Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

None.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2013.

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2013 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman sign them as such.

The Chairman provided the following announcements regarding forthcoming events:

·        Flying the Commomwealth flag - on Monday 10 March each of the Oxfordshire district councils will take part in the largest single raising of the commonwealth flag in the history of the commonwealth. She invited all councillors to join her as the flag is raised at the South Oxfordshire District Council offices at 10am on Monday 10 March.

·        Chairmen's Charity Sale - the charity sale will be held in the council chamber at the South Oxfordshire District Council Offices from midday to 2pm on Wednesday 5 March with money raised to be split equally between her charities and the Chairman of the Vale of White Horse District Council's charities.

·        Chairman's Charity Dinner will be held from 7pm on Friday 4 April at Phyllis Court, Henley on Thames in support of the Oxford Heartfelt Appeal and the Chilterns MS Centre.

On behalf of the Council the Chairman extended gratitude to all staff, Oxfordshire County Council staff and contractors who had monitored and assisted during the recent flooding.

On behalf of the Council she congratulated Matt Prosser on his appointment as Chief Executive of Weymouth and Portland and West Dorset district councils.

The Chairman advised that no questions had been submitted from members of the public. However, the following had requested to address Council on the Community Governance Review (CGR) item:

·        Mr David J Rickeard, Chairman of East Hagbourne Parish Council on CGR 9.

·        Mr Anthony Yeates, Chair of Holton Parish Council, and Mr Kevin Heritage, a Holton resident, on CGR 28.

·        Mr Philip Collings of Sonning Common Parish Council on CGRs 20 and 23.

With the agreement of Council, the Chairman varied the order of business to take the Community Governance Review item next.

To consider the report of the chief executive on behalf of the Community Governance Review Working Group (report attached).

Council considered the report of the chief executive on behalf of the Community Governance Review Working Group on revised terms of reference and draft recommendations in respect of the community governance review of South Oxfordshire.

Mr Rickeard addressed Council on the proposal to amend the boundary of Didcot parish to incorporate that part of the Millbrook estate that is currently in East Hagbourne parish (CGR 9). The current arrangements should remain unchanged – Millbrook should not be absorbed into Didcot as proposed by Didcot Town Council. This view was supported by a majority of Millbrook residents during a recent survey. Of the 31 per cent of residents who responded to the survey 93 per cent opposed the transfer. This result echoed a similar survey undertaken in 2000.  The current boundary was longstanding and understood. The residents of Millbrook have close family, social and community ties with

East Hagbourne. No such affinity existed with Didcot.

Mr Anthony Yeates, Holton Parish Council, and Mr Kevin Heritage, a Holton resident addressed Council on the proposal to amend the northern boundary of Wheatley parish to align with the A40 incorporating land currently in Holton parish (CGR 28).

Mr Yeates stated that the existing boundary was well established. There was no local support for change or expressions of dissatisfaction with the current boundary and nothing to be gained from the proposal.

Mr Heritage reiterated that the proposal had no local support.  The existing boundary along the Old London Road was well defined and had had existed for at least 900 years – well before the A40. Wheatley and Holton residents worked well together within the existing arrangements.

Mr Philip Collings, Sonning Common Parish Council Clerk, addressed Council on the proposal to amend the boundary between Sonning Common and Rotherfield Peppard (CGR 20) and the proposal to increase the number of councillors from 12 to 15 (CGR 23).  He expressed concern that the draft proposal recommended no change to the boundary which currently divided the built settlement and passed through gardens and commented that in relation to other proposals the objections had been set aside but in the case of CGR 20 had been given greater weight. The proposal put forward by Sonning Common met the criteria and reflected the area used by the planning department to calculate housing need under the neighbourhood development plan. In respect of CGR 23 the parish council had been awarded the general power of competence and as such required additional parish councillors to address the increased workload.

Ms Lynn Lloyd thanked the speakers who had addressed Council and assured them that the views expressed would be taken into account. She introduced the report on behalf of the Community Governance Working Group. She advised that the report proposed a package of proposals for consultation with parish councils and residents. Originally Council agreed a consultation period running from this meeting until 4 April. However, the working group now proposes extending the consultation period  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

Cabinet at its meeting on 13 February 2014 will consider a report on the outcome of recent negotiations between Oxfordshire County Council, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils to make better use of existing council office buildings and to seek the agreement of cabinet to base more shared staff at Crowmarsh offices, with office accommodation costs to be recharged between the councils.  The report sets out the financial implications demonstrating that the council will make significant annual financial savings and requests a budget virement in this financial year to cover essential refurbishment works.

The report of the Strategic Director, which Cabinet will consider on 13 February 2014, was circulated to all councillors. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendation of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 14 February.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendation made at its meeting on 13 February 2013 that recommended Council agree a budget virement in this financial year to cover essential refurbishment works at Crowmarsh offices.

RESOLVED: to approve a revenue virement for £480,000 from identified underspending budgets this year to cover the refurbishment cost of the Crowmarsh offices.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 13 February 2014, will consider a report on the approval of the medium term financial strategy.

