Councillor(s) Diggins, Hayes, Sandelson, Tidball and Waite sent apologies.

Apologies were also received from Rev Anthony Buckley.

The minutes show when Councillors who were absent for part of the meeting arrived and left.

Item 9: Additional loan finance to Oxford West End Development (OxWED) LLP

Cllr Gant: stated that he was a member of Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet, which was the accountable body for Growth Deal funding which had part-funded the Oxpens bridge. This was not a pecuniary interest; he made the declaration for reasons of transparency and indicated that he would not take part in the consideration of that item.

Cllr Lygo: stated that he was a member of Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet, which was the accountable body for Growth Deal funding which had part-funded the Oxpens bridge. This was not a pecuniary interest; he made the declaration for reasons of transparency and did not indicate that he would preclude himself from consideration of the item.

Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council held on 21 March 2022 and Annual Council meeting held on 18 May 2022.

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

Council agreed to approve the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 21 March 2022 and Annual Council meeting held on 18 May 2022 as a true and correct record.

The Head of Law and Governance has been notified of resignations from committees and changes of membership requested by group leaders.

Council is asked to make the following appointments to committees.

·         Standards Committee - Councillor Lizzy Diggins to stand down and Councillor Ajaz Rehman to replace.

·         Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee – Councillor Imogen Thomas to stand down and Councillor Paula Dunne to replace.

·         Scrutiny Committee – Councillor Roz Smith to stand down and Councillor Altaf-Khan to replace.

Any further proposed changes will be circulated with the briefing note or notified at the meeting.

Council agreed to appoint with immediate effect:

·         Standards Committee - Councillor Rehman to replace Councillor Diggins.

·         Licensing Committees - Councillor Dunne to replace Councillor Thomas.

·         Scrutiny Committee - Councillor Altaf-Khan to replace Councillor Roz Smith.

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

Council held a minute’s silence in memory of former Lord Mayor Alan Armitage.

The Lord Mayor advised Council of the successful exchange with Council’s twinning City of Bonn.  He encouraged Councillors to attend the subsequent visit to Bonn in August.  He also encouraged Councillors to attend the 400 year anniversary of the Oxford Botanic Garden.

The Sheriff addressed Council on his visits to Risinghurst, Hinksey Lido, the annual Aunt Sally match with the Freeman of the City, and annual inspection of Port Meadow.  Of the latter, he expressed his disappointment on the continued littering on this place of scientific interest, and advised that if continued, Council could consider restrictions on this land.

The Deputy Lord Mayor advised of his presence at the Bonn twinning events and the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Armed Forces briefing alongside the Chair of Oxfordshire County Council.

Cllrs Corais and Dunne joined the meeting.

The Leader advised that her intention had been to announce Council Champions at this meeting, but that the announcement had been delayed and was expected over the next couple of weeks.

Public addresses and questions to the Leader or other Cabinet member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution relating to matters for decision in Part 1 of this agenda.

Up to five minutes is available for each public address and up to three minutes for each question. Questions must be less than 200 words.

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 12 July 2022.

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.

There were no addresses or questions.

The Head of Housing Services submitted a report to Cabinet on 13 April 2022 seeking agreement for further project approvals and delegations to enable the continued delivery of more affordable housing.

The Cabinet minutes are available at item 11a.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery or Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing will present the report and present the Cabinet’s recommendations.

Recommendations: Cabinet recommends that Council resolves to:

1.       Approve a revision to the general fund capital budget of £2,150,000 to fund the grant payable for the additional 43 affordable homes on the Gibbs Crescent scheme, all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD). This to be profiled as £1,935,000 (90%) in 2022/23 for the initial grant payment, and the balance of £215,000 in 2024/25.

Council considered the report from Head of Housing Services seeking agreement for further projected approvals and delegations to enable the continued delivery of more affordable housing.

Cllr Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery, introduced the report, proposed the recommendation and answered questions.

The recommendation was agreed on being seconded by Cllr Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

Approve a revision to the general fund capital budget of £2,150,000 to fund the grant payable for the additional 43 affordable homes on the Gibbs Crescent scheme, all of which will be funded by capital grant income from Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (OGD). This to be profiled as £1,935,000 (90%) in 2022/23 for the initial grant payment, and the balance of £215,000 in 2024/25.

The Executive Director (Development) submitted a report to Cabinet on 15 June 2022 seeking approval of this public realm improvement scheme on Council owned land in the city centre including approval of planned works and required property and legal procedures to deliver the scheme (see Confidential Appendix 1 for more details).

The Cabinet decision will be reported in the Briefing Note. The draft minutes of the meeting will be available on the Cabinet meetings webpage.

Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management will present the report and present the Cabinet’s recommendations.

Recommendation: Cabinet recommends that Council resolves to:

1.    Approve acapital budget of £297K for delivery of this public realm improvement scheme(see Confidential Appendix 1 for more details).

Council considered a report from the Executive Director (Development) seeking approval of this public realm improvement scheme on Council owned land in the city centre including approval of planned work and required property and legal procedures to deliver the scheme.

Cllr Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management introduced the report, proposed the recommendation and answered questions.

The recommendation was agreed on being seconded by Cllr Brown, Leader and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

Approve a capital budget of £297K for delivery of this public realm improvement scheme.

The Executive Director (Development) has submitted a report to Cabinet on 13 July 2022 which seeks approval for an in-year budget increase to allow Oxford City Council to lend Oxford West End Developments (OxWED LLP) up to £600,000 to support additional costs associated with the preparation and submission of an outline planning application and site acquisition and promotion works.

The Cabinet decision will be reported in the Briefing Note. The draft minutes of the meeting will be available on the Cabinet meetings webpage.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery or Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management will propose the Cabinet’s recommendation.

Recommendation: Cabinet recommends subject to decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting on 13 July 2022 that Council resolves to increase its capital budget by £600,000 to allow the City Council to loan Oxford West End Developments (OxWED) LLP these funds.

Cllr Gant had declared an interest in this item and left the meeting during its consideration.

Council considered a report from the Executive Director (Development) seeking approval for an in-year budget increase to allow Oxford City Council to lend Oxford West End Developments (OxWED LLP) up to £600,000 to support additional costs associated with the preparation and submission of an outline planning application and site acquisition and promotion works.

Cllr Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery presented the report, proposed the recommendation and answered questions.

The recommendation was agreed on being seconded by Cllr Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

Increase its capital budget by £600,000 to allow the City Council to loan Oxford West End Developments (OxWED) LLP these funds.

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report to the Standards Committee on 11 July 2022 detailing the proposal for Parish Council representation on the Standards Committee.

The decision of the Committee meeting will be reported in the Briefing Note.  The draft minutes will be available on the meeting webpage.

The Chair of the Standards Committee will present the report and propose the Committee’s recommendations.

Recommendation:  That subject to the decision of the Standards Committee of 11 July 2022, Council resolves to appoint Councillor Peter Nowland of Blackbird Leys Parish Council as the co-opted, non-voting member of the Standards Committee representing the four Parish Councils in Oxford until May 2026.

Council considered a report from the Head of Law and Governance detailing the proposal for Parish Council representation on the Standards Committee.

Cllr Pressel, Chair of the Standards Committee presented the report and proposed the recommendation.

The recommendations were agreed on being seconded by Cllr Humberstone and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

Appoint Councillor Peter Nowland of Blackbird Leys Parish Council as the co-opted, non-voting member of the Standards Committee representing the four Parish Councils in Oxford until May 2026.

The meeting broke for 15 minutes.

This item has a time limit of 15 minutes.

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

Cllr Djafari-Marbini arrived at the meeting.

There were no questions on the minutes of the 13 April 2022 Cabinet meeting.

Minute 8 – Oxford City Centre Action Plan – Consultation Report and Recommendations

In response to a question from Cllr Gant, Cllr Thomas, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice advised that the Plan sought to bring together current work and proposals across the City into one document to ensure there was a cohesive vision for the City Centre setting out general priorities.

In response to a question from Cllr Fouweather, Cllr Thomas advised that there were actionable timelines within the plan which were engaging and easy to understand.

Minute 7 – Oxford’s Economic Strategy – Consultation Report and Recommendations

In response to a question from Cllr Jarvis, Cllr Brown, Leader and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships advised that approval of the Strategy was not a decision reserved for Council.

Minute 12 – Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant and Project

In response to a question from Cllr Malik, Cllr Upton, Cabinet Member for Health and Transport advised that the plans for installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure fairly across the City were set out in the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy which was approved by Cabinet at its meeting on 13 July 2022.

To follow in the briefing note.

There were no questions on the draft minutes of the 13 July 2022 Cabinet meeting.

Questions on notice from councillors received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.11(b).

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

The full text of questions must have been received by the Head of Law and Governance by no later than 1.00pm on Wednesday 6 July 2022

These, and written responses where available, will be published in the briefing note.

58 written questions were asked of the Cabinet Members and the Leader, and these and written responses were published before the meeting.

These along with summaries of the 28 supplementary questions and responses asked and given at the meeting are set out in the minutes pack.

The meeting broke for 30min at Q32, and resumed at 7.00 p.m. to continue questions.

