Agenda

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.

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

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

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 1^st December 2008 and 12^th January 2009.

Report of Leader of the Council

Summary

To review the Leader’s Forward Plan of the key decisions which will be taken by the Executive over the next four months.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)       To resolve to note the Leader’s Forward Plan for the next four months.

Report of Head of Planning and Affordable Housing Policy

Summary

To report on the outcome of the public consultation on the draft conservation area appraisal and to recommend that a conservation area be designated at Shenington with Alkerton

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)       To note the outcome of the public consultation on the draft appraisal and proposed conservation area boundary

(2)       To approve the changes it is recommended be made to proposed boundary in response to comments received

(3)               To designate, under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, a conservation area as proposed in the revised appraisal and as at Fig 1 appended to this report with    immediate   effect.

Report of Head of Urban and Rural Services

Summary

To consider the final draft Rural Strategy and Delivery Plan, and to consider appointing a Rural Champion.  To commend the Rural Strategy and Delivery Plan to the Cherwell Community Planning Partnership.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               To recommend to Council the approval of the final draft Cherwell Rural Strategy 2009-2014 and the Delivery Plan.

(2)               Approve the appointment of the Executive Member for Urban and Rural Services to lead the delivery of the Strategy as Cherwell District Council’s “Rural Champion”.

(3)               Commend the final draft Cherwell Rural Strategy 2009-2014 and the Delivery Plan to the Cherwell Community Planning Partnership.

Report of Chief Executive

Summary

To adopt Oxfordshire 2030, Oxfordshire’s Sustainable Community Strategy.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)       Recommend to Council for adoption Oxfordshire 2030, Oxfordshire’s Sustainable Community Strategy, as a key strategic document for Cherwell District Council.

Report of Chief Executive and Community and Corporate Planning Manager

Summary

This report presents a final version of a consultation and engagement strategy and action plan for Cherwell District Council and outlines the steps the council needs to take to meet the requirements of new legislation in this policy area.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)       To identify any additional actions or initiatives to be included in the strategy and action plan.

(2)       To recommend to Council the adoption of the consultation and engagement strategy and action plan as council policy and the preferred approach to improving consultation and community engagement, to delivering our commitment to be an Accessible, Value for Money Council and to meeting the statutory requirements of the Duty to Involve in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

(3)       To request an annual progress review of the strategy and action plan to be received by the Executive.

Report of Strategic Director Customer Service and Resources and Chief Accountant

**Please note the appendices to this report are to follow**

Summary

The Council is required to produce a balanced budget for 2009/10 as the basis for calculating its level of Council Tax.  It has to base that budget on its plans for service delivery during the year, recognising any changes in service demand that may arise in future years.  The first draft was reported to the December 1^st 2008 Executive meeting and a second draft to the January 12 2009 Executive meeting.  The information has now been updated to reflect changes since then and, subject to any further changes Members may wish to include tonight, this final draft will be presented to full Council on 23 February 2009.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

1)     to approve the changes to the draft budget since 12 January 2009 and consider the draft revenue budget (detailed in Appendix 1) in the context of the Council’s service objectives and strategic priorities;

2)     to agree the approach to the overall capital programme and 09/10 expenditure profile (detailed in Appendix 2);

3)     to note the latest MTFS financial forecast (detailed in Appendix 3);

4)     request officers to produce the formal 09/10 budget booklet on the basis of Appendices 1-3:

5)     recommend ,subject to any further changes Members may wish to include tonight, the updated draft budget for adoption by the Council on 23 February 2009 (as a key decision);

6)     recommend that the draft service plans be endorsed;

Report of Chief Executive and Head of Improvement

Summary

To report the Council’s performance against the Performance Management Framework for the period October – December 2008.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

1)     To note the progress made on delivering against the Corporate Scorecard and the other performance frameworks appended to this report.

2)     To note the responses to the issues raised in the 2nd quarter report and to seek further information in the next quarterly Performance Management Framework report if required.

3)     To agree that in the next quarterly report there will be an update on the impact of the economic downturn on:

a)     The Council’s ability to deliver the 2008/09 corporate targets of 400 new homes and the creation of 200 gross new jobs and the impact on our targets in these areas for 2009/10.

b)     The income received through building control, planning applications and land charges during 2008/09, the projections for 2009/10 and the proposals for responding to a sustained drop in income as embodied in the 2009/10 budget. .

c)      The progress of key development projects such as Banbury Canalside, Bicester Town Centre and South West Bicester.

4)     To agree that in the next quarterly report there will be an update on the following: 

a)     The target for reducing acquisitive crime by 5% is unlikely to be met and current projections suggest a 2% reduction will be achieved.  (Note:  The Performance Scrutiny Working Group has identified this as an area of concern and are proposing it should be subject to review through the scrutiny process.  The progress of this work will be reported as part of this update). 

b)      The increase in recorded violent crime (although involving a small number of incidents this has risen by 25% over the last quarter).

c)      The amount of waste sent to landfill.  This is expected to be reduced by a minimum of 1400 tonnes but with the real possibility of further improvement to achieve the annual target of 1500 tonnes.

d)     The worsening performance on flytipping and prosecutions.

e)     The time taken to process minor and other planning applications.   These met 59% and 71% of the respective performance targets and are rated Red and there has been a slight deterioration in the performance of both since the last quarter.  (Note:  The Performance Scrutiny Working Group has identified this as an area of concern and are proposing it should be subject to review through the scrutiny process.  The progress of this will be reported as part of this update). 

f)        The delay in introducing the Food Waste Recycling Service.  .  It is now likely to be Autumn 2009 before the delayed  local food waste processing facility is built by the County Council.

g)     The increase in the number of days lost through sickness from 3.58 per full time employee a year to 6.31.

Any other items which the Chairman has decided is urgent.

The following reports contain exempt information as defined in the following paragraph 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 items have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them 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(s) of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Report of Strategic Director - Environment and Community (to follow)

Report of Strategic Director Customer Service and Resources

Summary

To consider the granting of delegated powers to award to the Strategic Director Customer Services and Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources and the Chairman of the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee, for a contract for the Supply of Internal Audit Services.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)       To note the progress made to date in the appointment of an external provider for the Supply of Internal Audit Services.

(2)       Approve the granting of delegated powers to award to the Portfolio Holder for Resources and the Chairman of the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee, in consultation with the Strategic Director Customer Services and Resources, for a contract for the Supply of Internal Audit Services, commencing on 1^st April 2009 for a period of 3 years with the option, purely at the discretion of the Council, to extend the contract by up to 2 years.