There were no declarations of interest.

Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council held on 1 October 2018 and the special meeting on 17 October 2018.

Council is asked to approve the minutes of the two meetings as a correct record.

Council agreed to approve the minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council held on 1 October 2018 and the special meeting of Council held on 17 October 2018 as a true and correct record.

No changes have been notified: any changes proposed after publication of the agenda will be circulated with the briefing note.

The Leader announced and Council approved the following appointments to fill the Committee vacancies created by Councillor Henwood resigning the Labour whip and sitting as an independent councillor and as a consequence his place on the Growth Board Scrutiny Panel:

·       East Area Planning Committee – Councillor Simm

·       Scrutiny Committee – Councillor Curran

·       Growth Board Scrutiny Panel – Councillor Tanner

Council noted the appointment of Cllr Arshad as the Council representative on the Florence Park Community Centre in place of Councillor Henwood.

Announcements by:

1.    The Lord Mayor

2.    The Sheriff

3.    The Leader of the Council (who may with the permission of the Lord Mayor invite other councillors to make announcements)

4.    The Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer, Monitoring Officer

The Lord Mayor invited Council to join him for a seasonal reception in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour after the meeting.

The Sherriff reported on the recent ceremony to appoint 16 Freemen/Freewomen.

Public addresses and questions to the Leader or other Board member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 11.11, 11.12, and 11.13 relating to matters for decision in Part 1 of this agenda.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address or question must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by 5.00 pm on Tuesday 20 November.

The briefing note will contain the text of addresses and questions submitted by the deadline, and written responses where available.

A total of 45 minutes is available for both public speaking items. Responses are included in this time. Up to five minutes is available for each public address and up to three minutes for each question.

There were no addresses or questions.

The Regeneration and Economy Programme Director and Head of Planning Services submitted a reportto the City Executive Board meeting on 14 November 2018 to request an in-principle decision to use Homes England Housing Infrastructure (Marginal Viability) Funding (HIF) and Community Infrastructure Levy funds for infrastructure support at Northern Gateway/Oxford North.

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council will present the report.

Recommendation: The City Executive Board recommends Full Council to resolve to:

1.     apply Community Infrastructure Levy receipts to the value of £8.85m (as generated from future strategic scale development at Northern Gateway/Oxford North) in order to fund investment in highways/transport infrastructure provision to support the delivery of the Northern Gateway strategic site allocation.

Council considered a report of the Regeneration and Economy Programme Director and Head of Planning Services requesting an in-principle decision to use Homes England Housing Infrastructure (Marginal Viability) Funding (HIF) and Community Infrastructure Levy funds for infrastructure support at Northern Gateway/Oxford North.

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council, presented the report, answered questions and moved the recommendations which were adopted on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.     apply Community Infrastructure Levy receipts to the value of £8.85m (as generated from future strategic scale development at Northern Gateway/Oxford North) in order to fund investment in highways/transport infrastructure provision to support the delivery of the Northern Gateway strategic site allocation.

The Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services submitted a report to the General Purposes and Licensing Committee meeting on 22 October 2018 to bring to the Committee’s attention the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and to seek approval of associated licence fees and charges.

The General Purposes Licensing Committee agreed the recommendations in that report.  However, the delegation to the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services detailed in that report is no longer valid as the specific post no longer exists.  Accordingly the delegation in the second recommendation to Council has been revised to reflect the requirements of the Constitution (Paragraph 10.2: Responsibilities and Proper Officers, “Proper Officer” means the Officer designated below by the Council for the purpose of this Scheme or in the absence of such designation, the Chief Executive.)

Councillor Clarkson, Chair of the General Purposes Licensing Committee, or the Monitoring Officer will present the report.

Recommendation: the General Purposes Licensing Committee recommends Full Council to:

1.     agree the licence fees and charges as set out in Appendix A of the report;

2.     delegate animal welfare licensing responsibilities to the Chief Executive.

Council considered a report of the Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services, submitted to the General Purposes and Licensing Committee meeting on 22 October 2018 detailing the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and seeking approval of associated licence fees and charges.

