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.

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

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

There were no items of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2012.

The minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2012 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report of Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy

Summary

To seek the approval of the Executive for the adoption of the Design and Conservation Strategy for Cherwell.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)       To consider the content of the Design and Conservation Strategy.

(2)       To adopt the Design and Conservation Strategy for Cherwell.

Approved

The Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy submitted a report which sought approval of the Design and Conservation Strategy for Cherwell. 

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Planning applauded its content. Cherwell boasts a rich heritage and the purpose of the strategy was to protect local heritage and promote high quality design. The Strategy fitted with the draft Local Plan for development and the National Planning Policy Framework.  The Strategy had been subject to public consultation and a number of bodies had been encouraged by content.

Resolved

(1)                 That the content of the Design and Conservation Strategy be noted.

(2)                 That the Design and Conservation Strategy for Cherwell be adopted.

Reasons

The strategy sets out the Council’s remit in the areas of design and conservation, illustrates what has been achieved and what we will strive to achieve in the future. The document covers a three year period from September 2012 to March 2015. The Strategy has been subject to  consultation and fits with the draft Local Plan. Accepting the recommendation is believed to be the best way forward.

Options

Report of Head of Community Services

Summary

The report highlights the work of the Banbury Museum Trust Project Board in developing an independent organisation to run the service and the costs associated with this process

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To approve the selection of Mr Bob Langton to the role of Shadow Board Chairman.

(2)               To approve the Deputy Leader as the Council’s nominated representative on the Shadow Trust Board.

(3)               To approve a budget of £20,000 to enable the project to be delivered.

Approved

The Head of Community Services submitted a report which highlighted the work of the Banbury Museum Trust Project Board in developing an independent organization to run the services and the costs associated with this process.

Executive was advised that the Museum Project Board had agreed to seek trust status.  Following an extensive recruitment process, Mr Bob Langton had been recommended as an appropriate appointment for Shadow Board Chairman. In terms ensuring the probity of the transfer of the service to the independent organisation, specialist and independent advice must be made available to the Shadow Board, the costs of which would be met from a fund established specifically for that purpose.

Resolved

(1)               That the selection of Mr Bob Langton to the role of Shadow Board Chairman be approved.

(2)               That the Deputy Leader be approved as the Council’s nominated representative on the Shadow Trust Board.

(3)               That a budget of £20,000 to enable the project to be delivered be approved.

Reasons

The Executive at its meeting on 3 October 2011 agreed in principle the transfer of Banbury Museum to independent status, knowing this preserves a valuable and visited cultural asset for local residents whilst securing some financial benefit to the Council.

The first step towards independence is the creation of a Shadow Board. The interview panel for the Shadow Board Chairman considered the candidates against a range of stringent criteria covering previous experience and expertise in a comparable role as well as personal interest in the cultural sector.  They selected Mr Bob Langton as their preferred candidate having scored highly against the majority of the person specification for the role.

Specialist and independent advice must be made available to the Shadow Board to ensure the probity of the transfer, the costs of which will be met from a fund established specifically for that purpose.

Options

Report of Head of Transformation

Summary

To provide an update on progress toward implementing robust governance of major change projects, following the approval by Members in January of resources to support major projects, and subsequent decision in relation to governance structures.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               Note the progress in relation to the implementation of governance standards for the 9 major projects which Members have identified as key to the delivery of regeneration and economic development (the Place Programme) and change (Transformation Programme) for Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council.

(2)               Note the Member champions assigned to each of the programme boards

Approved, with the addition of the further recommendation that ‘The Chief Executive be delegated in consultation with the Leader of the Council to appoint substitutes for member champions as required’.

The Head of Transformation submitted a report which updated Members on Major Programmes and progress toward implementing robust governance of major change projects.

In introducing the report, the Chairman advised that it was good discipline to have a proper regime to look after projects with the same reporting frame for both Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire. As additional time and commitment was necessary by Lead Members, Member Champions should be appointed by the Chief Executive to maintain stability. 

Resolved

(1)   That the progress in relation to the implementation of governance standards for the 9 major projects which Members have identified as key to the delivery of regeneration and economic development (the Place Programme) and change (Transformation Programme) for Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council be noted.

(2)               That the Member champions assigned to each of the programme boards be noted.

(3)               That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive be delegated in consultation with the Leader of the Council to approve member champions as required.

Reasons

Members have already approved the general approach to maximising the effective use of scarce resource through the organisation of projects into programmes.  This report seeks simply to update members.

Options

Report of the Director of Resources and Interim Corporate Performance Manager

Summary

This report covers the Council’s performance for the period 1 April to 30 June 2012 as measured through the Performance Management Framework.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To note the many achievements referred to in paragraph 1.3.

(2)               To request that officers report in the second quarter on the items identified in paragraph 1.4 where performance was below target or there are emerging issues or risks.

(3)               To agree the responses identified to issues raised in the end of year performance report in paragraph 2.1 or to request additional action or information.

(4)               To identify any further performance or risk related matters for review or consideration in future reports.

Approved, with the addition of the further recommendation that ‘That a review take place of all indicators and the frequency of reporting and that this process includes the lead member meeting with their Heads of Service to consider whether indicators should be reported quarterly, half yearly, annually or no longer measured’.

The Director of Resources and the Interim Corporate Performance Manager submitted a report which covered the Council’s performance for the period 1 April to 30 June 2012 as measured through the Performance Management Framework.

