Agenda and minutes

To receive any announcements from the chair. 

The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, outlined the procedure to be followed and advised on emergency evacuation arrangements.

To record apologies for absence. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Anne-Marie Simpson, Sam James-Lawrie and Pieter-Paul Barker.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 30 January 2025.

RESOLVED: that the minutes from the previous meeting on 30 January 2025 be taken to the next ordinary meeting on 10 April 2025.

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. 

There were no declarations of interest.

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. 

There was no urgent business.

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

There were no speakers registered to address Cabinet.

To consider the recommendations and updates from other committees to Cabinet. 

Cabinet received the recommendations and updates from the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee, Joint Scrutiny Committee and Joint Audit and Governance Committee. The committee’s suggestions and recommendations were considered under the relevant item on the agenda.

To consider the report from the Deputy Chief Executive – Place.

The Leader of the Council introduced the report on the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee terms of reference. This was in response to the new focus on devolution and the winding down of the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal prompting a reset and change of name for the Future Oxfordshire Partnership (FOP). Cabinet were asked to approve the revised terms of reference and memorandum of understanding. It was noted that this would take effect following approval by each of the six member councils.

The report had been considered by the Joint Scrutiny Committee on 24 February 2025 and the Joint Audit and Governance Committee on 25 February 2025. Both committees raised a number of considerations to be taken to Cabinet, which were recorded in the agenda pack.

Cabinet thanked both committees for their suggestions, but recognised that a joint committee was already in operation under the Future Oxfordshire Partnership. It was noted that under the lens of local government reorganisation, a new strategic authority would be stablished, making the current joint committee redundant. The focus of the report was to streamline the existing committee for the next two years until the new strategic authority was in place.

The Leader highlighted the key changes to the joint committee, including it’s renaming to the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee. Secondly, the membership would be streamlined to include only the six constituent authorities. Furthermore, standing advisory groups would be replaced with task and finish groups to focus on single priorities as needed. Lastly, the scrutiny function would be handled by the individual scrutiny committees of the respective councils.

During the discussion, the Cabinet emphasised the significance of allowing members of the joint committee to collaboratively set the agenda. Additionally, it was noted that members should have the option to abstain from participating in certain discussions, thereby ensuring they are not obligated to adhere to the resulting decisions.

The Leader of the Council confirmed that the joint committee could be used as a public forum to discuss local government reorganisation. Currently, a majority of discussions had been taken in private and it was considered that the Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee would allow for greater transparency and public scrutiny.

Overall, Cabinet welcomed the simplification of the new terms of reference. Members thanked officers for their work, with particular thanks to the Deputy Chief Executive – Place.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet approves the revised Terms of Reference and Memorandum of Understanding. These will take effect following approval by each of the six Oxfordshire councils.

To consider the report from the Head of Policy and Programmes.

The Leader of the council introduced the report looking to formally adopt the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Joint Nature and Climate Action Plan (NCAP) 2025-2029.

The action plan had been considered by the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee on 3 December 2024 and members had supported the draft plan.

Cabinet welcomed the report and thanked the climate team for their work on developing the action plan.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet formally approve and adopt the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse joint Nature and Climate Action Plan 2025-29.