Agenda and draft minutes

To record apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Sue Caul, James Cox,

Andrew Crawford, Hayleigh Gascoigne, Sarah James, Val Shaw and Peter Stevens.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Council minutes of the meeting held on 22 May 2024. 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 May 2024 as a correct record and agree that the Chair sign them as such.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

Steven Corrigan, Democratic Services Manager, advised that he would leave the room during Council’s decision of agenda item 10 as it directly impacted him.

To receive notification of any matters which the chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chair. 

There were no items of urgent business.

The Chair provided an update on the events she had attended including a reception to acknowledge the launch of the Oxfordshire Council Charter, D-Day celebrations, blue plaque unveilings, a civic dinner hosted by the lord-lieutenant of Oxfordshire and the Bishop of Dorchester and the Wing Muster at Abingdon Airfield with cadets from across Oxfordshire.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

Two members of the public had registered to ask a question the details of which are set out below.

A.    Cath Convery asked the following question of Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of the council:

“My name is Cath Convery I am here as a citizen of the village of Harwell and this is not aimed in anyway at my councillors.

Transparency is one of the keys to public procurement and the work of councillors and politicians at all levels.  At recent Harwell Parish Council meeting, several issues regarding service delivery to the parish have been discussed.  I also note that one of the questions today is from Cllr Dewhurst who is asking why the process of getting a doctor’s surgery on GWP has been obfuscated (my words not hers). 

Other areas have included:

1.    Why Vale of White Horse District Council didn’t join the contract that Oxford City have recently let for leisure provision

2.    The limited hours and season of the opening of Abingdon Outdoor pool

3.    Potential changes to the refuse contract, such as moving to a three week rota or reducing the size of the green bins. 

I’m not clear if these are changes to contracts or specification have been accessible to the public during the decision-making phase.

So specifically for this meeting.  If the Capita contract discussion on this agenda pertains to the next contract’s specification, why is the public being asked to leave the meeting”?

Councillor Thomas undertook to provide a written response.

B.    Councillor Clarke of Western Valley Parish Council asked the following question of Councillor Diana Lugova, Cabinet member for planning:

“Given the considerable and ongoing issues encountered with the timely provision of critical infrastructure and fundamentally flawed planning requirements with Great Western Park; what work has been done or is planned to prevent a reoccurrence with Valley Park? 

Examples are the lack of health centre and allotments, insufficient off street parking and drop off spaces at the schools”.

Councillor Lugova undertook to provide a written response.

To receive any petitions from the public. 

The Chair of council advised of the receipt of a petition submitted by Botley and North Hinksey Parish Council signed by in excess of 1400 signatures regarding the closure of the Harcourt Hill swimming pool facility and urging the council to find a way to keep the pool open for the coming year and find a solution for its long term future. As the petition had in excess of 500 signatures it would come before Council for discussion at a future meeting.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 28 June 2024, considered a report on the additional grant funding made available under Local Authority Housing Fund 3 (LAHF 3) to support the provision of housing for the council’s refugee accommodation programme building on previous rounds which the council has taken advantage of.

The Cabinet agenda circulated to all members includes the relevant report.

Cabinet resolved toaccept the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ grant of£747,000 (indicative Local Authority Housing Fund 3 allocation) to deliver four homes that meet the eligibility criteria outlined within the Local Authority Housing Fund 3 prospectus, and to authorise the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which sets out the understanding between both parties for the use of funding.

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: To add £1.644 million to the capital programme, part funded by Local Authority Housing Fund 3 funding of £747,000 to purchase four homes under the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) scheme.

Council considered Cabinet’s recommendation, made at its meeting on 28 June 2024, to add additional funding to the approved capital programme to purchase homes under Local Authority Housing Fund 3 (LAHF 3).

Council was advised that Cabinet had resolved toaccept the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ grant of £747,000 (indicative Local Authority Housing Fund 3 allocation) to deliver four homes that meet the eligibility criteria outlined within the Local Authority Housing Fund 3 prospectus.  The remaining funds would come from the council’s capital programme.

RESOLVED: to add £1.644 million to the approved capital programme, part funded by Local Authority Housing Fund 3 funding of £747,000, to purchase four homes under this scheme.

To consider the report of the head of finance on a proposal to award funds to Milton Parish Council towards a new community hall with sporting facilities in Milton parish – attached.

