To hear tributes and observe a minute’s silence in memory of former Lord Mayors or serving councillors or serving senior officers who have died.

Former Councillor Jim Campbell

Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council held on Monday, 25 November 2024.

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

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report which notifies Council of the amendments made to the membership of Committees since the initial appointments made at Council on 16 May 2024, and further changes made in 7 October 2024.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Agree the appointments to Committees.

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

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, 21 January 2025.

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.

The Head of Financial Services had submitted a report to present the outcome of Oxford City Council’s (the council’s) annual rent review and associated rent setting proposal for 2025/26 in respect of all council dwellings within the Housing Revenue Account, including the setting of associated services and facilities charges.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

·       Approve an increase of 2.7% for 2025/26 (subject to any subsequent cap on increases imposed by central government) in social dwelling rents from 1st April 2025 giving an average weekly increase of £3.51 per week, and a revised weekly average social rent of £133.68 as set out in the Financial Implications section of this report.

·       Approve an increase to rents for shared ownership dwellings as outlined in paragraph 21 of the Financial Implications.

·       Approve an increase to service charges by 2.7% (CPI + 1%) to enable the HRA to recover the associated cost of supply.

·       Approve an increase to the charge for a garage of 4.1%, equating to an increase of £0.78 per week for a standard garage within a curtilage with a revised charge of £20.00 per week.

The Head of Planning and Regulatory Service submitted a report which seeks approval for the withdrawal of the Oxford Local Plan 2040 from Examination.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the withdrawal of the Oxford Local Plan 2040 and the publication of the withdrawal statement;

2.    Note the Cabinet decision to approve the Local Development Scheme 2025-2030;

3.    Authorise the Head of Planning and Regulatory Services to make any necessary minor corrections not materially affecting the document prior to publication.

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report which updates Council on key decisions taken in cases of special urgency since November 2024.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Note the urgent key decision taken in cases of special urgency as set out in the report

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report which sets out a programme of Council, committee and other meetings for the whole of the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 Council years.

Recommendations: that Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the programme of Council, committee and other meetings from 1 May 2025 to 31 May 2027 attached at Appendix A;

2.    Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make changes to this programme in the event that there is any decision by Council to change the committee structure or committee remits which impacts on the programme of meetings; and

3.    Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance to set dates for additional training and briefing sessions for Members.

The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report asking Council to approve the schedule of polling districts and polling places (shown at Appendix A to the report) for the administrative area of the City Council as required by the Electoral Administration Act 2006.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.     Approve the schedule of polling districts and polling places (shown at Appendix 1) for the administrative area of the City Council.

This item has a time limit of 15 minutes.

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

To be circulated with the Briefing Paper.

To be circulated with the Briefing Paper.

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, 15^th January 2025.

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

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 21 January 2025.

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.

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, 23 January 2025 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.

The Head of Regeneration and Economy has submitted a report which updates Council on the work of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Ltd (OxLEP), the over-arching local partnership promoting economic growth and shaping the strategic direction of the Oxfordshire economy.

Recommendation: that Council revolves to:

1.    Note the report of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Ltd

The Head of Corporate Strategy has submitted a report that notes the annual update on the Oxfordshire Resources & Waste Partnership.

Recommendation: That Council resolves to:

1.    Note the annual report on the work of the Oxfordshire Resources and Waste Partnership, 2023 to 2024

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee has submitted a report which updates Council on the activities of scrutiny and the implementation of recommendations since October 2024.

Council is invited to comment on and note the report.

The report will be published as part of the briefing note.

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, 15^th January 2025are listed below.

Cross party motions are taken first. Motions will then be taken in turn from the Independent Oxford Alliance Group, Oxford Community Independents Group, Oxford Independent Group, Real Independent Group, Labour Group, Liberal Democrats Group, Green 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, 24^th January 2025so 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)    Zero Emission Zone (Proposed by Cllr. David Henwood, Seconded by Cllr. Ian Yeatman)

b)    Visitor Parking Permits (Proposed by Cllr. Ajaz Rehman, Seconded by Cllr. Dr. Amar Latif)

c)    Devolution (Proposed by Cllr. Susan Brown, Seconded by Cllr. Anna Railton

d)    Protection of Carers from Exploitation (Proposed by Cllr. Jo Sandelson, Seconded by Cllr Theo Jupp)

e)    Demand compensation from Network Rail for delays in reopening Botley Road (Proposed by Cllr. Lois Muddiman, Seconded by Cllr. Alex Powell)

Independent Oxford Alliance Group Motion

In February 2024, Oxfordshire County Council committed to spending £5.2m^[1] developing plans to expand Oxford’s existing Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ). Although previously agreed in principle as part of the Central Oxfordshire Travel Plan^[2], Oxfordshire County Council has not yet committed to proceeding with the ZEZ expansion.^[3]

Each year, Oxford City Council produces an Air Quality Annual Status Report (AQASR)^[4]. The report includes a detailed account of NO2 pollution levels, across numerous monitoring stations in Oxford and surrounding areas in the preceding year. The report also includes a commentary and analysis of themes relating to NO2 pollution in Oxford, such as the impact of the current ZEZ and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods on NO2 pollution levels.

