MinutesOF A MEETING OF THE |
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Cabinet
Held on Thursday 10 November 2022 at 6.00 pm Meeting Room 1, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE
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Present in the meeting room:
Cabinet members: Councillors David Rouane (Chair), Pieter-Paul Barker, Sue Cooper, Andrea Powell, Leigh Rawlins and Anne-Marie Simpson
Officers: Steve Culliford (Democratic Services Team Leader) and Mark Stone (Chief Executive)
Remote attendance:
Cabinet members: Robin Bennett and Maggie Filipova-Rivers
Officers: Vicky Aston (Planning Infrastructure Team Leader), Harry Barrington-Mountford (Head of Policy and Programmes), Paul Fielding (Head of Housing and Environment), Susan Harbour (Strategic Partnership Manager), Simon Hewings (Head of Finance), Jeremy Lloyd (Broadcasting Officer), Mark Minion (Head of Corporate Services), Cathie Scotting (Major Applications Officer) and Alison Williams (Principal Planning Policy Officer)
38 Minutes
RESOLVED: to approve the public and exempt minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 29 September 2022 as a correct record and agree that the chair signs them as such.
39 Declaration of interests
None
40 Urgent business and chair's announcements
The chair announced the fire evacuation arrangements.
41 Public participation
None
42 Recommendations and updates from other committees
Cabinet received and noted the recommendations and updates from the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee and the Joint Scrutiny Committee following their meetings held in October and November.
43 Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule Adoption
Cabinet considered the head of policy and programmes’ report on a review of the Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule. A new charging schedule had been proposed, which was subject to public consultation and an examination by a planning inspector.
The report recommended changes to the charging schedule to establish three new charging zones: zone one for the southernmost parishes, zone two for Berinsfield and Didcot, and zone three for the remainder of the district. There were also separate rates for minor schemes, and separate rates for student accommodation, build-to-rent properties, supermarkets, and retail warehousing. A separate rate was also introduced for flats and apartments in zone two.
The planning inspector had concluded that the council had provided evidence that the new rates would not threaten delivery of the Local Plan but that they would provide an appropriate basis for the collection of Community Infrastructure Levy in South Oxfordshire. The inspector recommended that the new charging schedule was adopted.
Cabinet concurred. The charging schedule introduced new zones that better reflected the different parts of the district. The new charging schedule would also provide essential funding for local infrastructure projects.
RECOMMENDED: to Council on 8 December 2022 to:
(a) adopt the Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule (as set out at Appendix 1 to the head of policy and programmes’ report to Cabinet on 10 November 2022) and the Community Infrastructure Levy Instalments Policy (as set out at Appendix 2 to the same report), with implementation anticipated in early January 2023; and
(b) authorise the head of policy and programmes, in consultation with the Cabinet member for planning, any necessary further minor changes to the documents or a change to the implementation date for the new Community Infrastructure Levy rates.
44 Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document Adoption
Cabinet considered the head of policy and programmes’ report on a supplementary planning document for developer contributions.
Alongside the review of the Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule, this supplementary planning document would help the council to deliver infrastructure necessary to support development across the district, as set out in the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035. It had been subject to public consultation, the results of which were appended to the report. As the document did not include new policy, it was not subject to an examination in public by a planning inspector.
Cabinet supported the adoption of the supplementary planning document, believing it to be well-written and informed by the consultation responses.
RESOLVED to:
(a) adopt the Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document; and
(b) authorise the head of policy and programmes, in consultation with the Cabinet member for planning, to make any necessary further minor changes to the document.
45 Housing Delivery Strategy and Action Plan
Cabinet considered the report of the head of housing and environment and the deputy chief executive – place. The report presented a housing delivery strategy, which had been prepared jointly with Vale of White Horse District Council. The aim was to set out how the council would deliver housing over the period 2022 to 2024 and ensure that homes were genuinely affordable by local people. The strategy brought together guidance and advice on policy and set out an action plan covering the short, medium and longer term.
The strategy included four strategic housing priorities:
· To provide homes to meet current and future local need
· To delivering housing that is truly affordable
· To value and support council and community-led housing initiatives
· To plan for well-designed net zero carbon housing
Cabinet supported that adoption of the housing delivery strategy and action plan as it would allow the council to pursue a range of options to provide housing, from exemplar schemes to retro-fitting existing homes, and bringing empty properties back into use. The action plan would evolve to adapt to changing demands.
Officers were thanked for their work on the strategy.
RESOLVED to:
(a) adopt the joint Housing Delivery Strategy 2022-2024;
(b) adopt the associated Action Plan;
RECOMMENDED: to Council on 8 December 2022 to:
(c) use of up to £2m of capital funding to invest in the purchase of property with the aim of them becoming social housing, as outlined in section 25-26 of the report of the deputy chief executive – place, to Cabinet on 10 November 2022;
RESOLVED:
(d) that subject to decision (c) above, to authorise the head of development and corporate landlord, in consultation with the head of housing and environment, the head of finance, and the head of legal and democratic, to take the required actions as outlined within the report to purpose the purchasing of property to be used as social housing.
46 Five Councils Partnership Governance
Cabinet considered the report of the deputy chief executive – partnerships. This set out the current position of the Five Councils Partnership, particularly around finance and governance.
Since the inception of the partnership contract, there had been substantial changes, impacting on the partner councils. The contract changes included the removal of licensing, HR and payroll, finance services and procurement functions. The partnership’s inter authority agreement detailed how much each council was obliged to pay for services it received. The report set out how the contractual changes reflected South Oxfordshire’s liabilities and how the inter authority agreement would be updated. The baseline percentage that the council should now pay was 17.64 per cent, down from the original baseline of 18.33 per cent. As this baseline related to the changes which occurred in 2020/21, there was a need for a re-balancing payment to South Oxfordshire from Mendip, Hart, and Havant councils.
The report also highlighted the decreased need for member involvement in the governance of the partnership and the management of its contract. As such the partnership’s joint committee had recommended streamlining the number of meetings to one per year.
Cabinet supported the changes proposed in the report. The re-balancing of the amount paid by this council was overdue and welcomed. The streamlining of the governance arrangements was welcomed also but was not considered to be any reduction in control as the contract was monitored closely by officers.
RESOLVED to:
(a) note and endorse the minor alteration to the proportion of the size of South Oxfordshire’s contribution to the Five Councils’ Partnership contract and agree the approach to the truing up mechanisms;
(b) approve the streamlined governance approach, reflective of the current reduced size of the contract, to enable effective oversight and management of the contract, which includes all the changes set out in paragraph 22 of the deputy chief executive – partnership’s report to Cabinet on 10 November 2022, including the annual meeting of the Five Councils’ Partnership Joint Committee, providing budgetary and contractual oversight, and continuing the spirit of partnership working, whilst keeping members informed of contract performance; and
(c) authorise the chief executive, in consultation with the Cabinet member for partnerships, to finalise the terms on behalf of South Oxfordshire District Council and to enter into and complete the updated inter-authority agreement based on the principles set out in the report.
The meeting closed at 6.45 pm
Chair Date
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