Agenda

Council - Wednesday, 20th May, 2026 2.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 1NB. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services

Media

Items
No.	Item
1.	Election of Chair 2026/27 Purpose: To elect a Councillor, other than a Member of the Executive, to be the Chair of Council. Recommendation: That Council resolves to: 1. Elect a Chair of the Council for a term of office extending to the start of the Annual Council meeting in May 2027. Additional documents: Webcast for 1.
2.	Appointment of Vice Chair 2026/27 Purpose: To appoint a Councillor, other than a Member of the Executive, to be the Vice-Chair of Council. Recommendation: That Council resolves to: 1. Appoint a Vice-Chair of the Council for a term of office extending to the start of the Annual Council meeting in May 2027. Additional documents: Webcast for 2.
3.	Apologies for Absence To receive any apologies for absence. Additional documents: Webcast for 3.
4.	Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations from Members of Council on any items to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Webcast for 4.
5.	Minutes of Previous Meeting PDF 180 KB To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2026. Additional documents: Member Questions and Responses for Full Council 25 March , item 5. PDF 517 KB Webcast for 5.
6.	Receipt of Announcements To receive any announcements from The Chair, Head of Paid Service, Director of Finance or Director of Governance and Regulatory Services. Additional documents: Webcast for 6.
7.	Vote of thanks for Chair and Vice-Chair 2025/26 To give a vote of thanks to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council for 2025/26. Additional documents: Webcast for 7.
8.	Report of the Leader Purpose: Verbal report from the Leader covering: · The appointment of the Deputy Leader; · The appointment of Executive Members and the allocation of portfolio responsibilities; · The appointment of an Executive Member to the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee (normally the Leader); · The appointment of a substitute member to the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee, which could be a named Executive Member or any Executive Member · Confirmation that the Executive Scheme of Delegation is as set out in Parts 3D and 4 of the Constitution; Recommendation: That Council resolves to: 1. Note the report of the Leader. Additional documents: Webcast for 8.
9.	Report on Special Urgency Key Decisions Purpose: To receive a report from the Leader on key decisions taken under special urgency rules within the last year. Recommendation: That the Council Resolves to: 1. Note that no key decisions were taken under urgency rules within the last year. Additional documents: Webcast for 9.
10.	Return of the Returning Officer PDF 109 KB Purpose: To receive a report from the Returning Officer following the district council elections held on 7 May 2026. Recommendation: That Council resolves to: 1. Note the return of the Returning Officer. Additional documents: Webcast for 10.
11.	Establishment and Appointment of Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Groups, including Substitute Members PDF 79 KB Purpose To establish the Council’s committees for the 2026/27 Civic Year and appoint members to committees, working groups and external committees. Recommendations That Council resolves to: 1. Agree to establish the Council’s Committees as defined in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution (version 2.18), for the Civic Year 2026/27; 2. Determine that, in accordance with Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (“the Act”), the Council shall apply the political balance provisions under the Act to committees as shown in Annex A; 3. Agree to re-establish the Constitution Working Group (with 7 Members), agree the Terms of Reference (Annex B) and in doing so agree to apply the principles of political proportionality. 4. Agree to re-establish the Carterton Area Strategy Working Group (with 6 Members plus the Executive Member with responsibility for Carterton Area Strategy as ex officio Chair), agree the Terms of Reference (Annex C) and in doing so agree to apply the principles of political proportionality, subject to all political groups being represented on the working group. 5. Appoint councillors to serve on the Council’s committees, working groups and external committees, as set out in Annex D (to follow) for a term of office expiring at the next Annual Meeting of the Council; 6. Note the arrangements for substitute members set out in part 5 of the report. Additional documents: Annex A - Political proportionalities on committees 202627 , item 11. PDF 190 KB Annex B - Constitution Working Group Terms of Reference 2026 , item 11. PDF 33 KB Annex C - Carterton Area Strategy Working Group Terms of Reference , item 11. PDF 37 KB Annex D - Committee Nominations 202627 , item 11. PDF 121 KB Webcast for 11.
