Agenda and minutes
PDF 1 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 1NB. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services
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Minutes of Previous Meeting To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 26 February 2025. Additional documents: Minutes:
Councillor Andy Graham proposed approving the minutes and Councillor Duncan Enright seconded this. The minutes were put to the vote and approved unanimously.
The minutes of the meeting held on 26 February 2025 were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
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Apologies for Absence To receive any apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors; Alex Wilson, David Cooper, Martin McBride, Mark Walker, Joy Aitman, David Melvin, Stuart McCarroll, Steve Cosier and Mike Baggaley. |
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations from Members of Council on any items to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: Declarations of Interest were received as follows in regard to the motion on the Botley West Solar Farm:
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Receipt of Announcements To receive any announcements from The Chair, Leader, Members of the Executive, Head of Paid Service, Director of Finance or Director of Governance. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair provided an overview of her civic commitments;
The Chair also wished Councillor Jane Doughty a happy birthday.
The Leader had no announcements.
Councillor Duncan Enright, the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economic Development welcomed Hotter Shoes to Marriot’s Walk. The Deputy Leader explained that the Council was in the process of recruiting a new communications officer, who would be working on promoting Mariott’s Walk. The Deputy Leader also stated that the official opening of the Hexagon Business Centre, in the Council’s Elmfield site would take place the following day. A paper would be brought to the Executive to highlight the work undertaken to support businesses, highlighting the use of the UK shared prosperity fund.
Councillor Andrew Prosser, the Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, stated that the Council had been successful in securing a £2.3m grant to decarbonise Chipping Norton Leisure Centre. The Executive Member also stated that the Oxfordshire Climate Adaptation Strategy and Route Map had been launched, and that there were steps that everyone needed to take in order to improve resilience. More information would be coming forward on this at a future point.
Councillor Tim Sumner, The Executive Member for Leisure and Major Projects, stated that he had attended the 50 year anniversary celebration of the Windrush leisure centre, which had provided a range of free family friendly activities. Councillor Sumner stated that the Council was proud of its leisure centres and that it provided a good service.
Councillor Hugo Ashton, the Executive Member for Planning, stated that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) draft charging schedule had been submitted for examination, and that following an eight-week public consultation, all feedback had been reviewed and minor amendments made. The next step was a hearing which would take place in the second half of May, followed by a report, likely in June. CIL would apply to smaller developments and would apply to applications that received permission after the date CIL was implemented. The Council had been successful in securing £228,000 of Government funding to assist with the plan making process.
The Chief Executive stated he was deeply saddened to report the sudden passing of Daisy Catterall. Daisy joined Publica as a Customer Service Advisor in January 2020 and then transferred to the ... view the full minutes text for item CL.243 |
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Participation of the Public There were no submissions for public participation received by Democratic Services before the deadline of 12.00pm on Monday 10 March 2025.
Additional documents: Minutes: There was no participation of the public. |
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Questions by Members The following questions have been submitted by Members of Council to Members of the Executive, in accordance with the Council Procedure Rules (Constitution Part 5A, Rule 12).
Written responses will be circulated to Members and published on the Council’s website at least one working day prior to the meeting. A Member submitting a question is entitled to ask one supplementary question at the meeting which must arise directly from the question or the response to it.
The supplementary questions and answers will be detailed in the minutes of the meeting.
Question 1: From Councillor Sarah Veasey to Councillor Hugo Ashton, Executive Member for Planning:
On 12th December 2024, WODC announced that the planning process at Salt Cross Garden Village has been temporarily paused.
Whilst the net zero ambitions at Salt Cross are commendable, the lack of the 5 year housing land supply (5yhls) is leading to an explosion of unsustainable, car led, windfall development, without the necessary accompanying infrastructure, across the villages of West Oxfordshire.
This is notable in my ward North Leigh where there have been 7 housing developments approved in as many years and a further 115 houses are under consideration now - with at least 4 more sites in the pipeline. This is already an increase of more than 50% in the housing stock and we have no improvement in infrastructure to show for it.
