Council

 

Contact Officer: Steven Corrigan

 

Tel: 07717 274704

 

E-mail: steven.corrigan@southandvale.gov.uk

 

Date: 14 February 2024

 

Website: www.southoxon.gov.uk

 

 

 

Summons to attend

a meeting of Council

 

to be held on

 

Thursday 22 February 2024  at 6.00 pm

 

at

 

Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, OX11 7JN

 

Alternative formats of this publication are available on request.  These include large print, Braille, audio cassette or CD, and email.  For this or any other special requirements (such as access facilities) please contact the officer named on this agenda.  Please give as much notice as possible before the meeting. 

 

Vivien Williams

Head of Legal and Democratic (Interim)

 

Note: Please remember to sign the attendance register.

Agenda

 

<AI1>

1

Apologies for absence 

 

To record apologies for absence. 

 

</AI1>

<AI2>

2

Minutes  (Pages 6 - 15)

 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Council minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2023. 

 

</AI2>

<AI3>

3

Declarations of interest 

 

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

 

</AI3>

<AI4>

4

Urgent business and chair's announcements 

 

To receive notification of any matters which the chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chair. 

 

</AI4>

<AI5>

5

Public participation 

 

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

 

</AI5>

<AI6>

6

Petitions 

 

To receive any petitions from the public. 

 

</AI6>

<AI7>

7

Treasury management 2023/24 mid-year monitoring report  (Pages 16 - 29)

 

Cabinet, at its meeting on 15 February 2024, will consider the attached report of the head of finance on the treasury management activity for the first half of 2023/24.

 

Cabinet’s recommendations will be circulated to all members prior to the Council meeting. 

 

</AI7>

<AI8>

8

Treasury Management and Investment Strategy 2024/25  (Pages 30 - 66)

 

Cabinet, at its meeting on 15 February 2024, will consider the attached report of the head of finance on the council’s treasury management and investment strategy for 2024/25.

 

Cabinet’s recommendations will be circulated to all members prior to the Council meeting. 

 

</AI8>

<AI9>

9

Capital Strategy 2024/25-2033/34  (Pages 67 - 90)

 

Cabinet, at its meeting on 15 February 2024, will consider the attached report of the head of finance on the council’s capital strategy for 2024/25 to 2033/34.   

 

Cabinet’s recommendations will be circulated to all members prior to the Council meeting.

 

</AI9>

<AI10>

10

Revenue budget 2024/25 and capital programme 2024/25 - 2028/29  (Pages 91 - 140)

 

Cabinet, at its meeting on 15 February 2024, will consider the attached report of the head of finance on the the draft revenue budget 2024/25, and the capital programme to 2028/29.

 

Cabinet’s recommendations will be circulated to all members prior to the Council meeting.

 

Also attached is the chief finance officer’s report on the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the reserves.

 

</AI10>

<AI11>

11

Council tax 2024/25 

 

To consider the report of the head of finance on the setting of the council tax for the 2024/25 financial year. Following receipt of all the required information the report is being checked by officers prior to despatch.

 

The report once published will be a draft version subject to Oxfordshire County Council’s agreement of its budget on Tuesday 20 February 2024.

 

</AI11>

<AI12>

12

Pay policy statement 2024/25  (Pages 141 - 147)

 

To consider the report of the head of corporate services on the adoption of a pay policy statement to meet the requirements of the Localism Act - attached.

 

 

</AI12>

<AI13>

13

East Hagbourne Neighbourhood Development Plan Review  (Pages 148 - 164)

 

To consider the recommendations of the Leader of the council on the East Hagbourne Neighbourhood Development Plan Review.

 

The Individual Cabinet Member Decision is attached.

 

Recommendation: to

 

1.    make the East Hagbourne Neighbourhood Development Plan

     Review with the modifications specified in the Examiner’s report;

2.    authorise the Head of Policy and Programmes, in consultation

        with the appropriate Cabinet Member and in agreement with the

Qualifying Body, East Hagbourne Parish Council, the making of

minor (non-material) modifications, the correction of any spelling,

grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with any

improvements from a presentational perspective.

 

</AI13>

<AI14>

14

Report of the leader of the council 

 

To receive the report of the Leader of the council.

 

</AI14>

<AI15>

15

Questions on notice 

 

No questions were submitted on notice from members for this agenda. 

 

</AI15>

<AI16>

16

Motions on notice 

 

To consider motions from councillors in accordance with Council procedure rule 38. 

 

(1)       Motion to be proposed by Councillor Giles, seconded by Councillor Kantor:

Council notes:

  • South Oxfordshire is a welcoming place for all, including people seeking sanctuary.
  • The council is committed to playing its part in supporting people displaced by war and persecution of any background, evidenced by the key role officers and councillors play in coordinating and delivering support in Oxfordshire for people from across the various government schemes.
  • South Oxfordshire is home to around 400 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived under the Home for Ukraine, Family and the Ukraine Extension schemes.
  • These schemes are temporary for 3 years, sit outside immigration rules, and do not provide a route to settlement.
  • Russia’s war on Ukraine sadly continues and people’s ability to return remains uncertain.
  • Thousands of temporary visas are set to expire in 2025 which is already causing problems in terms of securing employment and tenancies. Ukrainian refugees are also unable to plan for the future of their children in terms of education and other commitments, significantly impeding their quality of life and future prospects.

Council Believes that:

  • Government needs to urgently remove uncertainty around Ukrainian’s ability to make the UK their home
  • Ukrainians that come to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme, Homes for Ukraine, and Ukraine Extension scheme should be able extend their stay and apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (in line with other refugee schemes) with minimum cost and bureaucratic burden on families, hosts and support agencies.

Council resolves to:

  • Ask the leader of South Oxfordshire District Council to write to the Minister of State for Immigration to request that Ukrainian refugees are provided with a route to settlement.
  • Make information accessible to Ukrainian refugees who are considering their options on the services and support available, and signpost to appropriate (legal) advice.
  • Continue to collaborate with Oxfordshire councils, statutory and voluntary sector partners in the development of a strategic approach for supporting people seeking sanctuary from any background which is coherent, effective, and compassionate.

 

</AI16>

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