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Performance Management and Improvement explained that the report showed a full summary of the performance for the first quarter which indicated a satisfactory progress at 93.7%.  There was only one red which was on the public perception of street cleanliness for the annual customer satisfaction survey results were due in September/October. Executive was assured that overall standards had not fallen and the results would give an independent third party view.

Members commented that there was considerable repetition of statistics which did not change every quarter and agreed that a review should take place by all Lead Members with their Head of Service to decide which indicators the report should focus on in each quarter.

Resolved

(1)               That the following achievements be noted:

Cherwell: A District of Opportunity

·        Actions are on-going to promote apprenticeships and other routes to work and education. In June, 6 regular Job Clubs were held: 2 in Banbury, 3 in Bicester and 1 in Kidlington. 4  'Career & Opportunity Gateway' Job Clubs were held at the Mill Cottage on Wednesdays.  4 additional Job Club workshops were introduced in June, on Thursdays at the Mill Cottage.  This brings the total number of job clubs for Q1 to 25. A successful Job Fair (to allow job seekers to meet employers) was also held in Banbury in April.

·        Progress is currently on track for the delivery of 100 affordable homes in the District and current risks to delivery are being managed, in particular, further assessments are being made of the contribution the South West Bicester development can make by year end. The schemes at Dashwood Road School in Banbury and Bryan House in Bicester are due to complete by early September with official scheme openings happening later that month. 31 homes delivered in Quarter 1 against target of 27.

·        Key strategic sites for the provision of new commercial and leisure facilities in Banbury have been clearly identified and initial consideration has been given to potential development strategy through some initial soft market testing. Sites also form on-going process of completing necessary Supplementary Planning Documents and master planning, running alongside the production and publication of the Core Strategy. These sites are being project managed at present through the Banbury Development Group.

·        Bicester Town Centre continues to progress well. A name for the Centre is urgently required to progress marketing of the units. Minor changes now required to entrance/layout of the new Cinema due to new operator but these can be accommodated by the contractor.

A Cleaner Greener Cherwell

·        Very wet first three months have made garden waste tonnages fluctuate wildly with some weeks low tonnages & some very heavy tonnages. Some Environment Agency changes regarding street sweepings may reduce recycling rates by 1% in the future.

·        The Annual customer satisfaction survey  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

Report of Head of Finance and Procurement

Summary

This report summarises the Council’s Revenue and Capital performance for the first 3 months of the financial year 2012/13 and projections for the full 2012/13 period.

The report also considers treasury and procurement performance for the first quarter and compares against strategy and action plans.

A short update on the Local Government Resources Review (LGRR) Project is also included.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To note the projected revenue & capital position at June 2012.

(2)               To note the Q1 performance against the 2012/13 investment strategy and the financial returns from each of the 3 funds.

(3)               To note the contents and the progress against the Corporate Procurement Action Plan (detailed in Appendix 1) and the Procurement savings achieved at June 2012 (detailed in Appendix 2).

(4)               To note the latest position on the LGRR project.

Approved

The Head of Finance and Procurement submitted a report which summarised the Council’s Revenue and Capital performance for the first 3 months of the financial year 2012/13 and projections for the full 2012/13 period. The report also considered treasury and procurement performance for the first quarter and compares against strategy and action plans. A short update on the Local Government Resources Review (LGRR) Project was also included.

In introducing the report the Lead Member for Financial Management reported on the many achievements of the first quarter.  The variances on the revenue and capital projections were within the Council’s stated tolerances of +2% / -5% and all peaks and troughs should even out over the course of the year. 

The Joint Procurement Team had been in place since the beginning of July and has been working together on drawing up a joint forward plan to provide savings targets and support a range of programmes across the Councils. Cashable savings had already been made and procurement exercises were also underway with Stratford District Council which would bring financial benefit.

Members were advised that the LGRR was progressing and that the LGRR project team are continuing to meet to model the financial and other implications so that they can feed into the medium term financial forecast and corporate planning.

Resolved

(1)               That the projected revenue & capital position at June 2012 be noted.

(2)               That the Q1 performance against the 2012/13 investment strategy and the financial returns from each of the 3 funds be noted.

(3)               That the contents and the progress against the Corporate Procurement Action Plan and the Procurement savings achieved at June 2012 be noted. .

(4)               That the latest position on the Local Government Resources Review project be noted.

Reasons

This report illustrates the Council’s performance against the 2012/13 Financial Targets for Revenue, Capital, Treasury and Procurement Monitoring.

Options

The following report contains 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 item has 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 of business, on the grounds that it could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Resolved

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded form the meeting for the following items 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.

Exempt Report of Head of Finance and Procurement and Head of Environmental Services

Approved

The Head of Finance and Procurement and Head of Environmental Services submitted an exempt report which sought approval for the purchase of Refuse Collection Vehicles under a Framework until 31 May 2015

In introducing the report the Lead Member for Financial Management advised that the tender had been carried out jointly Oxfordshire City Council and but there was flexibility for other authorities to join in the future.

Members agreed it was a good procurement exercise that showed what could be achieved tendering with other councils.

Resolved

(1)        That the purchase of the Council’s 10 refuse collection vehicles from 2013 – 2015 using the Government Procurement Service vehicle procurement framework (ref 859) in collaboration with Oxford City Council be approved. 

Reasons

A procurement exercise has been undertaken in the form of a mini competition for orders of refuse collection vehicles until 31 May 2015. Cherwell District Council and Oxford City Council have aggregated their refuse collections vehicles requirements to secure the best possible deal for refuse collection vehicles. The new contract reduces the expected capital and revenue requirements.