Agenda and minutes

To elect a chair of Council for the municipal year 2021/22.

Councillor Robb was nominated as chair for the 2021/22 municipal year.

RESOLVED:  to elect Councillor Robb as chair of the council for the 2021/22 municipal year, until the next annual meeting of the Council in May 2022.

Councillor Robb signed her declaration of acceptance of office and made an acceptance speech. She advised that her chosen charities are Home Start Southern Oxfordshire and Earth Trust.

Councillor Robb in the chair.

To appoint a vice-chair of Council for the municipal year 2021/22.

Councillor Turner was nominated as vice-chair for the 2021/22 municipal year.

RESOLVED:  to appoint Councillor Turner as vice-chair of the council for the 2021/22 municipal year, until the next annual meeting of the Council in May 2022.

Councillor Turner signed his declaration of acceptance of office and gave an acceptance speech.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Council minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2021. 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2021 as a correct record and agree that the chair sign them as such.

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

Councillor Cooper declared that she had been a member of the Ewelme Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group at the initial stages of the process and would not take part in the discussion or voting on agenda item 10.

Councillor Roberts declared that she had been involved in the initial preparation of the Wallingford Neighbourhood Plan and would not vote on agenda item 13.

Councillor Levy declared that he had campaigned for a Yes vote in the Wallingford Neighbourhood Plan referendum and would not take part in the discussion or vote on agenda item 13.

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. 

The chair welcomed Councillors Tim Bearder and Andrea Warren to the council following their election at the by-elections held on 6 May 2021.

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

No members of the public had registered to address Council.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic on the appointment to those committees required to be politically balanced together with the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee, Licensing Acts Committee, Community Grants Panel and joint committees and to agree any consequential changes to the constitutionattached. 

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic on the appointment of those committees and joint committees which are required to be politically balanced; together with the Climate Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee, Licensing Acts Committee, Community Grants Panel and appointments to joint bodies.

The chair referred to the following recommendation, circulated prior to the meeting, covering these appointments and to reflect the allocation of the vacant committee positions.

That for the 2021/22 municipal year Council

1.            appoints the committees and panels for the 2021/22 year and allocate seats to each political group as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

2.            appoints councillors and substitutes to sit on the committees and panels as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

3.            agrees that the Liberal Democrat Group lose a seat on the Planning Committee reducing its total seat allocation on committees from 20 to 19;

4.            appoints councillors to the Licensing Acts Committee as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

5.            appoints councillors to the Climate Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

6.            appoints councillors to the Community Grants Panel as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

7.            appoints chairs and vice-chairs as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

8.            appointsDavid Turner as the council’s representative and David Bretherton as substitute on the Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

9.            appoints Sam Casey-Rerhaye as the council’s representative and Maggie Filipova-Rivers as substitute on the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel;

10.         appoints Peter Dragonetti, Victoria Haval and David Turner to the Oxfordshire Growth Board Scrutiny Panel;

11.         authorises the head of legal and democratic to make appointments to any vacant committee or panel seat and substitute positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leader.

RESOLVED: to

1.    appoint the following committees and panels for the 2021/22 municipal year and to appoint the membership, substitutes and chairs and vice-chairs as indicated to sit on them (see table below);

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet member for planning, regarding the neighbourhood plan for Chinnor following the referendum held on 6 May 2021. 

Council considered the recommendation of Councillor Simpson, Cabinet member for planning, made on 10 May 2021, to make the Chinnor Neighbourhood Development Plan part of the development plan for South Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED:

1.    To make the Chinnor Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues

      to be part of the council’s development plan.

2.    To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the appropriate

      Cabinet member and in agreement with the Qualifying Body, the correction  

      of any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with 

      any improvements from a presentational perspective.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet member for planning, regarding the neighbourhood plan for Cuddesdon and Denton following the referendum held on 6 May 2021. 

Council considered the recommendation of Councillor Simpson, Cabinet member for planning, made on 10 May 2021, to make the Cuddesdon and Denton Neighbourhood Development Plan part of the development plan for South Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED:

1.    To make the Cuddesdon and Denton Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues to be part of the council’s development plan.

2.    To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the appropriate

      Cabinet member and in agreement with the Qualifying Body, the correction  

      of any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with 

      any improvements from a presentational perspective.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet member for planning, regarding the neighbourhood plan for Ewelme following the referendum held on 6 May 2021. 

Councillor Cooper took no part in the discussion or vote on this item – see minute 3.

Council considered the recommendation of Councillor Simpson, Cabinet member for planning, made on 10 May 2021, to make the Ewelme Neighbourhood Development Plan part of the development plan for South Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED:

1.    To make the Ewelme Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues

      to be part of the council’s development plan.

2.    To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the appropriate

      Cabinet member and in agreement with the Qualifying Body, the correction  

      of any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with 

      any improvements from a presentational perspective.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet member for planning, regarding the neighbourhood plan for Sydenham following the referendum held on 6 May 2021. 

Council considered the recommendation of Councillor Simpson, Cabinet member for planning, made on 10 May 2021, to make the Sydenham Neighbourhood Development Plan part of the development plan for South Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED:

1.    To make the Sydenham Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues to be part of the council’s development plan.

