Apologies were received from Councillor Price.

In the absence of Councillor Price, Councillor Ed Turner chaired the meeting.

Board Members are asked to declare any personal or personal prejudicial interests they may have in any of the following agenda items.  Guidance is contained at the end of these agenda pages.

The following declarations were made:-

(1)   Councillor Coulter explained that, in the past, he had withdrawn during the consideration of any item involving Ruskin College. However, he has since received legal advice that owing to the change to requirements around the declarations of interest, he no longer needs to withdraw;

(2)   Councillor John Tanner declared his membership of Donnington Doorstep and his wife’s membership of the management committee for Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre;

(3)   Councillor Ed Turner declared his girlfriend’s involvement with Donnington and Rose Hill Advice Centre.

When the chair agrees, questions from the public for up to 15 minutes – these must be about the items for decision at the meeting (excluding the minutes) and must have been given to the Head of Law and Governance by 9.30am two clear working days before the meeting (email executiveboard@oxford.gov.uk or telephone the person named as staff contact).  No supplementary questions or questioning will be permitted.  Questions by the public will be taken as read and, when the Chair agrees, be responded to at the meeting.

Full written questions with answers were distributed at the start of the meeting. These are attached to the minutes as appendix one.

Reports on these matters may be made to the Board from the Value and Performance (Finance and Performance) Panel which met on 28^th August 2012:-

v     Periodic Reporting – Finance 2012/13

v     Periodic Reporting – Performance 2012/13

v     Service Targets Performance

v     Changes to Business Rates

A report from the Asset Management Review Panel will also be made to the Board.

Officer reports to the Board on three of these matters appear later on this agenda.

Councillor Ed Turner explained that the relevant items on the agenda would be taken alongside the scrutiny reports.

The following reports were presented:-

(1)               Periodic reporting - Finance 2012/13 (agenda item 9) - Councillor Rowley presented the report on behalf of the Finance and Performance Panel. Councillor Jean Fooks addressed the meeting. Councillor Val Smith responded to questions about housing benefit. City Executive Board accepted the scrutiny recommendations and agreed the report recommendations.

(2)               Service Targets Performance (agenda item 8) - Councillor Rowley presented the report on behalf of the Finance and Performance Panel. City Executive Board accepted the scrutiny recommendations and agreed the report recommendations.

(3)               Implementation of Youth Ambition Programme (agenda item 5) – Councillor Curran presented this item to the City Executive Board. Councillor Mike Rowley presented the scrutiny report, adding that the scrutiny panel welcomed this programme but had some concerns that it sought to address through its recommendations.  Councillor Fooks also spoke on this item. City Executive Board accepted the scrutiny recommendations and agreed the report recommendations.

(4)               Asset Management Plan (agenda item 14) – Councillor Jean Fooks presented the report of the Asset Management Plan Panel.  City Executive Board noted the scrutiny comments and agreed to recommend the Asset Management Plan 2011-14 to Council for adoption.

This report presents options for spending on the Council’s Youth Ambition Programme.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor Steve Curran presented the report to the City Executive Board.  Scrutiny comments on this matter had been considered earlier in the meeting (minute 21 refers)

Resolved to:-

a)      Note the analysis in this report of current local provision, the delivery options and means to bring in additional external funding, and,

b)      Agree that for the remainder of 2012/13 the Youth Ambition Programme funding be committed broadly on the basis of:-

i)                    Up to 14 sessions each week to be delivered through the City Council’s Positive Futures Team focused on those areas of greatest need and lowest relative provision where there is currently no viable alternative provider;

ii)                  An £50k being made available to support by grants open access sessions delivered by other suitable providers for the remainder of this year;

iii)                The remainder of funding for 2012/13 to be retained in a Youth Ambition Fund available to support bids to external funders to provide positive activities for young people in the Council’s priority areas and other areas of relative deprivation;

         iv)           Request that the Direct of Community Services produces a strategy for the development of the Council’s Youth Ambition Programme with appropriate objectives and targets;

iv)                In future years the balance of spending to be agreed following a detailed service planning exercise with a view to maximising the overall impact of the programme with the emphasis to be on supporting others to develop and deliver services to meet the objectives and targets of the Youth Ambition Programme;

         vi)        Delegate to the Director of Community Services authority to approve:-

                        - The detailed allocation of funding in line with the above proposals;

                        - The grant criteria and any applications;

                        - Future years detailed budget allocations;

                        All of the above in consultation with the Board Member for Young People, Education and Community Development and a cross party Youth Ambition reference group.

