To deliver the Meanwhile in Oxfordshire…Project in 2021/22.

After an OJEU compliant procurement process, the decision was taken to appoint Makespace to deliver Operator services for the Meanwhile in Oxfordshire Project for a total contract value of £1,692,488 (value exempt)

Oxford City Council has been allocated £1.875m to deliver a county-wide scheme to tackle the predicted significant increase in vacant units in Oxford (the city and its other neighbourhood centres) and Oxfordshire’s market towns.

The ‘Meanwhile in Oxfordshire…’ project is to be funded through the “Getting Building Fund” as part of a County-wide £8.4m programme, managed by OxLEP to accelerate the UK’s economic revival through the delivery of capital projects by early 2022.

Securing appropriate Council representation on the Board of Barton LLP.

To remove Caroline Green (Assistant Chief Executive) from the Board of Barton LLP with effect from 28 February 2021.

To appointCarolyn Ploszynski (Head of Regeneration & Economy) and Paul Leo (Director of Housing) as Members of the Board of Barton LLP with effect from  01 March 2021.

Cllr Tidball, seconded by Cllr Aziz proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

An amendment as set out in the briefing note proposed by Cllr Gant, seconded by Cllr Landell Mills, was debated and lost on being put to the vote.

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

The Coroner’s verdict last month that the death of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah in 2013 was caused by air pollution, the first time this has been listed as the cause of death in the UK, has brought sharply into focus the health emergency caused by poor air quality.

This Council notes with deep sorrow Ella’s death.

Air pollution is already a dangerous threat to our communities’ health; the current pandemic is making a bad situation worse, with deaths from Covid more prevalent amongst those exposed to higher levels of air pollution¹. The effects of poor air quality aggravate existing intersecting inequalities, with Black and Minority Ethnic people and those from more deprived communities being far more likely to be exposed to higher levels of pollution and thus suffer worse health outcomes².

In Oxford the City Council has taken great strides to address the problem and is implementing a Zero Emission Zone, EV charging infrastructure and proposals to cut overall traffic levels across the City through the Connecting Oxford scheme. But more needs to be done.

Short car journeys in particular dramatically increase children’s exposure to air pollution, doubling pollution emitted from vehicles³. Children in highly polluted areas are four times more likely to have reduced lung function in adulthood. Improvements to air quality now can reverse this effect⁴. Encouraging Active Travel as part of an active lifestyle is critical to tackling childhood inactivity and promoting sustainable travel - both health and environmental necessities.

This Council believes urgent action is needed. Whilst Oxfordshire County Council has committed to trialling School Streets for three schools in Oxford, the speed and coverage of implementation is insufficient. School Streets must be integral to our wider ambitious proposals to reduce car traffic and encourage a switch to active transport, including Controlled Parking Zones, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and better cycle infrastructure.

School Streets is an effective policy to help tackle the active and present threat of air pollution to the health of children, reduce health inequalities and combat the climate crisis. A study of 16 Schools Street sites shows a reduction in the number of motor vehicles, an increased use of active travel and improved road safety⁵.

This Council therefore:

1.     Expresses our unequivocal support for School Streets as a mechanism to encourage a modal shift to active travel and tackle air pollution as part of a strategic approach to cutting traffic levels.

2.     Asks the Leader to request Oxfordshire County Council, the transport authority, to

a)    ensure the delivery of the Connecting Oxford proposals;

b)    prioritise within its budget the roll out of School Streets across Oxford ;

c)     use all available funding mechanisms, including activation funds from the Emergency Active Travel Fund on promoting active travel within schools, including using safe off-road cycle tracks, helping schools design active travel plans; and

d)     work with partners to ensure every child in the city has the chance to learn to cycle, embedding cycling as a habit and means of active travel.

Councillor Haines left the meeting at the start of this item.

Council had before it 12 motions on notice submitted in accordance with Council procedure rules and reached decisions as set out below.

