Decisions

Use the below search options at the bottom of the page to find information regarding recent decisions that have been taken by the council’s decision making bodies.

Alternatively you can visit the officer decisions page for information on officer delegated decisions that have been taken by council officers.

Earlier - Later

Decisions published

01/12/2022 - Council tax base 2023/24 ref: 788    Recommmend Forward to Council

Purpose: to recommend the council tax base to Council

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 01/12/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 01/12/2022

Decision:

Cabinet considered the head of finance’s report on the council tax base for 2023/24.  Each year an estimate was made of the taxable resources for the district as a whole and for each parish area.  This was then recommended by Cabinet to full Council for approval.  The council tax base for the district would then be notified to Oxfordshire County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, plus each parish and town council. 

 

Cabinet welcomed the report and the detail it provided for each parish.  Officers were asked to consider adding a further column in next year’s report to show the change in the number of homes for each parish. 

 

RESOLVED to recommend Council to:

 

(a)    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 2023/2024;

 

(b)    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 2023/24 be 61,349.5; and

 

(c)    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 2023/24 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 1 December 2022. 

Lead officer: Trevor Gaffney


19/12/2022 - Car park fees 2023/24 ref: 789    Recommendations Approved

Purpose: to review the fees for 2023/24

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 19/12/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 19/12/2022

Decision:

Cabinet considered the report of the head of development and corporate landlord.  This provided information to help the Cabinet undertake an annual review of the council’s car park fees, in line with the council’s policy, and to decide whether to change the fees for 2023/24.  Cabinet noted that, for the first time, it was not being asked to review charges for penalties, as the level of car park penalty charges was now set by legislation, which changed on 1 November 2022 when the council introduced civil parking enforcement. 

 

The car park policy, agreed by Cabinet in August 2022, included guidance from the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which stated that council parking
enforcement should be self-financing, and that the council should aim for its parking income to at least meet the cost of running its car parks.  The report set out the current fees and permits, together with a comparison of fees in other neighbouring car parks.  It also set out the cost of providing the car parks service and ancillary services such as public conveniences, and projected income and expenditure over a five-year period. 

 

Based on the current usage and estimated income and expenditure, the report set out options to allow the car park account to at least ‘break even’ in the medium term.  The options for 2023/24 were:

1.    No change to the current car parking fees

2.    Increase all fees and permits by 10 per cent (rounded), in line with inflation

3.    Create premium rate parking spaces

4.    Extend the charging period from 6pm to 9pm at a fee of £1

5.    Remove free parking and charge a nominal 50p for up to one hour

6.    Introduce a fee for parking in the winter season at the Riverside car park in Wallingford, and amend the permit prices. 

 

The Cabinet member, with responsibility for the car parks service, recommended that Cabinet approved option 2, increasing all fees and permits by 10 per cent, roughly in line with inflation. 

 

The Cabinet member reviewed the other options.  Option 1, no change to fees, was rejected as it would leave the council with a deficit in the car parks account.  Option 3, providing differential pricing through premium rates nearer to main facilities, had merit but required further work and consultation with the towns.  Option 4, charging for parking in the evening, also had merit but was not supported during the current cost-of-living crisis.  However, options 3 and 4 could be explored for future years.  Option 5, removing the one-hour free parking, was rejected as it would not help residents or town centre businesses during the current cost-of-living crisis.  Option 6, charging for winter season parking at the Riverside car park in Wallingford, would cost more to introduce than the income it was expected to generate, and so was also rejected. 

 

Cabinet welcomed the report with its options clearly set out.  Cabinet supported the Cabinet member’s view that the council should increase its car park fees and permits by 10 per cent (rounded) with effect from 1 April 2023.  Members believed that the car parks service should not be subsidised by those that did not use them.  Parking would still cost less than £1 per hour as a result of these changes.  Also, Cabinet welcomed investigations into introducing options 3 and 4 for future years, subject to consultation. 

 

RESOLVED: to

 

(a)       agree the car parking fees for the financial year 2023-24, including increasing all fees and permits in line with inflation (10 per cent); 

 

(b)       authorise the head of legal and democratic to prepare a Notice of Variation under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for publishing in the local newspaper and all affected car parks; and

 

(c)        authorise the head of development and corporate landlord to oversee necessary communications.   

