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Agenda item

Recommendations from the Executive

Purpose:

To agree recommendations made to Council by the Executive, from its meetings since 22 May 2024.

 

Recommendations:

The Executive Recommends that Council resolves to:

  1. Approve the addition of the capital programme for the landlord’s fitout works (Letting of Unit at Marriott’s Walk);

 

And subject to the resolutions of 22 July 2024, the Executive recommends that Council resolves to:

  1. Delegate authority to the Assistant Director for Planning and Sustainable Development to submit the CIL charging schedule for independent examination in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 20210 (as amended) including any minor modifications, subject to there being no significant issues raised during the six-week consultation period (Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule);
  2. Carry forward the capital budget of £4,086,328 (Financial Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four);
  3. Approve the transfers to and between Earmarked Reserves as detailed in the report (Financial Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four);
  4. Agree to utilise Housing Reserves as set out in section 4 of the report (Our House Project Funding Extension 2024-2026);
  5. Note the appointments to outside bodies, as set out in Annex B (Outside Body Appointments – TO FOLLOW);
  6. Approve the implementation of Phase 1 of the Publica Transition on the basis of the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan);
  7. Delegate to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council the decision to deal with any final detail matters arising from the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan);
  8. Delegate authority to the Director of Governance in liaison with the Leader to update the constitution by making any consequential changes required as a result of Phase 1 of the Publica Transition (Publica Transition Plan);
  9. Carry out a budget re-basing for the 2026/7 financial year so that the funding provided to Publica is proportionate to the services received (Publica Transition Plan).

Minutes:

The Chair advised that the recommendations numbering 1 to 10 would be taken one by one and voted on individually.

 

1: Approve the addition of the capital programme for the landlord’s fitout works (letting of unit at Marriot’s Walk).

 

Councillor Andy Graham, The Leader of the Council referred to Councillor Enright, Executive Member for Economic Development, to present the recommendation.  Councillor Enright confirmed the fitout for Marriott’s Walk. Capital Works would continue to improve Marriott’s walk as well as the whole of the town centre. One unit that had been unoccupied since the opening of Marriott’s Walk would shortly be coming into use by a local business. Every unit was in use or subject to negotiation for a business to move in. 

 

Councillor Andy Graham proposed that Council approve the addition of the capital programme for the landlord’s fitout works (letting of unit at Marriot’s Walk).

 

This was seconded by Councillor Duncan Enright, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by Council.

 

Council Resolved to:

  1. Approve the addition of the capital programme for the landlord’s fitout works (letting of unit at Marriot’s Walk).

 

2: Delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager to submit the CIL charging schedule for independent examination in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) including any minor modifications, subject to there being no significant issues raised during the six-week consultation period (Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule).

 

The Leader presented the recommendation reminding Members that the item had been long standing and dated back to 2015. The full proposal would go out to consultation in early autumn. The consultation period had been extended from four weeks to six weeks and would start mid-August and finish at the end of September to enable everyone to have an opportunity to put forward views. The proposal would result in parish councils having more of a say regarding infrastructure. Section 106 agreements would not be affected. Other councils had been consulted.

 

In the debate it was clarified that the portfolio holder would review the consultation responses with the Planning Policy Manager and would decide whether any issues raised were considered to be significant.

 

The Chief Executive confirmed that the consultation would be an opportunity to reflect community views. The funding gap analysis would be important when the proposal goes to examination and the Inspector would need to take a view on that. and the justification for imposing the CIL. The funding gap analysis would not affect the consultation and was a separate exercise.

 

Councillor Andy Graham proposed that Council delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager to submit the CIL charging schedule for independent examination in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) including any minor modifications, subject to there being no significant issues raised during the six-week consultation period (Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule).

 

This was seconded by Councillor Duncan Enright, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by Council.

 

Council Resolved to:

  1. Delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager to submit the CIL charging schedule for independent examination in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) including any minor modifications, subject to there being no significant issues raised during the six-week consultation period (Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule).

 

3 and 4: Carry forward the capital budget of £4,086,328 (Finance Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four) and approve the transfers to and between the Earmarked Reserves as detailed in the report (Financial Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four).

 

Councillor Alaric Smith, Executive Member for Finance, presented the report for the Finance Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four. The majority of the underspend was related to the investment recovery programme where no suitable viability projects were identified or compliant with the investment strategy. Other underspend was Carterton SPS project, replacement of waste vehicles and the end of agile working. There was a need to bring forward the capital budget.   Councillor Alaric Smith presented the report for Earmarked Reserves and listed the reserves as set out in the report. 

 

Councillor Andy Graham proposed that Council:

  1. Carry forward the capital budget of £4,086,328 (Finance Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four);
  2. Approve the transfers to and between the Earmarked Reserves as detailed in the report (Financial Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four).

