Councillor(s) Harley, Ottino, and Regisford sent apologies for a late arrival to the meeting.

Councillor Malik sent apologies for being absent for the entirety of the meeting.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer clarified that Councillors only needed to declare an interest where they were the trustees of an organization impacted by a decision under consideration. The Leader of the Council and the Deputy Monitoring Officer further clarified that only when Councillors where trustees to an organization which were subject to an amendment to the budget did they need to declare an interest.

Councillor Mundy declared that decisions at agenda items 9c and 9d related to funding for advice centres affected his declared interest as an employee of an advice centre and he would leave the meeting and take no part in debate for these items.

Councillor(s) Henwood and Stares declared that the decisions relating to agenda item 9d affected one of their declared interests and they would leave the meeting and take no part in the debate on this item.

The Chief Executive clarified that Councillors only needed to declare an interest if an amendment or decision would impact the specific community or advice centre that Councillors worked at or acted as trustees for.

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

There were no announcements from the Lord Mayor, the Sheriff, the Leader of the Council, or the Chief Executive.

The procedure for this meeting, including timings for the debate on the Council’s budget, capital programme and medium term financial strategy as recommended by Cabinet, is set out in the Council’s Constitution at Part 11.4.

Any amendments to the procedure must be agreed by majority vote and will only apply to this meeting.

Council noted the procedure and times permitted for each stage in the budget debate.

Councillor Djafari-Marbini asked how it would be judged that equal time was given to debate each proposed amendment to the budget.

The Lord Mayor responded that they would end debate on amendments if the debate on certain amendments were going on for too long.

Public addresses, and questions of under 200 words, to the Leader or other Cabinet member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 11.4, 11.12, 11.13, and 11.14 relating to matters for decision on this agenda.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address or question must be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on Friday 7 February 2025.

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

A total of 30 minutes is available for this item. Responses are included in this time. Up to five minutes is available for each public address and up to three minutes for each question

Address from Josie Procter – Support for Amendment to Budget on Playground in the City Centre

A few months back, you were kind enough to listen to me, on behalf of Oxplay, bringing you a petition on the subject of a playground in Oxford City centre.  I said that Oxford didn’t have much-needed play space for children, and that driving footfall to the city centre would be good for families, and good for businesses.

We’d taken the petition to County Council, who also supported it, and want to work with City on providing space for the playground.

The petition was put to a vote,  and you unanimously voted to support moving forward with a playground, knowing at the time there was no obvious funding source.

Now, no one expected the council to immediately magic up funds for a playground, but imagine our surprise when we saw no mention of any funds in the budget for even the smallest amount of development work…  If we are all agreed that we want to build a playground, and invest in a family friendly city centre, then we need to find a small amount of funding, along with officer time which we wouldn’t necessarily see in a budget, to inch it forward. We can only hope that Rachel Reeves’ announcement of a Growth Corridor will conjure up a magic money tree, and indeed population growth implies more children. But growth happens in decades and our children are growing up now. Before the impact of that growth commission becomes clear, we need to keep the project moving forward rather than stagnate for a year.

This is why I urge you to both to support the amendment on it and continue your work with the county council to make this a reality. Thank you.

Response from Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management

Thank you for your address and for your ongoing support for a playground in the city centre.  You are quite right that the Council unanimously passed a motion on this, and I am happy to confirm that in the background lead members and officers have been looking at opportunities – clearly given the constrained nature of the city centre this is not a straightforward project.

Motions are different to setting a budget, because in a budget you need to make the necessary trade-offs to bring funding forward.  In addition, experience has taught us to be cautious about putting money in for projects which are not developed; what that means is that the City Council has to have the funds “at the ready”, and if they are not drawn down it means we will earn less interest on them than if they had been held back.

Nonetheless, having reviewed the position, you will note that our administration amendment today includes funding for work across the next two years on this, and we hope it will enable us to move the project forward.  I do not want  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

The General Purposes Licensing Committee and the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee will consider at their meetings on 10 February 2025, reports on fees and charges for the licensing functions falling within their remits.

The Agenda for the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee is avalable here.

