Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

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Speaking at a Council or Committee meeting

Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall

Contact: Jennifer Thompson, Committee and Members Services Officer 

Items
No. Item

38.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

The Lord Mayor welcomed Councillors Henwood, Hollingsworth and Munkonge to their first meeting of full council since their election.

 

Apologies were received from Councillors Farida Anwar, Elise Benjamin, Roy Darke, Tom Hayes, and Ruth Wilkinson.

39.

Declarations of Interests

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made.

40.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 481 KB

Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council held on 14th July 2014.

Minutes:

Council agreed to approve the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 14th July 2014 as a true and correct record.

41.

Appointment to Committees

The Head of Law and Governance will submit a report which invites Council to make appointments to committees following three by-elections, the last on 18th September. This report will be circulated with the briefing note.

Minutes:

Council had before it nominations for vacant places allocated to the Labour Group on West Area Planning, Scrutiny, and Licensing & Gambling Acts Committees.

 

Council agreed to appoint:

·         Councillor Alex Holingsworth to West Area Planning Committee;

·         Councillor David Henwood to Scrutiny Committee; and

·         Councillor Chewe Munkonge to Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee.

42.

Announcements

Announcements by:

 

(1)          The Lord Mayor

 

(2)          The Sheriff

 

(3)          The Leader of the Council

 

(4)          The Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer, Monitoring Officer

Minutes:

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Abbasi, announced:

 

·         Prince William had visited the city to open the University of Oxford’s China centre and Princess Anne had attended the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s conference in the town hall;

·         the annual St Giles Fair had taken place;

·         he had attended a reception for London Welsh Rugby Club and a reception at the Ashmolean museum.

 

He notified Council of the resignation of Councillor Val Smith and paid tribute to her as the representative of Blackbird Leys for 27 years and her time as Lord Mayor. 

 

Councillor Bob Price (Leader of the Council), Councillor Jean Fooks, and Councillor Craig Simmons paid tribute to Councillor Val Smith and her service to the city and its residents as a parish, district and county councillor and as officer holder over many years. They sent their good wishes to her and her family.

 

The Sherriff, Councillor announced he had attended the AGM in Canterbury.

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bob Price, announced:

·         congratulations to the Motor Transport team who won the Best Service Team in the Transport & Fleet category and the Youth Ambition Team who won the Best Service Team for the Sports, Leisure & Culture category at the recent public service excellence awards;

·         an opportunity to invest in the low carbon hub’s community share offer to finance renewable energy projects;

·         he hoped the council could support World Cancer Day on 4th February 2015 by supporting local charities.

43.

Public addresses and questions that relate to matters for decision at this meeting

Public addresses and questions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.10 and 11.11. The full text of any address or question must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by 5.00 pm on Tuesday 23rd September 2014.

 

Full details of addresses and questions submitted by the deadline will be provided separately prior to the meeting.

Minutes:

Under Council procedure rule 11.11, Sarah Lasenby submitted a written question to the Leader of the Council (Councillor Bob Price) but did not attend to ask it.

 

Question on petition (minute 52 refers)

 

Will Bob Price the Leader of the Council ask the Lord Mayor to intervene if any of the Councillors who speak in favour of the motion for debate [Save Temple Cowley Pools] then vote against that motion?

 

This has happened in the past and seems most undemocratic. It also appears as if Councillors are not interested in the views of these very large numbers of the public who want to keep the leisure centre. These specially include those from Rose Hill, Wood Farm and Cowley who will lose out if the leisure complex is not saved.

 

The voters are relying on fair and transparent processes and expect them to be used. What we have seen is voting by Councillors from the Groups in line with pre-agreed decisions rather than considering the facts and the issues that the public want debated and then voting in the way indicated by those facts.

 

Written Response

 

The Lord Mayor has no constitutional power to direct the way that members vote on these issues. Such a restriction would be ultra vires.

44.

Draft Community Engagement Policy Statement 2014-17 pdf icon PDF 96 KB

The Head of Policy, Culture and Communications has submitted a report which seeks approval from Council to adopt the draft Community Engagement Policy Statement 2014–17 which replaces the Consultation Strategy 2010–13 as part of the Policy Framework.     

 

This report was presented to the City Executive Board on 3rd July 2014. An extract from the minutes of this meeting is also attached.