Councillor Clarkson, Chair of the General Purposes Licensing Committee presented the report and undertook to provide a written response to a question about the pricing structure for the licence fees and charges.

Councillor Clarkson moved the recommendations which were adopted on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.     agree the licence fees and charges as set out in Appendix A of the report;

2.     delegate animal welfare licensing responsibilities to the Chief Executive.

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report which recommends changes to the Council’s Constitution following an annual review of the Constitution overseen by a “Cross-Party Constitution Group”.

Please note that Appendix 2 to this report will be published as a supplement to the main agenda.

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of the Council will present the report.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.     Approve the list of proposed amendments to the Constitution detailed in Appendix 1 and highlighted in Appendix 2. 

2.     Adopt the revised Oxford City Council Constitution as presented in Appendix 2.

3.     Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance to amend any further wording that is identified as being inconsistent with the changes approved by Council.

4.     Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance to amend the Constitution to include a social media policy, following consideration and approval by the Standards Committee.

Council considered a report of the Head of Law and Governance which detailed recommended changes to the Council’s Constitution following an annual review of the Constitution overseen by an informal Cross-Party Constitution Group.

Councillor Chapman, Board Member for Customer Focused Services, presented the report.

Councillor Simmons, seconded by Councillor Gant, proposed the following amendment which was tabled at the meeting:

Item 9 Constitution Appendix 2 p70; Appendix 1 p8 #49

Section 11.18 (c): alter the word limit on motions to 500 words (from proposed 300 words)

Councillor Chapman accepted the proposed amendment and moved the amended recommendations which were adopted on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.        Approve the list of proposed amendments to the Constitution detailed in Appendix 1 and highlighted in Appendix 2 and subject to the inclusion of a further amendment to Section 11.18 (c) to alter the word limit on motions to 500 words. 

2.        Adopt the revised Oxford City Council Constitution as presented in Appendix 2 with the addition of the change at (1) above.

3.        Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance to amend any further wording that is identified as being inconsistent with the changes approved by Council.

4.        Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance to amend the Constitution to include a social media policy, following consideration and approval by the Standards Committee.

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report which sets out a programme of Council, committee and other meetings for the 2019/20 council year (May 2019 to May 2020 inclusive).

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of the Council will present the report.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.     Approve the programme of Council, committee and other meetings attached at Appendix 1 for the council year 2019/20;

2.     Delegate authority to the Committee and Member Services Manager, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make changes to this programme, in the event that there is a decision at Annual Council to change the committee structure or remit which impacts on the programme of meetings; and

3.     Delegate authority to the Committee and Members Services Manager to set dates for additional training and briefing sessions for members, for meetings of the Shareholder of the Council’s companies, and for the Companies Scrutiny Panel, and, in consultation with the Head of Business Improvement, to set meetings of the Appointments Committee and Investigations and Disciplinary Committee (should they be required).

Council considered a report from the Head of Law and Governance which set out a programme of Council, committee and other meetings for the 2019/20 council year (May 2019 to May 2020 inclusive).

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of the Council presented the report and moved the recommendations which were adopted on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.     Approve the programme of Council, committee and other meetings attached at Appendix 1 for the council year 2019/20;

2.     Delegate authority to the Committee and Member Services Manager, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make changes to this programme, in the event that there is a decision at Annual Council to change the committee structure or remit which impacts on the programme of meetings; and

3.     Delegate authority to the Committee and Members Services Manager to set dates for additional training and briefing sessions for members, for meetings of the Shareholder of the Council’s companies, and for the Companies Scrutiny Panel, and, in consultation with the Head of Business Improvement, to set meetings of the Appointments Committee and Investigations and Disciplinary Committee (should they be required).

This item has a time limit of 15 minutes.

Councillors may ask the Board Members questions about matters in these minutes:

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

Councillor Gant referred to minute item 83: which stated that the Construction Contract Award would be deferred for consideration at the City Executive Board meeting on 14 November 2018. As the report had not been considered at that meeting he asked that this should be recorded in the minutes.

