The Future Oxfordshire
Partnership (FOP) is undergoing a reset to align with emerging
national and regional priorities. This shift is prompted by the
need to be prepared to engage with the UK government's evolving
stance on devolution, proposed reforms to economic planning and
industrial strategy, and the conclusion of the Oxfordshire Housing
and Growth Deal around which much of FOP's activity has been
focussed.
The aim is to redefine
FOP’s purpose and priorities, building on the progress FOP
has already made collaborating on issues where partnership working
has demonstrably added value. The partnership will focus on
delivering the Oxfordshire Strategic Vision, engaging with
government on devolution, and coordinating efforts to address
infrastructure needs, economic inequality and the climate and
nature crises. Existing and proposed workstreams —like the
Net Zero Route Map and Action Plan, Local Area Energy Plans, and
strategic infrastructure projects—will continue under a
refined work programme.
At the FOP meeting on
Tuesday 26 November the members of the FOP agreed in principle to
the proposed changes, informed by recent discussions between the
members of the FOP. These include:
·
re-establishing FOP as a
formal joint committee of council leaders, potentially with
delegated decision-making powers
·
updating its
governance structure to reflect the updated priorities
·
replacing
the standing advisory groups that oversaw the Housing and Growth
deal delivery with project specific task and finish
groups.
·
a new name
for the partnership will be agreed upon to clarify the committee's
role.
·
revising
terms of reference to describe the new arrangements (including
overview and scrutiny) and role of the committee
The FOP has benefitted
greatly from the rich input from non-local authority members.
Consideration will be given to maintaining this contribution while
ensuring clarity and alignment with formal local authority
decision-making processes. The FOP will also continue to work
closely with other partnerships that contribute to the delivery of
its priorities, including the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy
Partnership, Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership and the Zero
Carbon Oxford Partnership.
Officers will now
draft revised terms of reference which will be brought to the next
meeting of the committee for discussion in January 2025.