The Agenda for the General Purposes Licensing Committee is avalable here.

Cllrs Edward Mundy and Katherine Miles, the Committee Chairs, will propose the recommendations.

Recommendations: The General Purposes Licensing Committee and the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee recommend that Council resolves to agree the relevant licence fees and charges for 2025/26.

The papers will be published as part of the Briefing Note.

Council considered the Licensing & Gambling Acts and General Purposes Licensing Committees’ recommendations to approve fees and charges for the licensing functions falling within their remits as set out in agenda items 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d and repeated in the budget papers at item 9 Appendix 7.

Councillor(s) Miles and Mundy, the Committee Chairs presented the reports and supported the recommendations to Council. Councillor(s) Smowton and Muddiman, respectively, seconded the recommendations.

On being put to the vote Council resolved to agree the relevant licence fees and charges for 2025/26 as set out in Items 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d (and repeated in the relevant sections of Item 9, Appendix 7).

Under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 there is a requirement for the Council’s Chief Financial Officer to report to Council on:

a) the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of the calculations of the budget; and

b) the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

Council in considering its Budget should have regard to this advice.

Recommendation:  That Council notes this report in setting its budget for 2025/26 and the indicative budgets for 2026/27 – 2028/29.

Council considered a report from the Group Director Finance, as required under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, on the robustness of the estimates made for the purposes of the calculations of the budget and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves. The Group Director Finance advised that scrutiny of the budget had been undertaken by the Finance Team, Directors and the Chief Executive, Executive Members and the Scrutiny Committee’s Finance Panel, and the figures presented were an estimate of factors at a specific time and therefore liable to change. He highlighted that the estimated income was also subject to the Oxford Model delivering key income streams and as such were outside the control of the Council, however noted that he was confident that the figures provided demonstrated the best estimate and were robust. The Group Director Finance also noted the uncertainty which had been introduced by the local government reorganization plans which had been put forward by central government.

Council noted the report in setting the Council budget for 2025/26 and the indicative budgets for 2026/27 – 2028/29.

Report of the Scrutiny Budget Review Group on the proposed budget.

The Chair of the Budget Review Group will present the report and recommendations.

Recommendation: Council is asked to note the recommendations of the Budget Review Group and Cabinet’s response.

Council considered the report and recommendations of the Budget Review Group of the Scrutiny Committee to the Cabinet meeting on 05 February 2025 and the Cabinet’s response.

Councillor Fry, Chair of the Scrutiny Budget Review Group, advised that following detailed discussions at each of its meetings throughout January 2025, the Review Group made a total of 23 recommendations, of which 9 had been agreed fully, 7 had been partially agreed, and 7 had not been agreed. He thanked all the officers involved throughout the process, with particular thanks to Nigel Kennedy, Group Director Finance and to Celeste Reyeslao, as Scrutiny Officer in drafting this report.

Council resolved to note the report and Cabinet’s responses to the recommendations.

The Group Director Finance has submitted a report to Cabinet on 7 February 2024, to present the outcome of the budget consultation and agree the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2025-26 to 2027-28 and 2024-25 Budget for recommendation to Council.

Any further proposed amendments to the budget will be reported in the Briefing Note.

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

Amendments to the budget proposed by opposition groups or individual councillors must be received by Democratic Services before 1.00 p.m. on Wednesday 12 February 2025 and will be published in the Briefing Note.

The procedure for this item is set out in Part 11.4 of the Council’s Constitution.

A recorded vote must be taken when voting to agree the final budget and medium term strategy.

Council had before it and considered:

·                The report of the Group Director Finance to Cabinet on 05 February 2025 setting out the outcome of the budget consultation and seeking agreement of the Council’s Budget for 2025/26 and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy for 2026/27 to 2028/29.

·                The Labour Group’s submitted subsequent amendment published with the briefing note.

·                The Liberal Democrat Group’s submitted amendments published with the briefing note.

·                The Green Group’s submitted amendments published with the briefing note.

·                The Independent Oxford Alliance Group’s submitted amendments published with the briefing note.

·                The Oxford Community Independents Group’s submitted amendments published with the briefing note.