Cllrs Pressel and Malik left the meeting and did not return.

This item will be taken at or shortly after 7.00pm

Public addresses and questions to the Leader or other Cabinet member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rules in the Constitution and not relating to matters for decision in Part 1 of this agenda.

Up to five minutes is available for each public address and up to three minutes for each question. Questions must be less than 200 words.

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 12 July 2022.

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

Council heard four addresses and two questions.  Cabinet Members read or summarised their written responses.

Both addresses, questions and responses are set out in full in the minutes pack.

1. Address by Rosanne Bostock, OxClean – Sustainable Street Trading

2. Julie Kleeman, Taste Tibet – Sustainable Street Trading

3. Address by Martin Hackett - Bertie Park

4. Address by Lilian Sherwood - Bertie Park

1. Question from Need Not Greed Oxfordshire (NNGO) – Oxfordshire Plan

     2050

2. Denis Gregory – Greyhound Racing in Oxford

This item has a 15 minute time limit in total.

The petition organiser may address Council upon the petition for up to 5 minutes at the start of this item.

Council is asked to consider a petition meeting the criteria for debate under the Council’s petitions scheme.

The full text of the petition is contained in the accompanying report of the Head of Law and Governance.

If a Councillor wishes to propose a substantive motion in respect of the petition then they must submit this by 10am on the working day before the full Council meeting (Friday 15 July). These are then published in the Council briefing note. Any amendments to these must be submitted by 11am on the day of the meeting (Monday 18 July).

If no substantive motion is agreed, Council is asked to note the petition.

Council considered a petition meeting the criteria for debate in accordance with the Council’s petitions scheme stating:

We the undersigned petition the council to work cross-party and support the development of leisure facilities at Oxford Stadium in line with the Local Plan, but that do not involve greyhound racing or gambling.

Oxford City Council has designated Oxford Stadium for leisure activities in the latest Local Plan. The site is currently owned by a developer, and leased to someone who is planning to reopen the Stadium as a venue for greyhound racing.

Greyhound racing failed at Oxford Stadium in 2008 - there is no widespread support for this activity across the UK or for resuming it in our city; the cruelty involved in breeding and racing greyhounds is well documented, and should no longer be part of a city with Oxford's reputation.

The site can be put to much better use as a leisure facility that is inclusive, providing a range of activities for all ages and disabilities, centred around Oxford's renown as a cycling city through the development of a velodrome. This focus will enable a variety of biking activities as well as the attraction of an elite sport, offering a hub for additional activities including reuse of the existing building.

Nigel Gibson, the petition organiser, addressed Council.

Cllr Brown, Leader of the Council advised that the Council was due to debate a motion (17a) later in the meeting on ‘No Greyhound Racing in Oxford’ and that the issues raised in the petition organiser’s address had been formally responded to at the previous Council meeting, as detailed in the report.

Council resolved to:

Note the petition.

Debate the issues raised in the petition as part of motion 17a on the agenda, which related to the same topic.

As set out in the Constitution at procedure rule 11.16, 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 Thursday 14 July 2022 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.

Cllr Gant sought clarification on the absence of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership report; Cllr Brown advised that this had been missed for this meeting and will be brought to the next Council meeting.

Councillor Diko Walcott, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities will present the report which provides a summary of Oxford Safer Communities Partnership’s (OSCP) achievements in 2021-22.

Council is invited to comment on and note the report.

Council had before it the OSP Oxford Safer Communities Partnership incl Safer Oxfordshire Partnership and Police Crime Panel report.

Cllr Walcott moved the report.

Council noted the report.

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

Council is invited to comment on and note the report.

Council had before it the report of the Scrutiny Committee Chair.

Councillor Smowton, Chair of the Scrutiny Committee, introduced the report.

Council noted the report.

This item has a time limit of 60 minutes.

Motions received by the Head of Law and Governance in accordance with the rules in Section 11 of the Constitution by the deadline of 1.00pm on Wednesday 6 July 2022are listed below.

