at item 7 (minute 179 refers).

This paper contains two not for publication appendices to the report at agenda item 7

It contains information concerning the terms of the proposed lease.

The public interest in maintaining the exemption from publication is in order not to compromise commercially sensitive information under paragraph 3 of Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Board received and noted the contents of a not for publication appendix (previously circulated, now appended) to the report at agenda item 7 (minute 179 refers)

The Board decided not to release the appendix from confidentiality because the information contained within it was, and remains, commercially sensitive.