 

Council is asked to approve the draft Community Engagement Policy Statement 2014–17 for adoption within the Policy Framework.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council had before it the report of the Head of Policy, Culture and Communications to the City Executive Board on 3rd July 2014 and the relevant extract of the minutes of that meetings. This asked Council to adopt the draft Community Engagement Policy Statement 2014–17 (which replaces the Consultation Strategy 2010–13) as part of the Policy Framework.    

 

Councillor Simm moved the report.

 

Council agreed to adopt the Community Engagement Policy Statement 2014-17 as part of the council’s Policy Framework.

45.

Integrated Performance Report Quarter 1 2014/15 pdf icon PDF 43 KB

The Heads of Finance and Business Improvement & Technology have submitted a report which details Council’s finances, risk and performance as at the end of Quarter 1, 30th June 2014.

 

This report was presented to the City Executive Board on 10th September 2014. An extract from the minutes of this meeting is also attached.

 

Council is asked to:

 

1.    approve a £160,000 capital investment in a Heavy Goods Vehicle Testing Facility; and

 

2.    bring forward a £2 million capital investment in Homelessness Property acquisitions from 2015/16 to 2014/15 with the balance of the £10 million budget being profiled £2 million each year over four years from 2015/16.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council had before it the report of the Head of Finance and the Head of Business Improvement & Technology to the City Executive Board on 10th September 2014 and an extract from the minutes of that meeting. This detailed the Council’s finances, risk and performance as at the end of Quarter 1, 30thJune 2014 and made two recommendations to Council.

 

Councillor Turner moved the report.

 

Council agreed to:

 

1.    approve a £160,000 capital investment in a Heavy Goods Vehicle Testing Facility; and

2.    bring forward a £2 million capital investment in Homelessness Property acquisitions from 2015/16 to 2014/15 with the balance of the £10 million budget being profiled £2 million each year over four years from 2015/16.

46.

Rose Hill Community Centre Development pdf icon PDF 122 KB

If there are recommendations to Council either from the special meeting of the City Executive Board on 24th September or from officers, these will be circulated with the briefing note.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council had before it the joint report of the Head of Leisure, Parks & Communities and the Service Manager, Regeneration and Major Projects to the City Executive Board meeting on 24th September, and the minutes of that meeting.

 

Councillor Turner moved the report.

 

Councillor Thomas moved an amendment to add a third point “If/when it becomes apparent that the contingency funds are not needed, the matter of redirecting these towards the purchase of the Gladiator Club is considered by the City Executive Board”. This was lost on being put to the vote.

 

Council therefore considered the unamended recommendation in the report.

 

Council agreed to allocate a revised capital budget of £4,764,000 for the construction of the Rose Hill Community Centre.

47.

Honorary Recorder - appointment pdf icon PDF 85 KB

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report asking Council to appoint the Honorary Recorder of Oxford.

 

Council is invited to:

 

·         appoint His Honour Judge Ian Pringle QC to the post of Honorary Recorder of Oxford for as long as he holds the position of resident Judge at the Crown Court; and

 

·         thank His Honour Judge Gordon Risius CB who stands down from his appointment as Resident Judge on 3rd October 2014.

Minutes:

Council had before it the report of the Head of Law and Governance asking Council to appoint the Honorary Recorder of Oxford.

 

Councillor Price moved the report.

 

Council agreed to:

 

1.    appoint His Honour Judge Ian Pringle QC to the post of Honorary Recorder of Oxford for as long as he holds the position of resident Judge at the Crown Court; and

2.    thank His Honour Judge Gordon Risius CB who stands down from his appointment as Resident Judge on 3rd October 2014.

48.

Covenant of Mayors pdf icon PDF 202 KB

The Head of Environmental Development has submitted a report requesting Council to support the Covenant of Mayors, the mainstream European movement involving local and regional authorities, voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources in their municipality.

 

Council is asked to support the Covenant of Mayors and authorise the Lord Mayor to sign the Covenant adhesion form.

Minutes:

Council had before it the report of the Head of Environmental Development requesting Council to support the Covenant of Mayors. This is the mainstream European movement involving local and regional authorities, voluntarily committing to increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources in their municipality.

 

Councillor Tanner moved the report. 

 

Council agreed to support the Covenant of Mayors and authorised the Lord Mayor to sign the Covenant adhesion form.

49.

City Executive Board Minutes pdf icon PDF 42 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 10th September 2014.

 

Minutes of the special meeting held on 24th September 2014 (circulated separately).

 

Minutes:

Council had before it minutes of the City Executive Board from:

 

(a)  10th September 2014

(b)  24th September 2014.