The Chair of council referred to an email sent to all members on Tuesday 16 July 2024 which advised that due to the lack of a planning decision in respect of the proposed facility the item would not be considered at this Council meeting. Once, and if, planning permission is granted, the report would be brought back to Council.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic on a review of the political balance – attached.

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic to review the Council’s political balance and reconsider the allocation of seats on those committees required to be politically balanced together with the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee and the Licensing Acts Committee following the Sutton Courtenay by-election and the establishment of a new political group.

A revised recommendation was circulated to all members which reflected the outcome of discussions with group leaders.

RESOLVED: to

1.             allocate seats to each political group as set out in the schedule below;

2.             appoint councillors and substitutes to sit on the committees and panels as set out in the schedule below:

3.             authorise the head of legal and democratic to make appointments to any vacant committee or panel seat and substitute positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leader.

To consider the report of the head of corporate services on the appointment of a monitoring officer, and electoral registration officer and a returning officer – attached.

Steven Corrigan, Democratic Services Manager, left the meeting during Council’s consideration of this item.

Council considered the report on the Statutory Officer Appointments of Monitoring Officer, Electoral Registration Officer, and Returning Officer from the head of corporate services. The report outlined the recommendations from the Joint Staff Committee and requested that, if council were satisfied, for those recommendations for the posts to be approved.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Thomas, introduced the report and highlighted that the Council had received a large number of applicants for the position of Monitoring Officer and had been through an extensive recruitment process. She indicated that the council had used independent consultants to sift through all the applications before then it was shortlisted by officers. After this, two candidates were then interviewed by the Joint Staff Committee. She confirmed that the recommendation from the committee was to appoint Nicholas Bennett as Monitoring Officer, Steven Corrigan as Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer and Susan Baker as Deputy Electoral Registration Officer.

RESOLVED: That Council:

1.    appoints Nicholas Bennett as Monitoring Officer for Vale of White Horse District Council with effect from them commencing their role as the councils’ Head of Legal and Democratic Services,

2.    in terms of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and all related legislation, appoints Steven Corrigan as the council’s Electoral Registration Officer with immediate effect and to designate Susan Baker as Deputy Electoral Registration Officer,

3.    in terms of section 35 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and all related legislation, appoints Steven Corrigan as the council’s Returning Officer with immediate effect, with authority to act in that capacity for elections to the council and all or any parish and town councils within the council’s area,

4.    authorises the council’s Electoral Registration Officer to act in respect of all related electoral, poll or referendum duties, including in relation to county council elections, national, regional, and local polls, or referenda,

5.    authorises the Monitoring Officer (currently an interim arrangement) to make any consequential changes required to the Constitution to reflect these changes.

To receive the report of the leader of the council. 

Councillor Thomas, Leader of the council, provided an update on a number of matters. The text of her address is available on the council’s website.

To receive questions from councillors in accordance with Council procedure rule 33. 

A.   Question from Councillor Povolotsky to Councillor Thomas, Leader ofthe council

Can the leader please explain why she has not made any attempts to meet with GARD - The Group Against Reservoir Development, despite their continued requests to meet, since she became leader in late 2022?

B.   Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to Councillor Mark Coleman, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste

For the 13 years I’ve been a member of this council, I have tried to urge the council to improve the litter and detritus removal on the verges and in the shrubs and trees alongside the A34.

The A34 is almost always strewn with rubbish, tyres and detritus. Highway repair crews leave their cones and frames and sandbags behind. Right now, the weeds have grown up enough that it's harder to see. (I recognise that there was recently a one-off blitz to get some control back. I am more concerned with the regular maintenance programme and less in heroics that make for good social media posts.)

What is Vale’s responsibility to residents regarding litter removal from the A34, and what is our strategy for meeting that responsibility?

C.   Question from Councillor Robert Clegg to Councillor Helen Pighills, Cabinet Member for Community Health and Wellbeing

The Joint Street Trading Policy, adopted by the Vale of White Horse District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council in 2014, sets out our framework for the management of street trading across the two district areas. The only substantial amendment to this policy since its adoption came into effect in 2020 and related to food hygiene and health and safety. The policy sits within the national legislative framework set out by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of 1982.