Can we please have an update on the situation on the Salt Cross Garden Village development as this was a substantial part of West Oxfordshire Local Plan (WOLP) 2031 and is instrumental in WODC being able to demonstrate a 5yhls?
Question 2: From Councillor Michelle Mead to Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Executive Member for Environment:
Oxfordshire County Council are responsible for highways but WODC are responsible for keeping it clean so Please can you tell us when was last time the A40 dual carriage way was cleared of litter?
Question 3: From Councillor Liam Walkerto Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Executive Member for Environment:
Can the Executive member confirm when the footpath and road on the A4095 into Bladon, both reported in early February, are going to be swept and clear of debris left behind from flooding?
Question 4: From Councillor Liam Walkerto Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Executive Member for Environment:
Can the Executive member update us with the figures for the number of reported incidents of fly-tipping in West Oxfordshire for the year 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25 periods.
Question 5: From Councillor Liam Walker to Councillor Geoff Saul, Executive Member for Housing:
The former Witney Four Pillars hotel has been used to accommodate illegal migrants since November 2022. Is the Executive member aware if this is still the case that it’s being used for this purpose and if so, how long is this likely to be in use for?
Additional documents: Minutes: Questions by Members, as listed on the agenda, and the responses to those questions, which were circulated in advance, were taken as read.
The Chair invited the questioners to ask a supplementary question if they wished and then invited the relevant Executive Members to respond.
The Written Questions, Written Answers, Verbal Supplementary Questions and Verbal Supplementary Answers are detailed in a separate document appended to the Minutes of the Meeting.
Councillor Micheal Brooker raised a point of order under 6A of the Constitution, the Council’s Code of Conduct over the use of language in question five. The Chair stated that Members were only able to raise points of order under the Council’s procedure rules, and that the code of conduct was not part of this. The Chair reminded members that it was important nonetheless to abide by the code of conduct at all times. |
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Publica Phase two transition plan Purpose To consider the Transition Plan, to note its contents and to approve the recommendations therein.
Recommendation Subject to the resolutions of the Executive on 12 March 2025, Council is recommended to:
Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor Andy Graham, the Leader of the Council, introduced the item. The purpose of the item was to consider the Transition Plan, to note its contents and to approve the recommendations therein. Councillor Graham highlighted the services that were being transitioned, explaining that phase two was smaller, containing 60 roles across the whole partnership as opposed to the 271 roles that were transferred in phase one.
The Leader explained that the hope was that as many of the existing staff would be able to transfer either through TUPE or through an expressions of interest process. Publica would continue to deliver a range of services for the councils.
Councillor Andy Graham proposed accepting the recommendations in the report and Councillor Duncan Enright seconded this proposal, which was put to the vote and agreed unanimously by Council.
Council resolved to:
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Provision of an Empty Property Lending Scheme Purpose To consider a loan provider for owners of long-term empty properties who need financial support to bring their properties back into use.
Recommendation Subject to the resolutions of the Executive on 12 March 2025, Council is recommended to: 1. Approve a capital investment of £300,000 to create a lending pot. 2. Approve an initial set up fee of £30,125. Additional documents: Minutes: The purpose of the item was to consider a loan provider for owners of long-term empty properties who need financial support to bring their properties back into use.
Councillor Andy Graham stated he would be proposing the item, but asked Councillor Alaric Smith to introduce it as he had worked on the details of the project.
Councillor Alaric Smith, the Executive Member for Finance, introduced the item, highlighting the following;
Members asked the following questions for clarity.
In debate, members raised the following points;
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Recommendations from the Constitution Working Group Purpose To present Council with recommendations from arising from meetings of the Constitution Working Group held on 2 October 2024 and 7 November 2024.
Recommendation That Council resolves to:
ii. is taken by the Executive itself; or iii. is taken under powers delegated by the Executive to individual Executive Member(s); or iv. is taken under powers delegated by the Executive to a Committee or Sub-Committee.
Additional documents:
Minutes: The purpose of the report was to present Council with recommendations arising from meetings of the Constitution Working Group (CWG).