Lead officer: John Backley


01/12/2022 - Oxfordshire Plan 2050 ceasing production and implications for the Joint Local Plan and Local Development Scheme ref: 787    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 01/12/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 01/12/2022

Decision:

Cabinet considered the head of policy and programmes’ report.  This reported that work had ended on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 and the implications this had for the Joint Local Plan and the Local Development Scheme. 

 

Cabinet recalled that in February 2018, the council made a decision to participate in a strategic plan with the other Oxfordshire authorities, and later that year, Cabinet approved the timetable for an Oxfordshire plan.  However, during the summer 2022, the leaders of the five Oxfordshire local planning authorities announced that they were unable to reach agreement on the approach to planning for future housing needs and ended work on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050.  Instead, the councils agreed to tackle these issues through their own local plans, in South Oxfordshire’s case through a joint local plan with Vale of White Horse, recognising the wider duty to co-operate. 

 

The report presented the next steps and sought approval of an amended timetable for the Joint Local Plan in an updated Local Development Scheme.  The report proposed that the timetable for getting the Joint Local Plan to adoption stage should be extended by 11 months.  This would allow time to fill some gaps in the councils’ evidence base and would avoid holding public consultations during a pre-election period.  Recognising that the timetable might need to change again, the report sought delegated authority to make further updates. 

 

Cabinet noted the end of work on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 and welcomed the progress already made on the Joint Local Plan with the Vale of White Horse District Council.  Cabinet noted that not all of the freedoms and flexibilities initially offered by the government for the period of 2050s development were made available.  Cabinet welcomed the revised Local Development Scheme and its amended timetable, and supported the delegation to make further changes to the timetable if necessary. 

 

RESOLVED to:

 

(a)       formally note the cessation of work on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050;

 

(b)       note that Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire councils have committed to develop a Joint Local Plan and work is progressing well to the delivery of that outcome, recognising the wider duty to co-operate;

 

(c)        approve the updated Joint Local Development Scheme (December 2022), attached at Appendix 1 to the head of policy and programmes’ report to Cabinet on 1 December 2022; and

 

(d)       authorise the head of policy and programmes, in consultation with the Cabinet member for planning, to make any updates to the Joint Local Development Scheme. 

Lead officer: Emma Baker


01/12/2022 - Diversity and inclusion strategy ref: 784    Recommendations Approved

Purpose: to approve the strategy

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 01/12/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 01/12/2022

Decision:

Cabinet considered the head of corporate services’ report on a proposal to adopt a diversity and inclusion strategy. 

 

The council’s Corporate Plan included an aim to embed an organisational culture that celebrated diversity, inclusion and respect.  The council had also approved a motion relating to diversity and inclusion, and had published a diversity and social campaign calendar on its website. 

 

The strategy had been developed to strengthen and improve diversity and inclusion across the communities in South Oxfordshire and to further improve council services.  Consultation feedback had been taken into account to further strengthen the strategy.  The Cabinet member for community wellbeing reported that it was important for the council to create an environment where everybody felt that they belonged and that their voice would be heard.  The council must embrace everyone’s differences, their unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities.  The strategy was the first step in doing this.  It would drive improvements in the council’s services to make it easier for everyone to use them. 

 

Cabinet welcomed the strategy, noting that an action plan would be developed to implement it.  It was not a legal requirement to have a strategy, but Cabinet members considered it was important to do so.  It was also an opportunity to review service provision to ensure that services were easily accessible by everyone. 

 

RESOLVED: to

 

(a)    note the consultation responses received, including comments from Joint Scrutiny Committee; and

 

(b)    adopt the Joint Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils, as set out in Appendix 1 to the head of corporate services’ report to Cabinet on 1 December 2022. 

Lead officer: David Fairall


01/12/2022 - Oxfordshire Food strategy ref: 785    Recommendations Approved

Purpose: to support the principles of the Oxfordshire Food Strategy and agree to develop an action plan

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 01/12/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 01/12/2022

Decision:

Cabinet considered the head of policy and programmes’ report on the Oxfordshire Food Strategy.  Oxfordshire County Council had commissioned Good Food Oxfordshire to produce a food strategy.  Cabinet was asked to endorse the strategy and agree to develop a local action plan to implement it.  Funding would be available from the county council to deliver the action plan. 

