Agenda item
Receipt of Announcements
- Meeting of Executive, Wednesday, 11th September, 2024 2.30 pm (Item 219.)
- View the background to item 219.
To receive any announcements from the Leader of the Council, Members of the Executive or the Chief Executive.
Minutes:
Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of the Council, welcomed attendees to the meeting, and thanked members of the public for attending proceedings. The Leader gave the members of the public in attendance a brief overview of the way that the meeting would run.
The Leader advised that the meeting was the Council’s first in a new series of “Executive on Tour”, and highlighted meetings that took place in the previous meeting series around the West Oxfordshire District in Charlbury, Woodstock, Carterton, Eynsham and Burford, along with a previous ‘on tour’ meetings held in Chipping Norton in November 2022 and February 2024.
The Leader advised that at the conclusion of the meeting, a public engagement session would be held with the Council’s Economic Development Team, which would focus on outdoor markets and general economic development within the local area of Chipping Norton. The Leader highlighted the importance of the public engagement session and encouraged members of the public in attendance to stay behind and participate.
The Leader advised that Chipping Norton Theatre had been awarded a 3-year grant of £75,000 during a funding agreement. The Leader stated that the funding was welcome news to the theatre, and allowed them to plan for the future with the peace of mind arising from the stability of the funding agreement as the theatre would not have to work in a revolving 12-month cycle.
Councillor Duncan Enright, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economic Development stated that 12 businesses within the West Oxfordshire district area had been awarded grants of up to £5,000 from the continuing UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to enhance their prominence and stature within the local area. Businesses that were awarded funding included Cotswold Grooming Company and Beehive Home & Lifestyle.
Councillor Tim Sumner, Executive Member for Leisure and Major Projects, provided an update regarding progress of refurbishment and improvement works which had taken place at Chipping Norton Leisure Centre. These included works to repair the roof, flooring, lighting, tiling and general redecoration of the Leisure Centre where it was felt this was needed. The Executive Member stated this was a good news story for Chipping Norton.
Councillor Geoff Saul, Executive Member for Housing and Social Welfare, advised that the Council had exchanged contracts with ‘Green Access’ in relation to the Walterbush Road affordable housing site of Chipping Norton. The Executive Member stated that the contract exchange would pave the way for works to get underway at the site and for the appropriate funding to be obtained ahead of the transfer of Section 106 Funding, and work was anticipated to be completed by August 2025.
The Executive Member also stated that in their role as Chair of the West Oxfordshire Community Safety Partnership, they had been given assurance by the local Probation Service surrounding the Government’s Early Release Scheme for prisoners. The Executive Member added the reassurance they had given, contained plans for accommodation and wider resettlement arrangements for prisoners integrating back into the community.
The Leader concluded by stating that the next meeting of the Executive would take place on Wednesday 9 October 2024, at 2.00pm in the Council Chamber at the Council’s Woodgreen Offices in Witney.