Councillor Rowley apologised for the delay.  He advised that the report was scheduled for consideration in January or February 2019.  He asked for the matter to be appropriately recorded and noted as signed minutes cannot be subsequently altered.

There were no questions.

Questions on notice from councillors received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.10(b).

Questions on notice may be asked of the Lord Mayor, a Member of the City Executive Board or a Chair of a Committee. One supplementary question may be asked at the meeting.

The full text of questions must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by no later than 1.00pm on Monday 19 November.

The briefing note will contain all questions submitted by the deadline, and written responses where available.

30 written questions on notice were submitted. These, written responses, and summaries of the 9 supplementary questions and responses are set out in the printed pack of these minutes.

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

2.     The reports submitted to this meeting are:

·       Agenda item 14a – Oxford Strategic Partnership

·       Agenda item 14b - Oxfordshire Health Improvement Board 2016/17

3.     The programme of reporting at future meetings is proposed to be:

28 January         Annual Report on Oxfordshire Partnerships

                         Oxfordshire Growth Board

29 April              Oxfordshire Children’s Trust Board

4.     As set out in procedure rule 11.15, Members who are Council representatives on external bodies or Chairs of Council Committees who consider that a significant decision or event has taken place, may give notice to the Head of Law and Governance by 1.00 pm on Thursday 22 November 2018 that they will present a written or oral report on the event or the significant decision and how it may influence future events. Written reports will be circulated with the briefing note.

This item was taken before the public addresses.

On behalf of Councillor Brown, Leader and Board Member for Economic Development and Partnerships, the Head of Policy, Communications and Culture has submitted a report on the Oxford Strategic Partnership.

Council is invited to comment on and note the report.

Council had before it the report of the Leader of the Council outlining the work of the Oxfordshire Strategic Partnership (OSP).

Councillor Brown presented the report. In response to questions and comments from Councillor Simmons she undertook to review the content of the OSP website to ensure that the material was current and said that she was also disappointed at the delay in the launch of the “on line giving platform” and was pressing for this to be progressed. She would inform Council when it was implemented.

Council noted the report.

On behalf of Councillor Upton, Board Member for Healthy Oxford,the Assistant Chief Executive has submitted the annual report on the work of the Oxfordshire Health Improvement Board 2016/17 and priorities for 2018/19.

Council is invited to comment on and note the report.

Council had before it the annual report on the work of the Oxfordshire Health Improvement Board 2016/17 and its priorities for 2018/19.

Councillor Upton, Board Member for Healthy Oxford, presented the report and responded to comments.  The valuable work of local breast feeding services was noted. Councillor Upton agreed that the No Local Connection Review Group report should be referred to the Health Improvement Board and undertook to look into the funding of translation services at the East Oxford Health Centre.

Council noted the report.

Public addresses and questions to the Leader or other Board member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.11, 11.12 and 11.13 and not related to matters for decision in Part 1 of this agenda.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address or question must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by 5.00 pm on Tuesday 20 November.

The briefing note will contain the text of addresses and questions submitted by the deadline, and written responses where available.

A total of 45 minutes is available for both public speaking items. Responses are included in this time. Up to five minutes is available for each public address and up to three minutes for each question.

Councillors Bely-Summers arrived at the start of this item.

Councillors Iley-Williamson arrived during this item.

There were seven addresses to Council and two questions to Board Members.

1.               Dr Ruvi Ziegler, Chair, Oxford European Association gave an address in support of the Oxford European Charter

2.               Artwell gave an address on Farndon Court which was significantly different from that submitted in writing.

3.               Artwell gave an address suggesting that the Council Tax payers should be described as “funders” not “customers”.

4.               Mr Stefan Piechnik gave an address asking for an acknowledgement of his actions which he suggested had resulted in substantial monetary savings to the Council.

5.               Artwell gave an address which challenged the Council’s vision for the city centre.

6.               Sharone Parnes gave an address asking for clarity on the Council’s support for the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition.