 

The strategy aimed to ensure:

·       healthy and sustainable food was affordable and accessible to everyone

·       a sustainable food economy where local food businesses flourished, with more production, more outlets, more employment and better standards for workers

·       more people could enjoy and engage with healthy, sustainable food and that ‘good food for everyone’ was part of our culture

·       that food production, consumption and waste had a less negative impact on the planet

·       more locally produced, sustainable food was bought and consumed locally, and that supply chains were more resilient

·       that the council continued to evaluate and strengthen existing initiatives, build foundations for new initiatives, and to manage and monitor progress 

 

Cabinet supported the strategy and welcomed the opportunity to develop a local action plan to implement it.  The action plan should also allow the council to work in partnership with the many local community groups and the farming community that were already working towards these aims.  Cabinet looked forward to the action plan and its implementation. 

 

RESOLVED to:

 

(a)    endorse the Oxfordshire Food Strategy (Part One) principles and framework for delivery, attached at Appendix 1 to the head of policy and programmes’ report to Cabinet on 1 December 2022; and

 

(b)    ask officers to work with relevant partners to develop a detailed local food strategy action plan (Part Two).

Lead officer: Jayne Bolton


01/12/2022 - Didcot Growth Accelerator Enterprise Zone - Memorandum of Understanding ref: 786    Recommendations Approved

Purpose: to update the Memorandum of Understanding for the retention and distribution of business rates growth income

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 01/12/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 01/12/2022

Decision:

Cabinet considered the report of the deputy chief executive – partnerships.  The report outlined the work undertaken to draft a new memorandum of understanding that would set out how local business rates were spent. 

 

The spending of the retained business rates in the Enterprise Zone area was the responsibility of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.  These business rates were spent on infrastructure projects in Oxfordshire but not necessarily in the area from which they originated.  The revised memorandum of understanding had resulted from negotiations for a better allocation of the spend, by confirming the prioritisation of projects in the Didcot Growth Accelerator Enterprise Zone (EZ2) or its surrounding area, and on schemes that promoted the council’s corporate objectives. 

 

Cabinet welcomed the council entering into a revised memorandum of understanding on this basis.  Cabinet also supported the Vale of White Horse being formally confirmed as the accountable body, as the majority of the enterprise zone was within its district. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

(a)    that South Oxfordshire District Council should enter into a new memorandum of understanding with the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Vale of White Horse District Council and Oxfordshire County Council, for the retention and distribution of business rates growth income from the Didcot Growth Accelerator Enterprise Zone, agreeing the roles of each party and specifically that Vale of White Horse District Council becomes sole Accountable Body; and

 

(b)    to authorise the deputy chief executive – partnerships, in consultation with the Cabinet member responsible for partnerships, to finalise terms of the new memorandum of understanding, including non-material amendments, and to enter into it. 

Wards affected: Didcot North East; Didcot South; Didcot West;

Lead officer: Susan Harbour


23/01/2023 - Council tax exceptional hardship fund ref: 783    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Cabinet member for finance and property assets

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 23/01/2023

Decision:

To approve arrangements for the allocation and distribution of a Council

Tax Exceptional Hardship Fund designed and set up in response to the

ongoing cost of living crisis.

This ICMD specifically requests approval for the following:

• To utilise £35,000 of Contain Outbreak Management Funding

(COMF) and £35,000 matched funding from Oxfordshire County

Council, to set up a Council Tax Exceptional Hardship Fund for

residents for financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024

• to accept aforementioned funding from Oxfordshire County Council

and enter into the corresponding funding agreement with

Oxfordshire County Council.

• to agree to the Council Tax Exceptional Hardship Fund Policy, as

detailed in appendix A.

• to delegate the authority to review and amend this policy and any

future policies pertaining to the Council Tax Exceptional Hardship

Fund to the Head of Finance & S151 officer.

Lead officer: Trevor Gaffney


24/01/2023 - Section 106 funding for public open space at Radnor Road, Wallingford ref: 782    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Cabinet member for finance and property assets

Decision published: 26/01/2023

Effective from: 24/01/2023

Decision:

To create a budget for £75,000.00 from one S106 contribution, and release funds to South Oxfordshire District Council towards improvements to the public open space at Radnor Road, Wallingford, in accordance with Paragraph 75(b) of the Constitution of South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council – 24 May 2022.

 

The Constitution states that for section 106 and CIL agreements greater than £20,000 up to £100,000, budgets can be approved by the relevant Cabinet member in consultation with the Cabinet member for finance.

Wards affected: Wallingford;

Lead officer: Mark Hewer


 

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