2.    To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the appropriate

Cabinet member and in agreement with the Qualifying Body, the correction  

of any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with 

any improvements from a presentational perspective.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet member for planning, regarding the neighbourhood plan for Tetsworth following the referendum held on 6 May 2021. 

Council considered the recommendation of Councillor Simpson, Cabinet member for planning, made on 10 May 2021, to make the Tetsworth Neighbourhood Development Plan part of the development plan for South Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED:

1.    To make the Tetsworth Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues to be part of the council’s development plan.

2.    To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the appropriate

Cabinet member and in agreement with the Qualifying Body, the correction  

of any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with 

any improvements from a presentational perspective.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet member for planning, regarding the neighbourhood plan for Wallingford following the referendum held on 6 May 2021. 

Councillor Roberts took no part in the vote on this item – minute 4 refers.

Councillor Levy took no part in the discussion or vote on this item – see minute 4.

Council considered the recommendation of Councillor Simpson, Cabinet member for planning, made on 10 May 2021, to make the Wallingford Neighbourhood Development Plan part of the development plan for South Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED:

1.    To make the Wallingford Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues to be part of the council’s development plan.

2.    To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the appropriate

      Cabinet member and in agreement with the Qualifying Body, the correction  

      of any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with 

      any improvements from a presentational perspective.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet member for planning, regarding the neighbourhood plan for Wheatley following the referendum held on 6 May 2021. 

Council considered the recommendation of Councillor Simpson, Cabinet member for planning, made on 12 May 2021, to make the Wheatley Neighbourhood Development Plan part of the development plan for South Oxfordshire.

RESOLVED:

1.    To make the Wheatley Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues to be part of the council’s development plan.

2.    To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the appropriate

      Cabinet member and in agreement with the Qualifying Body, the correction  

      of any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors together with 

      any improvements from a presentational perspective.

On 18 May 2020, the chief executive, under emergency powers authorised the head of housing and environment to enforce any requirements imposed by the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 and any regulations replacing, amending or supplementing them. This delegation applied until 6 May 2021.

To date, compliance with any restrictions has for the most part been achieved by giving advice and seeking voluntary compliance and the roadmap out of lockdown is expected to result in fewer restrictions. However, officers need to be able to act swiftly if the situation changes at any time.

Council is therefore requested to:

1.    authorise the head of housing and environment to exercise the council’s powers and duties under any legislation relating to the control of Coronavirus, including taking enforcement action, service of notices, inspections, powers of entry, and the appointment of inspectors;

2.    authorise the head of legal and democratic to include this delegation in the constitution.

On 18 May 2020, the chief executive, under emergency powers authorised the head of housing and environment to enforce any requirements imposed by the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 and any regulations replacing, amending or supplementing them. This delegation applied until 6 May 2021.

Council was invited to authorise the head of housing and environment to exercise the council’s powers and duties under any legislation relating to the control of Coronavirus, including taking enforcement action, service of notices, inspections, powers of entry, and the appointment of inspectors and to authorise the head of legal and democratic to include this delegation in the constitution.

RESOLVED: to

1.    authorise the head of housing and environment to exercise the council’s powers and duties under any legislation relating to the control of Coronavirus, including taking enforcement action, service of notices, inspections, powers of entry, and the appointment of inspectors;

2.    authorise the head of legal and democratic to include this delegation in the constitution.

1.    To receive the report of the leader of the council.

2.    Urgent cabinet decisions

In accordance with the Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules, a Cabinet or Cabinet member decision can be taken as a matter of urgency, if any delay by the call in process would seriously prejudice the council’s or the public’s interest or that the decision cannot reasonably be deferred.  Treating the decision as a matter of urgency must be agreed by the chair of the Scrutiny Committee and must be reported to Council, together with the reasons for urgency.

Council is requested to note the details of the following urgent decisions.

A.   Contain Outbreak Management Fund grant funding

On 26 March 2021, Councillor Sue Cooper, Leader of the council, took a decision to approve arrangements for the council to administer Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) grant funding to implement measures to support proactive containment and intervention to reduce Covid-19 outbreaks and the spread of infection.

The item was not placed on the Cabinet work programme due to the timing of the receipt of the funds.  The chair of the Scrutiny Committee agreed to waive call in to allow the funds to be committed in the 2020/2021 financial year.       

B.   South Oxfordshire District Council Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) Scheme Round 3

On 6 May 2021, Councillor Leigh Rawlins, Cabinet member for finance, took a decision to approve South Oxfordshire District Council’s Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme Round 3 and authorise the interim head of development and regeneration, in consultation with the interim

head of finance to award grants.

The chair of the Scrutiny Committee agreed to waive call in to allow the grants to be awarded immediately. 

Councillor Cooper, Leader of the council, provided an update on a number of matters. The text of her address is available on the council’s website.

Council noted the details of an urgent decision taken by Councillor Cooper, Leader of the council, to approve arrangements for the council to administer Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) grant funding to implement measures to support proactive containment and intervention to reduce Covid-19 outbreaks and the spread of infection. Council also noted an urgent decision taken by Councillor Rawlins, Cabinet member for finance, to approve South Oxfordshire District Council’s Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme – Round 3.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the confidential Council minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2021.

RESOLVED: to approve the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2021 as a correct record and agree that the chair sign them as such.