Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2016.

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

1.    Members of the public were permitted to film, broadcast and report on the meeting, subject to the efficient running of the meeting not being affected.

2.    This was the last Executive of the municipal year and the last Executive meeting Councillor Gibbard would be attending as he as not standing at the forthcoming election. The Leader thanked Councillor Gibbard for his hard work and valuable contributions to Executive and the Council, in particular, the delivery of the Local Plan.

Joint report of Head of Development Management and Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy

Purpose of report

To consider the Upper Heyford Framework Plan.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To adopt the Upper Heyford Framework Plan as a guideline for the purposes of Development Management

Item deferred

The Chairman advised Members that consideration of this item was deferred to the next meeting of Executive.

Report of Commercial Director (Bicester)

Purpose of report

The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Interim Position Statement (attached as Appendix 1 to this report) relating to the securing of construction apprenticeships and skills through the land use planning system.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To approve Appendix 1 as guidance which will operate informally to secure construction apprenticeships and skills through the processing of planning applications by the Council, prior to informing a relevant policy within the Cherwell District Council Local Plan Part 2 and the Planning Contributions Supplementary Planning Document, which are currently in the early stages of preparation.

1.2         To request that the Leader nominates a Cherwell District Council representative on to theApprenticeship and Training Company Apprenticeship and Training Agency (ATA) Board.

Resolved

(1)          That the Draft Cherwell District Council Interim Position Statement on Planning Obligations for Construction Apprenticeships and Skills, April 2016 be approved as guidance which will operate informally to secure construction apprenticeships and skills through the processing of planning applications by the Council, prior to informing a relevant policy within the Cherwell District Council Local Plan Part 2 and the Planning Contributions Supplementary Planning Document, which are currently in the early stages of preparation.

(2)          That, after the Annual Council meeting in May 2016 the Leader  nominates a Cherwell District Council representative on to theApprenticeship and Training Company Apprenticeship and Training Agency (ATA) Board.

The Commercial Director (Bicester) submitted a report which sought approval of the Interim Position Statement relating to the securing of construction apprenticeships and skills through the land use planning system.

Resolved

(1)          That the Draft Cherwell District Council Interim Position Statement on Planning Obligations for Construction Apprenticeships and Skills, April 2016 be approved as guidance which will operate informally to secure construction apprenticeships and skills through the processing of planning applications by the Council, prior to informing a relevant policy within the Cherwell District Council Local Plan Part 2 and the Planning Contributions Supplementary Planning Document, which are currently in the early stages of preparation.

(2)          That, after the Annual Council meeting in May 2016 the Leader  nominates a Cherwell District Council representative on to theApprenticeship and Training Company Apprenticeship and Training Agency (ATA) Board.

Reasons

Increasing the number of new apprenticeships in England is a high profile Government objective. Cherwell District Council supports this aspiration. The amount of new development taking place in the District over the next 20 years or so, coupled with the evidenced shortage of construction skills provides both an incentive and opportunity to secure the provision of new construction related apprenticeships through the land use planning system.

The Cherwell District Council Local Plan Part 1 as well as CDC’s Economic Strategy contains strategic aspirations relating to the need to support an increase in skills and training within the District. The Guidance provides detail on how this overarching strategic aim can be achieved through the land use planning process.

CDC is anticipating that developers will generally support the approach being promoted in this Guidance as an important and progressive initiative designed both  increase the number of local skilled construction operatives available to support the building industry, as well as promoting the construction trades generally as a valuable future career path for young people. As such, the Executive is recommended to approve Appendix 1 to operate as informal guidance to secure construction apprenticeships and skills through the processing of planning applications by the Council, prior to informing a relevant policy within the Cherwell District Council Local Plan Part 2 and the Planning Contributions Supplementary Planning Document, which are currently in the early stages of preparation.

The setting up and operating of The Apprenticeship and Training Company to manage apprenticeships on behalf of developers and their contractors is a key element of delivering the apprenticeships. This is because it will make the whole process easier for developers by acting as the apprentices’ employer - rather than the developer needing to. Given that the OXLEP grant is supporting the first year or so of the Company’s operation and CDC is the accountable body for this grant, as well as its strategic commitment to support skills and training, it would seem appropriate that there is a CDC representative to sit on the Board.

