Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

The Chairman advised that Councillor Wing, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, would address Executive on agenda item 7, Consideration of the Oxford to Cambridge ARC Principles, to report the feedback of the Committee which had considered the report at their 16 March 2021 meeting.  

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2021 .

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2021 were agreed as a correct record, to be signed by the Chairman in due course.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

Report of Assistant Director Environment

Purpose of report

To seek approval for the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy in line with the other Oxfordshire County, City and District Councils.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       Approve the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy and its enclosed policies and key actions

Resolved

(1)          That the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy and its enclosed policies and key actions (annexes to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

The Assistant Director Environmental Services submitted a report to seek approval for the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy in line with the other Oxfordshire County, City and District Councils.

Resolved

(1)          That the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy and its enclosed policies and key actions (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

Reasons

To support Oxfordshire residents to make the change from petrol and diesel to Electric Vehicles (EVs), Oxfordshire’s Councils have worked together to develop this operational strategy for increasing and managing EV charging across the county. This strategy supports the reduction of transport emissions as part of a hierarchy of sustainable transport; encouraging uptake of EVs by enabling the development of a high quality, accessible and convenient EV charging network. This work will further progress towards the Council’s Climate Emergency target, Healthy Place Shaping ambition, Air Pollution needs and our Car Parking Strategy.

Alternative options

Option 1: Reject OEVIS in its entirety

The emerging electric vehicle infrastructure needs will still be present with no clear strategy in place to address this. The Council is not currently resourced to undertake this piece of work in isolation and may lead to a disjoint in the policies in place across the rest of Oxfordshire. For these reasons this option has not been recommended

Option 2: Seek amendment to individual policies

All Oxfordshire Councils are currently progressing the strategy through their respective governance structures, amendments to these policies will require a lengthy restart of this process. For this reason this option has not been recommended.

Report of Assistant Director Environment Services and SRO for Growth Deal in Cherwell

Purpose of report

The purpose of this report is to update the Executive on the proposal to develop an Environmental Advisory Group of the Oxfordshire Growth Board

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To recognise the opportunity for partnership activity for climate action.

1.2       To support the establishment of an Environmental Advisory Group of the Oxfordshire Growth Board.

1.3       To endorse the shared principles for protecting, restoring and enhancing the environment in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.

1.4       To note the progress concerning the development of a Local Nature Partnership for Oxfordshire.

Resolved

(1)          That the opportunity for partnership activity for climate action be recognised.

(2)          That the establishment of an Environmental Advisory Group of the Oxfordshire Growth Board be supported.

(3)          That the shared principles for protecting, restoring and enhancing the environment in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc be endorsed.

(4)          That the progress concerning the development of a Local Nature Partnership for Oxfordshire be noted.

The Assistant Director Environment Services and SRO for Growth Deal in Cherwell submitted a report to update the Executive on the proposal to develop an Environmental Advisory Group of the Oxfordshire Growth Board.

Councillor Wing, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee addressed Executive to present the feedback of the Committee which had considered the report at its 16 March 2021 meeting. Councillor Wing advised that the Committee had supported and endorsed the proposal but had raised some queries. Members of the Committee had requested that officers provide a diagram setting out the role of the Advisory Group and Growth Board Scrutiny Board to clarify the delineation between the two. The Committee had requested that the representative on the Advisory Group provided regular reports. back to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman thanked the Councillor Wing and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their feedback. In response to the Committee’s comments, the Chairman noted that a diagram of the links between workstreams would be of value to all Members and concurred there would be value in the representatives on each of the Advisory Groups reporting to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on a rolling basis. The Chairman highlighted that the Growth Board Scrutiny Panel worked well and commended the Panel for the value it added.

Resolved

(1)          That the opportunity for partnership activity for climate action be recognised.

(2)          That the establishment of an Environmental Advisory Group of the Oxfordshire Growth Board be supported.

(3)          That the shared principles for protecting, restoring and enhancing the environment in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc be endorsed.

(4)          That the progress concerning the development of a Local Nature Partnership for Oxfordshire be noted.