Given the current development work taking place by Oxfordshire County Council in relation to the planned ZEZ expansion, it could be useful to draw on the insights collected as part of the AQASR publication process to produce an in-depth analysis of NO2 pollution levels in the planned ZEZ expansion zone.

Oxford City Council’s policy on NO2 pollution is that the local annual mean NO2 target for Oxford should be 30 µg/m³ by 2025^[5], which reflects “step two” of the WHO’s updated interim target for NO2.

Oxford City Council notes that Oxford is currently in the process of taking delivery of numerous new electric buses, which have the potential to significantly reduce pollution in and around Oxford city centre^[6].

The Council:

• Believes it would be useful for Oxford City Council to publish a (non-statutory) supplement to its already-published 2023 AQASR. This supplement would help provide the public with the council’s baseline analysis of NO2 pollution levels in the planned ZEZ expansion zone, reusing existing data.
• Further believes that subsequent AQASRs should also include an in-depth analysis of NO2 pollution levels in the planned ZEZ expansion zone.
• Collectively, these analyses would assist Oxford City Council in deciding whether – in the council’s view – the ZEZ expansion remains objectively justified as a policy that the City Council should continue to endorse.

Noting that where there are any financial and/or resource implications that the implantation of the report will be subject to a report to Cabinet, Council therefore request that Cabinet ask those officers responsible for producing the Oxford City Council’s AQASR to:

• Publish a supplement to 2023 AQASR (within three months of the date of this motion), which includes a detailed data table setting out the verified average NO2 pollution levels between 2019 and 2023, for each pollution monitoring station within the proposed ZEZ expansion zone.

• To provide equivalent data in the 2024 AQASR, and in future years.
• To ensure this data is accompanied by a detailed analysis of recent NO2 pollution trends within the planned ZEZ expansion zone, where reasonably possible, including an analysis of whether NO2 pollution within the proposed ZEZ expansion zone have yet fallen to Oxford City Council’s 30µg/m³ by 2025 target.

Council also asks Cabinet to consider not  ...  view the full agenda text for item 16a

Oxford Independent Group Motion

This Council asks the Leader of the Council to write to the relevant officers at Oxfordshire County Council to revert back to scratch card permits for visitors

The new scheme is discriminatory against residents who do not have access or struggle with digital technology.^[1]

Requesting a family member or neighbour to assist can again be embarrassing or leave a feeling of worthlessness.[2]

This council believes it is the service providers responsibility to ensure services are workable and residents should not be left to seek additional help.

Council tax is at an all-time high^{[3] [4]} and pays for services such as parking permits, whilst efficiency is clearly good, this change places an unfair burden on residents. It may well lead to visitors handed parking fines. The scratch card system is fair and reasonable system that works for all. 

Labour Group Motion

The English Devolution White Paper published by the Government on Monday 16 December 2024 will open up opportunities for our local economy and for local residents in Oxford.[1]

Devolution could give more influence here in our local community over the policies and services that impact on our lives and our local economy. 

While there is much thinking and discussion needed for the detail of the changes in our area, this is a chance to make important changes for the better.

Services currently run from Whitehall could instead be run by a new strategic authority for the Thames Valley, which would be led by a directly elected mayor.

Learning from and inspired by the work of elected Mayors and strategic areas like Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, a Thames Valley authority linking together our cities, towns and villages has the potential to be the largest and most successful economy in the UK outside London. The opportunities for our region are huge, and we need to take advantage of them.  

This council welcomes any movement of power away from Whitehall closer to local communities, and the Mayoral Strategic Authorities will gain strategic powers on transport, employment growth and skills and strategic planning. 

The White Paper also gives us an historic opportunity to bring all local government services back together and to an authority that reflects our city geography.  

Council believeonce unitary geography is established, citizens of Oxford and our local communities will be best served from having councillors who are as close to those communities as possible. It believes that in designing new unitary authorities, there is a balance to be struck over size and that very large authorities are unlikely to be sufficiently responsive to their communities.

We are rightly proud in Oxford that our councillors are representative of our wider community in terms of age, gender, work, skills and diversity. We want to ensure that far into the future councillors of all parties and none will continue to represent the full diversity of our historic city.

Our councillors will be represent all ages; those in work, retired or carers; those whose families have lived here for generations and those who have recently made our city their home; people from many different jobs and experiences and from different working backgrounds and cultures; of different, ethnic, religious and political influences.  

