Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest that they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

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

The Chairman informed the meeting that he had agreed Councillor Sibley could speak on RAF Bicester and Bicester Market Square Highway and Environment Improvement Scheme.

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

There was no urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 August 2009.

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 August 2009 were agreed and signed by the Chairman.

Report of Head Planning and Affordable Housing Policy

Summary

To report on the responses received to the consultation draft Planning Brief incorporating Informal Development Principles and Management Guidelines and to seek approval of the amended document.    To consider the manner in which the site is being disposed of and to comment upon that.  To seek the engagement of Defence Estates and English Heritage in the joint preparation of Management Guidelines for the flying field and technical site.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)       to note the responses received to the draft document and to approve the content of the amended document for publication

(2)       to express its concern to the Ministry of Defence that the maintenance of the buildings on the technical site has not been undertaken in accordance with the DCMS protocol

(3)       to express its concern to the Ministry of Defence at the extent to which the disposal of this site has been undertaken in a manner contrary to the DCMS protocol, in particular with respect to a comprehensive approach to securing the future of the whole of the heritage asset

(4)       to invite Defence Estates and English Heritage to engage fully and quickly in the process of drawing up Management Guidelines for the flying field and Technical site to ensure that these are agreed prior to the sale.

Agreed, with the amendment that officers be requested to look at the inclusion of public art and whether this conflicts with the conservation objectives on this site.

The Head of Planning and Affordable Housing Policy submitted a report on the responses received to the consultation draft Planning Brief incorporating Informal Development Principles and Management Guidelines.

Resolved

1)                 That the responses received to the draft document be noted and the contents of the amended document for publication be approved, with the amendment that officers be requested to look at the inclusion of public art and whether this conflicts with the conservation objectives on this site.

2)                 That concern be expressed to the Ministry of Defence that the maintenance of the buildings on the technical site has not been undertaken in accordance with the DCMS protocol

3)                 That concern be expressed to the Ministry of Defence at the extent to which the disposal of this site has been undertaken in a manner contrary to the DCMS protocol, in particular with respect to a comprehensive approach to securing the future of the whole of the heritage asset

4)                 That Defence Estates and English Heritage be invitedto engage fully and quickly in the process of drawing up Management Guidelines for the flying field and Technical site to ensure that these are agreed prior to the sale.

Reasons – RAF Bicester comprises the flying field and technical site, east of Buckingham Road, and the domestic site and former officers’ and airmen’s housing, west of Buckingham Road. Some of the housing is occupied by USAF personnel based at Croughton and some has been sold off on the open market.  It is described by English Heritage as “the best preserved bomber airfield dating from the period up to 1945”.  The flying field, technical site, domestic site, the former officer mess (now a care home) and some of the early housing (but not the later housing) is designated a conservation area and there are 41 grade ll listed buildings and sixteen areas designated as Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

Options

Report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Summary

This report presents a Member Development and Support Strategy for approval and updates the Executive on the general progress of the member development programme 2009/10.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)       approve the Member Development and Support Strategy.

(2)       request an annual review of the Member Development and Support Strategy and the progress of the member support interviews.

Agreed

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services submitted a report presenting a Member Development and Support Strategy for approval and an update on the general progress of the member development programme 2009/10.

Resolved

1)                 That the Member Development and Support Strategy be approved.

2)                 That an annual review of the Member Development and Support Strategy and the progress of the member support interviews be requested.

Reasons - Member training was identified as an area for improvement in the recent Corporate Performance Assessment. The Audit Commission commented that the Council should ensure better attendance at organised training events by monitoring and reviewing the completion of individual training and development plans.

Options

Report of Head of Economic Development and Estates

Summary

To confirm that the Council can, in collaboration with Oxfordshire County Council, move forward to public consultation on three proposed plans for an environmental Improvement Scheme of Bicester Market Square.

Recommendation

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)       Agree that the three options for the Environmental Improvement Scheme of Bicester Market Square described in the report, go forward for public consultation.

(2)               Request the County Council to make it clear in the consultation that

·        the implementation of any scheme will be timed so that it does not clash with the programme for the Bicester town centre redevelopment.

·        designs that result in the loss of public car parking may have significant financial implications and will require the approval of the District Council as landowner of the Market square car park.

Agreed

The Head of Economic Development and Estates submitted a report to confirm that the Council can, in collaboration with Oxfordshire County Council, move forward to public consultation on three proposed plans for an environmental Improvement Scheme of Bicester Market Square.

Resolved

1)                 That the three options for the Environmental Improvement Scheme of Bicester Market Square described in the report, go forward for public consultation.

2)                 That the County Council be requested to make it clear in the consultation that:

·        the implementation of any scheme will be timed so that it does not clash with the programme for the Bicester town centre redevelopment.

·        designs that result in the loss of public car parking may have significant financial implications and will require the approval of the District Council as landowner of the Market square car park.

Reasons – The environmental improvements of Bicester Market Square has been a project that this Council has been involved with for some time.  The scheme is now a joint financial collaboration of Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council. The scheme has progressed to the stage of three proposed options being available for public consultation in November 2009.  This report seeks the approval of the Council to progress with consultation on all three options.