 

City Executive Board Minute 49 - Councillor Fooks said she was pleased to note the meetings of the Oxfordshire Growth Board and the minutes and agendas were open to the public, and that councillors should keep informed of the work of the Board.

 

In response Councillor Price said he agreed and that he would report the work of the Growth Board to future meetings of Council.

50.

Questions on Notice from Members of Council

Questions on notice under Council Procedure Rule 11.9(b) may be asked of the Lord Mayor, a Member of the City Executive Board or Chair of a Committee.

 

Questions on notice must, in accordance with the Constitution, be notified to the Head of Law and Governance by no later than 1.00pm on Monday 22nd September 2014.

 

Full details of any questions and responses will be provided separately prior to the meeting.

Minutes:

 

1.    To the Board member for Sports, Events and Parks (Councillor Mark Lygo) from Councillor Jean Fooks: Cutteslowe Park trees

 

Volunteers, many of them children, have planted hundreds of trees in Cutteslowe Park and in other parks in the city. It is heartrending to see that many have been destroyed when nearby paths are mown; this has happened more than once. What steps are you taking to prevent this destruction?  And what replacement trees are being planted to make up for those lost in this way?

 

Written response

Having received this question the parks operations manager has undertaken an audit of Cutteslowe Park. None of the planted trees within Cutteslowe Park have been cut down and the staff are aware of the location of the trees. Pathways are cut infrequently due to the heavy footfall.

 

Supplementary question

Could the Board member please investigate to ensure that it was indeed the case that no trees had been lost?

 

Response

This would be confirmed with Cutteslowe parks staff when the portfolio holder met with them later in the week.

 

2.    To the Board member for Sports, Events and Parks (Councillor Mark Lygo) from Councillor Jean Fooks: Cutteslowe Park rangers

 

There have been several incidents in Cutteslowe Park which might have been prevented if the park rangers had been on site. What are you doing to ensure that the rangers are able to spend more time in the park, not just in the office?

 

Written response

The team covers 266 hectares of parkland and also support the countryside rangers to manage 387 hectares of countryside. We have a seven day patrol service and undertake a range of tasks that help to make Oxford’s green spaces vibrant, active and safe.

 

The team plan and change their patrols based on feedback from stakeholders and the public.

 

With the parks team being based Cutteslowe the park has by far the highest level of presence from the parks team and we are not aware of an increase in incidents at Cutteslowe park. 

 

As such we are not planning to increase the patrols at Cutteslowe park. If Councillor Fooks has any feedback on incidents then the team are always very keen to receive this as soon as possible so we can take the appropriate action.

 

Supplementary question

Why were park staff not aware of the pollution in the pond and other damage?

 

Response

Councillor Lygo agreed to look into Councillor Fooks’ concerns.

 

3.    To the Board member for Housing and Estate Regeneration (Councillor Scott Seamons) from Councillor Sam Hollick: Cuts to homelessness services

 

Will the Leader join me in condemning the planned cuts to homelessness services recently consulted on by the County Council? What has been the City’s response to this consultation?

 

Written response

Yes, the City Council are deeply concerned about the impact of the proposed cuts to Housing related support budgets by the County Council. Detailed below is the City Council’s detailed response to the consultation.

 

‘Oxford City Council strongly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

51.

Public addresses and questions that do not relate to matters for decision at this Council meeting

Public addresses and questions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.10 and 11.11. The full text of any address or question must be received by 5.00pm on Tuesday 23rd September 2014.

 

Full details of the addresses and questions submitted by the deadline will be provided separately prior to the meeting.

Minutes:

(1)     Andrew McKay attended and asked a question of the Leader of the Council about the Carfax by-election.

 

Councillor Bob Price provided a written response.

 

Question

The recent Carfax by-election was held at a time when the vast majority of the ward's electorate were not in residence. This is because the Carfax ward is dominated by a student population who are absent from Oxford during the summer. Registered voters in this ward who are students have complained that the by-election's timing meant they were unaware it was even being held. Given this and the by-election's historically low turnout, does the Council accept that this election failed effectively to capture the democratic will of the citizens of Carfax ward?

 

Written Response

Once the request for a poll is received from the requisite number of electors, who can be from any party or no party at all, the Returning Officer has no discretion in the timing of a by-election. It is of course impossible to know what the outcome of the by-election would have been if held at another time, and therefore not possible to tell whether the democratic will of the electorate that was expressed clearly on September 4th would have been the same if held later or earlier.