7.               Jabu Nala-hartley gave an address on the recent “What is Oxford Anti-racist city?” workshop.

8.               Judith Harley repeated her previous question about Temple Cowley Library parking.

9.               Nigel Gibson re-iterated his previous statements about charging arrangements at the Council’s leisure centres which he believed discriminated against disabled people.

The full text of these speeches and questions where these were read as submitted; responses from the Board Members in writing before the meeting; and summaries of the verbal responses given at the meeting are set out in the printed pack of these minutes.

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

Councillor Gant, Chair of the Scrutiny Committee will present the report.

Council is invited to comment on and note the report.

Council had before it the report of the Scrutiny Committee Chair, Councillor Gant.

Councillor Gant presented the report. He thanked Councillor Henwood for his services to the Scrutiny Committee and welcomed Councillor Curran to the Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Tanner to the joint Growth Board Scrutiny Panel.  He confirmed that the election of a Vice-Chair and appointments to the Scrutiny Panels would be decided at the next Scrutiny Committee meeting on 4 December 2018. He commended the No Local Connection Review Group report to Council.

He undertook to provide a written response to a question from Councillor Simmons regarding the Fusion Lifestyle Audit.

Council noted the report.

This item has a time limit of 60 minutes.

The full text of motions received by the Head of Law and Governance in accordance with Council Procedure Rules by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 14 November 2018 is below.

Motions will be taken in turn starting with Cross Party motions and then from the Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green groups in that order.

Substantive amendments to these motions must be sent by councillors to the Head of Law and Governance by no later than 10.00am on Friday 23 November 2018 so that they may be circulated with the briefing note.

Minor technical or limited wording amendments may be submitted during the meeting but must be written down and circulated.

Council is asked to consider the following motions:

a.     Oxford European Charter

b.    Homelessness in Oxford

c.     Vehicle emissions in Oxford

d.    Farndon Court

e.     Fair Transitional State Pensions

f.      Oxford to Cambridge Expressway

g.    Climate Emergency

Council had before it seven motions on notice and amendments submitted in accordance with Council procedure rule 11.17 and reached decisions as set out below.

Council resolved to adopt the following motions as set out in these minutes:

a.     Oxford European Charter

b.    Homelessness in Oxford

c.     Vehicle emissions in Oxford

The following motions were not taken as the time allocated for debate had elapsed:

d.    Farndon Court

e.     Fair Transitional State Pensions

f.      Oxford to Cambridge Expressway

g.    Climate Emergency

Proposed by Councillor Tanner, seconded by Councillor Garden

Cross Party motion

1.      Oxford City Council reaffirms its determination that Oxford should remain an international, open, and welcoming European city.

2.      The Council believes that, irrespective of the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, rights of EU27 citizens who have made their homes here should be fully maintained and, that their electoral participation rights should be extended, to make our democracy more inclusive.

3.      We call on the Government and all employers, institutions and authorities in Oxford to do all they can to respect, protect, and fulfil the rights to which EU27 citizens are entitled, and to ensure they are not discriminated against in any way.

4.      In particular, we call for EU27 citizens living in Oxford to have rights to:

a.   Live, work, study, and retire in the UK 

b.   Enjoy a lifelong guarantee that they can leave the UK and return thereto

c.   Retain their existing right to vote in all local government elections

d.   Be suitably enfranchised in national elections and referendums

e.   Be able to register for settled status without onerous proof or excessive cost

f.    Naturalise, should they wish to do so, at the cost of administration

5.      We recognise the hugely valuable contribution that migrants, from the rest of Europe and around the world, have made to our city, and are making to the culture, prosperity and success of Oxford. 

Council resolves to:

1.     ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister and local MPs to convey the City Council’s views as expressed above.

2.     ask the City Executive Board to do whatever it can to support this Oxford European Charter. 

Councillor Tanner, seconded by Councillor Garden, proposed the submitted cross party motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

1.      Oxford City Council reaffirms its determination that Oxford should remain an international, open, and welcoming European city.

