The Chair advised Members to declare any communications with groups relating to the Local Plan, specifically those public speakers attending this meeting.  

The Chair, Councillor Miles, Councillor Stares, and Councillor Rowley noted having received emails from those speaking at this meeting.  

The Chair reminded the Committee and attendees of the process the Local Plan would follow, namely its route through the Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet, and full Council on 26 January. It was clarified that the Scrutiny Committee has only the power to make recommendations, and that these would be passed to Cabinet for consideration. 

The Committee is asked to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2025 as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meetings held on 2 December 2025 as a true and accurate record.  

Public addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda. Up to five minutes is available for each public address.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address must be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on 7 January 2026.

The Committee heard two public addresses.  

The Chair invited Deborah Glass Woodin from Oxfordshire?Doughnut Economics to address the Committee. The address was delivered as follows: 

There are several flaws in the Local Plan process & content that require your scrutiny: 

1. The notion that the Scrutiny Committee can properly scrutinise a Local Plan of this length & complexity (over 900 pages including an unreadable policies map) in the course of a few days is unrealistic and procedurally flawed.  

2. Important statutory information that is missing: 

The officer report does not include even a summary of responses to the last consultation, never mind any explanation of changes made in light of that consultation or the reasons for ignoring consultee feedback. This does not meet essential transparency standards, nor fulfil the stated corporate priority to support thriving communities. The information needs to be provided before the plan can properly be considered. 

3. Additional key information that is also lacking: 

a) what is the proposed balance between new jobs (on one hand) & new housing & green spaces (on the other) in the city & how has this been reached? 

In particular, has any of the land previously identified for employment use been firmly re-allocated for housing? This was a promised policy change around a common theme in many responses in previous consultations. If the plan continues to prioritise a huge increase in employment and economic growth over better provision for housing for the existing population’s needs, especially genuinely affordable housing, then Oxford’s housing crisis as well the related infrastructure issues including flooding, sewage, water scarcity, commuting, congestion, pollution and loss of green space in Oxford, will continue to get much worse. 

b) what work has been done to measure the impact of the Local Plan on key measures of thriving & resilience? 

4. The proposal is for the plan to move directly to the Reg 19 stage of consultation where feedback can be given only on specific and limited material matters. Why are Oxford City Council not following the process and best practise (as being undertaken by neighbouring districts), with a further Reg 18 Spatial Strategies stage of consultation? Moving straight to Reg 19 gives no opportunity for constructive feedback on sites. 

In conclusion, these deficits in procedure & content present serious risks in achieving an appropriate balance in the corporate objectives for the Local Plan, risks that will have far-reaching impacts on how the city copes with the escalating multiple cases we face. What recommendations will the Scrutiny Committee make to address these risks so that the City Council produces a plan that is fit for the future for Oxford? 

There were no questions from the Committee on this address. 

The Chair then invited Martin Reed, Chair of the Friends of Iffley Fields, to address the Committee. The address was delivered as follows: 

I am Martin Reed, Chair of Friends of Iffley Village speaking on behalf of Iffley’s residents and visitors. 

Your scrutiny is requested today, to review the soundness of the decision to re-allocate Land at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

Councillor addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda. Up to five minutes is available for each address.

The request should be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on 7 January 2026.

None. 

Cabinet, at its meeting on 21 January 2026, will consider a report to share current progress on the Workforce Equalities Report and Action Plan and to present and seek approval for the publication of the annual Workforce Equality Report 2024/2025, the Gender Pay Gap Report, Ethnicity Pay Gap Report and Disability Pay Gap Report.   

Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Focused Services and Council Companies, Gail Malkin, Head of People and Sobia Afrida, EDI Specialist have been invited to present the report and take part in discussions.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and agree any recommendations.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 21 January 2026, will consider a report to share current progress?on the?Workforce Equalities Report and Action Plan?and to present and seek approval for the publication of the annual Workforce Equality Report?2024/2025, the Gender Pay Gap Report, Ethnicity Pay Gap Report and Disability Pay Gap Report.??? 

Councillor Nigel Chapman,?Cabinet Member for Focused Services and Council Companies,?Gail Malkin, Head of People and Sobia Afrida, EDI Specialist, were present to respond to questions.  

Councillor Chapman introduced the report and provided a comprehensive summary, noting that it represents data as of 31 March 2025 and includes information regarding gender, ethnic minority, and disability pay gaps. Councillor Chapman thanked the officers who have supported the work and praised the Council’s achievements in relation to increasing workforce diversity. A summary of the EDI staff survey was delivered, and the Committee heard an explanation of external context linked to a reduction in the progress of improving the gender pay gap.  

The Chair invited questions form the Committee.  

 
Councillor Rowley noted that Oxford City Council is one of few councils to publish such a breadth of data, however recognised that there has been a rise in pay gaps as more staff have been recruited. It was asked how this Council compares with other examples, and whether any analysis of the reasons for this issue has been completed.  

The Head of People summarised a report commissioned by the Council seeking research relating to pay gaps and informed the Committee that recommendations had been made around intersectional data analysis, positive action, and KPIs for manages. The Head of People confirmed that the latter two recommendations have been implemented through ongoing work with service directors, however monitoring of data relating to promotions is yet to begin. The Committee understood that this data rests on the willingness of staff to share their personal data with the Council.  

