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Agenda item

Recommendations from the Executive

Purpose:
To receive and consider recommendations made by the Executive and the Council’s Committees in the period since 27 November 2024.

Recommendation:
That the recommendations set out in Appendix 1 to the report be adopted.

Minutes:

The purpose of the item was to receive and consider recommendations made by the Executive in the period since 27 November 2024. The recommendation in the report was that these be adopted, as set out in Appendix A to the report.

 

Councillor Andy Graham, the Leader of the Council, proposed accepting the recommendations on the Draft Budget 2025/26. Councillor Alaric Smith, the Executive Member for Finance, seconded the recommendations, and explained that the purpose of the decision was to approve the council tax base, and authorise the section 151 Officer to submit the national non–domestic tax return ahead of the budget being agreed at February’s full Council meeting.

 

A member stated the first recommendation should read “48,742.33” not “£48,742.33”. The recommendations were moved as amended.

 

Resolved: That Council:

  1. Approve the Council Tax Base shown in Annex D, calculated as 48,742.33 for the year 2025/26.

 

Voting record – For 44, against 0, abstentions 0, did not vote 1

 

Resolved: That Council:

  1. Authorise the Director of Finance to submit the National Non-Domestic Rates Return 1 (NNDR1) to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by the submission date of 31 January 2025.

 

Voting record – For 45, against 0, abstentions 0, did not vote 0

 

Councillor Andy Graham, the Leader of the Council, proposed accepting the recommendations on the Business Rates Relief: 2025/2026.

 

The Executive Member for Finance explained that local authorities were expected to use their discretionary relief powers (under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as amended) to grant these discounts in line with the relevant eligibility criteria as detailed within Annex A (attached). Councillor Smith explained that the Council would be compensated for the cost of granting these discounts through a section 31 grant from government.

 

Councillor Duncan Enright seconded the recommendations, which were put to the vote and agreed by Council.

 

 

Resolved: That Council

  1. Approve the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure scheme as set out in Annex A for 2025/2026;
  2. Delegate authority to the Interim Executive Director for Resident Services for the award of such reliefs

 

Voting record – For 45, against 0, abstentions 0, did not vote 0

 

Councillor Andy Graham, the Leader of the Council, proposed accepting the recommendations on the Waste and Environmental Services Review.

 

Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, the Executive Member for Environment, seconded the recommendations. Councillor Arciszewska explained that the existing contract was being proposed for extension until March 2027, with a flexibility clause to allow for future changes. Following a feasibility study, the Council was exploring partnerships with other Oxfordshire authorities to save on cost and improve efficiencies.

 

The Executive Member for Environment was proposing the recommendations be voted on as a block but explained that the order of recommendations 7 and 8 (as they appear in the report) should be swapped.

 

The Leader also explained that the work laid foundations for a transition to a new unitary authority in the future.

 

In debating the item, a point was raised on whether the work should be extended to the remaining councils in Oxfordshire. It was stated that the process on the business case would be iterative and may be open to other interested parties in the future.

 

The recommendations were put to the vote and were agreed by Council:

 

Council resolved to:

  1. Note the content of the report and the Activist service review report (see agenda item 11); and
  2. Agree to extend the waste and environmental services contract with Ubico to March 2027 (circa £9m per annum); and
  3. Agree to inform Ubico of the potential to vary the contract from April 2026 or earlier by mutual consent; and
  4. Agree to undertake a detailed review of all waste and environmental services provided by Ubico; and
  5. Delegate Authority to the Council’s Director of Finance, in consultation with the Assistant Director Commercial Development, to extend the contract with Ubico and to negotiate any variations to the contract

 

Voting record – For 45, against 0, abstentions 0, did not vote 0

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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