The Head of Corporate Strategy has submitted a report to approve Oxford City Council’s Corporate Business Plan priorities for 2022/23.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.     Agree the draft Oxford City Council Corporate Business Plan priorities 2022/23, which set out the Council’s priority work for the next financial year;

2.     Delegate authority to the Head of Corporate Strategy in consultation with the Council Leader to make further minor amendments to the draft Business Plan priorities before implementation;

3.     Note the progress made in delivery against the actions set out in the current year’s Corporate Business Plan 2021/22.

The Head of Corporate Strategy had submitted a report to approve Oxford City Council’s Corporate Business Plan priorities for 2022/23.

The Leader advised that the recommendations from scrutiny relating to the Business Plan had been broadly agreed, and recommended textual changes had been made.  This included adding wording around the river bathing status application (the outcome of which was awaited) and including a commitment to wild swimming in Oxford.

The recommendation that the Council should commit to the protection of parks and play areas from development was already set out within existing policies of the Council, which was considered more appropriate than inclusion within the Business Plan (as the latter was intended to set out progress against delivery of the Council’s priorities).  In relation to the recommendation to restrict HGV access to the city centre, this would continue to be discussed with the County Council as part of transport and ‘last mile’ feasibility work.  Whilst the Council had a close working relationship with the County Council and sought to influence it in relation to transport issues and engagement with residents and business, the City Council was ultimately not the decision maker in relation to transport policy.  The Local Plan also included a clear commitment to reducing traffic within the city.

The Leader drew attention to key points of the Plan, which included work on the inclusive economy.  This was particularly important given current cost of living pressures.  The Plan included reference to the Council’s commitment to encouraging the payment of the Oxford Living Wage, and to paying the Council Tax Reduction Scheme in full. 

The priorities to Deliver more, affordable housing and Support thriving Communities included, amongst others, actions to provide adequate housing; support access to advice by providing grants to advice centres; and ensure that parks and green spaces were clean and welcoming.

The priority to ‘ensure a zero carbon Oxford’ sought to ensure that the Council led the way in committing to becoming a zero carbon city.  Significant steps had been taken towards this in the past year, including investment in leisure centres to reduce carbon emissions; however, further work was needed both at County and City level to enable achievement of net carbon zero by 2040.

The Head of Corporate Strategy commented that although the document was smaller in size this year, this did not indicate a reduction in the amount of work which was planned. Instead, it was intended to allow a focus on the headline elements.  The more detailed service plans underpinning the Plan were in development.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.      Agree the draft Oxford City Council Corporate Business Plan priorities 2022/23, which set out the Council’s priority work for the next financial year;

2.      Delegate authority to the Head of Corporate Strategy in consultation with the Council Leader to make further minor amendments to the draft Business Plan priorities before implementation;

3.      Note the progress made in delivery against the actions set out in the current year’s Corporate Business Plan 2021/22.