Councillor Alaric Smith, the Chair of the CWG, introduced the item, highlighting the changes to the proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution:
Councillor Smith also stated that the CWG would be meeting on 26 March to consider an updated version of the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules. Council was asked to delegate authority to the Director of Governance and Regulatory Services to adopt this following consideration by the CWG and in consultation with the Chair of the CWG.
Councillor Alaric Smith proposed accepting the recommendations, and Councillor Rosie Pearson seconded this. The proposal was put to the vote and agreed by Council.
Council resolved to:
1) Agree to remove the following provisions from paragraph 36 of Part 5C of the Constitution to ensure consistency with other parts of the Constitution in setting out which decisions are subject to call in (as shown in Annex A): ii. is taken by the Executive itself; or iii. is taken under powers delegated by the Executive to Page 59 Agenda Item 9 individual Executive Member(s); or iv. is taken under powers delegated by the Executive to a Committee or Sub-Committee. 2) Agree to include the Chair of the Council in Part 4C and the Vice Chair of the Council and the Director of Place in both Part 4C and Article 2 as being authorised to apply the common seal of the Council and sign documents (as shown in Annexes B and C). 3) Agree to include in the responsibilities of the Development Control Committee at Part 3C responsibility for determining the Council’s response to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects within the District (as shown in Annex D). 4) Agree to include in Part 4B additional delegations to the Head of the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit relating to reactive enforcement functions (as shown in Annex E). 5) Delegate authority to the Director of Governance, in consultation with the Chair of the Constitution Working Group (which is due to meet on 26 March 2025), to adopt the new Contract Procedure Rules which have been rewritten following the ... view the full minutes text for item CL.248 |
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This Council is deeply concerned about the impact that the Botley West Solar Farm project will have on both the local community and countryside. This Council requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero objecting to the proposal. Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor Roger Faulkner proposed the motion which was;
“This Council is deeply concerned about the impact that the Botley West Solar Farm project will have on both the local community and countryside. This Council requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero objecting to the proposal.”
Councillor Dan Levy proposed an amendment to the motion, the amended motion would read as follows;
“This Council is deeply concerned about the impact that the Botley West Solar Farm project as currently proposed will have on both the local community and countryside. This Council requests the Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero objecting to the proposal. as currently promoted by the developer. This Council also recognises the excellent report written by officers as part of its representations to the Planning Inspectorate, which set out the main issues of concern with the current proposal, and supports WODC in its role as a statutory consultee in the inspection of the proposed scheme.”
In proposing the amendment, Councillor Levy stated that the amendment recognised the work of officers, and the role of the Council as a statutory consultee. Councillor Levy stated that the amendment removed the political angle to the motion.
Councillor Faulkner accepted the amendment to the motion. Councillor Sarah Veasey stated she would be seconding the motion and also accepted the amendment.
The motion was debated as amended. The following points were raised;
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Motion B: Public Engagement in Council Meetings (proposed by Councillor Michele Mead, seconded by Councillor Liam Walker) Public participation in council meetings is something we should all encourage and support. Currently the council constitution sets out different rules regarding public participation in our meetings. For committee meetings members of the public must register to speak by 10AM on the working day before. For Executive it’s by 2PM two clear working days before, and for Full Council it is by 12NOON seven working days before and therefore before the council agenda is published two days later. In order to improve and encourage public participation in our meetings this council asks the constitution working group to review these deadlines and to report back to full council within six months with an update on any new changes decided by the committee. Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor Michelle Mead proposed the motion which was:
“Public participation in council meetings is something we should all encourage and support. Currently the council constitution sets out different rules regarding public participation in our meetings. For committee meetings members of the public must register to speak by 10AM on the working day before. For Executive it’s by 2PM two clear working days before, and for Full Council it is by 12NOON seven working days before and therefore before the council agenda is published two days later.
In order to improve and encourage public participation in our meetings this council asks the constitution working group to review these deadlines and to report back to full council within six months with an update on any new changes decided by the committee.”
In debate it was stated that the current rules seemed to be anomalous.
Councillor Liam Walker supported the motion as seconder but did not speak on it.
Council resolved to approve the Public Engagement in Council Meetings motion as set out above.
The motion was approved unanimously.
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