 

(2)     Siestke Boeles attended and asked a question of the Leader of the Council about the Oxford Core Strategy.

 

Councillor Bob Price provided a written response:

 

Question

Does the Leader of the Council agree with South Oxford(shire) District Council that the Oxford Core Strategy is out of date as is it has no regard for the Duty to Cooperate as set out in the Localism Act?

 

Written response

The Core Strategy is not out of date.  The Localism Act and National Planning Policy Framework establish criteria against which a Local Plan is tested for soundness. Our 20 year strategy has been re-assessed against these criteria and we have concluded that the Core Strategy that was adopted in 2011 after an independent public inquiry is fully compliant with national legislation and guidance.

The City Council undertook a considerable amount of engagement with its local authority neighbours and other stakeholders while the Core Strategy was being prepared. This amounted to the same process now being termed as the duty to cooperate by the Localism Act.  This engagement with, in particular SODC, involved considerable dialogue about the need for support from other districts in meeting that part of Oxford’s considerable housing need, which could not be accommodated with the City’s administrative area. This led to the Central Oxfordshire chapter of the SE Regional Plan, that was adopted by the Secretary of State of the day, including a policy for a Strategic Development Area for 4,000 houses on land South of Grenoble Road.  This was then picked up through in a specific section of the draft Core Strategy enabling such an urban extension to be integrated into the fabric of the City.

 

 

52.

Petitions -Temple Cowley Pools - Oxford City Council must deliver value for the community pdf icon PDF 82 KB

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report which advises on the procedure that Council needs to follow under the Council’s Petitions Scheme in respect of large petitions, and to provide information specifically on the petition entitled “Oxford City Council MUST deliver value for the community”.

 

Council is recommended to follow the procedure for large petitions by hearing the head petitioner, then debating the petition and deciding how to advise the Executive.

 

Minutes:

Nigel Gibson had submitted a petition to Council titled ‘Oxford City Council must deliver value for the community’ via the Scrutiny Committee meeting on 2nd September 2014. 

 

The petition stated “We the undersigned express our support for the Save TCP cic plans for the Temple Cowley Pools and Fitness Centre and ask Oxford City Council to accept this bid as offering best value for the community and so keep health, fitness community facilities on this site”

 

Council had before it the report of the Head of Law and Governance setting out the subject of the petition and the procedure.

 

Nigel Gibson addressed Council, setting out the need for leisure facilities and a pool in Cowley and that the community bid to be submitted would provide improved community facilities. He asked for Council’s support for the bid to allow the project to be delivered.

 

Councillor Rowley moved and Councillor Coulter seconded a motion that “Council notes the petition and move straight onto the next business.”

 

Councillor Wolff moved and Councillor Hollick seconded a motion:

“Recognising

      that the Leader's statement in the Oxford Mail on June 16th suggesting that other developers (of the Temple Road site) "will be offering different combinations of housing and leisure/community use" was overridden by a refusal of the Labour majority to support any community/leisure component supported by public funds on the site at last July's Council meeting

      that the Temple Cowley Pools & Leisure Centre is registered as a Community Asset

      that a housing-only development would mean the loss of a designated community asset to Temple Cowley, and

      that this would represent an acknowledgment by the Council that any 'community asset' designation has no practical meaning as far as it is concerned

Council agrees to give highest priority to any tenders that include leisure/community use.”

 

The Head of Law and Governance advised Council that it was generally inadvisable to pass resolutions which fettering the decision making body’s discretion, and that if agreed it could not be binding upon the City Executive Board as the decision maker when it considered all bids according to the set criteria .

 

On being put to the vote:

 

The motion proposed by Councillor Wolff was declared lost.

The motion proposed by Councillor Rowley was declared carried.

 

Council agreed to note the petition and move straight onto the next business.

53.

Outside organisation/Committee Chair reports and questions pdf icon PDF 100 KB

(a)          Members who are Council representatives on external bodies or Chairs of Council Committees who consider that a significant decision or event has taken place, will give notice to the Head of Law and Governance by 1.00 pm on Thursday 25th September 2014 to present a written or oral report on the event or the significant decision and how it may influence future events.

 

(b)          Each ordinary meeting of Council shall receive a written report concerning the work of one of the partnerships on which the Council is represented.

 

The Head of Policy, Communications and Culture has submitted a report on behalf of Councillor Pricewhich informs Members of the work of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership/Growth Board.