Councillor Miles firstly queried whether the positive progress against ethnic minorities targets meant that it could be increased to encourage further improvement, and secondly whether anything could be done to encourage men to opt for flexible working to promote more gender equality. Councillor Miles also asked whether action could be taken to ensure those who have the necessary skillsets, are not automatically locked onto lower pay brackets when recruited, specifically in reference to skills learned from informal employment. Finally, Councillor Miles whether data is disaggregated according to those who live within Oxford, and outside of the city, and whether more data on youth employment could be presented. 

Councillor Chapman explained that disaggregation of data would be a task for the new authority which will emerge following Local Government Reorganisation and any new geographical boundaries. In relation to flexible working, the Committee were reminded of the Council’s positive action schemes to support various skillsets and training and the successes these have achieved in focusing on the correct groups within the workforce.  

In relation to targets, the Head of People explained that an increase to 17%  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 21 January 2026, will consider a report to recommend that Council approve the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045 for public consultation and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, if no matters are raised that materially impact upon the Plan strategy, to submit the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for formal examination.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, David Butler, Director of Planning and Regulation, Rachel Williams, Planning Policy and Place Manager and Sarah Harrison, Planning Policy Team Leader have been invited to present the report and take part in discussions.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and agree any recommendations.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 21 January 2026, will consider a report to recommend that Council?approve the?Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan 2045?for public consultation and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, if no matters are raised that materially impact upon the Plan strategy,?to?submit the Submission Draft Oxford Local Plan 2045 to the Secretary of State for formal examination. 

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Culture, Rachel Williams, Planning Policy and Place Manager, Sarah Harrison, Planning Policy Team Leader, and Natalie Dobraszczyk, Planning Policy?Team Leader, were present to respond to questions.  

Councillor Hollingsworth provided a comprehensive summary of the Local Plan 2045 report, emphasising that it must be compliant with the national planning policy framework (NPPF), and outline the process by which the current Local Plan has been through to this point. The Committee specifically heard a summary of housing need policy and the high housing demand in Oxford, with reference to some specific site allocations. Councillor Hollingsworth discussed Oxford’s potential and its role as a city which positively contributes to national economic growth also. Councillor Hollingsworth concluded by thanking the officers for their dedicated work.  

The Chair thanked Councillor Hollingsworth and invited questions from the Committee. 

Councillor Miles firstly queried whether the Local Plan considers the density of hot food takeaways in district centres, specifically possible maximum limits; Manchester was referred to as an example. Specifically, Councillor Miles considered the proximity of these retail units to schools. Secondly, Councillor Miles asked whether play for children has been considered within the plan, and finally, it was asked whether remerging subdivided dwellings (previously altered for caring reasons) will be considered in respect of the challenges posed to reconfiguring buildings at later points.  

Councillor Ottino asked whether the the policy will address inequalities in the city, beyond just the consideration of additional social housing. Examples of boosting economic development and employment in a manner which most benefits the least advantaged were suggested.   

The Planning Policy Team Leader (SH), in response to Councillor Miles, clarified that policy C1 does restrict hot food takeaways in line with the NPPF, which, whilst allowing different approaches to be used, requires they be justified with evidence. In the case of Oxford, the Committee heard that sufficient evidence had not been found to deviate from the NPPF.  

In reference to play for children, the Planning Policy Team Leader (ND) noted policies C2, G1 and G2, which generally seek to protect green spaces and open spaces which can be used for play. It was noted that the plan currently features sufficient flexibility around the concept of play, and due to the complexity of the concept and variable needs of different groups, it was preferred not to refine the wording further.  

Finally, in reference to the splitting of dwellings for care purposes, Councillor Hollingsworth explained that the matter would be better considered via planning applications in the first instance, not the local plan. A summary of the complexities of this process was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88.

The Work Plan is driven to a very large extent by the Cabinet Forward Plan. The Scrutiny Committee agrees its priorities for items coming onto the Forward Plan, which then form part of its Work Plan.

The Committee is recommended to confirm its agreement to the Work Plan, or agree any amendments as required.

The Scrutiny and Governance Advisor informed the Committee that the Council Tax Debt Policy has been added to the February agenda, and that the sports pitches strategy had also been added to the programme, but that timing was under consideration with the date to be confirmed. In relation to noticeboards, the Committee were reminded that a briefing note had been distributed via email to all Members; the Scrutiny and Governance Advisor queried whether there was also a desire for this to be added to the February agenda. The Chair invited discussion of this; Members agreed that an item on noticeboards be added to the February agenda.  

The Committee agreed to the Work Plan.  

At its meeting on 10 December 2025, Cabinet considered the following reports from Scrutiny and made responses to the recommendations:

·       Authority Monitoring Report and Infrastructure Funding Statement

·       Biodiversity Strategy and Environment Act Update

·       ODS clienting

The Committee is asked to:

1.     Note Cabinet’s responses to its recommendations.

The Chair referred the Committee to the agenda for the detail of all recent recommendations to Cabinet and confirmed that all had been accepted.  

The Committee noted Cabinet’s responses to its recommendations.  

There have been no meetings of the Working Groups since the Scrutiny Committee’s previous meeting on 2 December 2025.

The Chair informed the Committee that there were no updates.  

Scrutiny Committee

·       3 February 2026

·       10 March 2026

·       7 April 2026

All meetings start at 6:00 pm.

The Committee noted the dates of future meetings.