This report recommends project approval for spending on the Council’s Educational Attainment Programme (summarised in paragraphs 7 and 8 of the report) and the delegation of authority to the Chief Executive to award a contract after tendering.

The Head of Policy, Culture and Communications submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor Steve Curran presented the report to City Executive Board. Anna Wright (Education Advisor) provided information about KRM.

Resolved that:-

(1)       Following the tender process, KRM have been selected as the provider. They will present their scheme to head teachers at a conference on the 19^th September. Schools will then decide if they wish to participate. If sufficient numbers wish to take up the scheme, it will go ahead, subject to the agreement of the portfolio holder.

This report presents monitoring information compiled from returns from community and voluntary organisations awarded grants by the Council in 2011/12.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor Steve Curran presented the report to City Executive Board.

Resolved to note the report.

This report contains details of the Council’s performance against its Corporate Plan targets for April – June 2012.

The Head of Business Improvement and Technology submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended).

Scrutiny comments made earlier in the meeting were noted (minute 21 refers).

Resolved to note the report.

This report sets out the forecast outturn revenue and capital budget position for 2012/13 based on performance in April – June 2012.  It also contains information on key financial indicators in order to provide an assessment of the Council’s financial health.  The report recommends the Board to recommend full Council to make some capital budget adjustments (Table 5 of the report refers).

The Head of Finance submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended)

Scrutiny comments made earlier in the meeting were noted (minute 21 refers.)

Resolved:-

1.  To note the forecast outturn for the General Fund Revenue Budget – Table 1;

2. To note the movement of resources from the Redundancy Cost Contingency to service budgets as per Para 31;

3.  To note the HRA budget virements as detailed in Table 3;

4.  That CEB recommends to Council the addition to the Capital Programme of the schemes detailed in Table 5.

This report updates the Board on the position in relation to corporate and Service Area risks in risk registers.

The Head of Finance submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended).

Resolved to note the report.

This report recommends a draft Tenancy Strategy for consultation.

The Head of Housing submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor Scott Seamons presented the report to City Executive Board.

Resolved to approve the draft Tenancy Strategy for Oxford City and Tenancy Policy for Council homes for formal consultation.

This report recommends a draft Homelessness Strategy for consultation.

The Head of Housing submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor Scott Seamons introduced the report to City Executive Board.

Resolved that the draft Homelessness Strategy Consultation Document 2013 to 2018 as attached at Appendix 1 of the report is approved for public consultation with the following amendment:-

• Potential priorities for action 2013-2018, item 2 – Greater understanding / improved knowledge. Add the following:

“Encourage people to preferentially support organisations who help in getting homeless people off the street, and deter them from giving money to beggars”

This report contains the outcome of consultation on a draft Culture Strategy and recommends the Board to recommend Council to adopt the Strategy into the Policy Framework.

The Head of Policy, Culture and Communications submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Peter McQuitty presented the report to City Executive Board, and introduced Dr Ceri Gorton (Cultural Development Manager).

Councillor Jim Campbell addressed the meeting as follows

• The cultural offer in Oxford is outstanding and the City Council has been a good cultural facilitator;
• Welcomed the issue identified in the report of emphasising the city, as opposed to the University, element of the cultural offer;
• However, he could not support the presentation of the report to Council as it stands at present.  Councillor Campbell did not feel that the report was well presented, it did not invite people to read it, and if failed to show what a good cultural offer the City Council provides;
• A representative from local arts/cultural groups should be invited to join the Cultural Actions Group (CAG) otherwise it would comprise only “big players”;
• He welcomed the 3 priorities identified, but felt they should be made more measurable. Scrutiny should have a role as well as City Executive Board.

Councillor Turner responded that there was no intention to exclude anyone from the CAG, and he would be happy for scrutiny to have a role in monitoring the priorities.   It was agreed that a representative from a smaller arts /cultural group would be invited to join the CAG, and that Councillor Campbell could work with Peter McQuitty on the presentation and physical appearance of the strategy

Resolved that, subject to the above comments and any other minor revisions agreed informally on a cross-party basis, the new Cultural Strategy would be recommended to Council for adoption.

This report recommends the Board to recommend Council to adopt the Asset Management Plan for 2011-14 into the Policy Framework.

The Head of Corporate Assets submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended).

Scrutiny comments made earlier in the meeting were noted (minute 21 refers) and amendments made in the light of them.

