Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chairman welcomed councillors, officers and  members of the public and  press to the virtual meeting of Full Council.

There were no declarations of interest.

Special Meeting

The Chairman reminded Councillors that as this was a special meeting, the minutes of committees were not taken and there were no questions or motions on the agenda. These items would be included on the agenda at the next scheduled Council meeting on Monday 19 October.

The Chairman confirmed that the usual meeting procedure rules apply in terms of Members speaking on items, including the length of speeches were still applicable.

Housekeeping

The Chairman reminded Members of the protocol and etiquette for virtual meetings.

Former Councillors Maureen Hastings and Keith Mitchell CBE

The Chairman referred to the sad passing of former Cherwell Councillor Maureen Hastings on 25 July 2020 at the age of 92.

Mrs Hastings had been a valued member of the council, serving the Yarnton ward for over 26 years from 1982 to 2008.

Mrs Hastings served on numerous committees during her time as a councillor, including housing services, estates, economic development, planning, personnel, finance and appeals.

Mrs Hastings was elected the council’s Vice-Chairman in May 2001 and became Chairman in 2002. She held this role for 2 years until 2004, when she was re-elected Vice-Chairman for a further year from 2004-2005.

As well as serving on Cherwell District Council, Mrs Hastings was also an elected member of Oxfordshire County Council.

On behalf of Council, the Chairman extended condolences to former Councillor Hasting’s sons and their families.

The Chairman referred to the sad passing of former Cherwell Councillor Keith Mitchell CBE on 26 August 2020.

Mr Mitchell had been elected to Cherwell District Council in 1990, serving the Bloxham ward until he stood down in 2002.

Mr Mitchell served on numerous committees including, Housing, Estates, Finance, Policy, Banbury Town Council re-development working party, Appeals and the Personnel and General Committee.

Mr Mitchell was also an elected member of Oxfordshire County Council, representing Bloxham, Adderbury, Bodicote and the surrounding areas of north Oxfordshire between 1989 and 2013. Mr Mitchell served as Leader of the County Council from 2001-2012.  

Mr Mitchell was appointed a CBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s birthday honours in June 2007 for his services to local government.

The Chairman advised that due to the current restrictions, a private funeral would be held for former Councillor Keith Mitchell. In the meantime, on behalf of Council, the Chairman extended condolences to Keith’s wife, Lynda, and family.

A number of Members paid tribute to former Councillor Maureen Hastings and former Councillor Keith Mitchell CBE.

Members held a period of silence in memory of former Councillor Maureen Hastings and former Councillor Keith Mitchell CBE.

The Chairman to report on any requests to submit petitions or to address the meeting.

Addresses may be presented by:

·       A Local Government elector for the area,

·       A person who is wholly or mainly resident in the area,

·       A Council Taxpayer or National Non-Domestic Ratepayer for the area

Addresses must be on an item on the Agenda before the meeting and not exceed 5 minutes. No person may address more than one meeting on any particular issue.

Requests to address the meeting (including the reason for the address and confirming the requirement for an address is met) should be submitted to democracy@cherwellandsouthnorthants.gov.uk The deadline for petitions and requests to address this meeting is noon on Friday 4 September 2020.

Requests will be heard in the order individuals have registered. Individuals requesting to address the meeting will be provided with details of how they can join the virtual meeting to make their address.

Full details of public participation at meetings is available in the Constitution.

The Chairman advised the meeting that there were no petitions but there were fifteen requests to address the meeting, on agenda item 11, Partial Review of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 – Oxford’s Unmet Housing Need: Inspector’s Report and Plan Adoption. The public speakers would each be able to speak for up to 5 minutes and would be called to address the meeting prior to the item being considered by Council.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of Council held on 20 July 2020.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2020 were agreed as a correct record, to be signed by the Chairman in due course.

***Please note this report will follow as the meeting is being held on 7 September, after agenda publication***

The Chairman advised that due to urgent Parliamentary business this meeting had been postponed and there was therefore no update report submitted to Council.