2.      The Council believes that, irrespective of the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, rights of EU27 citizens who have made their homes here should be fully maintained and, that their electoral participation rights should be extended, to make our democracy more inclusive.

3.      We call on the Government and all employers, institutions and authorities in Oxford to do all they can to respect, protect, and fulfil the rights to which EU27 citizens are entitled, and to ensure they are not discriminated against in any way.

4.      In particular, we call for EU27 citizens living in Oxford to have rights to:

a.   Live, work, study, and retire in the UK 

b.   Enjoy a lifelong guarantee that they can leave the UK and return thereto

c.   Retain their existing right to vote in all local government elections

d.   Be suitably enfranchised in national elections and referendums

e.   Be able to register for settled status without onerous proof or excessive cost

f.    Naturalise, should they wish to do so, at the cost of administration

5.      We recognise the hugely valuable contribution that migrants, from the rest of Europe and around the world, have made to our city, and are making to the culture, prosperity and success of Oxford. 

Council resolves to:

1.     ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister and local MPs to convey the City Council’s views as expressed above.

2.     ask the City Executive Board to do whatever it can to support this Oxford European Charter. 

Councillor Turner arrived at the end of this item.

Proposed by Councillor L Smith, seconded by Councillor Aziz

Labour member motion

The Government's ideological pursuit of austerity has directly contributed to the soaring number of people being made homeless and sleeping rough on our streets. Despite this, Oxford City Council has an ambition that no one should have to sleep rough on the streets of our city and we have allocated our own budgets and successfully bid for government money to help achieve this.

This winter the council is providing an additional 41 bed spaces to help people off Oxford's streets. This is in addition to the 20 beds provided by the Oxford Winter Night Shelter throughout January, February and March and up to 20 extra night shelter beds which we are working with our neighbouring districts to provide through funding secured by this council.

This extra winter provision comes on top of the 167 beds and associated support for former rough sleepers which are funded throughout the year, and up to 74 bed spaces are available to anyone who needs them this winter, regardless of their connection to Oxford or their entitlement to benefits.

This council also operates a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) which opens extra beds during periods when extended cold weather is forecast, the protocol means emergency shelters are opened when night time temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing for three consecutive nights, but there is flexibility on the decision of when to open.

This council gives thanks for the hard work of our partner organisations, charities, voluntary organisations, professional workers and volunteers. We are especially grateful to the churches hosting the Oxford Winter Night Shelter for their enormous contribution to reducing rough sleeping on our streets.

This Council therefore resolves to ask the Board Member, Leisure and Housing:

1.   To continue to work towards our vision of nobody having to sleep rough on the streets on Oxford. The extra beds this winter will help us move towards that goal, and council officers should use the discretion given to them on when to trigger SWEP to help ensure that no one is left out in freezing temperatures whenever resources allow.

2.   To work with partners towards a SWEP protocol, that will open emergency provision whenever night time temperatures are forecast to fall below zero.

3.   To ensure that preparations for next winter 2019/20 should include an increase in night shelter beds which are available to all rough sleepers throughout the season, moving away from the need for SWEP and adopting a model of continuous winter provision.

4.   To ensure that the City Executive Board monitors the application of SWEP this winter, and receive reports, from the Head of Housing Services, in January and April 2019 to cover: the occasions when SWEP has been triggered; the use of officer discretion on when to trigger SWEP; and statistics on the availability of bed spaces for adult single homeless persons within the city for the period covered by the report.

Councillor Linda Smith, seconded by Councillor Aziz, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

The Government's ideological pursuit of austerity has directly contributed to the soaring number of people being made homeless and sleeping rough on our streets. Despite this, Oxford City Council has an ambition that no one should have to sleep rough on the streets of our city and we have allocated our own budgets and successfully bid for government money to help achieve this.

This winter the council is providing an additional 41 bed spaces to help people off Oxford's streets. This is in addition to the 20 beds provided by the Oxford Winter Night Shelter throughout January, February and March and up to 20 extra night shelter beds which we are working with our neighbouring districts to provide through funding secured by this council.

