To hear questions from the public in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.9 to the Leader or other Board Members of the City Executive Board for which the required notice (1.00pm on Thursday 19^th April 2012) and the full wording of the question has been given to the Head of Law and Governance and to hear responses from those Members.

Two questions were submitted by members of the public as follows:

(1)       Question to the Board Member, City Development (Councillor Colin Cook) from Sietska Boeles

            Student numbers living in private properties

            There is a widespread view that student numbers living in private properties have been misrepresented by the two universities, and there are concerns that the city council don’t adequately monitor local plan policies related to student housing.  Following requests by residents groups in East Oxford and Headington the Council agreed to investigate these matters last September.  In March local Councillors and residents were informed by the Council that their report would be published in early April. I understand that the report is finished but that the Council won’t release it until the end of April at the earliest.  Is it right that the City Council should suppress this report until after the local elections? Why cannot it be released immediately?

            Response: We have consulted both universities on a first draft report although we have had feedback from Oxford Brookes University. We are awaiting comments on a second draft.  Oxford University has been given until Tuesday 24th April to respond.  The report will be published as soon as possible after that.

(2)       Question to the Board Member, City Development (Councillor Colin Cook) from Georgina Gibbs

            12 Saxon Way

            I understand that one of the  councillors  from the Headington Hill and  North Way Ward has ,in his  capacity as chair of Northway Residents Association,  signed a legal  agreement which transfers ownership of the Northway Community Centre to private developers. Can you give me the full written  details and the date of  this agreement.

            Can you clarify the following please:

(1)       Is the City Council is assisting the councillor with legal advice on this matter;

(2)       If so can you give me the full written details of the advice and let me know if this advice was given by the in house legal team and/ or was legal advice sought from outside;

            (3)       Will further legal advice be sought?

            Response: The Council has not given legal advice to te trustees of the community centre.  We are not in a position to advise them – not least because one of the documents is a tripartite agreement between them, the Council and Greenspace.

            We understand that the Community Association has had independent advice from a Solicitor engaged directly.  In addition, they have had the benefit of independent advice from Community Matters, the national body that offers support to community association nationwide, and general support from the Communities and Neighbourhoods Team at the City Council.

            I pay tribute to Councillor Roy Darke’s sterling efforts to improve the facilities available to the people on the Northway estate.

            Councillor Roy Darke also spoke and said that he had been elected as Chair of the Community Association in March 2011.  The Association had taken independent legal advice and following this a 25 year lease was put in place with a peppercorn rent.  With regard to him not being the Chair, he said that an impromptu Annual General Meeting had also been held, which had not been advertised in accordance with the Community Associations Constitution and this matter was not being adjudicated on by the Charity Commission.  He added that he would be happy to step down as Chair at the next AGM of the Community Association, but had only stood initially as there were not enough people interested to be Trustees.