Agenda and minutes

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

Any interests are recorded at the relevant item of these minutes.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the annual meeting held on 16 May 2013 (attached).

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the Annual Meeting of Council held on 16 May 2013 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman sign them as such.

The Chairman referred councillors to the council’s website for details of the events she had attended. She reported that despite cuts in existing funding the Oxfordshire Youth Orchestra was seeking alternative funding arrangements and would continue to perform.

To receive any questions from members of the public and details of any requests to address council on an item on the agenda.

The Chairman reported details of those members of the public who had registered to address Council on items on the agenda and informed councillors that they would be invited to speak at the appropriate items.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 11 July 2013, will consider a report on making the Thame Neighbourhood Plan part of the Development Plan for South Oxfordshire.

The report of the head of planning, which Cabinet will consider on 11 July 2013, was circulated to all councillors. Please bring this report (copy attached) to the meeting.

The recommendation of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 12 July.

Mrs D Brown, Mr D Dodds and Mrs A Midwinter declared an interest in this item because of their association with landowners who will be affected. In addition Mrs A Midwinter declared that two family members were employed by Thame Town Council. All three left the room during the discussion and voting on this item.

Mr D Bretherton and Mr M Welply made statements that they had been involved with the development of the plan and did not therefore consider it appropriate to take part in the discussion or voting on the item. However, as they had no disclosable pecuniary interest in the item they remained in the room but withdrew to the public seating.

In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman Council agreed that Mrs J Carr should chair this item.

Mrs J Carr in the chair.

Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet, made at its meeting on 11 July 2013, to make the Thame Neighbourhood Plan part of the Development Plan for South Oxfordshire.

Mr JCastle, local landowner, addressed Council. He advised that he had a beneficial interest in Site F.  He considered it premature to make the Thame Neighbourhood Plan part of the Development Plan for South Oxfordshire whilst a police investigation into possible breaches of the legal referendum expenditure limits by the ‘Yes’ campaign was ongoing and questioned whether, in light of this, the referendum could be considered free and fair.

Councillors Jeanette Matelot and Helena Fickling, Thame Town Council addressed Council in support of the making of the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. They referred to the fact that the plan had been awarded two prestigious awards and received the backing of the majority of residents in the referendum. They believed the plan would control the future development of Thame and protect its character and identity. 

In response to the issues raised by Mr Castle, Mrs Reed, Head of Legal and Democratic Services, advised that even if there were criminal proceedings, prosecutions and a conviction it would not result in the referendum result being set aside. There was a six week period from publication of the referendum result within which a legal challenge of the conduct of the referendum could be brought by way of judicial review. That had passed and there had been no such challenge. Council could therefore act on the referendum result without awaiting the outcome of the any other investigation underway and act on the recommendation of Cabinet.  

RESOLVED: to make the Thame Neighbourhood Plan part of the Development Plan for South Oxfordshire

Mrs D Brown returned to the chair.

At its meeting on 8 July 2013 the General Licensing Committee considered a report on whether to introduce a council set taxi tariff or to allow drivers and operators to continue to set their own tariffs.

The report of the head of legal and democratic services, which General Licensing Committee considered on 8 July 2013, was circulated to all councillors with the committee agenda. Supplementary papers were circulated separately.

Please bring this report and additional papers (copy attached) to the meeting.

The recommendation of the General Licensing Committee is:

to allow drivers and operators to continue to set their own tariffs.

Mr THarbour made a statement that he held an account with a local taxi firm but that this did not affect his ability to consider the item with an open mind.

Mr M Harris made a statement that Insight Oxford, the consultants appointed to undertake the consultation, was not associated with his company, Insight Insight. 

Council considered the recommendation of the General Licensing Committee, made at its meeting on 8 July 2013, to allow drivers and operators to continue to set their own tariff.

Mr Leonard, Chairman of the General Licensing Committee, advised Council that at its meeting on 18 October 2012 Council had, in adopting a joint taxi licensing policy, agreed to undertake a further consultation on the issue of the hackney carriage tariff to determine if it should be set by individual operators and drivers or whether a council set tariff should be consulted upon and introduced. He outlined the results of the consultation, attached to the report circulated to all councillors, and explained the reason for the committee’s recommendation.

Council agreed the recommendation to allow drivers and operators to set their own tariffs which reflected the majority view of the consultation responses, would better reflect the wide variety of costs, standards and journeys undertaken, and support free market/competition. 

RESOLVED: to allow drivers and operators to continue to set their own tariffs.

To consider the report of the chief executive on the draft terms of reference for a community governance review – a review of parish arrangements within the district (attached).

Council considered the report of the chief executive on the draft terms of reference for a community governance review – a review of parish arrangements within the district.

RESOLVED: to

1.         approve the draft terms of reference set out in Appendix A to the report of the chief executive to Council on 18 July 2013 for a community governance review of South Oxfordshire;

2.         establish a working group comprising six members (four Conservatives and two  from the minority groups) to oversee the review;

3.         appoint Mr F Bloomfield, Mrs D Brown, Ms L Lloyd and Mr M Welply as the Conservative members;

4.         authorise the head of legal and democratic services  to make appointments to the vacant minority group positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leaders.

To consider the report of the strategic director and chief finance officer on a proposal to designate the head of finance as the section151 chief financial officer for South Oxfordshire District Council (attached).

Council considered the report of the strategic director and chief finance officer on a proposal to designate the head of finance as the section 151 chief financial officer for South Oxfordshire District Council.

RESOLVED: to

1    designate William Jacobs, the Head of Finance, as the council’s section 151 chief financial officer from 1 September 2013;

2    authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to make any consequential changes required to the council’s constitution to reflect this change.

If a councillor fails to attend any meeting of the authority for six consecutive months, he/she becomes disqualified unless the failure was due to some reason approved by Council before the expiry of that period.

Mr Christopher Quinton is due to start a twelve week period of treatment next month followed by a recovery period.

Council is therefore asked to approve his absence from any meetings of the

authority for a period exceeding six months. In granting approval, it is necessary to specify the reasons to which the approval relates and the period for which it will run.

Recommendation: to approve the non-attendance of Mr Christopher Quinton at meetings until 31 December 2013 due to his ill health, period of treatment and ongoing recovery.

Council considered a proposal to approve the absence of Mr Christopher Quinton from any meetings of the authority for a period exceeding six months due to his ill health and ongoing treatment.

RESOLVED: to approve the non-attendance of Mr Christopher Quinton at meetings until 31 December 2013 due to his ill health, period of treatment and ongoing recovery.