Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of councillors Bland, Carr, Dawe, Hood, Leonard, Midwinter, Service and Wood

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

Mr M Harris declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in item 9 – long term loan to Soha Housing – as he had a business relationship with Soha Housing. He left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting on this item.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2013 (previously circulated).

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2013 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman sign them as such.

The Chairman welcomed Mr Christopher Quinton back to the council following treatment for an illness.

The Chairman reported that Mr Healy would address Council as organiser of the Didcot Wave petition. With Council’s agreement she took this item as the next item of business.

A petition has been handed in to "register opposition to SODC's intention to close the Didcot Wave pool and gym to pay for the new sports facility to the North East and agree that it is essential the Wave stays open to serve the residents of the older established areas of Didcot".  The petition refers to 1,784 hard copy and e-petition signatures in support, of which 1,650 are from residents.

The council’s Petition Scheme states the following regarding petition debates at Council meetings:

When petitions containing more than 1,500 signatures are submitted, the petition organiser will be given five minutes to present the petition and the petition will then be discussed by councillors for a maximum of 15 minutes.  Council will decide how to respond to the petition at this meeting.

In response to a petition, Council may decide to

·       take the action the petition requests;

·       not to take the action requested for reasons put forward in the debate;

·       to commission further investigation into the matter, for example by a relevant committee;

·       make recommendations to Cabinet, where the issue is one on which the Cabinet is required to make the final decision.

The Didcot Wave is included in the portfolio of leisure facilities to be managed by the leisure management contractor from 1 September 2014 and no decision has been taken to close this facility.  Cabinet will be considering the concept design for the proposed new Didcot leisure facility in early 2014.  Council is invited to make any recommendations on these issues to the Cabinet for it to take into account in the future.

In accordance with the council’s Petition Scheme that provides for a Council debate of petitions containing more than 1,500 signatures, Council considered a petition handed in to "register opposition to South Oxfordshire District Council’s intention to close the Didcot Wave pool and gym to pay for the new sports facility to the North East and agree that it is essential the Wave stays open to serve the residents of the older established areas of Didcot". 

Mr Healy, the petition organiser, addressed Council on the petition and urged Council to save the pool and gym from closure when the planned new leisure facilities opened in Didcot. He made the following points:

• The Wave had been starved of investment
• The older established areas were ignored in terms of investment and facilities
• The current users of the Wave would not be able to access the new facilities due to a lack of transport and mobility issues
• The Wave offered a family fun environment as opposed to the planned Olympic type facility
• The Wave delivered a profit
• Didcot could support the Wave and the new leisure facility
• Do not forget the older established areas of the district

Mrs E Hards moved and Mrs M Davies seconded the following motion:

“That South Oxfordshire District Council welcomes its first petition as a sign of community engagement with our work.

Council acknowledges the popularity and strength of attachment and brand loyalty shown towards the Wave.

Council recommends Cabinet consult widely with Didcot residents and those living within a 10 mile radius of Didcot on plans for Didcot Wave before any decisions are taken on its future and brings any proposals about the new Didcot Leisure Centre mix of facilities to Scrutiny Committee before making decisions that could impact on Didcot Wave”.

In supporting the motion a number of councillors noted the success of the Wave in terms of footfall, profitability and performance against the industry benchmarks. Reference was made to the leisure and sports facilities strategy, agreed by Cabinet at its meeting on 3 March 2013, in which references are made to the replacement of and potential disposal of the Wave.

RESOLVED:

That South Oxfordshire District Council welcomes its first petition as a sign of community engagement with our work.

Council acknowledges the popularity and strength of attachment and brand loyalty shown towards the Wave.

Council recommends Cabinet consult widely with Didcot residents and those living within a 10 mile radius of Didcot on plans for Didcot Wave before any decisions are taken on its future and brings any proposals about the new Didcot Leisure Centre mix of facilities to Scrutiny Committee before making decisions that could impact on Didcot Wave.

(Cabinet member responsible: Mr D Dodds)

Cabinet, at its meeting on 17 October 2013, will consider a report on the outturn performance of the treasury management function for the financial year 2012/13.

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 17 October, was circulated to all councillors with the Cabinet agenda. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendations of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 18 October.

Council considered the Cabinet’s recommendation, made at its meeting on 17 October 2013, on the outturn performance of the treasury management function for the financial year 2012/13 and the approval of the actual 2012/13 prudential indicators in accordance with the requirements of the CIPFA Treasury Management Code of Practice and Treasury Management Practice 6.

Councillors extended their gratitude to Nikki Thomas and wished her well in her new job.

RESOLVED: to

1.      approve the treasury management outturn report for 2012/13;

2.      approve the actual 2011/12 prudential indicators within the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 17 October 2013.