Options

Report of Head of Building Control and Engineering Services

Summary

All the recommendations of the Pitt Report into the Summer 2007 floods were accepted by the Government in late 2008.  Following that in April 2009 the draft Flood and Water Management Bill was published and consulted upon.  The Bill seeks to rearrange the various ways in which existing land drainage and flood risk management powers and responsibilities are organised, and proposes some new duties for those involved.  If enacted the Bill would have significant implications for the way these services are delivered locally.  The purpose of this Report is to appraise Members of those implications and to recommend an approach that supports the promotion of high quality land drainage services in Cherwell District in the future.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

1)                 Support the ways in which the Flood and Water Management Bill seeks to place greater accountability on the Public Sector for flood risk management.

2)                 Note that it is likely that the lead statutory role in land drainage and flood risk management will rest in future with Oxfordshire County Council.

3)                 Recognise that it follows from (2) above that in future it will only be possible to provide land drainage and flood risk management services at District level through agencies or operational protocols to the Lead Local Flood Authority which is proposed to be the County Council.

4)                 Pursue partnership discussions about how District Councils in Oxfordshire might work with the County Council to provide high quality land drainage and flood risk management services in the future.

Agreed, with the amendment to the wording of Recommendation 4: to insert the following text after ‘District Councils’: ‘and especially district officers with extensive local knowledge’.

The Head of Building Control and Engineering Services submitted a report which noted that all the recommendations of the Pitt Report into the Summer 2007 floods were accepted by the Government in late 2008.  Following that in April 2009 the draft Flood and Water Management Bill was published and consulted upon.  The Bill seeks to rearrange the various ways in which existing land drainage and flood risk management powers and responsibilities are organised, and proposes some new duties for those involved.  If enacted the Bill would have significant implications for the way these services are delivered locally.  The purpose of this Report is to appraise Members of those implications and to recommend an approach that supports the promotion of high quality land drainage services in Cherwell District in the future.

Resolved

1)                 That the ways in which the Flood and Water Management Bill seeks to place greater accountability on the Public Sector for flood risk management be supported.

2)                 That it be noted that it is likely the lead statutory role in land drainage and flood risk management will rest in future with Oxfordshire County Council.

3)                 That it be recognised following from (2) above that in future it will only be possible to provide land drainage and flood risk management services at District level through agencies or operational protocols to the Lead Local Flood Authority which is proposed to be the County Council.

4)                 That the Council pursue partnership discussions about how District Councils and especially district officers with extensive local knowledge in Oxfordshire might work with the County Council to provide high quality land drainage and flood risk management services in the future.

Reasons – The Head of Building Control and Engineering Services reported to the Executive on 3 November 2008 with a summary of the Pitt Review Final Recommendations and intimated that the Government was set on using those as a basis for fundamental changes in the way land drainage and flood risk management is organised and delivered in England and Wales.  There has followed a draft Flood and Water Management Bill which sets out the Government’s proposals. 

Report of Head of Economic Development and Estates, Head of Housing Services, and Head of Urban and Rural Services

Summary

To consider options for progressing the redevelopment scheme.

Recommendation

The Executive is recommended:

(1)          To approve a land exchange with Sanctuary Housing to enable the redevelopment of the Bryan House site with affordable housing, with the loss of one public car parking space.

Agreed

The Head of Economic Development and Estates, Head of Housing Services, and Head of Urban and Rural Services submitted a joint report o consider options for progressing the Bryan House redevelopment scheme.

Resolved

1)         That a land exchange with Sanctuary Housing be approved to enable the redevelopment of the Bryan House site with affordable housing, with the loss of one public car parking space.

Reasons – For some time the Council has been working with Sanctuary Housing to bring forward a scheme to redevelop the Bryan House site in Chapel Street Bicester.  The site was transferred to Charter Community Housing in 2004 as housing for older people but has been empty since July 2006 as it was no longer fit for purpose.

Options

Report of Strategic Director Customer Services and Resources

Summary

This report seeks approval of the combined Annual Report and Summary of Accounts 2008/9, subject to any amendments of the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee on 23 September 2009.

Recommendation

The Executive is recommended:

(1)       Consider and recommend the Annual Report and Summary of Accounts 2008/9 (Appendix 1), to be given final approval subject to any amendments by the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee on 23 September 2009.

Agreed

The Strategic Director Customer Services and Resources submitted a report seeking approval of the combined Annual Report and Summary of Accounts 2008/9, subject to any amendments of the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee on 23 September 2009.

Resolved

That the Annual Report and Summary of Accounts 2008/9 (as set out in the minute book), be recommended for approval by the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee on 23 September 2009.

Reasons – The combined Annual Report and Summary of Accounts build on our commitment to be an accessible, value for money council. It aims to provide an easy to understand overview of our accounts, available in different formats.

Options

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).

4 – Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holder under, the authority.

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.

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

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded form the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 4 of Part 1, Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Resolved

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

Report of Head of Economic Development and Estates and Head of Housing Services

Recommendations agreed as set out in exempt report.

Report of Head of Economic Development and Estates and Head of Housing Services to consider options for progressing the redevelopment scheme.

Resolved

To proceed with the redevelopment of the Orchard Way flats and shops site as previously approved, and approve a supplementary capital estimate of £1.1m to fund the scheme.        

(All officers left the meeting with the exception of members of Corporate Management Team.)

Report of the Head of Human Resources and the Head of Finance

Recommendations agreed as set out in exempt report.

The Head of Human Resources and the Head of Finance submitted a joint report to provide an update of progress made to date in respect of the job evaluation project and to seek guidance on the parameters for negotiation of both the new pay structure due for implementation on 1 April 2010 and the new local pay deal.

Resolved

1)         That the progress made in respect of the job evaluation project be noted.

2)         That parameters for negotiation of the new local pay deal and the new pay structure be agreed.