This extra winter provision comes on top of the 167 beds and associated support for former rough sleepers which are funded throughout the year, and up to 74 bed spaces are available to anyone who needs them this winter, regardless of their connection to Oxford or their entitlement to benefits.

This council also operates a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) which opens extra beds during periods when extended cold weather is forecast, the protocol means emergency shelters are opened when night time temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing for three consecutive nights, but there is flexibility on the decision of when to open.

This council gives thanks for the hard work of our partner organisations, charities, voluntary organisations, professional workers and volunteers. We are especially grateful to the churches hosting the Oxford Winter Night Shelter for their enormous contribution to reducing rough sleeping on our streets.

This Council therefore resolves to ask the Board Member, Leisure and Housing:

1.  To continue to work towards our vision of nobody having to sleep rough on the streets on Oxford. The extra beds this winter will help us move towards that goal, and council officers should use the discretion given to them on when to trigger SWEP to help ensure that no one is left out in freezing temperatures whenever resources allow.

2.  To work with partners towards a SWEP protocol, that will open emergency provision whenever night time temperatures are forecast to fall below zero.

3.  To ensure that preparations for next winter 2019/20 should include an increase in night shelter beds which are available to all rough sleepers throughout the season, moving away from the need for SWEP and adopting a model of continuous winter provision.

4.  To ensure that the City Executive Board monitors the application of SWEP this winter, and receive reports, from the Head of Housing Services, in January and April 2019 to cover: the occasions when SWEP has been triggered; the use of officer discretion on when to trigger SWEP; and statistics  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66b

Proposed by Councillor Harris

Liberal Democrat member motion

This Council:

Recognises the urgent need to reduce levels of vehicle emissions in Oxford's most polluted streets, 

and notes that these levels will not be significantly impacted by plans for a Zero Emission Zone until 2025 at the earliest,  

and resolves to seek to reduce vehicle emissions urgently in Oxford's most polluted streets by asking the Chief Executive to write to Oxfordshire County Council inviting them to:

1.       upgrade the existing bus Low Emission Zone so to require all buses within the Zone to have Euro-6 compliant engines; and

2.       apply that new stricter Low Emission Zone to heavy goods vehicles and to coaches as well as to buses.

Councillor Harris, seconded by Councillor Landell Mills, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

Councillor Hayes, seconded by Councillor Taylor, proposed an amendment to the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote, the amendment was declared carried.

After debate and on being put to the vote, the amended motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion, as amended:

This Council:

•   Recognises that we all have a right to breathe clean air. However, across the UK illegal and here in Oxford harmful levels of air pollution are damaging people’s health and their quality of life and cutting lives short;

•   Recognises the urgent need to reduce levels of vehicle emissions in Oxford's most polluted streets and build on the considerable success of Oxford City Council in reducing air pollution so far;

•   and notes that local authorities are hitting the limits of what they can achieve with the powers and funding they have from Government and calls for continued advocacy to Government—with existing allies such as Greenpeace UK, Friends of the Earth (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland), UK100, and other councils—to seek more powers and funding to accelerate the journey to zero;

•   notes that considerable work has been undertaken since the public consultation last year to fully understand the impact of the journey to zero and develop proposals which account for the feedback from directly impacted stakeholders and groups. Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone has to be practical; and

resolves to seek to reduce vehicle emissions urgently in Oxford's most polluted streets by asking Oxford City Council and the highways authority, Oxfordshire County Council, to continue to work together in partnership on plans to introduce a Zero Emission Zone in Oxford from 2020, considering all options available, the details of which will be announced in early 2019.

Proposed by Councillor Pressel

Labour member motion

Council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1950, who will unfairly carry the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) without appropriate notification.

Hundreds of thousands of women had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes. Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

Many women born in the 1950's are living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren. Some suffer discrimination in the workplace, so struggle to find employment. These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60. It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time. The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

Council resolves to ask the Leader of the Council:

to write to the Prime Minister and local MPs asking the Government to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6 April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.