Reasons

This Council has a commitment to deliver the Climate Action Framework, agreed at Executive in October 2020 and to work in partnership with other stakeholders to achieve a net zero ambition across the district.  This activity can be grouped under three pillars for climate action:

·           Net zero carbon – targets for our own operations and the wider district we need to work in partnership

·           Resilience – both in terms of responding to the impacts of climate change arising from extreme weather events and ensuring resilience in energy efficiency and security of supply

·           Renewal – renewing the natural capital and environmental assets for ‘good growth’ ensuring outcomes for environmental wellbeing are integrated into all decisions for social and economic wellbeing

.

This Council is working in partnership with many stakeholders across a range of Sectors. Participation by this Council in the Oxfordshire Environment Advisory Group would strengthen the role of this Council across all partnership networks and align our commitment for environmental renewal, zero carbon and resilience to the impacts of climate change with the environmental principles underpinning growth across the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.

Alternative options

Option 1: To adopt the proposed recommendations.

Option 2: To reject the proposed recommendations and ask officers to reconsider

Report of Assistant Director – Growth and Economy

Purpose of report

This report introduces a final version of the Strategic Vision for Oxfordshire (hereafter referred to as “the Vision”).  A copy of the final version of the Vision is attached as Appendix 1. 

This report updates the Executive on the consultation process, the response to the consultation and briefly summarises the main changes to the Vision, with the detail provided in Appendix 3.  Appendix 2 is the report that was considered by Growth Board on 22 March 2021. 

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1       Agree the Strategic Vision for Oxfordshire.

1.2       Ask that officers delegate responsibility to the Assistant Director – Growth and Economy to consider how to embed the Vision’s aspirations for Oxfordshire in future plans and strategies of the Council.

Resolved

(1)          That the Strategic Vision for Oxfordshire be agreed.

(2)          That responsibility be delegated to the Assistant Director – Growth and Economy to consider how to embed the Vision’s aspirations for Oxfordshire in future plans and strategies of the Council.

The Assistant Director – Growth and Economy submitted a report which  introduced a final version of the Strategic Vision for Oxfordshire. The report also updated the Executive on the consultation process, the response to the consultation and briefly summarised the main changes to the Vision.

Resolved

(1)          That the Strategic Vision for Oxfordshire be agreed.

(2)          That responsibility be delegated to the Assistant Director – Growth and Economy to consider how to embed the Vision’s aspirations for Oxfordshire in future plans and strategies of the Council.

Reasons

The development of a Strategic Vision for Oxfordshire, which encompasses the shared ambitions of local councils and key organisations, provides a unique opportunity to bring together a clear and unambiguous statement about what it is the Growth Board wants to achieve in Oxfordshire.

Following the consultation exercise, both officers and members who have reflected upon the consultation and revised the Vision believe that the Vision has improved because of the consultation. The document now has a bolder more ambitious narrative that articulates in a balanced way the collective ambitions for what Oxfordshire should be in 2050, both societally, economically and as a place to live work and to thrive.

The Growth Board endorsed the revised Vision at its meeting on 22 March and asked that each partner consider agreeing to the Vision. Accordingly, the Executive is requested to consider and agree the Vision.

Alternative options

Option 1: Do nothing

This was rejected as the Strategic Vision is a unique opportunity to agree the strategic direction of the District and the Council has been engaged in the Vision. By not agreeing the Draft Strategic Vision, it could limit the impact of the partnership approach.

Report of Director of Finance and Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes

Purpose of report

This report summarises the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance monitoring positions as at the end of February 2021.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report.

Resolved

(1)          That the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report be noted.

The Director of Finance and Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes submitted a report which summarised the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance monitoring positions as at the end of February 2021.

Resolved

(1)          That the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report be noted.

Reasons

The Council is committed to performance, risk and budget management and reviews progress against its corporate priorities on a monthly basis.

Alternative options

Option 1: This report illustrates the Council’s performance against the 2020-21 business plan. As this is a monitoring report, no further options have been considered. However, members may wish to request that officers provide additional information.