Motions agreed:

a)       Pavement Parking [amendment accepted by proposer]

b)       Defining and delivering truly ‘Net Zero’ buildings [amendment accepted by proposer]

c)       School Streets to Tackle Air Quality and Tackle Associated Health Inequalities

Motions not taken as the time allocated for debate had finished:

d)       Proportional Representation to ensure every vote counts (proposed by Cllr Garden)

e)       Developing a Food Strategy (proposed by Cllr Simmons, seconded by Cllr Wolff)

f)        Fossil fuel divestment (proposed by Cllr Hayes)

g)       E Scooters (proposed by Cllr Gant)

h)       Adopting an advertising and sponsorship policy which supports responsible consumption (proposed by Cllr Simmons, seconded by Cllr Wolff)

i)        Fireworks (proposed by Cllr Goddard)

Council agreed to approve the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 30 November 2020 and the special meeting held on 5 January 2021 as true and correct records.

An additional recommendation to the report agreed at the 9 December 2020 Cabinet meeting. A further recommendation is required to seek approval to include the £1.875m funding across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Council budget. All other aspects of the project remain unchanged..

Council considered the report of the Executive Director (Development) to seek approval to include the £1.875m funding across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Council budget. All other aspects of the project remain as set out in the reports to Cabinet on 9 December 2020 and 20 January 2021.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Brown, introduced the report, proposed the recommendations and answered questions.

The recommendations were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

establish a budget £1.875m (capital) within the Council’s capital programme, profiled across 2020-21 and 2021-22, subject to contracting with OxLEP.

Cllr Roz Smith, seconded by Cllr Landell Mills proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

Cllr Roz Smith accepted the amendment proposed by Cllr Hayes as set out in the briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote the amended motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

The government has recently consulted on ‘Pavement Parking: Options for Change’. Oxford City Council has submitted a response to the national consultation following a consultation of people with experience of living, working and moving around Oxford with disabilities, as well as people who represent disability charities, informed by a presentation on the subject by the Parking Manager at Oxfordshire County Council.

The focus group gave an overall preference for the option of banning pavement parking, as has been the case in London since 1974.

This Council:

·       Recognises that the Government launched the consultation because of concern that dangerous parking, on pavements, in cycle lanes, around schools and in many other instances, has got worse in recent years and causes significant danger and inconvenience to many people including wheelchair users, parents with small children, cyclists, the less mobile, and many others.

·       Recognises that present enforcement by Oxfordshire County Council in Oxford is widely seen to be limited in effectiveness; it cannot be effective owing to the current legal framework, which we recognise needs to change.

·       Believes that the safety of pedestrians (especially the visually impaired, and disabled) is important and motorists should be considerate of everybody else’s needs.

·       Believes that pavement parking is both an obstacle to active transport (walking and cycling), and significantly hinders the liberty and mobility of visually impaired and disabled citizens.

·       Recognises that a ban on pavement parking needs to be accompanied by a thorough CPZ approach, so that problems aren’t just displaced to other areas, and extra budget from Government or else enforcement will not be possible

·       Recognises that exceptions to the rule will need to be retained (for example where a CPZ specifically allows pavement parking due to narrow roads) and where there is pavement parking, it should be very clearly marked with signs and paint.

Council therefore:

1.        Fully endorses the objective of the government consultation to end pavement parking, considering all local circumstances.

2.        Commits to supporting the use of civil enforcement powers in a way which both enforces this policy effectively and does not represent a financial cost to the council.

3.        Asks the Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford to write to colleagues in Oxfordshire County Council and neighbouring districts informing them of this resolution and offering to investigate opportunities for effective joint working over, for example, enforcement contracts.

4.        Asks the Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford to write to the Secretary of State and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport informing them of this resolution and urging them to move to banning pavement parking as soon as possible.

Cllr Wolff, seconded by Cllr Simmons proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

Cllr Turner proposed minor amendments to the motion, put to Council in writing, to remove from the second sentence the words ‘For the sake of clarity in public discourse, the Council therefore moves to accept’ and to include the words underlined as below.

Cllr Wolff accepted the amendments.

After debate and on being put to the vote the amended motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

Oxford City Council is listed as a member of the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), along with Cambridge, Bristol and 43 other local authorities.

