Agenda and minutes

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 17 July and 16 October 2014(attached).

RESOLVED: to

1.    approve the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2014 as a correct record subject to officers amending the recorded vote details in minute 20 for CGR 28 (proposal to extend the northern boundary of Wheatley parish to align with the A40 incorporating land currently in Holton parish) to correctly reflect the recorded vote sheet details and agree that the chairman sign them as such;

2.    approve the minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2014 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman sign them as such.

To receive any announcements from the chairman.

The chairman advised that tickets were now on sale for her Charity Concert at Cornerstone on Saturday 17 January in aid of the Royal British Legion Women's Section and SeeSaw. 

She thanked officers for their hard work throughout the year, their generosity at the recent Chairman’s quiz held in Abingdon and wished them and councillors a merry Christmas and happy new year.

None.

(Cabinet member responsible: Mr W Hall)

Cabinet, at its meeting on 4 December 2014, will consider a report on the council tax base for 2015/16.

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 4 December is attached.

The recommendations of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 5 December.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendations, made at its meeting on 4 December 2014, on the council tax base for 2015/16.

RESOLVED: 

(a)          to approve the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 4 December 2014 for the calculation of the council’s tax base and the calculation of the tax base for each parish area for 2015/16;

(b)          that, in accordance with The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by South Oxfordshire District Council as its council tax base for the year 2015/16 be 54,233.6;

(c)          that, in accordance with The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by South Oxfordshire District Council as the council tax base for the year 2015/16 for each parish be the amount shown against the name of that parish in Appendix 1 of the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 4 December 2014. 

(Cabinet member responsible: Mr W Hall)

Cabinet, at its meeting on 4 December 2014, will consider a report on the  amount of council tax reduction scheme grant that will be passed down to town and parish councils for 2015/16. 

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 4 December is attached.

The recommendations of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 5 December.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendations, made at its meeting on 4 December 2014, on the council tax reduction scheme grant to towns and parishes for 2015/16.

Whilst councillors supported the proposal to pass the whole grant on to town and parish councils a number did not support the proposed review of the methodology to assess the impact of the council tax reduction scheme on parish precepts.  The view was expressed that the district council should not interfere in the level of precept set by parish councils.   

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the total council tax reduction scheme grant to be passed down to town and parish councils for 2015/16 be £179,352;

(b)       that a review of the methodology for determining the total amount of grant for town and parish councils be undertaken during 2015/16 to assess the impact of the council tax reduction scheme on parish precepts; and

(c)        that the individual grant amounts for towns and parishes be as set out in appendix 1 to the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 4 December 2014.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services (attached). 

Margaret Reed, Head of Legal and Democratic Services, advised Council that, at its meeting on Wednesday 11 December 2014, Vale of White Horse District Council had resolved not to support the establishment of a joint independent remuneration panel at this time. In doing so councillors noted that the two councils were separate organisations, had different allowances and that a joint panel would achieve limited efficiencies. However, Council did resolve that the new Council should consider the issue following the May 2015 elections.

Whilst noting the above decision Council agreed that a review of South Oxfordshire District Council’s allowances should be undertaken and that the recommendations of the independent panel would be considered at the Annual Council meeting in May 2015. Council agreed to authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make any additional appointments to the independent panel if required.

In supporting the above proposal Mr J Cotton, Leader of the council, expressed the view that he hoped councillors would agree the recommendations of the panel.

RESOLVED: to

1.    request the independent remuneration panel to undertake a review of councillors’ allowances and report to Council in May 2015;

2.    authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make appointments to the  independent remuneration panel if required, and advise councillors in due course of the outcome of the appointments process. 

To consider the report of the returning officer on the setting of fees and charges for the 2015 district and parish elections (attached).

Council considered the report of the returning officer on the setting of fees and charges for the 2015 district and parish elections.

In response to a question on the level of income expected from parish councils, officers undertook to provide councillors with the parish council recharge figure for the 2011 elections.

RESOLVED: to

1.    agree the scales of fees for district and parish council elections, parish polls and neighbourhood planning referendums for 2015/16 as set out in the Appendix to the report of the returning officer to Council on 11 December 2014;

2.    agree to continue to charge parish and town councils for running elections on their behalf.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services (attached). 