Cross party motions are taken first. Motions will then be taken in turn from the Liberal Democrat Group, Green Group, Labour Group 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 15 July 2022 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)    No Greyhound Racing in Oxford City (proposed by Councillor Fouweather, seconded by Councillor Pegg)

b)    Council provision of period products (proposed by Councillor Rawle, seconded by Councillor Pegg)

c)    BBC Oxford Cuts (proposed by Cllr Brown, seconded by Councillor Chapman)

d)    Sustainable Street Trading (proposed by Councillor Miles, seconded by Councillor Muddiman)

e)    Tackling and Preventing Child Poverty (proposed by Cllr Djafarbi-Marbini, seconded by Cllr Dunne)

f)      Street Homelessness and Severe Weather (proposed by Cllr Linda Smith, seconded by Cllr Dunne)

g)    Plant-based Food and Sustainable Farming (proposed by Cllr Paula Dunne, seconded by Cllr Alex Hollingsworth)

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

Motions agreed as set out below:

a) No Greyhound Racing in Oxford City as amended (proposer Cllr Fouweather, seconder Cllr Pegg, amendment proposer Cllr Brown)

b) Council provision of period products as amended (proposer Cllr Rawle, seconder Cllr Pegg, amendment proposer Cllr Aziz)

c) BBC Oxford Cuts (proposer Cllr Brown, seconder Cllr Chapman)

Motions referred somewhere else:

d) Sustainable Street Trading (proposer Cllr Miles, seconder Cllr Muddiman, moved without notice as per Constitution 11.19(d) proposed by Cllr Linda Smith, seconded by Cllr Hollingsworth)

Motions not taken as the time allocated for debate had finished:

e) Tackling and Preventing Child Poverty (proposer Cllr Djafarbi-Marbini, seconder Cllr Dunne)

f) Street Homelessness and Severe Weather (proposer Cllr Linda Smith, seconder Cllr Dunne)

g) Plant-based Food and Sustainable Farming (proposer Cllr Paula Dunne, seconder Cllr Alex Hollingsworth)

Liberal Democrat Group member motion

Council notes:

The reopening of the stadium in Sandy Lane is a welcome addition to Oxford’s leisure activities. The stadium has had a chequered history since the mid-1970s and decreasing interest in greyhound racing directly contributed to its decline.

In 2005, Risk Capital Partners with Galliard Homes purchased the failing stadium. Plans for 150 houses and 75 flats were mooted but the Council’s statement in favour of keeping the land for leisure use stalled the development. Greyhound racing and speedway continued until 2012 when the Greyhound Racing Association closed the stadium down.

After a decade of disuse, it was announced last year that a new owner planned to bring back greyhound racing to the Oxford Stadium.

This is a concern for the following reasons:

·       Animal welfare: In 2019, the last full year of racing, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain recorded 4,970 injuries on registered tracks. Despite limited racing, in 2020 there were still 3,575 injuries. Dog welfare is poorly regulated on and off the track, with Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee calling for stronger regulation of the industry. The Government has failed to back up the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regs 2010 with stronger legislation.

·       Gambling: Inevitably greyhound-racing is focused on gambling. There has been considerable research about the effect of gambling on individuals and communities, recently by Dr N. Muggleton (Brasenose College): “gambling is associated with addiction and harmful outcomes for others.”

·       Active leisure: The continuation of greyhound racing at the stadium prevents it being used for more active leisure-based activities. Council notes there has been an informal assessment of the site by British Cycling who have stated it would be suitable as a velodrome, combined with a BMX and learn-to-ride facility, with ample space for other community uses. 

The Council considers itself to be a caring Council which seeks the highest standards of welfare for all animals.

This Council calls on the Leader to:

·       Issue a press release publicly opposing the return of greyhound racing to Oxford.

·       Write to the UK Government calling for the introduction of legislation incorporating the recommendations of the 2016 Greyhound Welfare EFRA Report.

This Council resolves to:

·       Support consultation with Oxford residents on their preferred options for leisure activities at the stadium as a part of the Local Plan Review and the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 Reg 19 consultation.

·       Ask the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery to write to the owner of the stadium to request that other uses for the site are explored.

Cllr Fouweather, seconded by Cllr Pegg, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

Cllr Brown, seconded by Cllr Linda Smith, proposed the amendment as set out in the briefing note.

Council debated the motion and amendment.  Following debate, and on being put to the vote, the amendment was agreed.

On being put to the vote the amended motion was then agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

The reopening of the stadium in Sandy Lane is a welcome addition to Oxford’s leisure activities. The stadium has had a chequered history since the mid-1970s and decreasing interest in greyhound racing directly contributed to its decline.

In 2005, Risk Capital Partners with Galliard Homes purchased the failing stadium. Plans for 150 houses and 75 flats were mooted but the Council’s statement in favour of keeping the land for leisure use stalled the development. Greyhound racing and speedway continued until 2012 when the Greyhound Racing Association closed the stadium down.

After a decade of disuse, it was announced last year that a new owner planned to bring back greyhound racing to the Oxford Stadium.