In its communications the Council asks Cabinet to use the 'framework definition' of 'net zero carbon buildings' as developed by the UKGBC (or make it clear where this is not the case), which in summary states:

Net zero carbon – construction (1.1):

When the amount of carbon emissions associated with a building’s product and construction stages up to practical completion is zero or negative, through the use of offsets or the net export of on-site renewable energy.

Net zero carbon – operational energy (1.2):

When the amount of carbon emissions associated with the building’s operational energy on an annual basis is zero or negative. A net zero carbon building is highly energy efficient and powered from on-site and/or off-site renewable energy sources, with any remaining carbon balance, after all efforts have been otherwise made, offset.

Note: The framework also provides reporting templates, which (if followed) enable claims of 'net zero' construction and operation to be supported with evidence.

Council asks that the Head of Regeneration & Economy brings a report to Cabinet setting out proposals (including costings) as to how the authority can could ensure that:

•        its own properties meet net-zero operational standards by 2030 at the latest; and

•        all new build by the Council meets net zero carbon construction standards by 2030 at the latest; and

•        it further explores the possibility of reflecting this in the relevant planning policies and guidance when they are reviewed in the future.

and advising the Cabinet on ways to ensure that:

•        'net zero' claims made by house-builders operating in the city and the Council are evidentially supportable (and incompliance in compliance with the definition as above).

1-3 George Street comprises a vacant mixed use building in a prime city-centre location. The building’s condition has deteriorated internally and in its current condition does not meet minimum regulatory energy performance and other standards. It now requires significant works to refurbish the building to provide a rental income to the council.

The project will deliver an increased level of refurbishment and will improve the attractiveness of the building to the market. Works are to include a new external lift servicing all floors, internal layout improvements to support flexible working, enhanced services, and fabric improvements to improve energy efficiency, a rear external terrace and internal lightwell.

The proposal aims to secure a BREEAM Very Good, sustainability standard through further improvements to the building fabric, both air-tightness and insulation, enhancement to triple glazed windows, as well as the use of PV at roof level.

To appoint the preferred bidder, and agree contractual terms with the bidder for 1-3 George St, with an option to manage Cave St if this scheme goes ahead with the agreement of Council later in 2021. Appointment at Cave St will require the Council to be satisfied with performance to date and agreement of terms for this site both parties. The bidder will lease the site/s and operate it under Management Agreement. This will deliver income against the George St Scheme from 2021-2 onwards and Cave St from 2023 onwards

Council considered the report of the Executive Director (Development) seeking approval to fund and enter into a contract for the building refurbishment of 1-3 George Street to provide affordable managed workspace in the heart of the city centre.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery, Cllr Hollingsworth, introduced the report, proposed the recommendations and answered questions.

The recommendations were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

approve a capital budget of £1.921m to deliver the project with the enhanced sustainability option and including the use of up to £800K of funds awarded to the Council from OxLEP’s Local Growth Fund. This will be split £454K in 20/21, £1.361m in 21/22 and £106K in 22/23.

Salix Finance offered £1.6m funding for decarbonisation work at Hinksey Pool under the first funding round of Public Sector Decarbonisation Funding.

To agree to the grant terms outlined in the offer of funding from Salix Finance.

Salix Finance offered £9.3m of Public Sector Decarbonisation funding for decarbonisation work across the City Council estate:
a. Heat Pumps - The project will install heat pumps (replacing gas boilers) across five of the Council’s big carbon emitting sites: Leys Pools & Leisure Centre; Oxford Ice Rink; Barton Leisure Centre; Rose Hill Community Centre; and subject to feasibility Oxford Town Hall
b. Energy Storage – The programme will also deliver the installation of thermal and battery energy storage at each site to maximise the effectiveness of the heat pump and solar PV approach.
c. Electrical Upgrade - Deliver electrical system infrastructure upgrade for the sites to cope with higher electrical demands associated with heat pumps. Metering will also be installed at all sites.
d. Off-site solar – Allow investment in a large portion of a local solar farm which will meet a significant part of the increased electrical demand arising from the shift away from burning gas for heating. Through this contracting arrangement green electricity will be provided to our sites from remote PV.

To agree to the grant terms outlined in the offer of funding from Salix Finance.