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services on the review of the political balance and changes to the make-up and membership of committees following the resignation of Mrs Hodgkin and Mrs Wood from the Henley Residents Group and them joining the Independent Group and a request to review the political balance.

A schedule of appointments was circulated to councillors prior to the meeting which reflected the views of group leaders and the non-group councillors.

RESOLVED: to

1.    appoint the following committees and panels for the remainder of the 2014/15 year and to appoint the membership, substitutes and chairmen and vice-chairmen as indicated to sit on them: 

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services (attached). 

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services on a proposal to establish a Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee.

Mr J Cotton, Conservative Group Leader, offered Mr N Harris one of the Conservative seats on the committee.

RESOLVED: to

1.    establish a Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee comprising five Conservatives, one Independent, one Labour and one Liberal Democrat member with the following terms of reference:

·         To make recommendations to Council on reviews of electoral arrangements for the district undertaken by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

·         To undertake parish community governance reviews

·         To respond to consultations from the Boundary Commission on reviews of   parliamentary constituencies and county divisions within the district

·         To undertake reviews of polling districts and polling places

·         To consider reports from the Returning Officer on district and parish council elections.

2.    appoint Mr N Harris to one of the Conservative group's seats on the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee;

3.    authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make appointments to the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leaders.

The councillors’ allowances scheme allows for the allowances payable under the scheme to be increased up to the RPI announced in the preceding September subject to Council decision. Council is invited to agree the level at which to increase the basic and special responsibility allowances from 1 April 2015.

The councillors’ allowances scheme allows for the allowances payable under the scheme to be increased up to the RPI announced in the preceding September subject to Council decision.

In light of the earlier decision (see Minute 38(1)) to undertake a review of allowances Council agreed not to increase the councillors’ basic and special responsibility allowances payable from 1 April 2015.

RESOLVED: to apply no increase to the councillors’ basic and

special responsibility allowances payable from 1 April 2015.

None.

In accordance with the overview and scrutiny procedure rules, a cabinet decision can be taken as a matter of urgency, if any delay by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the council’s or the public’s interest.  Treating the decision as a matter of urgency must be agreed by the chairman of the Scrutiny Committee and must be reported to the next meeting of the council, together with the reasons for urgency.

Mr J Cotton, Leader of the council will report that on 10 October 2014 Anna Badcock took a confidential decision to enter into a new contract for an electoral management system to address problems with the current provider and to vire funds from the capital contingency budget for the purchase of the system and the revenue contingency to cover training on the new system and cover the existing contract costs. The chairman of the scrutiny committee agreed to waive call-in because any delay could impact on the council’s delivery of Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

In accordance with the overview and scrutiny procedure rules, Mr J Cotton, Leader of the council reported that on 10 October 2014 Anna Badcock took a confidential decision to enter into a new contract for an electoral management system to address problems with the current provider and to vire funds from the capital contingency budget for the purchase of the system and the revenue contingency to cover training on the new system and cover the existing contract costs. The chairman of the scrutiny committee agreed to waive call-in because any delay could impact on the council’s delivery of Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

To receive the following motion under Council procedure rule 41.

Motion to be proposed by Stephen Harrod, seconded by Judith Nimmo-Smith

To ask the leader of the council to write to the Secretary of State for Transport asking that he gives a high priority to resurfacing that part of the M40 that lies in South Oxfordshire with a lower noise surface material.  This will improve the quality of life for those living in close proximity to the motorway

Mr S Harrod moved and Mrs J Nimmo-Smith seconded the following motion:

To ask the leader of the council to write to the Secretary of State for Transport asking that he gives a high priority to resurfacing that part of the M40 that lies in South Oxfordshire with a lower noise surface material. This will improve the quality of life for those living in close proximity to the motorway.

In supporting the motion a number of councillors expressed the view that noise mitigation measures should include consideration of tree planting, fencing, a noise barrier and that all lanes are included in any road resurfacing scheme. In addition any scheme should include the motorway up to junction nine. Councillors requested that the leader reference these points in his letter.

RESOLVED:

To ask the leader of the council to write to the Secretary of State for Transport asking that he gives a high priority to resurfacing that part of the M40 that lies in South Oxfordshire with a lower noise surface material. This will improve the quality of life for those living in close proximity to the motorway.