 

This was seconded by Councillor Duncan Enright, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by Council.

 

Council Resolved to:

  1. Carry forward the capital budget of £4,086,328 (Finance Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four);
  2. Approve the transfers to and between the Earmarked Reserves as detailed in the report (Financial Performance Report 2023-24 Quarter Four).

 

5: Agree to utilise Housing Reserves as set out in section 4 of the report (Our House Project Funding Extension 2024-26).

 

Councillor Geoff Saul, Executive Member for Housing and Social Care, presented the report and confirmed that the housing reserves would enable the extension of the Our House Project for another 2 years. The project supported homeless young people helping with education, employment and training and providing supported accommodation. There would be 3 shared houses with accommodation support for 11 young people. The Our House Project was launched in 2018 with Cottsway Housing Association and has been hugely successful. Since 2022 the project has been funded by housing reserves. The current reserves were available due to previous underspends.

 

Councillor Geoff Saul proposed that Council agree to utilise Housing Reserves as set out in section 4 of the report (Our House Project Funding Extension 2024-26).

 

This was seconded by Councillor Andy Graham, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by Council.

 

Council Resolved to:

  1. Agree to utilise Housing Reserves as set out in section 4 of the report (Our House Project Funding Extension 2024-26).

 

6: Note the appointments to outside bodies, as set out in Annex B (Outside Body Appointments).

 

The Leader, Councillor Andy Graham, asked the Members to note the appointments to outside bodies, as set out in Annex B (Outside Body Appointments). Councillor Graham gave thanks to all involved across the Chamber as well as Officers, who worked on numbers of representation for the appointments. This would enable a good working partnership with Outside Bodies. The Annex had been updated and was for noting by Council. 

 

Councillor Andy Graham proposed that Council agree to note the Members the appointments to outside bodies, as set out in Annex B (Outside Body Appointments).

 

This was seconded by Councillor Duncan Enright, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by Council.

 

Council Resolved to:

  1. Agree to note the Members the appointments to outside bodies, as set out in Annex B (Outside Body Appointments).

 

There was a pause in proceedings to allow Publica staff to leave the Chamber.

 

7, 8, 9 and 10: The Publica Transition Plan Phase 1.

 

The Leader, Councillor Andy Graham, presented 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the recommendations which covered the Publica Transition Plan, Phase 1. Councillor Graham thanked all officers for their hard work bringing together a phased approach to the Publica transition. The Plan had been presented through staff briefings, Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Executive and now was before Council.  All three Councils had worked together on the plan. Phase 1 covered the teams that would be brought back into West Oxfordshire District Council from 1November 2024, including up to 87 staff. Phase 2 would follow later and was not detailed in the report.

 

Members asked what services and staff roles would look like from 1 November as there was not a detailed structure plan. There would be staff consultations happening to enable staff to engage with the transition. This would give the opportunity for staff to be part of the structure process. Sensitivity had to be observed to give all staff support where needed. Clarification was given on the role Director of Place, to provide senior leadership for locally based services in West Oxfordshire.


Members asked whether Publica would provide the services as needed and would third parties be brought in to cover work if not. The roles of shared services with Publica would be part of Phase 2 of the transition and as issues arose, they would be dealt with.

 

The Leader of the Council gave reassurance that staff were being supported to enable a seamless transition and avoid any problems in the future.

 

Councillor Andy Graham proposed that Council;

  1. Approve the implementation of Phase 1 of the Publica Transition on the basis of the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan).

 

This was seconded by Councillor Duncan Enright, was put to a vote, and was agreed by Council. 31 votes for, 0 against and 7 Abstentions.

 

Councillor Andy Graham then proposed that Council;

 

  1. Delegate to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council the decision to deal with any final detail matters arising from the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan).
  2. Delegate authority to the Director of Governance in liaison with the Leader to update the constitution by making any consequential changes required as a result of Phase 1 of the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan).
  3. Carry out a budget re-basing for the 2026/27 financial year so that the funding provided to Publica is proportionate to the services received Plan (Publica Transition Plan). 

 

This was seconded by Councillor Duncan Enright, was put to a vote, and was agreed by Council.

 

Council Resolved to:

  1. Approve the implementation of Phase 1 of the Publica Transition on the basis of the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan).
  2. Delegate to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council the decision to deal with any final detail matters arising from the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan).
  3. Delegate authority to the Director of Governance in liaison with the Leader to update the constitution by making any consequential changes required as a result of Phase 1 of the Detailed Transition Plan (Publica Transition Plan).
  4. Carry out a budget re-basing for the 2026/27 financial year so that the funding provided to Publica is proportionate to the services received Plan (Publica Transition Plan). 

 

There was a pause in proceedings to allow Publica staff to return to the Chamber.

Supporting documents:

 

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