Public addresses and questions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.10 and 11.11. The full text of any address or question must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by 5.00pm on Tuesday 24^th September 2013.

Full details of the addresses and questions submitted by the deadline will be provided separately prior to the meeting.

The following public addresses and questions that did not relate to matters for decision at the meeting were made and asked at Council.  The texts of the addresses are appended to these minutes.  Responses where applicable to the addresses from Board Members and responses to questions are set out below.

Addresses

(1)          William Clark – Blackbird Leys Park

Following the address, Councillor Mike Rowley, Board Member, Leisure, said that he was pleased that the new competition pool was being built in Blackbird Leys and he continued to work with the Leys Football Team.  Councillor Mark Lygo, Board Member, Parks and Sport added that no green spaces had or were being destroyed and that green trails were being created and play areas refurbished.

(2)          Nigel Gibson – Temple Cowley Pools

Following the address, Councillor Scott Seamons, Board Member, Housing said that waiting lists did change and that accommodation was allocated to people in Band 5 on the list.  Councillor Mike Rowley, Board Member, Leisure Services, said that Officers did have to advise in some cases that in the short term people should seek accommodation in the private rented sector.  He was not satisfied with this situation and that was why the Council wanted to build more homes.  He added that Oxford was expanding and it was right to upgrade its leisure facilities to meet this expansion.

(3)          Mark Pitt – Development issues on Oxford

No comments were made by Board Members.

(4)          Sarah Scheele – Cutteslowe Community Association – Active Cutteslowe Outdoor Gym and Fitness Trail Project

Following the address, Councillor Mark Lygo, Board Member, Parks and Sports said that he would continue to work with the Community Association, the Trustees and the Ward Councillors on this issue.

Questions

(1)                      Question to the Board Member, City Development (Councillor Colin Cook) from Sean Feeney

Board Member, City Development – Councillor Colin Cook

(1)          Executive Board Member for City Development Cllr Colin Cook, whose interests do you serve:

(a)       those of your employer the University of Oxford,

(b)       or those of your constituents who you were elected to represent?

(2)       As Executive Board Member for City Development you           have a constitutional role to “Provide political leadership and accountability” so will you:

(a)          expressly disclose and register the fact (which you have confirmed to me in a telephone conversation) that your employer is the University of Oxford?

(b)       be open and honest about the failings of yourself, the officers who you lead, and for whose actions you are accountable, by (as I currently believe you should):

?         giving a public statement admitting all failings by this Council known to you, and

?         acting with integrity and leadership by

1.         resigning as Executive Board Member for City Development, and

2.         resigning as Councillor for this ward?

            Response: Councillor Cook, Board Member city Development said that “in my work as the Chief Technician at the Medical Sciences Teaching Centre, I work in the interests of my employer, Oxford University.  In my work as a Councillor I carry out my duties to the best of my judgement and ability without fear or favour in the interests of all citizens of this City, not just the ones I represent as a Ward Councillor.

            My employment is a matter of public record and I have followed all advice on when I should declare pecuniary interests.  But if you don’t want to take my word for it, take the word of Deputy High Court Judge, Her Honour Judge Alice Robinson, who dealt with the recent application for Judicial Review of the Council’s planning decision on the University application for the Blavatnik School of Government Building.  In refusing permission for review she said, and I quote: “There is no evidence any of the Councillors had a disclosable pecuniary interest for the purposes of the Localism Act 2011 and no arguable case that the test for apparent bias was met”.

            I will not be resigning from the city Executive Board and I will not be resigning as a Councillor”.

(2)       Question to the Leader of the Council, (Councillor Bob Price) from Sarah Lasenby

Member’s interests

In the interest of transparency can you please tell me which Oxford City Councillors, either directly or through close family, have an affiliation (membership or other relationship) with the City of Oxford Swimming Club, and which of these councillors are or have been members of committees involved in the decision making for the new swimming pool at Blackbird Leys and the closure of Temple Cowley Pools?

Council noted that Sarah Lasenby was unable to attend the meeting to ask her question, however Councillor Price did give a response.

Response: One Councillor.