·                An individual amendment proposed by Councillor Jarvis tabled at the meeting.

Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, presented the report and proposed Cabinet’s recommendations. Councillor Turner thanked the Council officers for their work on the budget. He noted the importance of the Council taking the lead on improving the city. He also discussed the outcome of the residents’ survey and how that had shaped the proposed budget. Councillor Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, seconded by Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships, proposed agreement of the Budget and the Medium Term Strategy and the recommendations from Cabinet.  He also moved his amendment to the Budget, published at Item 9a of the agenda, which was seconded by Councillor Brown.

a)        Additional recommendations from Cabinet and corrections      to the published budget

Councillor Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, seconded by Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships, proposed the additional amendment from Cabinet.

b)             Alternative budget proposals - Liberal Democrat Group amendments

The Liberal Democrat Group withdrew their amended Budget, following submission of the amended Labour Group Budget.

Councillor Harley arrived during the discussion of amendment 9b.

c)             Alternative budget proposals - Green Group amendments

Councillor Mundy left the chamber for the discussion of and vote on amendment 9c due to his declared interest in this item.

Councillor Jarvis, seconded by Councillor Max Morris, moved the Green Group amendments. 

Following debate, these were put to the vote.

With more Councillors voting against (19), than for (7), and 20 abstentions, the Green Group amendments were not carried.

d)             Alternative budget proposals - Independent Oxford Alliance Group Amendments

Councillors Henwood and Stares left the chamber for discussion of and vote on amendment 9d, due to their declared interest in this item.

Councillor Yeatman, seconded by Councillor Rehman, moved the Independent Oxford Alliance Group Amendments.

Following debate, these were put to the vote.

With more Councillors voting against (27), than for (8), and 10 abstentions, the Independent Oxford Alliance Group amendments were not carried.

e)             Alternative Budget Proposals - Oxford Community Independents Group Amendments

Councillor Mundy left the chamber for discussion of and vote on amendment 9d, due to their declared interest in this item. Councillors Henwood and Stares re-entered the chamber at this time.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.

The Group Director Finance has submitted a report which sets out the necessary calculations to enable Council to set the 2025/26 Council Tax for Oxford City.

Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, will present the report and propose the recommendations.

Recommendations: That Council resolves to approve for the financial year 2025/26 recommendations 1 to 5 and to note points 6 to 8 below:

1.    The City Council’s precept and Council Tax requirement of £17,266,136 including Parish precepts and £16,993,288 excluding Parish Precepts.

2.    The average Band D Council Tax figure (excluding Parish Precepts) of £356.72, a 2.99% increase on the 2024/25 figure of £346.36. Including Parish Precepts, the figure is £362.45, a 2.95% increase (see paragraphs 2 to 8 of the report).

3.    A contribution of £10,000 to Old Marston Parish Council in recognition of the additional expenditure that the parish incurs as a consequence of maintaining the cemetery (see paragraphs 11 and 12 of the report).

4.    The amount of £734,560 to be treated as Special Expenses (see paragraph 15 of the report).

5.    The Band D Council Taxes for the various areas of the city (excluding the Police and Crime Commissioner and Oxfordshire County Council’s precepts) as follows:

These figures include Parish Precepts and special expensing amounts as appropriate; in addition to the City Wide Council Tax of £341.30.

The Council is also asked to note:

6.    Oxfordshire County Council’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 19 below

7.    The Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 20 below, and

8.    The overall average Band D equivalent Council Tax of £2,557.13 including Parish Precepts (subject to confirmation of the Band D figures for Oxfordshire County Council).

Council considered the report of the Group Director Finance setting out the necessary calculations to enable Council to set the 2025/26 Council Tax for Oxford City.

Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, proposed and Councillor Brown seconded the recommendations in the report.

