Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Fry, Kennedy and  McManners. Councillor Tanner was substituting for Councillor McManners .

None.

The Chair reminded the Committee that  the date of this meeting had had to be changed to accommodate the process of developing the Joint Statutory Spatial Plan,  in parallel with Oxfordshire’s other authorities. The document before the Committee at this meeting could not have been made available earlier; this was regrettable but unavoidable.

Recommendation: That the minutes of the meeting held on 04 December 2018 be APPROVED as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to APPROVE the minutes of the meeting held on 04 December 2018 as a true and accurate record subject to correction of a typographical error.

The Scrutiny Committee operates within a work plan which is agreed at the start of the Council year. The Work Plan is reviewed at each meeting so that it can be adjusted to reflect the wishes of the Committee and take account of any changes to the latest Forward Plan (which outlines decisions to be taken by the City Executive Board or Council). The Committee is asked to review and note its work plan for the remainder of the 2018/19 council year.

The Scrutiny Officer spoke to the Committee’s Work Plan and Forward Plan. The item on the Oxford Living Wage was being brought forward to the April meeting of the Committee in the current absence of other items for that meeting. The Fusion Lifestyle Audit Report had been added to the agenda for the March meeting.

The City Executive Board, at its meeting on 18 December, considered the Committee’s recommendations in relation to the impact of the Westgate Centre and the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.  The Board’s responses are attached. 

The City Executive Board, at its meeting on 18 December, had considered the Committee’s recommendations in relation to the impact of the Westgate Centre and the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.  The Board’s response to both was before the Committee.  The Chair was pleased to note the Board’s broadly positive approach to the recommendations. He went on however to note that the Chair of the Board had been disappointed with the tone to the Westgate report which was seen as disproportionately negative about its impact and of  its focus on the Oxford Living Wage in particular. The Committee made a number of detailed comments about the Board’s responses to the 4 recommendations which he  would feedback to the Board on the following day.

To endorse the report and recommendations of the Finance Panel concerning Social Value in procurement, for submission to the City Executive Board on 22 January 2019.

Councillor Simmons introduced the report and recommendations of the Finance Panel concerning Social Value in procurement, for submission to the City Executive Board on 12 February 2019. The Committee endorsed the report and its recommendations.  

The CEB, at its meeting on 22 January, will consider a report on the emerging Joint Statutory Spatial Plan. The report will be issued as a supplement to this agenda.

This item provides an opportunity for the Committee to consider the report and make recommendations to the CEB if it wishes.

Councillor Tanner left during this item.

The CEB, at its meeting the following day, would consider a report on the emerging Joint Statutory Spatial Plan (JSSP) and which sought, in particular, to seek approvals to progress the production of the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 through adopting the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI); approving an amendment to the Local Development Scheme; and approving the Regulation 18 (Part 1) document for consultation.  The item provided the Committee with an opportunity to make recommendations to the Board if it wished.

Since publication of the report some minor additions had been made to it, details of which had been distributed in advance of the meeting. A copy of the paper detailing these additions is attached to these minutes.

The Chair reminded the Committee that the development of the JSSP was a requirement of the Growth Deal to which all of Oxfordshire’s District Council and the County Council were signatories.

The Committee addressed the recommendations of the report in order.

Adoption of the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

The Planning Policy and Place Manager said the SCI before the Committee  had been subject to consultation and the amendments made to it as result were shown as tracked changes. Equal weight had been given to each of  the 38 respondees to this phase of consultation.  In discussion about the changes to the  list of those who would be consulted  it was explained that the current wording sought to meet legislative requirements, include specific organisations where required as well as  overarching categories of organisation, which, collectively would ensure that all relevant bodies could and would be consulted. The sheer number of individual organisations across the County made it impractical to list them all individually.  The Committee noted that there might be merit in recording, separately, a list of all those bodies that the Council proposed to consult which could be made available, for example, via the Council’s website.

Amendment to Local Development Scheme (LDS)

The Board Member for Planning and Transport said the proposal to introduce an additional consultation phase would be accommodated within the previously agreed LDS timetable. The additional phase should result in a more effective consultation process overall and which would not be overtaken by a too early focus on locations for growth. There was a shared recognition that uncertainty about the Oxford-Cambridge expressway would be unhelpful when it came to discussion about broad locations for growth at the next stage.

Regulation 18 issues consultation document

The Chair reminded the Committee of the document’s focus on 5 aspirations each accompanied by draft objectives. Councillor Simmons had prepared paper in advance of the meeting which suggested how the Committee might wish to start framing recommendations to the CEB. At its heart was concern at the lack of ambition in the proposed consultation document, with no recognition of the ‘mega trends’ that will impact on the County over the next 30 or more years and a disconnect between the aspirations and objectives within the Oxfordshire Plan 2050  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81.

The next meetings of the Scrutiny Committee and its panels are scheduled as follows:

Standing Panels

·         Housing Standing Panel: 4 March, 8 April

·         Finance Standing Panel: 4 April, 01 July

·         Companies Panel: 6 March (tbc)

All meetings start at 6.00 pm

The next meetings of the Scrutiny Committee and its panels are scheduled as follows:

Scrutiny Committee

•           05 February 2019

•           05 March  2019

•           02 April 2019

•           15 May 2019

Standing Panels

•           Housing Standing Panel: 4 March, 8 April

•           Finance Standing Panel: 4 April, 01 July

•           Companies Panel: 6 March

All meetings start at 6.00 pm