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to progress the interim informal guidance but wait until a relevant policy can be included in Local Plan Part II  ...  view the full minutes text for item 144.

Report of Head of Environmental Services

Purpose of report

To update the Executive on the actions and strategies being followed to ensure the district has a good level of cleanliness

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Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1      To note the good levels of customer satisfaction (69% in 2015) with the Council’s Street Cleansing service.

1.2      To support the enforcement actions to combat fly tipping, littering and dog fouling.

1.3      To support the combination of education, enforcement and operational efficiency to keep the District clean. 

Resolved

(1)          That the good levels of customer satisfaction (69% in 2015) with the Council’s Street Cleansing service be noted.

(2)          That the enforcement actions to combat fly tipping, littering and dog fouling be supported.

(3)          That the combination of education, enforcement and operational efficiency to keep the District clean be supported.

The Head of Environmental Services submitted a report which updated the Executive on the actions and strategies being followed to ensure the district had a good level of cleanliness.

Resolved

(1)          That the good levels of customer satisfaction (69% in 2015) with the Council’s Street Cleansing service be noted.

(2)          That the enforcement actions to combat fly tipping, littering and dog fouling be supported.

(3)          That the combination of education, enforcement and operational efficiency to keep the District clean be supported.

Reasons

To keep the District clean a range of activities are required. Removing litter & fly tips quickly is important but if residents can be educated to be responsible with their waste the amount of fly tipping and litter can be reduced. For those who wish to ruin the environment through selfish actions, an enforcement team investigates all fly tipping and helps to reduce littering by the issuing of fixed penalty notices.

Customer satisfaction is good with 69% achieved in 2015 a rise from 67% in 201

To keep the District clean a range of activities are required. Removing litter & fly tips quickly is important but if residents can be educated to be responsible with their waste the amount of fly tipping and litter can be reduced. For those who wish to ruin the environment through selfish actions, an enforcement team investigates all fly tipping and helps to reduce littering by the issuing of fixed penalty notices.

Customer satisfaction is good with 69% achieved in 2015 a rise from 67% in 2014.

Alternative options

Option 1: To support the activities to keep the district clean

Option 2:  To reject the activities used to keep the district clean

Option 3:   To ask officers to consider alternative improvements

Report of Head of Law and Governance

Purpose of report

To seek approval for the making of an order pursuant to section 109 of the Local Government Act 1972 in respect of Hampton Gay and Poyle Parish Meeting in order to vest in it certain powers of a parish council.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         To approve the making of an order in the form appended pursuant to section 109 of the Local Government Act 1972 in respect of Hampton Gay and Poyle Parish Meeting.

Resolved

(1)          That the making of an order in the form appended pursuant to section 109 of the Local Government Act 1972 in respect of Hampton Gay and Poyle Parish Meeting be approved.

The Head of Law and Governance submitted a report to seek approval for the making of an order pursuant to section 109 of the Local Government Act 1972 in respect of Hampton Gay and Poyle Parish Meeting in order to vest in it certain powers of a parish council.

Resolved

(1)          That the making of an order in the form appended pursuant to section 109 of the Local Government Act 1972 in respect of Hampton Gay and Poyle Parish Meeting be approved.

Reasons

A valid request has been made to the Council by the parish meeting and it is recommended that the request is granted.

Alternative Options

Executive could reject the request but there are no justifiable reasons for doing so.

Report of Chief Executive

Purpose of report

To provide an update on devolution and to authorise further joint working in support of it.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        That Executive agree to work with the other District Councils and partners to further develop the initial unitary devolution proposals.

1.2       That Executive agree that independent consultants should be jointly appointed by the Districts to undertake detailed work on viability and sustainability and governance; specialist work on collaboration around Children and Adult services; public consultation and involvement;  and preparation of a revised Devolution Deal and a contribution of up to £50k be made to facilitate those studies. This will be funded from General Fund balances. 

Resolved

(1)          That agreement be given to work with the other District Councils and partners to further develop the initial unitary devolution proposals.