In the decade since our policy was first adopted, the catering industry has faced many headwinds and has suffered as a consequence. The number of public houses across the UK has plummeted and street food vendors have also struggled, a situation exacerbated by but not limited to the Covid-19 pandemic. Those who have survived have often done so by innovating, adopting new approaches to better serve their customers.

Partnerships between “wet-led” public houses and mobile caterers, serving high-quality food from customised trucks or stalls, are one such innovation that has proven successful under these challenging market conditions. The Crown Inn in Marcham, in the ward which I serve, frequently hosts food trucks owned & operated by small, local businesses. After decades of the Crown struggling to stay open, the pub is now thriving and is a source of great pride to the village. The food trucks arrangement has proven immensely popular, to the benefit of the pub, the trucks, and the community. I understand that the chain owning the Crown has achieved similar success across the Vale, and also in South Oxfordshire. However, the variety of food offered by the mobile caterers at the Crown is constrained by the specifics  ...  view the full agenda text for item 24.

A.   Question from Councillor Povolotsky to Councillor Thomas, Leader ofthe council

Can the leader please explain why she has not made any attempts to meet with GARD - The Group Against Reservoir Development, despite their continued requests to meet, since she became leader in late 2022?

Written response

Thank you for your question; I understand that some ward members, around the area most affected by the reservoir, have had close contact with GARD and that members across this council are aware of their views.  As I am sure you are aware GARD “a group of individuals whose aim is to identify and promote viable solutions to meet the future needs of water users in the Thames Water Region.”   Whilst they are not the body ultimately tasked to undertake this function by Government, they contribute to this important debate and have made their views well known to key decision makers, as do those with alternative views.

Our council’s position on SESRO was highlighted by a unanimous resolution of the Council in December 2021. Vale “opposes the reservoir proposal unless or until the case for need for this specific solution (over and above the other potential cheaper, less disruptive, and less environmentally impactful solutions) has been clearly tested, demonstrated and agreed by independent scientific experts.” 

So, at present our view is similar to GARD’s publicly expressed position, though this could change in the future. 

In due course we will have a role to play as a statutory consultee in the formal decision making process for the SESRO proposal. As elected members, especially myself as leader, we cannot allow ourselves to appear predetermined in our views by aligning ourselves too closely with a campaigning organisation at this time, however much we may individually support its aims.

Supplementary Question

Does the Leader of this administration and majority group agree that as the Leader of the council she should be available to listen to residents views whether they are in alignment or not with this councils position, when requested to meet and discuss issues that are important to them -  and if so, then my question remains, as GARD represents a significant group of residents from the Vale, when will the leader agree to a meeting to listen to their concerns, objections, scientific and technical evaluations, or assign this to the relevant cabinet member ?

Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of the council undertook to provide a written response.

B.   Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to Councillor Mark Coleman, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste

For the 13 years I’ve been a member of this council, I have tried to urge the council to improve the litter and detritus removal on the verges and in the shrubs and trees alongside the A34.

The A34 is almost always strewn with rubbish, tyres and detritus. Highway repair crews leave their cones and frames and sandbags behind. Right now, the weeds have grown up enough that it's harder to see. (I recognise that there  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

To consider motions from councillors in accordance with Council procedure rule 38. 

(1)       Motion to be proposed by Councillor Katherine Foxhall, seconded by Councillor Eric de la Harpe:

This council recognises that:

·       The UK is committed by the Climate Change Act and by the Glasgow Climate Pact to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and to reducing them by 68% from 1990 levels by 2030.

·       The Climate Change Committee has estimated that Local Authorities have powers or influence over roughly a third of emissions in their local areas.

·       This council is already committed to reducing its own carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 and to supporting our District to achieve the same by 2045.

This council resolves to:

·      Ask Cabinet to consider the use of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) targets and reporting to deliver and monitor our carbon emissions reduction targets for Council and District emissions.

·      Consider innovative financing options to deliver the climate action that we need to meet our targets and to support a just transition for our residents.

·      Ask the Leader to write to the Secretary of State to request that all Local Authorities are given statutory duties, powers and funding to enable them to deliver locally for a Net Zero transition in line with the UKs legal commitments.