12.	Adoption of the Council's Constitution PDF 212 KB Purpose To agree the Scheme of Officer Delegations, other than those relating to Executive functions, and to adopt the Council’s Constitution, as amended, as is required at the Annual Council meeting. To approve the revised Financial Procedure Rules March 2026 (Annex A). Recommendations That the Council resolves to: 1. Adopt the Council’s Constitution and agree the Scheme of Officer Delegations, other than those relating to Executive functions, as set out in Part 4 of the Constitution. 2. Approve the updated Financial Procedure Rules attached as Annex A. 3. Agree to exclude the Strategic Planning Committee and Development Management Sub-Committee from the duration of meeting rule, as shown in Annex B. Additional documents: Annex A Part 5I Financial Procedure Rules - Mar 26 - Final , item 12. PDF 478 KB Annex B Part 5A Rule 9 , item 12. PDF 24 KB Webcast for 12.
13.	Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel PDF 71 KB View the background to item 13. Purpose To consider recommendations made to Council by the Independent Remuneration Panel. Recommendations That the Council considers the recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel, which are to; 1. Agree to introduce a 0.25x Special Responsibility Allowance for the Vice-Chair of the Development Management Sub-Committee; 2. Note that the Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chairs of Strategic Planning Committee and Development Management Sub-Committee will be reviewed in the autumn as part of the full review of allowances; 3. Note that the amount paid as the Vice-Chair’s Special Responsibility Allowances will be reviewed in the autumn as part of the full review of allowances, in respect to the amount. 4. Note that following changes at national level, from the 11 May 2026, Councillors have been able to opt into the Local Government Pensions Scheme, and that pensions may be payable on a member’s basic and/or special responsibility allowance. The members allowances scheme will be updated accordingly. Additional documents: Annex A- Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel , item 13. PDF 470 KB Webcast for 13.
14.	Strategic Partnerships Update PDF 80 KB View the background to item 14. Purpose To enable the Leader to provide an update to Council on his portfolio responsibility for Strategic Partnerships. Recommendation(s) That the Council resolves to: 1. Note the contents of the Strategic Partnerships Report Additional documents: Webcast for 14.
15.	Audit and Governance Committee Annual Council Report PDF 158 KB View the background to item 15. Purpose: To provide Council with a report on the activities of the Audit and Governance Committee for the municipal year 2025/26. Recommendation: That Council resolves to: Note the report. Additional documents: Webcast for 15.
16.	Director of Place appointment PDF 254 KB View the background to item 16. Purpose Following the interview process and the subsequent conditional appointment of Daniel Taylor to the position of Director of Place, via a secondment from Essex County Council to West Oxfordshire District Council, it was agreed that the salary for this role would be £104,722 per annum, plus the applicable pending pay award. Recommendations That Council Resolves to: 1. Confirm the salary for the Director of Place as £104,722 per annum, plus the applicable pending pay award. Additional documents: Director of Place (430) - Job Description (06-03-26) (5238) , item 16. PDF 127 KB Webcast for 16.
17.	Appointment of Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer PDF 66 KB View the background to item 17. Purpose To appoint an Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer. Recommendations That Council resolves to: 1. Appoint the Director of Governance and Regulatory Services, Andrea McCaskie, as Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer, with effect from 1 June 2026. Additional documents: Webcast for 17.
18.	Motion to hold an Extraordinary meeting to Confer an Honorary Title This Council recognises the outstanding service given to the Council and the people of West Oxfordshire by former Councillor Julian Cooper. Council resolves to: 1. Convene an extraordinary meeting of the Council to take place at 2pm on 22nd July 2026 for the purpose of considering conferring on Mr Julian Cooper the title of Honorary Alderman, as allowed by s249 of the Local Government Act 1972; and 2. Note that the ordinary meeting of the Council scheduled for that date shall commence at 2.15pm, or at the conclusion of the extraordinary meeting, whichever is the later. Additional documents: Webcast for 18.
19.	Dates of Future Meetings · 22 July 2026 · 16 September 2026 · 18 November 2026 · 20 January 2027 · 24 February 2027 · 24 March 2027 · 19 May 2027 Additional documents: Webcast for 19.

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