Agenda

To record apologies for absence. 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Council minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2024 - attached. 

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. 

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. 

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

To receive any petitions from the public. 

At its meeting on 15 October 2024, the Joint Audit and Governance Committee considered the head of finance’s report on the 2023/24 Joint Audit and Governance Annual Report.

In accordance with the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Position Statement: Audit Committees in Local Authorities and Police, it is recommended practice for an annual public report to be produced demonstrating how the Joint Audit and Governance Committee has discharged its responsibilities. 

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: to note the Annual Report of the work of the Joint Audit and Governance Committee during 20234/24, attached to the Council agenda, which outlines the activity of the committee during 2023/24.

The Licensing Acts Committee, at its meeting on 21 November 2024, considered the report of the head of communities on the review of the Joint Gambling Policy following statutory consultation.

The proposed Joint Gambling Policy is attached.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: to

1.    adopt the proposed Joint Gambling Policy

2.    authorise the head of communities to make minor editorial changes to the Joint Gambling Policy.

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

4.    adopt a ‘no casino’ resolution under section 166 (1) of the Gambling Act 2005, meaning that any application for a casino would not be considered.

At its meeting on 28 November 2024, Cabinet considered the attached report of the head of finance on the adoption and implementation of a modified council tax reduction scheme for the financial years 2025/2026 onwards.

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: to extend the period in which a new claim for council tax reduction can be backdated from six months to twelve months, where good cause has been demonstrated. 

At its meeting on 28 November 2024, Cabinet considered the attached report of the head of finance on the setting of the council tax base for 2025/26.

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: to

1.    Approve the report of the head of finance for the calculation of the council’s tax base and the calculation of the tax base for each parish area for 2025/2026.

2.    Agree that, in accordance with The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by South Oxfordshire District Council as its council tax base for the year 2025/26 be 63,639.9.

3.    Agree that, in accordance with The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by South Oxfordshire District Council as the council tax base for the year 2025/26 for each parish be the amount shown against the name of that parish in Appendix A of the report of the head of finance to Cabinet on 28 November 2024.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic, and the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel, on a revised councillors’ allowances scheme to run from 1 April 2025 - attached.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic on the review of political balance following the Cholsey by-election on 5 December 2024. The report will be circulated following the by-election.

To receive the report of the Leader of council.

To receive the update report attached.

No questions were submitted by councillors. 

No motions were submitted by councillors.

To consider whether to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business under Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that:

(i)     It is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A, and

(ii)    the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

At its meeting on 28 November 2024, Cabinet considered the confidential report of the head of development and corporate landlord on the acquisition of land. The Joint Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 18 November 2024 and supported the recommendations set out in the report.

Cabinet’s recommendations and decisions are attached.