This is a concern for the following reasons:

·         Animal welfare: In 2019, the last full year of racing, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain recorded 4,970 injuries on registered tracks. Despite limited racing, in 2020 there were still 3,575 injuries. Dog welfare is poorly regulated on and off the track, with Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee calling for stronger regulation of the industry. The Government has failed to back up the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regs 2010 with stronger legislation.

·         Gambling: Inevitably greyhound-racing is focused on gambling. There has been considerable research about the effect of gambling on individuals and communities, recently by Dr N. Muggleton (Brasenose College): “gambling is associated with addiction and harmful outcomes for others.”

·         Active leisure: The continuation of greyhound racing at the stadium prevents it being used for more active leisure-based activities. Council notes there has been an informal assessment of the site by British Cycling who have stated it would be suitable as a velodrome, combined with a BMX and learn-to-ride facility, with ample space for other community uses. 

The Council considers itself to be a caring Council which seeks the highest standards of welfare for all animals.

This Council calls on the Leader to:

·         Write to the UK Government calling for the introduction of legislation incorporating the recommendations of the 2016 Greyhound Welfare EFRA Report.

Cllr Hall left the meeting and did not return.

Green Group member motion

This Council notes that:

•         The average menstruating person spends £4800 on period products in their lifetime (Bloody Good Period, 2019)

•         36% of girls aged 14-21 in the UK struggled to afford or access period products during the coronavirus pandemic, equivalent to over a million people (Plan International, 2021)

•         Half of these girls could not afford period products at all and 73% said they had to use toilet paper instead of pads or tampons at some point

•         Inability to buy period products leads to social exclusion, particularly from education (Global Citizen, 2018)

•         Period poverty is a particular problem for refugees and those in the asylum system, who receive under £40 a week in state support (Bloody Good Period/Women for Refugee Women, 2019)

•         Young Women’s Music Project currently delivers a volunteer-run distribution network in Oxford to support people who menstruate or have young children and cannot access sanitary products or nappies

•         Under the Period Products (Free Provision) Scotland Bill, the Scottish Government has set up Scotland-wide scheme to allow anyone who needs period products to get them free of charge, and gives the Scottish Government the power to make public bodies including schools, colleges and universities provide period products for free (Scottish Parliament, 2021)

•         As part of the Welsh Government’s Period Dignity Strategic Action Plan, funding has been provided to local authorities and Further Education institutions to ensure that period products can be accessed free of charge by learners in schools, Further Education Institutions and to those in need in communities (Welsh Government, 2021)

This Council believes that:

•         Everyone who requires period products should be able to access them for free

•         A person’s period should not prevent them from succeeding in life

This Council resolves to:

•         Request that the Executive Director (Communities and People) submits a report to Cabinet setting out the feasibility of providing free period products in public toilets and other public buildings including the Town Hall and community centres – in female, male, disabled and gender neutral facilities, including options to:

•         Explore whether any free disposable period products provided by the council can be sustainably sourced

•         Provide sanitary waste bins in all toilets, not just female toilets

•         Publicise the provision of free period products through council communication channels

•         Call on the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to:

•         Write to the County Council encouraging it to widen access to free period products across Oxfordshire, providing free period products in toilets of all public buildings including libraries, schools and colleges.

•         Write to the Minister for Women and Equalities, calling on the UK government to make period products free and available to all who need them across England, as has been done in Scotland and Wales

Cllr Rawle, seconded by Cllr Pegg, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

Cllr Aziz, seconded by Cllr Upton, proposed the amendment as set out in the briefing note.

Council debated the motion and amendment.  On being put to the vote, the amendment was agreed.

On being put to the vote the amended motion was then agreed.

This Council notes that:

·       The average menstruating person spends £4800 on period products in their lifetime (Bloody Good Period, 2019)

·       36% of girls aged 14-21 in the UK struggled to afford or access period products during the coronavirus pandemic, equivalent to over a million people (Plan International, 2021)

·       Half of these girls could not afford period products at all and 73% said they had to use toilet paper instead of pads or tampons at some point

·       Inability to buy period products leads to social exclusion, particularly from education (Global Citizen, 2018)

·       Period poverty is a particular problem for refugees and those in the asylum system, who receive under £40 a week in state support (Bloody Good Period/Women for Refugee Women, 2019)

·       Young Women’s Music Project currently delivers a volunteer-run distribution network in Oxford to support people who menstruate or have young children and cannot access sanitary products or nappies

·       Under the Period Products (Free Provision) Scotland Bill, the Scottish Government, sponsored by Labour MSP Monica Lennon,  has set up Scotland-wide scheme to allow anyone who needs period products to get them free of charge, and gives the Scottish Government the power to make public bodies including schools, colleges and universities provide period products for free (Scottish Parliament, 2021)