Councillor Campbell made an additional address to the meeting, expressing concern about higher energy costs for the water supply and the need for a “visioning initiative” for the Covered Market.  City Executive Board noted his comments.

Resolved to approve the Asset Management Plan 2011-14 for adoption by Council.

This report asks the Board to adopt a Telephony Strategy for 2012-15.

The Head of Business Improvement submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended)

Resolved to:-

(1)    Approve the corporate Telephony Strategy and Action Plan attached at Appendix 1 of the report;

(2)    Note the Equalities Impact Assessment attached at Appendix 2

This report asks the Board to adopt an updated Carbon Management Plan for 2012-17.

The Head of Environmental Development / Cleaner Greener Oxford Board submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor John Tanner presented this report to the City Executive Board.

Councillor Gotch addressed the meeting and suggested a feasibility study for a combined heat and power plant (CHP) for Barton.  City Executive Board noted his comments.

Resolved to:-

(1).Adopt the Carbon Management Plan 2012-2017 as attached at Appendix 1,

(2) Note that all departments across the Council will need to make sustained efforts to assist in delivery of the Plan and ensure targets are met (including contributing to maximising use of Salix funds) and;

(3) Support the ongoing development of the carbon management programme that will be managed by the Cleaner, Greener Oxford Board.

This report presents the outcome of a review of streetscene activities.  It recommends the adoption of service standards and asks the Board to note that an outcome of the review will be a reduction in streetscene staff and budgets.

The Head of Direct Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor John Tanner presented the report to City Executive Board.

Councillor Graham Jones addressed the meeting and welcomed the report.

Resolved to:-

(1) Note the outcomes of the Streetscene Service Review and the service improvements and staffing reductions detailed in paragraph 5;

(2) Adopt the service standards for the Streetscene Service as detailed in Appendix A.  These improvements will involve the procurement of new machinery to remove cigarette ends more efficiently, to provide consistent chewing gum removal, to lease Big Belly compactor bins and to achieve Grade A standard for litter removal when we carry out our cleaning schedules;

(3)Note that the establishment of the Streetscene Service will be reduced by 4 FTE staff from 1 April 2013, by means of natural wastage, as detailed in paragraph 5;

(4) Note that the Streetscene revenue budget will be reduced by £80,000 per annum from 1 April 2013, as detailed in paragraph 8.

This report presents a review of charging for parking in car parking areas adjacent to Parks.  Such charging came into operation in September 2011.  The report recommends that the charges should continue in each of the car parking areas to which they apply.

The Head of Direct Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor Colin Cook presented the report to the City Executive Board.

Councillor Gotch addressed the meeting and expressed concern about the effect of displacement parking in various areas of the City. He suggested that this report should be deferred pending a monitoring exercise into the effect of displacement parking. City Executive Board noted his comments.

City Executive Board observed that it had not wished to charge for parking at parks; however there would additional pressure on budgets if it did not do so.

Resolved:-

(1) To continue with charging at the existing sites and review tariffs during the normal off street parking process;

(2) To note the ongoing maintenance issues and that provision for this will be made in the forthcoming budget process. 

This report concerns lease restructuring at 41-47 George Street, a property in the Council’s ownership.  Action on the report has been taken by the Chief Executive using his authority contained in paragraph 9.3(b) of the Constitution.  The report and the action taken on it are being presented to the Board to note as required by the Constitution.

The Head of Corporate Assets submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended).

Resolved to note the action taken by the CEO in approving the restructuring of the lease on the terms as detailed in the confidential not for publication Appendix 3, and otherwise on terms and conditions to be approved by the Head of Corporate Assets.

This item is included on the agenda to give members the opportunity to raise issues on the Forward Plan or update the Board about future agenda items.

Nothing was raised under this item.

Minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2012

Resolved to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th July 2012.

If the Board wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the exempt from publication part of the agenda, it will be necessary for the Board to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 21(1)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule I2A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Board may maintain the exemption if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Resolved to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the items in the exempt from publication part of the agenda in accordance with the provisions in Paragraph 21(1)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2000 on the grounds that their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Summary of business transacted by the Board after passing the resolution contained in minute 36

The Board received and noted the contents of not for publication appendix to the reports at agenda 19 item (minute 40 refers).

Not for publication annex to the report at agenda item 19.  The annex is not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to financial or business affairs).

The Board received and noted the contents of not for publication appendix to the reports concerning the lease restructuring at 41-47 George Street.