Agenda and minutes

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 15th October, 2025 5.30 pm

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

Media

Items
No.	Item
44.	Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments To receive any apologies for absence and temporary appointments. The quorum for the Committee is four members. Additional documents: Webcast for 44. Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillors Mark Walker and Adam Clements.
45.	Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations from Members of the Committee on any items to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Webcast for 45. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest.
46.	Minutes of Previous Meeting PDF 120 KB To approve the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 3 September 2025. Additional documents: Webcast for 46. Minutes: The Minutes of the previous meeting were considered by the Committee, and no amendments were made. Councillor Stuart McCarroll proposed accepting the minutes, which was seconded by Councillor Leverton. Resolved: That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 3 September 2025 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting. These were agreed unanimously.
47.	Chair's announcements To receive any announcements from the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Additional documents: Webcast for 47. Minutes: The Chair stated that the next meeting of the Committee had been moved and would take place on 11 November at the usual time of 5:30pm.
48.	Participation of the Public To receive any submissions from members of the public, in accordance with the Council’s Public Participation Rules. The deadline for submissions is 2.00pm, two clear working days before the meeting. Additional documents: Webcast for 48. Minutes: There was no participation of the public.
49.	Report back on recommendations PDF 199 KB For Overview and Scrutiny Committee to: 1. Note the Executive’s response to the recommendations on the Local Area Energy Planning; 2. Agree the recommendations on the Youth Development item, amending them as necessary. Additional documents: Overview and Scrutiny Recommendations - Youth Development , item 49. PDF 173 KB Webcast for 49. Minutes: The Head of Democratic and Electoral Services explained the Executive’s response on the recommendations on Local Area Energy Planning. They also explained the recommendations on the Youth Development item from a previous meeting. As the Youth Development recommendations were not time critical, they had come back to the Committee to be agreed. Councillor Michelle Mead proposed accepting the recommendations. These recommendations were voted on and agreed unanimously. Resolved: The Overview and Scrutiny Committee Noted the Executive’s response to the recommendations on the Local Area Energy Planning. Agreed to submit the recommendations on the Youth Development item to the Executive.
50.	Updates from Task and Finish Groups For the Chairs of Task and Finish Groups to provide any verbal or written progress updates.. Additional documents: Webcast for 50. Minutes: Councillor Stuart McCarroll updated the Committee on the work of the Leisure Task and Finish group. The Task and Finish Group had met to carry out pre-decision scrutiny of the Leisure preferred options report, and having done this had concluded its work. The Committee also noted that the Waste Transformation Task and Finish Group had two meetings scheduled and that the Public Conveniences Task and Finish Group was next due to meet in January 2026.
51.	Local Plan Spatial Options PDF 106 KB Purpose Pre-decision scrutiny of the Executive report. The Local Plan Preferred Spatial Options Consultation Paper is proposed to be published for consultation in accordance with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. Recommendations That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolves to: 1. Note the report and agree any recommendations it wishes to submit to the Executive. Additional documents: Annex A - Consultation Summary Report (September 2025) , item 51. PDF 818 KB Annex B - Local Plan Preferred Spatial Options Consultation Paper - October 2025 , item 51. PDF 8 MB Annex C - West Eynsham SDA A40 Access Options Assessment (June 2025) , item 51. PDF 25 MB Annex D - Local Development Scheme (October 2025) , item 51. PDF 224 KB Executive response to Overview and Scrutiny Recommendations Local Plan Spatial Options 15 October v0.2 , item 51. PDF 202 KB Webcast for 51. Minutes: The Chair opened the item and explained that they wished to take the report sequentially, Annex by Annex. The purpose of the item was pre-decision scrutiny of the Executive report on the Local Plan Preferred Spatial Options Consultation Paper. The Local Plan Preferred Spatial Options Consultation Paper was proposed to be published for consultation in accordance with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. The Planning Policy Manager presented the report, providing a summary. The Planning Services Transformation Lead discussed the strategic sites and highlighted the key constraints and opportunities for development. The Planning Policy Manager highlighted the next steps in the Local Plan development process, the target was to submit this in September 2026. Members discussed the annexes of the report sequentially, and made detailed recommendations to the Executive, which are attached in the annex to these minutes. The following points were also raised by the Committee; The Kingham Site near Gloucestershire was discussed, and the process surrounding consultees. The Head of Planning stated that the Council had a duty to co-operate on site options which affected other authorities, and that they were working with Cotswold District Council to meet this. The Committee explored the dichotomy between housing targets from central government and the lack of sewage infrastructure from Thames Water. Public accessibility should be prioritised in order to ensure engagement. School provision needed to support development, particularly in areas such as Carterton. The officers explained that this was an early stage of evidence gathering, and that the Council would be working with Oxfordshire County Council on details at future stages. It was recognised that Parish Councils may need more time to be consulted. The Executive Member and officers explained that if the Parish Council got in touch within the consultation timescale, this could be extended. Councillor Liz Leffman left at 6:33pm Councillor Natalie King left 7:17pm. The Committee adjourned at 7:53pm and reconvened at 8:03pm. The Executive Member thanked the Committee for their input and stated that their input had improved the work.
52.	Committee Work Programme PDF 99 KB Purpose: For the Committee to review and note its work programme. Recommendation: That the Committee notes and comments on the work programme. Additional documents: Webcast for 52. Minutes: The Committee considered its work plan and made the following amendments; Moved the item on Supporting Mental Health to February, to allow enough time for it in light of the substantial Local Government Reorganisation item. Asked that the item on rural exception sites be brought to December’s meeting. Resolved: to note the work plan and amendments.
53.	Executive Work Programme PDF 153 KB Purpose: To give the Committee the opportunity to comment on the Executive Work Programme. Recommendation: That the Committee agrees which items on the Executive Work Programme should be subject to pre-decision scrutiny and the priority order of those items. Additional documents: Webcast for 53. Minutes: A member queried the Woodford way report, which was listed under Councillor Geoff Saul, the Executive Member for Housing, and not Councillor Hugo Ashton, the Executive Member for Planning. The Director of Place explained that this was because the report was largely regarding a housing scheme on the site but would also address parking concerns.

Related Pages