(2)          That it be agreed that independent consultants should be jointly appointed by the Districts to undertake detailed work on viability and sustainability and governance; specialist work on collaboration around Children and Adult services; public consultation and involvement;  and preparation of a revised Devolution Deal and that Full Council be recommended to approve the addition of the pursuance of a devolution bid to the adopted policy frameworkand a contribution of up to £50k to be made to facilitate those studies, which will be funded from General Fund balances.

(3)          That in view of the need to confirm the Council’s commitment to the joint appointment of consultants prior to the next scheduled council meeting the Chief Executive be requested to exercise her urgency action powers to implement the recommendations to Full Council in resolution (2) above in consultation with the Chairman of Council.

The Chief Executive submitted a report to provide an update on devolution and to authorise further joint working in support of it.

Resolved

(1)          That agreement be given to work with the other District Councils and partners to further develop the initial unitary devolution proposals.

(2)          That it be agreed that independent consultants should be jointly appointed by the Districts to undertake detailed work on viability and sustainability and governance; specialist work on collaboration around Children and Adult services; public consultation and involvement;  and preparation of a revised Devolution Deal and that Full Council be recommended to approve the addition of the pursuance of a devolution bid to the adopted policy frameworkand a contribution of up to £50k to be made to facilitate those studies, which will be funded from General Fund balances.

(3)          That in view of the need to confirm the Council’s commitment to the joint appointment of consultants prior to the next scheduled council meeting the Chief Executive be requested to exercise her urgency action powers to implement the recommendations to Full Council in resolution (2) above in consultation with the Chairman of Council.

Reasons

There is clearly a lot of detail to be worked through over the coming months. The next step will be to jointly commission independent experts with our partners to produce detailed, costed plans for the preferred option and test them against other options to ensure the best and most cost-effective solutions. It is proposed that our Council contribute up to £50,000 to jointly commission this detailed work.

Detailed proposals will be considered by each of the Councils prior to full public consultation in the summer. We would need to be certain of the benefits for the residents of the district.

The approval of £50,000 to fund the collective pot for the unitary bid needs Full Council approval as there is no specific approved budget that Executive can call upon – General Fund balances being the source. In addition the CDC business plan does not identify anything specific relating to the allocation of resources to devolution in general and the unitary bid in particular so Full Council needs to approve the addition of the pursuance of devolution to the adopted policy framework so that Executive can deal with any future decisions itself.

In view of the need to confirm the Council’s commitment to the joint appointment of consultants prior to the next scheduled council meeting the Chief Executive is requested to exercise her urgency action powers to implement the recommendations to Full Council in consultation with the Chairman of Council.

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to support the study – This is not supported as it is important that the councils are able to make an informed decision based on a sound evidence base

The following report contains exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Members are reminded that whilst the following item has been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider it in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

No representations have been received from the public requesting that this item be considered in public.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to pass the following recommendation:

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

Resolved

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt Report of Director of Operational Delivery

Resolved

(1)          That a contract be awarded to Parkwood Leisure Ltd for the operation of Woodgreen Leisure Centre for up to 18 years and agreed facility improvements.

(2)          That authority be delegated to the Director of Operational Delivery, the Head of Finance and Procurement and the Head of Law and Governance in consultation with the Deputy Leader and the Lead Member for Resources to finalise the contractual detail.

The Director of Operational Delivery submitted an exempt report to consider the award of a long term contract for operation of Woodgreen leisure Centre and facility improvements.

Resolved

(1)          That a contract be awarded to Parkwood Leisure Ltd for the operation of Woodgreen Leisure Centre for up to 18 years and agreed facility improvements.

(2)          That authority be delegated to the Director of Operational Delivery, the Head of Finance and Procurement and the Head of Law and Governance in consultation with the Deputy Leader and the Lead Member for Resources to finalise the contractual detail.

Reasons

The Council through the Executive have effectively agreed a preferred scheme which only now needs approval for contract award which this reports seeks to achieve.

Alternative options

Option 1: To reject or delay the contract award. This is not recommended due to the process already undertaken and the service benefits realised through accelerating the new contract delivery timescale