Councillor Cook stated that as a Council appointed trustee for the Oxford Preservation Trust and as a member of the Oxford Civic Society, he had taken no part in those organisations’ discussions or decision making regarding the applications before the Committee and that he was approaching the applications with an open mind, would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision.

Councillor Upton stated that as a Council appointed trustee for the Oxford Preservation Trust and as a member of the Oxford Civic Society, she had taken no part in those organisations’ discussions or decision making regarding the applications before the Committee. She stated that she was precluded from taking part in the consideration of application 19/02841/VAR because of her role as part of the shareholder group of the Oxford City Housing Limited company (the applicant) which could give rise to a public perception of bias should she take part in the decision.

Councillor Donnelly stated that he was a member of the University of Oxford but that he had no links with Pembroke College, and was approaching application 19/02032/FUL with an open mind.

Councillor Fry stated that he was Chair of the Company Scrutiny Panel but that he had no prior knowledge of application 19/02841/VAR and was approaching it with an open mind.

Due to a technical problem with the presentation equipment the Chair took agenda items 5, 6 and 7 first.