Agenda

The Chair 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 agenda item and reason for the address) should be submitted to democracy@cherwell-dc.gov.uk  The deadline for requests to address this meeting is noon on Friday 2 October 2026. 

The deadline to present a petition to this meeting has passed. 

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

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2026.

To receive communications from the Chair.

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

Report of Assistant Director Planning

Purpose of report

To extend the delegated authority powers required in order to make an Article 4 Direction restricting temporary use permitted development rights at Wroxton Motocross (as may be amended). This is necessary following representations received subsequent to the Executive resolution on 16 June 2026.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves to:

1.1.         Note the extent of the delegated powers in respect of the proposed non?immediate Article 4 Direction under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

1.2.         Agree to extend the delegated powers in order to facilitate the process of securing the making of the non?immediate Article 4 Direction under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

1.3.         Delegate authority to the Assistant Director for Planning and Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Enforcement and the Monitoring Officer:-

(a)       to finalise the wording of the Article 4 Direction, including by amending the terms of the direction which has previously resolved upon by the Council Executive, following further legal review and/or following a review of representations which have or may in future be received and/or in light of additional or new evidence.

(b)       to give effect to and to undertake all necessary procedural steps to give effect to the Direction (including following amendments made in accordance with recommendation 1.3 above), including by issuing the Direction, undertaking statutory consultation and notifying the Secretary of State.

Report of Assistant Director Planning

Purpose of report

To propose that the Executive recommends to Full Council that it ‘makes’ the Bloxham Modified Neighbourhood Plan following the successful referendum held in Bloxham Parish on 27 August 2026.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1         To note the referendum result of 27 August 2026 where 85% of those who voted were in favour of the Bloxham Modified Neighbourhood Plan which is above the required 50%.

1.2         To recommend to Full Council that it ‘makes’ the Bloxham Modified Neighbourhood Plan so that it continues to have effect as part of the statutory Development Plan for the District.

1.3         To recommend to Full Council that it authorises the Assistant Director Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Enforcement to issue and publicise a decision statement.

Report of Assistant Director Planning

Purpose of report

To advise the Executive of the risks and proposed mitigation for and request the approval of the proposed implementation of the Building Safety Levy on 1 October 2026.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1       To approve the proposed implementation in accordance with the summary contained within this report of the Building Safety Levy, which comes into force on 1 October 2026.

Report of Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing

Purpose of report

To seek approval for the reviewed Oxfordshire Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026-28.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1       To approve the reviewed Oxfordshire Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026-28.

Report of Cherwell Futures Director

Purpose of report

This paper seeks approval and allocation of the draw down of £1.1million of Cherwell Futures Reserves approved by the Executive in October 2025. It sets out the full costs of the Cherwell Futures Programme and how additional requirements are being funded.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves to:

1.1         Approve the draw down and allocation of £1.1million of Reserves to be used as set out within this paper.

1.2         Approve the use of in year savings of £0.330million from the Customer Front Door Programme to fund additional investment required in new systems and capacity building as set out within this paper.

Report of Assistant Director Finance (Section 151 Officer)

Purpose of report

To update and seek agreement on the proposed policy for applying the Council Tax empty homes premium and second home premium.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1         To note the contents of the reviewed policy for Council Tax Empty Home and Second Home Premium Policy 2026/27.

1.2         To approve the Council Tax Empty Home and Second Home Premium Policy 2026/27.

Report of Assistant Director Finance (Section 151 Officer)

Purpose of report

To report to Executive the council’s forecast year-end financial position as at the end of the August 2026. Further detail can be found in the report and its appendices.

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1         To consider and note the contents of the council’s financial management report as at the end of August 2026.

1.2         To note the S151 approval, as permitted under the Reserves Policy, of £0.005m use of the Community Initiatives Grant reserve for Hanwell Fields Community Centre works (Appendix 4).

1.3         To note and approve the proposed landlord capital works at Castle Quay, as detailed in exempt Appendix 5, are added to the capital programme.

The following items contain 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).

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 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.

No representations have been received from the public requesting that these items be considered in public.

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

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

** Please note the exempt appendix to this report will follow **

Exempt report of Head of Digital and Innovation