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 13 February 2014, was circulated to all councillors. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendation of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 14 February.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendations, made at its meeting on 13 February 2014, on the council’s treasury management strategy for 2014/15 to 2016/17.

RESOLVED: to approve the medium term financial strategy for 2014/15 to 2018/19 as attached to the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 13 February 2014, will consider a monitoring report on the treasury management activities for the first six months of 2013/14.

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 13 February 2014, was circulated to all councillors. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendation of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 14 February.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendation, made at its meeting on 13 February 2014, on the treasury management activities for the first six months of 2013/14. 

In moving the recommendations Mr Dodds, Cabinet member for finance advised that at its meeting on 28 January, the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee resolved that the committee was satisfied that the treasury activities were carried out in accordance with the treasury management strategy and policy with the exception of the investment made outside the treasury management strategy referred to in paragraph 20 of the report but noted the reasons for the change.

In response to a question on the investment made with the failed Icelandic bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Mr Dodds confirmed that the council had not yet received the eleventh dividend expected by the end of December 2013 but expected to receive it soon..

RESOLVED: to approve the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 13 February 2014, will consider a report on the council’s treasury management strategy (TMS) for 2014/15 to 2016/17 and set out the expected treasury operations for this period.

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 13 February 2014, was circulated to all councillors. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendation of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 14 February.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendations, made at its meeting on 13 February 2014, on the approval of the treasury management strategy 2014/15 to 2016/17.

RESOLVED: to approve:

a.      the treasury management strategy 2014/15 to 2016/17, incorporating the annual investment strategy, contained within appendix A of the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014;

b.      the prudential indicators and limits for 2014/15 to 2016/17, contained within appendix A of the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014.

The Cabinet, at its meeting on 13 February 2014, will consider a report on the council’s revenue budget 2014/15 and capital programme to 2018/19.

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 13 February 2013, was circulated to all councillors. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendation of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 14 February.

The chairman announced that new regulations would come into force on 25 February 2014 requiring councils to record the names of those councillors voting in favour, against or abstaining from any vote on the budget, including amendments, and the council tax.  Although the regulations were not in force, she he would call for a named vote on each of these matters at this meeting.   

The chairman reminded councillors that they were not entitled to vote on any issue affecting the level or administration of the council tax or other decisions which might affect the making of any such calculation such as the budget, if they were over two months in arrears with their council tax payments.  Where such circumstances applied, councillors were under a statutory obligation to disclose the restriction placed on them and refrain from voting at the relevant meeting.  No councillor made any such declaration. 

Council noted the report of the Chief Finance Officer on the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the reserves.

Mr D Dodds, Cabinet member for finance, presented the Cabinet’s proposals for the revenue budget 2014/15 and capital programme to 2018/19. He advised that on 5 February 2014 the government announced the final 2014/15 local government settlement together with illustrative figures for 2015/16. The revised 2014/15 figure increased the funding due to the council in 2014/15 by £680.  As the change was insignificant, the provisional figures included in the budget report have not been changed. This change can be managed by an adjustment to the revenue smoothing reserve so there will be no change to the council tax requirement for 2014/15.

Mr D Dodds moved and Mrs E A Ducker seconded a motion to approve Cabinet’s recommendations as follows:

That Council:

i.        sets the revenue budget for 2014/15 as set out in appendix A.1 to the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014;

ii.      approves the capital programme for 2014/15 to 2018/19 as set out in appendix D.1 to the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014, together with the capital growth bids set out in appendix D.2 to the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014;

iii.    sets the council’s prudential limits as listed in appendix E to the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014;

iv.     approves the medium term financial plan to 2018/19 as set out in appendix F to the report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 13 February 2014

v.       allocates £1,000,000 to fund the Communities Capital Grant Scheme.

Mrs C Collett moved and Mr D Turner seconded an amendment to the above budget in the following terms:

That Council sets the revenue budget and capital programme taking account of the proposed changes as set out in the schedule - "opposition forum budget proposal"(attached to the minute book copy of these minutes).  to:

-   create a budget of £10,000 to fund a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

To consider the report of the Head of Finance regarding the setting of the council tax for the 2014/15 financial year (report to follow).

Council considered the report of the Head of Finance on the setting of the Council Tax for the 2014/15 financial year.

Mr Dodds moved and Mrs E A Ducker seconded the recommendations as set out in the report.

In accordance with new regulations requiring councils to record the names of those councillors voting in favour, against or abstaining from any vote on the council tax the Chairman called for a recorded vote with the voting being as follows:

RESOLVED:

1.      to note that at its meeting on 12 December 2013 the council calculated the council tax base 2014/15:

(a)    for the whole council area as 53,217.1 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and

 (b)   for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a parish precept relates as in column 1 of appendix 1.

2.      that the council tax requirement for the council’s own purposes for 2014/15 (excluding parish precepts) is £6,102,937.

3.      that the following amounts be calculated for the year 2014/15 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

(a)    £77,188,881 being the aggregate of the amounts which the council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by parish councils.