In accordance with legislative requirements, a recorded vote was then taken:

For the resolution set out below:

Councillors: Altaf-Khan, Arshad, Brown, Chapman, Clarkson, Corais, Coyne, Diggins, Djafari-Marbini, Fry, Fouweather, Gant, Goddard, Hollingsworth, Hunt, Jarvis, Jupp, Kerr, Lygo, Miles, Morris, Muddiman, Mundy, Munkonge, Ottino, Powell, Pressel, Qayyum, Railton, Rawle, Regisford, Robinson, Rowley, Sandelson, Linda Smith, Roz Smith, Smowton, Stares, Turner, Upton, Waite, Yeatman (42)

Against the resolution:

None (0)

Abstentions:

Councillors: Azad, Harley, Henwood, Latif, Rehman (5)

With all Councillors present voting for, the resolution was carried.

Council resolved in accordance with the reported vote to approve for the financial year 2025/26 recommendations 1 to 5 and to note points 6 to 8:

1.    The City Council’s precept and Council Tax requirement of £17,266,136 including Parish precepts and £16,993,288 excluding Parish Precepts.

2.    The average Band D Council Tax figure (excluding Parish Precepts) of £356.72, a 2.99% increase on the 2024/25 figure of £346.36. Including Parish Precepts, the figure is £362.45, a 2.95% increase (see paragraphs 2 to 8 of the report).

3.    A contribution of £10,000 to Old Marston Parish Council in recognition of the additional expenditure that the parish incurs as a consequence of maintaining the cemetery (see paragraphs 11 and 12 of the report).

4.    The amount of £734,560 to be treated as Special Expenses (see paragraph 15 of the report).

5.    The Band D Council Taxes for the various areas of the city (excluding the Police and Crime Commissioner and Oxfordshire County Council’s precepts) as follows:

These figures include Parish Precepts and special expensing amounts as appropriate; in addition to the City Wide Council Tax of £341.30.

The Council is also asked to note:

6.    Oxfordshire County Council’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 19 below

7.    The Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 20 below, and

8.    The overall average Band D equivalent Council Tax of £2,557.13 including Parish Precepts (subject to confirmation of the Band D figures for Oxfordshire County Council).

The Group Director Finance submitted a report to Cabinet on 7 February 2024 which presents the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26 together with the Prudential Indicators for 2026/27 to 2028/29.

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

Recommendation: That Council resolves to approve:

1.    The Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26 as set out in paragraphs 10 to 61 of the appended report and the Prudential Indicators for 2025/26 – 2028/29 as set out in Appendix 2 to the appended report;

2.    The Borrowing Strategy 2025/26 at paragraphs 31 to 32 of the appended report;

3.    The Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement at Appendix 3 to the appended report which sets out the Council’s policy on charging borrowing to the revenue account;;

4.    The Investment Strategy for 2025/26 and the investment criteria as set out in paragraphs 35 to 53 of the appended report and in Appendix 1 to the appended report; and

5.    The Treasury Management Scheme of Delegation at Appendix 4 to the appended report.

Council considered the report of the Group Director Finance submitted to Cabinet on 05 February 2025, presenting the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26 together with the Prudential Indicators for 2026/27 to 2028/29.

Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management presented the report and moved the recommendations. The recommendations were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to approve:

1.    The Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26 as set out in paragraphs 10 to 61 of the appended report and the Prudential Indicators for 2025/26 – 2028/29 as set out in Appendix 2 to the appended report;

2.    The Borrowing Strategy 2025/26 at paragraphs 31 to 32 of the appended report;

3.    The Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement at Appendix 3 to the appended report which sets out the Council’s policy on charging borrowing to the revenue account;;

4.    The Investment Strategy for 2025/26 and the investment criteria as set out in paragraphs 35 to 53 of the appended report and in Appendix 1 to the appended report; and

5.    The Treasury Management Scheme of Delegation at Appendix 4 to the appended report.

The Group Director Finance submitted a report to Cabinet on 5 February 2025 which presented the Capital Strategy for approval.

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

Recommendations: That Council resolves to approve:

1.    The Capital Strategy attached at Appendix A

Council considered the report of the Group Director Finance, submitted to Cabinet on 05 February 2025, presenting the Capital Strategy for 2025/26 – 2028/29 for approval.

Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management presented the report and moved the recommendations, which were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to approve the Capital Strategy for 2025/26 to 2028/29.

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)