This was not taken because the time for debating motions had elapsed.

Proposed by Councillor Simmons

Green member motion

This Council notes and regrets the decision by Catalyst (a development partner of the City Council) to sell Farndon Court (which has 97 affordable, women-only accommodation units) and evict the residents. 

The Council calls upon Catalyst to:

1.  Replace the units with equivalent accommodation

2.  Increase the compensation and support for the 69 women being evicted

The Council agrees to ask the Chief Executive to:

1.  write to Catalyst expressing its views

2.  review the working relationship with Catalyst and their suitability (in light of the above) as a development partner. 

This was not taken because the time for debating motions had elapsed.

Proposed by Councillor Simmons

Green member motion

Council notes:

a)    the recent 2018 IPCC report which states that we have just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperature rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degreesC.

b)    that the Council’s carbon emissions have reduced by approximately 10% over the last five years.

c)     last year, the Council’s greenhouse gas carbon equivalent emissions (tCO2e) reduced by 4.3%,  largely due to the decarbonisation of the national electricity grid and helped by an unusually warm year  - not due to any actions by the Council.

d)    The Council’s underlying energy consumption actually went UP slightly - a 2.1% increase in electricity, a 0.8% increase in gas and a 5.4% increase in carbon from vehicle fuel. 

Council notes therefore that:

1.     It is failing to meet its own 5% annual greenhouse gas reduction target 

2.     If reductions continue at a similar rate, the Council will also fail to meet its own medium (2022) and longer term carbon reduction targets and aspirations.

In light of the above, the Council therefore agrees to resource an additional Cross-Party Scrutiny Group to urgently review and make recommendations on revisions to the Council’s 2017-2022 Carbon Management Plan

* - Source for Council figures: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2017-18 (Aug 2018) 

This was not taken because the time for debating motions had elapsed.

Proposed by Councillor Gant

Liberal Democrat member motion

Council notes that at its meeting on 25 September 2018, the Growth Board “welcomed” the principle of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway. However, at the same meeting, the Board instructed its Chair to write to both Highways England and the Transport Minister regretting the lack of clarity around the proposal.

Council notes the tension between these two positions.

Council also notes that this lack of clarity contributes to considerable uncertainty both about how the Expressway is intended to deliver benefit, and about the possible impact on homes, lives, the environment, amenities and facilities, including in and adjacent to the greater Oxford area.

In particular, Council notes with regret that

1.     It is unclear exactly what is meant by the word “Expressway” and which of the many definitions apply

2.     Insufficient work has been done on the potential of enhanced rail links to deliver better outcomes for passengers, freight, and sustainable economic growth

3.     Actual and proposed consultation is inadequate

4.     It is unclear which of a range of possible justifications for the Expressway, which have been mentioned public and which potentially contradict each other, apply:

a.     A ‘strategic route’ to carry freight traffic from the west and south to the east.

b.     A route to make commuting between Oxford/Milton Keynes/Bedford/Cambridge easier and quicker.

c.     A road that will enable significant housing growth of 1,000,000 extra houses along its length.

d.     Relieving traffic on the A34, as one member of the Growth Board has stated publicly (which does not appear to be one of the stated aims, and current plans do not rule out using the A34 in part as the Expressway, which would of course add more traffic to it)

5.     Increased road building will inevitably have a serious negative impact on air quality at a time when all public bodies must seek to use every part of their planning, investment and delivery mechanisms to achieve the opposite

Council therefore calls on the Leader, as its representative on the Growth Board, to:

1.     Seek urgent answers from her fellow Growth Board members on their understanding of points 1-5 above, and how that understanding makes the principle of the Expressway “welcome” in its current form

2.     If clear answers are not forthcoming, ask the Growth Board to withdraw its welcome for the Expressway until the Growth Board can provide those answers to Council

3.     Report back to this Council at the earliest opportunity

This was not taken because the time for debating motions had elapsed.