(b)    £67,086,111 being the aggregate of the amounts which the council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)    £10,102,770 being the amount by which the aggregate at (3)(a) above exceeds the aggregate at (3)(b) above, calculated by the council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its council tax requirement for the

(d)    £189.84 being the amount at (3)(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year (including parish precepts).

(e)    £3,999,833 being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act, as set out in column 2 of appendix 1.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

To consider the report of the Head of HR, IT and Customer Services on the adoption of a pay policy statement to meet the requirements of the Localism Act (report attached).

Council considered the report of the Head of HR, IT and Customer Services on the adoption of a pay policy statement to meet the requirements of the Localism Act.

RESOLVED: to approve the pay policy statement attached to the report of the Head of HR, IT and Customer Services to Council on 20 February 2014.

To receive questions from members of the council under Council procedure rule 34.

1. Question from Mrs Eleanor Hards to the Leader of the council, Mrs Ann Ducker, MBE

Can the Leader define for Council members the exact boundaries of Science Vale?

2. Question from Mrs Margaret Davies to the Leader of the council, Mrs Ann Ducker, MBE

Will the Leader please provide the following information:

The projected flows and monies received in each year for New Homes Bonus generated by housing at Didcot.

3. Question from Mr Roger Bell to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Property and Technical Services, Mrs Judith Nimmo-Smith

South Oxfordshire and the Vale are two of the relatively few districts in England and Wales that, since 2005, have not introduced a Civil Enforcement Area, permitted under the Traffic Management Act 2004. This gives Local Authorities the power to enforce contraventions of parking controls within their designated area. These powers were formerly held by the police and usually operated by designated Traffic Wardens. In reality access by car to our towns and larger villages is vital for their future prosperity, both for people within the district coming in to use the facilities, and also by encouraging visiting tourists likewise, and enforcement of existing rules such as double yellow lines and time controlled on street parking is essential. This is so even though ideally public transport and other forms such as cycling and walking should be encouraged wherever  possible. All residents of the district will benefit from such a scheme as they all make use of the facilities provided in the more built up areas.

Will the Cabinet member therefore confirm that officers at South Oxfordshire are currently investigating and consulting on this issue with the firm intention of introducing such a scheme as soon as possible and that in addition to the four towns the larger villages will also be consulted with a view to being included? 

4. Question from Mrs Denise Macdonald to the Leader of the council, Mrs Ann Ducker, MBE

Can the Leader tell me what proportion of the money from pitch fees and commission on sales of mobile homes has been used over the last five years to repair and maintain the council-owned mobile home site at Foxhall Manor Park, Didcot and what is the balance used for?

1.Question from Mrs Eleanor Hards to the Leader of the council, Mrs Ann Ducker, MBE

Can the Leader define for Council members the exact boundaries of Science Vale?

Response

The name Science Vale was coined in 2009 to represent the broad area that encompasses Harwell Oxford science campus, Milton BusinessPark and the Centre for Fusion Energy at Culham, plus other large science businesses across Southern Oxfordshire. Our original purpose in setting up the science vale partnership was to draw attention to the world leading research and development and advanced manufacturing that exists in the area and to seek investment in infrastructure to support the growth planned by government on these big science parks.

The partnership, now branded Science Vale, Oxford to capitalise on the international reputation of Oxford University, has members from each of the science parks and its focus is on supporting business growth, particularly in the Enterprise Zone that covers 93 hectares on Harwell and Milton Park. The area of Science Vale is loosely defined for the purpose of business growth and there has been no desire on the part of the partners to draw a firm line around the area as it could mean that science businesses outside the line might not be able to benefit from the work of the partnership.

We have had immense success in our promotion of Science Vale. We bid successfully for an Enterprise Zone that will bring income of over £100m to Oxfordshire for infrastructure development. We have obtained grants of £21m for innovation centres at Harwell, Milton Park and Culham. We have won funding of over £40m for road works that will improve traffic movement across the area, including between Didcot and the A34 and Harwell.

We will shortly embark on the production of a joint Area Action Plan for Science Vale, with the Vale of White Horse, which is a planning document that will ensure development is in the right place, to the right quality. and properly served by good infrastructure. This plan is in our budget for 2014 and it will ensure that the growth that's taking place in and around Didcot enhances and adds value to the town. We will be consulting on the boundaries of the Area Action Plan in the coming months.

Supplementary question

Mrs Hards asked how a decision would be made regarding which communities to include in the Area Action Plan.

Response

Mrs Ducker responded that no decision had been taken but that a full consultation exercise would be undertaken with the affected communities.

2. Question from Mrs Margaret Davies to the Leader of the council, Mrs Ann Ducker, MBE. In view of her absence, Steven Corrigan, Democratic Services Manager, read out the question on behalf of Mrs Davies.

Will the Leader please provide the following information:  The projected flows and monies received in each year for New Homes Bonus generated by housing at Didcot.

Response

There are past NHB receipts which are known and future NHB  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.