·       As part of the Welsh Labour Government’s Period Dignity Strategic Action Plan, funding has been provided to local authorities and Further Education institutions to ensure that period products can be accessed free of charge by learners in schools, Further Education Institutions and to those in need in communities (Welsh Government, 2021)

This Council believes that:

·       Everyone who requires period products should be able to access them for free

·       A person’s period should not prevent them from succeeding in life

This Council resolves to:

•       Work with period poverty charities and organisations in the city to provide free period products including sustainable ones in public toilets and other public buildings including the Town Hall and community centres – in female, male, disabled and gender neutral facilities, including options to:

·       Explore whether any free disposable period products provided can be sustainably sourced

·       Provide sanitary waste bins in all toilets, not just female toilets

·       Publicise the provision of free period products including through council communication channels

·       Call on the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to:

·       Write to the County Council encouraging it to widen access to free period products across Oxfordshire, providing free period products in toilets of all public buildings including libraries, schools and colleges.

·       Write to the Minister for Women and Equalities, calling on the UK government to make period products free and available to all who need  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26b

Labour Group member motion

This Council condemns the BBC’s proposal to end the transmission of its Oxford based television news bulletins from its headquarters in Summertown and urges it to drop this cost saving plan.

This Council acknowledges the Conservative Government has deliberately made the BBC’s funding position very challenging by freezing the licence fee but this plan will minimise coverage of Oxfordshire issues and lead to an unacceptable reduced regional news service on television at peak viewing times.

The plan to present all the regional news programming from Southampton by creating a single edition of South Today with no segment committed to Oxford news serves no local resident well. With a much larger region to cover, all BBC South Today viewers will get less local coverage and Oxfordshire on the edge of the region is likely to miss out on a regular basis.

The move comes at a time when local journalism is under threat, with cash starved local newspapers and persistent BBC cuts already having hollowed out local radio and newspaper news coverage.

This is also a cut that disproportionately affects older people and those without access to digital services. There are still many people who choose to get their news through TV and newspapers and for them an increased online service is no substitute.

The BBC argument that audiences are relatively low to the Oxford segment of South Today is not the point. The value of regional television news services is about more than audience size – it is about an informed public able to hold decision makers to account.  Local democracy will be worsened by this BBC Plan.

This Council recognises that councils across the affected areas are joining together to condemn these cuts.

This Council calls upon the Leader of the Council to:

·       Write to the Chair of the BBC Trust and its Director General demanding the cuts be scrapped, and urging the BBC to boost coverage of local government across all its news media, and in particular re-instate its Local Democracy scheme reporter post based in Oxford;

·       Write to Anneliese Dodds MP and Layla Moran MP, including a copy of the Council’s letter to the Chair of the BBC Trust and its Director General, requesting that they also raise this issue;

·       Request an urgent meeting with the BBC Nations Director Rhodri Talfan Davies to impress upon him the damage this proposal will do to local journalism;

·       Write a letter of support to the Trades Unions, including the NUJ and BECTU, who represent staff at BBC Oxford to fight the cuts and rule out any compulsory redundancies.

Cllr Brown, seconded by Cllr Chapman, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

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

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

This Council condemns the BBC’s proposal to end the transmission of its Oxford based television news bulletins from its headquarters in Summertown and urges it to drop this cost saving plan.

This Council acknowledges the Conservative Government has deliberately made the BBC’s funding position very challenging by freezing the licence fee but this plan will minimise coverage of Oxfordshire issues and lead to an unacceptable reduced regional news service on television at peak viewing times.

The plan to present all the regional news programming from Southampton by creating a single edition of South Today with no segment committed to Oxford news serves no local resident well. With a much larger region to cover, all BBC South Today viewers will get less local coverage and Oxfordshire on the edge of the region is likely to miss out on a regular basis.

The move comes at a time when local journalism is under threat, with cash starved local newspapers and persistent BBC cuts already having hollowed out local radio and newspaper news coverage.

This is also a cut that disproportionately affects older people and those without access to digital services. There are still many people who choose to get their news through TV and newspapers and for them an increased online service is no substitute.

The BBC argument that audiences are relatively low to the Oxford segment of South Today is not the point. The value of regional television news services is about more than audience size – it is about an informed public able to hold decision makers to account.  Local democracy will be worsened by this BBC Plan.

This Council recognises that councils across the affected areas are joining together to condemn these cuts.