 

The programme of reporting will be:

 

·                     Community Safety – February 2015

·                     Environmental and Waste – April 2015

 

Council is asked to comment on and note the submitted report.

Minutes:

Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership/Growth Board

 

Council had before it the report of the Executive Director for Housing and Regeneration on behalf of Councillor Priceinforming it of the work of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership/Growth Board.

 

Councillor Bob Price introduced the report and answered questions.

 

Council agreed to note the report and the work of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

54.

Scrutiny Committee Briefing pdf icon PDF 152 KB

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee has submitted a report which updates Council on the activities of scrutiny and other non-executive Councillors since the last meeting of Council.

 

Council is asked to comment on and note the report.

Minutes:

Council had before it the report of the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee on the activities of scrutiny and other non-executive councillors since the previous ordinary meeting of Council.

 

Councillor Craig Simmons, Chair of the Scrutiny Committee, moved the report. He thanked Councillor Sanders (who had stepped down from the committee) for her time on the committee and welcomed Councillor Henwood. New review groups would be starting soon and councillors were encouraged to put their names forward for these.

 

Council noted the report.

55.

Motions on Notice pdf icon PDF 30 KB

Council Procedure Rule 11.16 refers.

 

Motions received by the Head of Law and Governance by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 17th September 2014 are attached to this agenda.

Minutes:

Council had before it six motions on notice and reached decisions as set out below.

 

(1)  Privatisation of the Probation Service

 

Labour Group member Motion on Notice - proposed by Councillor John Tanner, seconded by Councillor Dee Sinclair.

 

Oxford City Council considers the planned privatisation of 70% of the Probation Service as reckless, dangerous and costly.  It is likely to increase re-offending in Oxford, could compromise the safety of local residents and ignores the expertise of the local probation service.

 

Coming hard on the heels of the savage cuts in Legal Aid this attack on the Probation Service underlines the Coalition’s lack of interest in tackling crime. We call on the Government to withdraw its proposals and negotiate with the National Association of Probation officers for a sensible way forward.

 

Decision

 

Following debate and voting, Council agreed to adopt the motion as set out above.

 

(2) Low Carbon Economy

 

Liberal Democrat Group member Motion on Notice - proposed by Councillor Jean Fooks, seconded by Councillor Andrew Gant.

 

Council notes the progress so far made to develop Oxfordshire’s Low Carbon Economy, worth more than £1.15bn pa in sales, employing nearly 9000 people in more than 570 businesses.

 

It welcomes the award for Oxford’s Community energy work, including the innovative loan of £2.3m to the Low Carbon Hub for solar panels on schools.

 

Council believes that Oxford can do more to develop the Low Carbon Economy, to the benefit of its citizens. It therefore asks the Executive Board to work with the LEP to:

 

·           Investigate sources of funding for supporting researchers in winning grants from EU and UK research councils.

·           Prioritise training for skilled jobs in the low carbon building sector.

·           Develop the business case for investment in the Smart City concept.

·           Focus support on growth sectors such as alternative fuelled vehicles.

·           Appoint a ‘champion’ to co-ordinate all the strands necessary for success.

 

Amendment 1 – proposed by Councillor Brandt and accepted by the proposer of the motion (Councillor Fooks)

 

Add a further bullet point: Increase its own direct investment in low carbon energy sources.

 

Amendment 2 – proposed by Councillor Tanner and seconded by Councillor Price, and agreed after debate and on being put to the vote:

 

In paragraph 3, after LEP insert ‘and others’ before ‘to’. Change last bullet point to read: ‘Become champions to ensure all the strands necessary for success’.

 

Decision

 

Both amendments were accepted and incorporated into the motion, then debated and put to the vote.

 

Council agreed to adopt the amended motion as follows:

 

Council notes the progress so far made to develop Oxfordshire’s Low Carbon Economy, worth more than £1.15bn pa in sales, employing nearly 9000 people in more than 570 businesses.

 

It welcomes the award for Oxford’s Community energy work, including the innovative loan of £2.3m to the Low Carbon Hub for solar panels on schools.

 

Council believes that Oxford can do more to develop the Low Carbon Economy, to the benefit of its citizens. It therefore asks the Executive Board to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

56.

Matters exempt from publication

If Council wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any aspects of the preceding agenda items it will be necessary for Council to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 specifying the grounds on which their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act 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.

 

(The Access to Information Procedure Rules – Section 15 of the Council’s Constitution – sets out the conditions under which the public can be excluded from meetings of the Council)

Minutes:

None.