This item was dealt with on Monday 17^th December 2012.

The Head of City Development has submitted a report which provides information on considerations for the Oxford Heritage assets criteria, nomination process and character statements formats arising from East and West Area Planning Committees.

This report was submitted to the City Executive Board on 5^th December 2012 and an extract from the minutes of this meeting is also attached.

Council is asked to endorse the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register and adopt the proposed criteria and selection process.

Note of the Monitoring Officer: The adoption of these arrangements is an Executive Function.  The arrangements were adopted by the City Executive Board.  If Council does not wish to endorse the arrangements it must refer the matter back to the City Executive Board.  In addition, in order to give effect to the adopted arrangements the following constitutional arrangements must be agreed:

That Council agree that:

(1)       The Area Planning Committees be authorised to decide whether or not to add heritage assets to the local list in the contexts of dealing with an individual planning applications and that their terms of reference be amended accordingly.

(2)       That the Leader agrees to amend he Scheme of Delegation such that the decision whether or not to add a heritage asset to the local list other than in the context of dealing with an individual planning application be reserved for single Executive Member Decision.

Council had before it the report of the Head of City Development together with a minute extract from the City Executive Board held on 5^th December 2012.  (Both documents previously circulated, now appended).

Councillor Cook moved the report.

Council following a debate voted to endorse the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register and adopt the criteria and selection process as detailed in the report.

Report of the Head of City Development (attached)

The report provides information on considerations for the Oxford Heritage assets criteria, nomination process and character statements formats arising from East and West Area Planning Committees.

Recommendations

The Board is recommended to:-

(1)   Endorse the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register for Oxford and adopt the proposed criteria and selection process including clarifications recommended by Area Planning Committees;

(2)   Recommend Full Council endorse the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register and adopt the proposed criteria and selection process.

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended), concerning the preparation of a city-wide register of local heritage assets.

Councillor Colin Cook presented the report to City Executive Board. Nick Worlledge (Heritage and Specialist services Team Leader) gave further information about the purpose of the proposed register, including that there would be 3 initial pilot areas.

Resolved to:-

(1)   Endorse the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register for Oxford;

(2)   Adopt the proposed criteria and selection process, including clarifications recommended by Area Planning Committees;

(3)   Recommend to Council that it endorses the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register and adopts the proposed criteria and selection process.

The Head of City Development has submitted a report on the proposed Heritage Assets Register for Oxford.

Officer Recommendations

That the Committee:

1. comments on the proposed register, the criteria and process of compiling the list are invited.
2. recommend any amendments
3. endorse the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register for Oxford and to recommend that the City Executive Board adopt the proposed criteria and selection process (with or without recommended changes).

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) on the proposed Heritage Assets Register for Oxford.

The Heritage Manager presented the report to the Committee and explained that the heritage register was part of a wider area of work to help determine the value of heritage in Oxford. It will assist in robust decision making, will raise public awareness of heritage in the city and will encourage public engagement through the process of registering sites.

The process and criteria for reviewing and determining sites is based on English Heritage’s criteria and the proposed methodology will be rolled out across England.

The criteria is a character based assessment focusing on identifying the public significance of heritage asset within Oxford. The Iffley Fields Assessment (appendix c) is what is proposed for each ward. It needs to be publicly consulted on before it can be formally adopted.

The Heritage Officer explained the different levels of heritage protection available:

• Designated assets are assets that meet the national criteria – they don’t necessarily respond to local character,

• A Conservation Area provides more flexibility for local character to be considered. They provide a legal level of protection for assets within a geographical area of historical interest.

•  The proposed heritage register will not provide any legal protection to sites. It merely will provide added weight to the protection of the sites, as it shows that the public considers them valuable enough to be listed.

The register will only include sites outside of conservation areas as sites within conservation areas are already designated heritage assets with a high level of protection.

The Committee made the following comments on the proposed register, the criteria and process of compiling the list.

• Councillor Benjamin commended the work of the heritage team and endorsed the proposed register for highlighting heritage issues in the City and raising public awareness. 
• How will the register be funded? The Heritage team is working on securing additional funding.
• Amendments to the proposed list, it’s the Donnington housing estate not Florence Park.

The Committee resolved (by 8 votes to 1) to ENDORSE the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register for Oxford and recommend that the City Executive Board and the Council adopt the proposed criteria and selection process.

At 9pm, the Committee resolved to complete the order of business.

The Head of City Development has submitted a report on the proposed Heritage Assets Register for Oxford.

Officer Recommendations

1. The Committee’s comments on the proposed register, the criteria and process of compiling the list are invited.
2. To recommend any amendments
3. To endorse the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register for Oxford and to recommend that the City Executive Board adopt the proposed criteria and selection process (with or without recommended changes).

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) on the proposed Heritage Assets Register for Oxford.

The Heritage Manager presented the report to the Committee and explained that the heritage register was part of a wider area of work to help determine the value of heritage in Oxford. It will  assist in robust decision making, will raise public awareness of heritage in the city and will encourage public engagement through the process of registering sites.

A process and criteria for reviewing and determining sites had been created based on English Heritage’s criteria and a pilot scheme of four area – West Oxford, Summertown, Iffley Fields and Blackbird Leys has been funded by English Heritage.

The heritage register will only include sites outside conservation areas as sites within conservation areas are already designated heritage assets with a high level of protection.

The public will be asked to only suggest sites outside of conservation areas.

The Committee made the following comments on the proposed register, the criteria and process of compiling the list.

• The Chair asked how the heritage register would work with the new community assets register required by the Localism Act 2011. Both registers will complement each other, the two teams involved in the creation of both the heritage and community assets registers will work closely together to develop the lists.
• Councillor Coulter endorsed the proposed register and the protection and greater cultural understanding the register will provide to the public and city at large.
• Several Councillors offered further suggestions to the proposed list, including the Iffley Priory, Ferry House, Donnington Bridge and Florence Park Skate Park. It was agreed that all Councillors will offer more suggestions once registers are created for their ward.

The Committee resolved (by 6 votes to 0) to ENDORSE the proposal for a Heritage Assets Register for Oxford and recommend that the City Executive Board adopt the proposed criteria and selection process. AND

That Officers involved in the creation of the heritage and community assets registers work together to create complementary registers.