With local government reorganisation alongside the creation of a new strategic authority for the Thames Valley, it is vital that in the new unitary councils, the future representatives are able to continue the long tradition of standing up for the people of Oxford and those who work here. 

Council resolves:

·       To pledge to put the citizens of Oxford at the heart of all of our discussions to develop proposals that will be best for the residents and businesses in our city. 

To side with those who take the time to develop proposals rather than rushing to deliver a particular outcome without public support or  ...  view the full agenda text for item 16c

Liberal Democrat Group Motion

This council has no confidence in the employee protection offered to migrant care workers in Oxfordshire andin the UK, and believe?that visa design?is driving exploitation.[1] Sponsorship agencies have been able to get away with exploiting these carers by demanding large sums of money (often thousands of pounds) in exchange for arranging the carers' journey to the UK, housing them (often in disgraceful conditions) and arranging work. Carers often find they are not given the number of hours work promised and are forced to use food banks to survive.[2] Many migrant carers have borrowed large sums from loan companies in their own country in order to pay the sponsorship fees, and are then trapped in the UK as they cannot return home without paying the money back. When migrants raise their concerns and needs with their sponsors they are threatened with being returned to their countries.[3] 

? 

The consequences are many. Migrant carers doing much needed work are forced to live in poverty with very stressful working conditions causing bad health and inability to work.[4]For example, one Oxfordshire family with disabilities reported that their carer X from Ghana needed to arrive for work?at a client's (rural) home at 6am. Public transport was not available but?sponsors refused to pay for a?taxi, so he spent all his wages paying for one himself. 

? 

Carers' clients are also affected, if carers become ill and are unable to work. This means their client either?has no carer?or numerous different cover carers to be instructed in the client's individual care needs. It can lead to clients’ families being unable to cope so the client must go into residential care, at great emotional cost to the client and their family, and at great financial cost to Social Services. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that "despite need for care far outstripping current provision, care providers are losing business due to ongoing staff shortages.  A Care England study[5]?found in 2023 that 44% of providers it surveyed had turned down new admissions and 18% had to close services altogether due to ongoing staff shortages.”[6]

Council believes the following steps should be taken to improve migrant carers' situation. 

? 

1. Simplify?visa applications: The 60-day time limit needs to be extended so that carers don’t lose their visa if they haven’t found a new sponsor. 

? 

2.?Grant access to public funds:?Introduce a safety net whereby care workers can access public funds. 

? 

3. Provide flexible work visas: Support migrant care workers with work visas that are simply amendable to reflect changing work situations. Currently the UK’s labour market enforcement system is?complicated, confusing and in dire need of reform. 

? 

Council resolves to request that Cabinet Member Cllr Chewe Munkonge write to Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Social Care, calling on him to drive these actions forward promptly. 

Green Group Motion

This Council acknowledges the long-term benefits of the Oxford Station Project, which will increase capacity, deliver a new western entrance, create new off-road cycle lanes, contributing to a more sustainable and interconnected transport network.[1] However, it is deeply concerned by the prolonged disruption caused by delays to this project by Network Rail, which has caused significant harm to local businesses and residents.[2] 

The closure of Botley Road for 21 months has already led to substantial financial losses for local businesses, many of which are struggling to survive.[3] With no clear end date yet announced, these businesses face uncertainty and further financial strain, diminishing their ability to recover. The slow progress of Thames Water’s work to relocate a mains water pipe and sewer are acknowledged[4], but the extended delay and disruption cannot solely be attributed to external factors. However, this Council believes that Network Rail’s failure to effectively manage the project, address challenges promptly, and communicate clear timelines has exacerbated the situation. 

Furthermore, this Council is deeply concerned about the negative impact on the health and well-being of older and/or less mobile residents. Many of these individuals have been cut off from the city centre, with no through bus or alternative public transport routes available.[5] This has left them isolated, unable to access essential services, and exposed to increased mental and physical strain. The closure has thus exacerbated inequalities, particularly for vulnerable groups. 

In light of these serious concerns, this Council resolves: 

1. To publicly campaign to protect the interests of Oxford’s residents and businesses, and work to ensure that those responsible for the ongoing harm caused by this project are held to account. 

2. To request the Leader of the council:  

a.    Examines possible avenues to initiate legal action against Network Rail for their management of the Oxford Station project. 

b.    Calls for a public inquiry into the mismanagement of the project 

c.     Writes to Network Rail to demand a clear and achievable completion timeline for the project. 

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)

Additional information, councillors’ questions, public addresses and amendments to motions are published in a supplementary briefing note. The agenda and briefing note should be read together.

The Briefing Note is published as a supplement to the agenda. It is available on the Friday before the meeting and can be accessed along with the agenda on the council’s website.