Decisions

RESOLVED: 

That Cabinet:  

1. Notes that since the statutory invitation to all councils in two tier areas, significant early work has been undertaken by all Oxfordshire Councils and that South/Vale officers have engaged with officers across Oxfordshire and are also working separately with officers from West Berkshire. 

2. Notes and supports the submission of an interim proposal for a two unitary model based on one new unitary council covering the entire existing boundaries of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils and West Berkshire Council, with the working title of “Ridgeway” and a second new unitary covering the entire existing boundaries of Cherwell and West Oxfordshire District Councils and Oxford City Council. 

3. Notes that at least two other interim proposals will likely be submitted, one proposed by Oxfordshire County Council and one from Oxford City Council.  

4. Notes officers understand that at its meeting on 20 March, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet will consider whether to submit a single overarching ‘interim plan’, including the ‘wrapper’ as Appendix B and the narrative proposals contained as Appendix C, Appendix D and Appendix E, or a combination of one or more of these. 

5. Notes that should Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet not include the narrative proposal which is Appendix C within the overall interim plan, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse will submit this directly to Government in line with the invitation letter. 

6. Agrees to a virement of up to £100,000 from the 2025/26 revenue contingency budget, if required, to fund anticipated costs associated with the next stages of the process. 

7. Recognises that the ‘decision making’ authority for Oxfordshire on the geography of any Strategic Authority is Oxfordshire County Council and that as it would be beneficial for the strategic authority involving our area to commence alongside unitarisation, therefore asks Oxfordshire County Council to move forward as quickly as possible with this. 

8. To support the above, calls on Oxfordshire County Council to make clear that its preferred Strategic Authority geography is Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, noting that this will require Buckinghamshire to wish to engage with Oxfordshire and the Berkshire authorities. 

9. Asks the Leader and Chief Executive to ensure the above positions are reflected in any and all engagement with partners and Government on related matters. 

1.    To award revenue grants for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, as listed in Appendix 1, totalling £667,992 as recommended by the Community Grants Panel.

2.    To award seventeen grants subject to the conditions laid out in Appendix 2 for fourteen of the organisations, and three will be subject to a legal grant agreement.

3.    To delegate authority to the community wellbeing manager to agree the performance monitoring targets with the successful organisations.

To agree to hold the taxi tariff at the current rates.

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. 

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