The representatives of the Housing Group left the meeting during the consideration of those items relating to the Oxford Direct Services Companies.

The Chair noted the difficulty of providing effective scrutiny in the absence of sufficient time to consider reports and suggested there should be an ambition to make papers available at least two days in advance of the meeting. While some papers had been available sooner it had been decided to wait so as to make them all available at the same time.

He also suggested that it would be helpful to include a brief glossary at the front of  future agendas to clarify the titles and roles of the companies being considered.

This was the first time the  Panel had had to consider more than one company at one meeting, as the Shareholder would be doing. The Members considered that the logistical solution of doing so via separate supplements for exempt items, as had been done this time,  worked well.