(2)       Motion to be proposed by Councillor Max Thompson, seconded by Councillor Jill Rayner:

LGBTQ+ people have a long contributed to political, economic, social and cultural life in the Vale of White Horse, the UK, and the wider world. However, their stories have often been omitted from history books and wider discourse.

Vale has a proud record of recognising and supporting the importance of equality and diversity.  Examples include the fact that Council has an adopted Diversity and Inclusion strategy and since 2019 has reconfirmed its commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in motions on Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism, and trans rights and we strive to embed those values across our service delivery.

Regrettably however, some politicians and political campaigns still seek to vilifying and ridicule members of the LGBTQ+ community and there has been an uptick of violence and hate crimes towards LGBTQ+ persons in recent years.

There are many important international days for LGBTQ+ awareness that Council does not currently mark externally, including International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, which falls on 17 May, and Transgender Day of Remembrance, which falls on 20 November. February 2025 marks 20 years of LGBT+ history month, which Council has not hitherto marked with any large-scale external communications or events.

Council therefore resolves to:

·      Recognise the damage done to individuals across the LGBTQ+ community by Section 28 of the Local Government At (1988), which required local authorities to take restrictive approaches across areas such as education, publicity and communications, which means that the harm done to the LGBTQ+ community, and others, has extended long past the legislation’s removal in 2003.

·      Restate its belief that LGBTQ+ persons are valued members of our community.

·      Endorse  ...  view the full agenda text for item 25.

(1)       Councillor Foxhall moved, and Councillor de la Harpe seconded the motion as set out on the agenda at item 12(1):

Following debate, the motion was declared carried.

RESOLVED: That

This council recognises that:

·       The UK is committed by the Climate Change Act and by the Glasgow Climate Pact to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and to reducing them by 68% from 1990 levels by 2030.

·       The Climate Change Committee has estimated that Local Authorities have powers or influence over roughly a third of emissions in their local areas.

·       This council is already committed to reducing its own carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 and to supporting our District to achieve the same by 2045.

This council resolves to:

·      Ask Cabinet to consider the use of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) targets and reporting to deliver and monitor our carbon emissions reduction targets for Council and District emissions.

·      Consider innovative financing options to deliver the climate action that we need to meet our targets and to support a just transition for our residents.

·      Ask the Leader to write to the Secretary of State to request that all Local Authorities are given statutory duties, powers and funding to enable them to deliver locally for a Net Zero transition in line with the UKs legal commitments.

(2)       Councillor Thompson moved and Councillor Rayner seconded the motion as set out on the agenda at item 12(2):

Following debate, the motion was declared carried.

RESOLVED:

That LGBTQ+ people have a long contributed to political, economic, social and cultural life in the Vale of White Horse, the UK, and the wider world. However, their stories have often been omitted from history books and wider discourse.

Vale has a proud record of recognising and supporting the importance of equality and diversity.  Examples include the fact that Council has an adopted Diversity and Inclusion strategy and since 2019 has reconfirmed its commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in motions on Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism, and trans rights and we strive to embed those values across our service delivery.

Regrettably however, some politicians and political campaigns still seek to vilifying and ridicule members of the LGBTQ+ community and there has been an uptick of violence and hate crimes towards LGBTQ+ persons in recent years.

There are many important international days for LGBTQ+ awareness that Council does not currently mark externally, including International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, which falls on 17 May, and Transgender Day of Remembrance, which falls on 20 November. February 2025 marks 20 years of LGBT+ history month, which Council has not hitherto marked with any large-scale external communications or events.

Council therefore resolves to:

·       recognise the damage done to individuals across the LGBTQ+ community by Section 28 of the Local Government At (1988), which required local authorities to take restrictive approaches across areas such as education, publicity and communications, which means that the harm done to the LGBTQ+ community, and others, has extended long past the legislation’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

To consider whether to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following item of business under Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that:

(i)     It is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A, and

(ii)    the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED: to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following item of business under Part 1 of Schedule 12A Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 on the grounds that:

i.      it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and

ii.     the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To consider the report of the Deputy Chief Executive: Partnerships – report attached.

See confidential minute.

Council considered a confidential report on the decisions taken by Cabinet at its meeting on 28 June 2024 regarding the end of the initial period of the Capita contract in September 2025 and the provision of services in the future.

Council noted the decisions taken by Cabinet and agreed to the cost of the proposed service arrangements set out in the report.