This Council calls upon the Leader of the Council to:

·       Write to the Chair of the BBC Trust and its Director General demanding the cuts be scrapped, and urging the BBC to boost coverage of local government across all its news media, and in particular re-instate its Local Democracy scheme reporter post based in Oxford;

·       Write to Anneliese Dodds MP and Layla Moran MP, including a copy of the Council’s letter to the Chair of the BBC Trust and its Director General, requesting that they also raise this issue;

·       Request an urgent meeting with the BBC Nations Director Rhodri Talfan Davies to impress upon him the damage this proposal will do to local journalism;

Write a letter of support to the Trades Unions, including the NUJ and BECTU, who represent staff at BBC Oxford to fight the cuts and rule out any compulsory redundancies.

Liberal Democrat Group member motion

Council notes:

Street trading^[1] contributes to the vibrancy and vitality of Oxford and its local economy but there is scope to increase the sustainability of this activity, as well as at events on public land including parks².  The Oxford City Council Street Trading Policy already contains some environmental measures including a condition on food traders that ‘packaging and utensils shall be made of recycled or part recycled material.’  However, the policy is in the process of being updated and this presents the Council with the opportunity to take a stronger and more comprehensive approach to manage the sustainability impacts of street trading. This is in recognition that street trading activities, as with any type of business or activity, may positively or negatively affect the wider environment, society or the economy.

In light of its commitment to address the Climate Emergency and ecological crisis, and during Plastic Free July, this Council acknowledges that there are actions it can take within its sphere of control and influence to promote more sustainable approaches to street trading. Examples might include, attaching conditions to licences, working in partnership with licence holders to improve the sustainability of their business practices, and involving them in wider city council initiatives such as the city’s work on safer streets in the night time economy.

Therefore, this Council:

• Commits to seeking and integrating feedback including with traders on the Environment; Air quality; Littering; and Sustainable energy during the policy consultation process.
• Commits to updating its standard street trading consent conditions so they include a:

o   Ban on single use plastic and polystyrene in street trading;

o   Ban on the sale of plastic and helium balloons;

o   Requirement and guidance on the use of sustainable food packaging, utensils, drinks containers and bags

• Requests that the Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety explores options to update standard street trading consent conditions so that they include a requirement to provide a litter bin for recycling.

• Commits to encouraging and providing guidance to street traders:
  • To adopt sustainable sourcing of food and drink;
  • To use sustainable sources of energy for their trading activities;
  • To deal with customers’ rubbish responsibly; and
  • On the benefits of sustainable street trading.
• Calls on the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to work with stakeholders including at the County Council to consider the feasibility of increasing the provision of street based electric power points for street traders including in parks to phase out the use of diesel generators for energy generation by street traders.
• Calls on Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to explore ways to encourage street traders to transition to electric vehicles during the initial grace period for the ZEZ with the aim to require street traders to use electric vehicles in the medium term.

 ^[1] ‘Street Trading’ is defined as the selling or exposing or offering for sale of any article (including a living thing) in a street – subject to a number of exceptions.

² Currently,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 26d

Cllr Linda Smith, seconded by Cllr Hollingsworth, proposed a motion without notice under 11.19(d) of Oxford City Council’s Constitution to refer this matter to the General Purposes Licensing Committee to carry out its functions to review and recommend policies on licensing to Council (Constitution 5.7(b)).

Labour Group member motion

Council notes:

Child poverty in Oxford is sadly persistent. In 2019, 29% of children in Oxford lived below the poverty line, approximately 9 children in every class of 30, a horrendously high figure given the prosperity of the city and country. The majority (70% nationally) of these children live in working families, in which the cost of living crisis has now combined with the existing problems of unaffordable housing and low wage, poor quality jobs to make life even more challenging. The data are even more stark amongst racialised minorities and families living with disabilities.

It is almost impossible to list exhaustively the negative consequences on children of growing up in poverty. Poorer health outcomes, lower educational attainment and earnings, and higher entrapment in the criminal justice system are pervasive themes which resonate into adulthood and cause life-long scarring and stigmatisation. The stigma of poverty is one of many compelling reasons for universal and “cash first” approaches favoured by most local and national experts in the field.

However, the struggles which accompany not having sufficient resources to engage in society on the same basis as everybody else though are of concern right now, and require an immediate response. In the words of Baroness Lister of Burtersett, Honorary President of Child Poverty Action Group children should be valued and cared for as “beings” rather than “becomings”.

It is striking that in the discourse around poverty the voices of children and families living in poverty are often missing. There are some notable exceptions which reveal devastating testimony such as “Poverty feels like a tangled web that you can never escape” (ATD Fourth World/Oxford University) and: “[it] makes me feel sad when mum says we haven’t got much money but I’m OK with it and have to support my mum” (Milton Keynes Child Poverty Commission).

