None. 

None. 

The Committee is asked to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2026 as a true and accurate record.

The Committee approved the minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2026 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 Wednesday 24 June 2026.

None. 

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 Wednesday 24 June 2026.

None. 

Cabinet, at its meeting on 8 July 2026, will consider a report outlining the progress made in Year 1 to implement the Council of Sanctuary Framework and Action Plan and plans for delivery in the next year. The report also seeks approval for the adoption of the new Framework Action Plan for Year 2.

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

Cabinet, at its meeting on 8 July 2026, will consider a report outlining the progress made in Year 1 to implement the Council of Sanctuary Framework and Action Plan and delivery plans in the next year.  

Councillor Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Richard Wood, Head of Homelessness and Housing Need, and Stephen Cohen, Refugee and Resettlement Manager, were present to respond to questions. 

Councillor Smith highlighted that the report includes a comprehensive summary of the Year 2 Action Plan which focuses on points such as improved coordination and systemwide working, more equitable access to provision across the city, stronger progression routes in employment, and increased involvement and leadership of people with lived experience. The Committee heard that the goal is to transition from a pilot activity to a long-term and sustainable delivery model. Councillor Smith also summarised the need for enhanced communications and community cohesion to combat negative narratives and inaccurate information; reference was paid to social media narratives on topics such as social housing.  

The Refugee and Resettlement Manager summarised the report, noting that it sets out progress made against the year one action plan of the three-year plan with a focus on six priority areas derived from topics highlighted through research and engagement with residents and partnership work. The Committee heard that the framework aims to ensure a coordinated approach to supporting refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants in the city, whilst also retaining a consideration of existing residents and hopes the benefits will be wider for Oxford and residents. A comprehensive summary of key successes to date was delivered, including increased staff training, support for individual projects such as the school advocacy project, and increased support for moves into private sector accommodation. The Committee heard that many of the initiatives within the action plan also aim to encourage people towards independence through focusing on employability skills, health and well-being, and volunteering opportunities. In terms of future challenges, The Refugee and Resettlement Manager noted that attention will be paid to addressing emerging regulations and legislation from national government, continuing to combat anti-migrant sentiment, and continuing to support homelessness prevention via the procurement of accommodation. It was emphasised that this work would be underpinned by an endeavour to ensure residents' voices are included and considered.  

The Chair invited questions from the Committee.  

Councillor Jarvis noted that the report suggested outperformance against KPIs linked to wellbeing, leisure, and therapeutic outcomes; he asked whether this was a result of significant success, or underestimation of the need required from the outset.  In the case of an underestimation, he further queried what the impact of this would be, and whether preparations have since been made for higher uptake in the future. Secondly, in reference to the positive housing outcomes KPI, Councillor Jarvis queried why this was not met, and how the Council compares to other local authorities. 

In response to Councillor Jarvis’ first question, the Refugee and Resettlement Manager explained that the grant funding received by the Council is designated for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 8 July 2026, will consider a report which seeks approval for the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy.

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

Cabinet, at its meeting on 8 July 2026, will consider a report which seeks approval for the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy. 

Councillor Rowley, Cabinet Member for Regulation of the Private Rented Sector and Preventing Homelessness, Courtney Bennett, Regulatory Services Manager, and Katherine Coney, Residential Regulation Team Area Manager, were present to respond to questions.  

Councillor Rowley provided a summary of the report, noting that it related to changes following the new Renters Rights Act. The Committee understood that the Act gives new rights to renters, it consolidates previous legislation into a local regime, and it gives the council the legal duty as the Housing Authority to enforce those rights. Resultantly, Councillor Rowley outlined that the Council now requires its own private rental sector enforcement policy to meet the requirements of the Act but also emphasised that this Council has been one of the few nationally to have a licensing scheme for all HMOs and non-HMOs in the private rent sector. As such, the Committee heard that the Council is in a strong position to respond to the changes. 

The Regulatory Services Manager explained that the council's corporate enforcement policy will remain in place and is unchanged, however private sector housing will now operate under a much more complex distinct legislative framework; as such, a dedicated policy is required. The Committee heard that this would provide landlords and tenants clarity about what to expect, protect the council's decisions, and ensure the council’s approach is lawful. The Regulatory Services Manager highlighted that the policy was developed with the necessary professional bodies for housing enforcement authorities in England and aligns with national best practices and other local authority approaches. The report outlines the framework for meeting the new statutory duties whilst giving protections and confidence to communities of what powers the local authority holds, and how they can enforce these formally and informally; examples were provided.  

The Residential Regulation Team Area Manager explained that the focus is to protect tenants, and this can involve investigation of complaints regarding disrepair, investigation of unlicensed properties, and ensuring protections from discrimination. The Committee heard that the changes would allow more enforcement and penalty procedures to be used in the future.  

The Chair invited questions from the Committee.  

Councillor Jarvis queried whether tenants' unions were consulted during the development of the policy.  

The Residential Regulation Team Area Manager explained that consultation was not specifically undertaken for this policy, however previous communications with Tenant Unions has indicated their support for a specific policy on private sector housing. 

Councillor Rowley also emphasised that the details of the policy are largely dictated by the requirements of the Act and would therefore be uniform across councils. The value and importance of tenants' unions voices in evaluating the policy were however recognised, and it was suggested that they should be involved in reviewing the policy once it has been embedded. 

Councillor Elphinstone queried how discrimination by landlords is measured, noting it is an important consideration.  

The Residential Regulation Team Area Manager  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

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.

This item is published as a supplement.

The Committee and Member Services Manager explained that the workplan outlines proposed items for meetings of the Committee until November. Members were encouraged to submit via email the details of any additional requests. 

The Committee agreed the work plan.  

At its meeting on 17 June 2026, Cabinet considered the following reports from Scrutiny and made no response:

·       Establishment of the Scrutiny Standing Working Groups and Review Group 

The Committee is asked to:

1.    Note Cabinet’s responses to its recommendations.

The Committee and Member Services Manager informed the Committee that Cabinet is yet to respond to recent recommendations, but members were assured that the Committee will work alongside Cabinet over the coming year.  

Since the Scrutiny Committee’s previous meeting on 9 June 2026, the following Working Groups have met:

• Finance and Performance Working Group on 16 June 2026
• Housing and Homelessness Working Group on 23 June 2026

The Committee is asked to:

1. Endorse the recommendations from Working Groups.

This item is published as a supplement.

The Committee and Member Services Manager noted that two working groups had met since 9 June, and the recommendations were enclosed in the report. The Committee was asked to endorse the three recommendations from the Housing and Homelessness Working Group focused on HRA Policies.  

The Committee endorsed the recommendations from the Working Groups: 

Housing and Homelessness Working Group 

1. Within the Voids Policy, for there to be consideration for the wider community and social impact  

2. Within the Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operations Policy, to ensure complaints for Oxford Direct Services (ODS) have a robust oversight procedure and to ensure the timescales within the policy are clearly defined  

3. Within the Complaints Policy, to ensure there is clarity on repeated complaints and tightening the wording for public clarity  

·       11 August 2026

·       8 September 2026

·       13 October 2026

·       10 November 2026

·       1 December 2026

All meetings start at 6:00 pm.

The Committee noted the dates of future meetings.