(Cabinet member responsible: Mr D Dodds)

Cabinet, at its meeting on 17 October 2013, will consider a report on a council tax reduction scheme for 2014/15.

The report of the Head of Finance, which Cabinet will consider on 17 October, was circulated to all councillors with the Cabinet agenda. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendations of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 18 October.

Council considered the Cabinet’s recommendation, made at its meeting on 17 October 2013 on a council tax reduction scheme for 2014/15.

  RESOLVED: to

1.                  adopt the council tax reduction scheme commencing 1 April 2014, until such time as Council wishes to change the scheme, which will be the same scheme as adopted for 2013/14, except for the addition of (b);

2.                  increase by one per cent on 1 April each year, commencing 1 April 2014, the personal allowances and non-dependent deductions for working age claimants.

(Cabinet member responsible: Mrs A Ducker, MBE)

Cabinet, at its meeting on 17 October 2013, will consider the recommendations of the Licensing Acts Committee, made at its meeting on 19 September 2013, on the Joint Gambling Policy following the statutory consultation.

The report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, which Cabinet will consider on 17 October, was circulated to all councillors with the Cabinet agenda. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The Licensing Acts Committee resolved to recommend Cabinet to recommend Council to:

(i)                 adopt the proposed Joint Gambling Policy;

(ii)        authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to make minor editorial changes to the Joint Gambling Policy; and

(ii)               authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to publish the Joint Gambling Policy in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005 (Licensing Authority Policy Statement)(England and Wales) Regulations 2006.

The recommendations of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 18 October.

Council considered the Cabinet’s recommendation, made at its meeting on 17 October 2013, on the Joint Gambling Policy.

In response to a question Mrs Ducker stated that the council had not permitted any casinos within the district under the previous policy. Although the proposed policy did not rule this out any application would be carefully judged on its merits.

RESOLVED: to

(a)               adopt the proposed Joint Gambling Policy as attached to the report of the head of legal and democratic services to Cabinet on 17 October 2013;

(b)               authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make minor editorial changes to the Joint Gambling Policy;

(c)               authorise the head of legal and democratic services to publish the Joint       Gambling Policy in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005 (Licensing Authority Policy Statement)(England and Wales) Regulations 2006.

(Cabinet member responsible: Mr D Dodds)

Cabinet, at its meeting on 17 October 2013, will consider a report on a long term loan to Soha Housing to provide a long term investment income stream to the council and to fund affordable housing schemes locally.

The report of the strategic director, which Cabinet will consider on 17 October, was circulated to all councillors with the Cabinet agenda. Please bring this report to the meeting.

The recommendations of Cabinet will be circulated to councillors on Friday 18 October.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendation, made at its meeting on 17 October 2013, on a long term loan to Soha Housing to provide a long term investment stream to the council and to fund affordable housing schemes locally.

RESOLVED: to approve the addition of £15,000,000 to the approved capital programme to provide long term funding to Soha Housing for the purpose of providing additional social housing in Oxfordshire;

To consider the report of the Chief Executive on the terms of reference for a community governance review – a review of parish arrangements within the district (attached).

Council considered the report of the chief executive on draft terms of reference for a community governance review – a review of parish arrangements within the district.

The Chairman reported that since the publication of the report South Moreton Parish Council had requested that the council review the parish boundary between South Moreton and Aston Tirrold.

RESOLVED: to

1.            approve the terms of reference set out in Appendix A attached to the report of the chief executive to Council on 24 October 2013 for a community governance review of South Oxfordshire subject to the addition of a review of the parish boundary between South Moreton and Aston Tirrold; and

2.            authorise the chief executive, in consultation with the members of the Community Governance Review Working Group, to add additional items to the terms of reference where appropriate up to the end of November 2013. 

To consider the report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services on proposed changes to the council’s constitution (attached).

Council considered the report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services on proposed changes to the council’s constitution.

RESOLVED: to

1.      note the Leader’s delegations set out in appendix 1 to the report of the head of legal and democratic services to Council on 24 October 2013 for inclusion in the council’s constitution;

2.      notes the Leader’s delegation to the head of health and housing  in respect of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 as set out in paragraph seven of the report of the head of legal and democratic services to Council on 24 October 2013;

3.      notes the Leader’s revised scheme of delegation attached at appendix two to the report of the head of legal and democratic services to Council on 24 October 2013;

4.      agree the revised financial procedure rules attached at appendix three to the report of the head of legal and democratic services to Council on 24 October 2013;

5.      agree the proposed amendments to officer delegations set out in appendix four to the report of the head of legal and democratic services to Council on 24 October 2013;

6.      authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make the necessary changes to the council’s constitution to reflect the changes set out in the report of the head of legal and democratic services to Council on 24 October 2013;

7.  authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make any minor or   consequential amendments to the constitution required for clarification, consistency and compliance with the council’s style guide.

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