None.

The Chair noted the meeting being the last of the year. He offered his sincere thanks to the Panel members, particularly for their work and contributions during the budget period. He also thanked the Scrutiny and Governance Advisor for her support. 

The Panel is asked to agree the notes of the meeting held on 21 January 2025 as a true and accurate record.

The Panel asked to be updated by the Local Tax & Benefits Service Delivery Manager on the results of the appeal case noted under Minute 45 relating to the 4-week salary model.

The Panel approved the notes of the previous meeting as an accurate record.

The Panel is asked to consider the Work Plan and agree any amendments.

The Panel noted the Work Plan.

The Group Finance Director has submitted a report on Social Value in Procurement including updates on the implementation of the new Procurement Act 2023.

Cllr Ed Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Manager, Nigel Kennedy, Group Finance Director, and Annette Osborne, Procurement Manager have been invited to attend the meeting.

The Panel is asked to note the report and agree any recommendations.

Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management firstly thanked the Panel for its work this year, particularly their input in the setting of the budget for the next financial year.

He introduced the report, reflecting on three headline points, including the challenges of implementing social value provisions, particularly in the context of decentralised procurement; what has been achieved thus far despite these challenges; and the recent motion passed by Council to strengthen ethical procurement and investment policies. He reassured the Panel that options for members to consider would be brought forward in a timely manner and which would align with appropriate due processes.

In response to the Cabinet Member’s comments regarding the Council motion, Councillor Jarvis asked whether there were financial implications within legal framework, noting that the wording of the motion appeared to be restrictive in terms of procurement. He requested clarity from the Cabinet Member on what is and is not possible to deliver within that context. Councillor Turner replied that it is the Council’s role to set out its priorities while recognising the constraints of the legal framework. Determining what is legally permissible and practically achievable is the responsibility of officers, though this work must take into account the financial considerations and potential legal risks. He added that officers are guided to provide granular advice through the procurement process.

The Panel thanked Councillor Turner for attending the meeting in the midst of other commitments.

Cllr Turner left the meeting.

The Chair welcomed and invited Annette Osborne, Procurement Manager to provide a progress update on the implementation of social value provisions, explaining that she had been working collaboratively with Oxford Social Enterprise Partnership (OSEP) and Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), to develop the Themes Outcomes and Measures for Social Value in tender documents for Oxfordshire and that OxLEP is now taking the lead on delivering Match My Project across other districts in Oxfordshire. Though progress had been slow, largely due to the need to prioritise pressing matters related to the new Procurement Act, she expressed hope that momentum could now be built around the implementation of social value.

Councillor Smowton wondered what the reception from suppliers had been and whether their contributions tended to be financial or offered in kind. The Procurement Manager explained that recent contributions had mostly taken the form of volunteer hours delivered rather than financial donations, but that suppliers are provided the flexibility to decide how best to deliver their contribution. Examples of these include gardening work and ongoing ground maintenance, both of which have had strong social impact. While evaluating the exact value of these contributions can be challenging, she noted that seeing tangible results is always encouraging. In response to a follow up question, the Procurement Manager added that this approach has genuinely added social value to contracts, rather than simply serving as a tick-box exercise during the tender process.

Councillor Yeatman queried the impact on headcount, asking whether the costs associated with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

If the Panel wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any aspects of the preceding or following agenda items it will be necessary for the Panel 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).

The Committee resolved that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the ‘ODS Group reports’ on the grounds that their presence would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Shareholder and Joint Venture Group, at its meeting on 29 April 2025, will consider the following reports from Oxford Direct Services (ODS) setting out the ODSL and ODSTL Business Plans for 2025-2029, and a new acquisitions strategy.

Cath Robinson, Chair of the ODS Board, and Simon Howick, Managing Director (ODS) have been invited to present the report and answer questions.

Cllr Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies has been invited to answer questions from the perspective of the Council as Shareholder.

The Panel is asked to consider the reports and agree any recommendations.

The Panel discussed matters relating to information in the exempt report.

The Panel discussed matters relating to information contained in the exempt report.

The Panel discussed matters relating to information contained in the exempt report.

The Panel discussed matters relating to information contained in the exempt report.

The Panel is asked to agree the confidential notes of the previous meeting held on 21 January 2025.

The Panel approved the exempt notes of the previous meeting as an accurate record.

The Panel is asked to note the dates and times of future meetings of the Finance and Performance Panel:

·       17 June 2025

·       16 July 2025

·       29 October 2025

·       26 November 2025

·       25 March 2026

·       14 April 2026

Meetings will take place remotely via Zoom.

The Panel noted the dates of future meetings.