The Chairman advised that due to urgent Parliamentary business this meeting had been postponed and there was therefore no update report submitted to Council.

***Please note this report will follow***

Report of Chief Executive

Purpose of report

To appoint a permanent Monitoring Officer following the recruitment process for the vacant Director Law and Governance post.

Resolved

(1)           That Anita Bradley be appointed as the Council’s Monitoring Officer with effect from the date of her taking up the post of Director of Law and Governance.

The Chief Executive submitted a report to appoint a permanent Monitoring Officer following the recruitment process for the vacant Director Law and Governance post.

Resolved

(1)           That Anita Bradley be appointed as the Council’s Monitoring Officer with effect from the date of her taking up the post of Director of Law and Governance.

Report of Director of Public Health and Wellbeing

Purpose of report

To accept the delegation of powers granted to Oxfordshire County Council under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 that give local authorities powers relating to the control and prevention of coronavirus.

Recommendations

The Council is recommended to:

 1.1         Accept the delegation of powers to enable Cherwell District Council to carry out enforcement actions detailed by The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020.

1.2    Authorise the Assistant Director Regulatory Services, acting in consultation with the Director Law and Governance and the Corporate Director Finance, to enter into all necessary and appropriate contracts and agreements to implement the delivery of the enforcement work on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC).

1.3      Delegate authority to the Assistant Director Regulatory Services to perform the enforcement duties of OCC set out in any such agreements referred to above.

Resolved

(1)           That the delegation of powers to enable Cherwell District Council to carry out enforcement actions detailed by The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 be accepted.

(2)           That the Assistant Director Regulatory Services, acting in consultation with the Director Law and Governance and the Corporate Director Finance, be authorised to enter into all necessary and appropriate contracts and agreements to implement the delivery of the enforcement work on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC).

(3)           That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director Regulatory Services to perform the enforcement duties of OCC set out in any such agreements referred to above.

The Director of Public Health and Wellbeing submitted a report for Council to accept the delegation of powers granted to Oxfordshire County Council under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 that give local authorities powers relating to the control and prevention of coronavirus.

Resolved

(1)           That the delegation of powers to enable Cherwell District Council to carry out enforcement actions detailed by The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 be accepted.

(2)           That the Assistant Director Regulatory Services, acting in consultation with the Director Law and Governance and the Corporate Director Finance, be authorised to enter into all necessary and appropriate contracts and agreements to implement the delivery of the enforcement work on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC).

(3)           That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director Regulatory Services to perform the enforcement duties of OCC set out in any such agreements referred to above.

Report of Director of Finance

Purpose of report

This report proposes a revised budget for 2020/21 to reflect the financial impact of COVID-19 and includes proposed savings required in order to achieve a balanced budget

Recommendations

Council is recommended to:

 1.1         approve the savings as set out in Appendix 1.

1.2          approve a £1.2m use of the reserves as identified in Table 1.

1.3          approve the revised budget as set out in Table 1.

Resolved

(1)           That the savings as set out in the Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

(2)           That a £1.2m use of the reserves as identified in Table 1 below be approved.

(3)           That the revised budget as set out in Table 1 below be approved:

The Director of Finance submitted a report which proposed a revised budget for 2020/21 to reflect the financial impact of COVID-19 and includes proposed savings required in order to achieve a balanced budget

Resolved

(1)           That the savings as set out in the Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

(2)           That a £1.2m use of the reserves as identified in Table 1 below be approved.

(3)           That the revised budget as set out in Table 1 below be approved:

***Please note that the appendices to this report have been published as a supplement to the main agenda pack***

Should there be any changes to recommendations following the meeting of Executive taking place immediately prior to full Council, a verbal update will be given during the introduction of this item.

Report of Assistant Director - Planning and Development

Purpose of report

To consider the Inspector’s Report on the Examination of the Partial Review of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 - Oxford’s Unmet Housing Need (the Partial Review Plan), to consider whether to approve Main Modifications to the Plan as recommended by the Inspector together with minor modifications, and to consider whether to adopt the Plan, as modified.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.          To note the conclusions of the Inspector’s Report and endorse the Inspector’s recommended Main Modifications (Appendix 1).