Despite the national constraints, our Council has taken a huge number of positive steps over many years to tackle inequalities in the city, without which the situation would undoubtedly have been much worse. These include an ambitious housing strategy, a comprehensive Council Tax Reduction scheme and Discretionary Housing Payments, sustained support for the city’s advice centres and work on the Oxford Living Wage.

This Council:

·       Notes the work already being done to tackle the causes of child poverty.

·       Requests that the Head of Corporate Strategy submits a report to Cabinet with options to consider how:

a.    The Socio-economic Duty could be implemented within all council policies, and

b.    Partnership institutions, including Oxford University, could be encouraged to adopt the Socio-economic Duty.

·       Requests that the Head of Communities submits a report to Cabinet with options to:

a.    Develop a Child Poverty Strategy informed by the voices of young people directly affected.

b.    Implement more immediate actions such as:

§  Donation of devices to Getting Oxfordshire Online

§  Considering how parents and carers in or at risk of destitution (including those with no recourse to public funds) can access support via “food first”  ...  view the full agenda text for item 26e

This motion was not taken as the time allocated for debate had finished.

Labour Group member motion

This Council notes that The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) sets out the measures that Oxford City Council and our partners will take to provide for the welfare of people who are sleeping rough in instances of severe weather. The focus of SWEP to date has been on providing additional emergency accommodation during periods of cold weather, and in 2018 this council agreed that SWEP should be triggered every night forecast to be zero degrees or below.

However, climate change means that we are increasingly experiencing extreme weather of other kinds, including heatwaves, storms, hurricanes, and floods. People sleeping rough are at risk of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, sun burn and skin cancer. Areas used by rough sleepers may be threatened by falling trees or rising water levels.

This Council now requests that:

·       The Head of Housing Services updates the Council’s SWEP procedure to take account of these threats. It should plan for periods of extreme heat and include the distribution of drinking water and sun protection and ensure that there is an indoor area available to anyone experiencing rough sleeping who wants to get out of the sun.

·       The Head of Housing Services ensures that the updated SWEP procedure is discussed with the Lived Experience Advisory Forum (LEAF) for input.

This motion was not taken as the time allocated for debate had finished.

Labour Group member motion

This Council notes that:

·       The global scientific consensus is that humans have heated the climate at a rate that is unprecedented, and we are heading towards mass extinction not just for ourselves but of entire eco systems if we do not change our actions today.¹

·       Oxford City Council is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.²

·       We have a duty as leaders in the city to empower the local community to make changes that can mitigate climate catastrophe and help preserve the vitality of our planet for future generations.

·       The UK's agriculture produces 10% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions and makes up 70% of land use. Modern agricultural practices are a central driver for habitat and biodiversity loss and the UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries.³

·       In the UK we eat twice as much meat and dairy as the global average which is not sustainable as there is not enough land in the world to meet this demand without destroying our natural world.⁴

·       Plant-based sources of protein have much smaller carbon footprints than animal-based ones, even when comparing locally raised meat to imported plant foods.

·       Farm animals across Europe are producing more emissions than cars and vans combined.⁵

·       Our relationship to food is still an overlooked factor to the climate crisis yet it is the quickest and cheapest step to help tackle the climate crisis if we reduce our meat intake.

·       The necessary change to confront the climate crisis needs to tackle existing inequalities in society while acting urgently.

·       One of the few ways of reducing emissions that potentially saves people money is by consuming less meat which can be done immediately.

·       To protect and enrich jobs in Oxford, we should work closely with local farmers and plant-based food organisations to move to more sustainable farming methods and local produce that promotes plant-based food.

This Council:

·       Calls on the Cabinet Member for Health and Transport to work with Oxfordshire partners to encourage that the Oxfordshire Food Strategy:

·       Works with local farmers to support, promote, and encourage their move to create more sustainable plant-based produce.

·       References the benefit of sourcing food locally from producers who follow sustainable principles.

·       Requests that the Executive Director (Communities and People) submits a report to Cabinet with options to form a plant-based localised free food service by supporting community groups who are already doing this work to transform Oxford into a more environmentally sustainable economy which will also tackle food poverty.

·       Commits to the provision of entirely plant-based food at councillor-only events and the provision of plant-based options at public Council events which are catered. ⁶

·       Calls on Cabinet to:

·       Request that the Council’s Climate Action Plan be updated to state that all catering provided at council events and functions from August 2022 will have plant-based options.

·       Work with all Council run companies and facilities to encourage moving to having plant-based catering options by August  ...  view the full agenda text for item 26g

This motion was not taken as the time allocated for debate had finished.

There was no discussion under this item.

There was no discussion under this item.

There was no discussion under this item.