2.          To endorse the incorporation of the minor modifications set out in Appendix 2.

3.          To note the necessary changes to the Housing Trajectory (Appendix 3) and Infrastructure Schedule (Appendix 4) arising from the Inspector’s recommendations and Main Modifications.

4.          To note the Equalities Impact Assessment at Appendix 5.

5.          To note the final Policies Maps at Appendix 6.

6.          To adopt the Partial Review of the Cherwell Local Plan as presented at Appendix 7 as part of the statutory development plan.

7.          To delegate to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development the publication of an updated Adopted Policies Map to illustrate graphically the application of policies contained in the adopted development plan.

8.          To delegate to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development, the correction of minor spelling, grammatical or typographical errors and any minor improvements from a presentational perspective prior to the publication of the Local Plan.

9.          To authorise the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to publish the Sustainability Appraisal Adoption Statement (Appendix 8) and Local Plan Adoption Statement (Appendix 9).

Resolved

(1)       That the conclusions of the Inspector’s Report be noted and the Inspector’s recommended Main Modifications (Annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be endorsed.

(2)       That the incorporation of the minor modifications set out in the Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) be endorsed.

(3)       That the necessary changes to the Housing Trajectory and Infrastructure Schedule (Annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) arising from the Inspector’s recommendations and Main Modifications be noted.

(4)       That the Equalities Impact Assessment (Annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be noted.

(5)       That the final Policies Maps (Annexes to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be noted.

(6)       That the Partial Review of the Cherwell Local Plan as presented in the Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) be adopted as part of the statutory development plan.

(7)       That the publication of an updated Adopted Policies Map to illustrate graphically the application of policies contained in the adopted development plan be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development

(8)       That the correction of minor spelling, grammatical or typographical errors and any minor improvements from a presentational perspective prior to the publication of the Local Plan be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development.

(9)       That the Assistant Director – Planning and Development be authorised to publish the Sustainability Appraisal Adoption Statement and Local Plan Adoption Statement (Annexes to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book).

The Assistant Director - Planning and Development submitted a report to consider the Inspector’s Report on the Examination of the Partial Review of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 - Oxford’s Unmet Housing Need (the Partial Review Plan), to consider whether to approve Main Modifications to the Plan as recommended by the Inspector together with minor modifications, and to consider whether to adopt the Plan, as modified.

The Chairman invited those people who had registered to address Council on the item to speak prior to Council’s consideration of the item. Council heard from the following public speakers:

Richard Jurd, local resident

Rob Ruck, local resident

Sir David Gilmour, Chairman of Cherwell District CPRE

Margaret Eynon, representing Greenway, a group of golfers opposed to the closure of North Oxford Golf Club

Jackie Hoyle, local resident

Keith Johnston, local resident

Linda Ward, Secretary of Cherwell Development Watch Alliance (CWDA) and Chair of Kidlington Development Watch, speaking on behalf of the CDWA, representing several neighbourhood communities

Graham Thompson, local resident and Chairman of Yarnton Parish Council

David Brown, local resident and Yarnton Parish Councillor with responsibility for highways

Mr Lindsay Gregory, local resident

Catherine Henderson, local resident

Dr Padraig Looney, local resident

Diane Taylor, local resident

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Planning, Councillor Clarke, commended the Assistant Director Planning and Development and the Planning Policy team for their hard work on the main modifications to the Partial Review of the Local Plan.

In the course of the debate it was proposed by Councillor Middleton and seconded by Councillor Copeland that a recorded vote be taken on the report.

Having been proposed and seconded, a recorded vote was duly taken, and Members voted as follows:

Resolved

(1)       That the conclusions of the Inspector’s Report be noted and the Inspector’s recommended Main Modifications (Annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be endorsed.

(2)       That the incorporation of the minor modifications set out in the Annex to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.