Agenda and minutes

To record apologies for absence. 

None

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

Councillor Ed Blagrove declared a personal interest in the Radley Neighbourhood Plan as he was the local ward member. 

None

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

None

To consider the head of partnership and insight’s report. 

Cabinet considered the report of the head of partnership and insight, which updated on implementing the changes to the Five Councils Partnership corporate services contract with Capita.  The report also set out an action plan for the council to address immediate deficiencies in the council’s IT systems. 

Cabinet considered that progress had been made to service provision to better meet the council’s needs and thanked the officers and Capita for this. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)      support the proposed changes being progressed with the Five Councils Partnership and to note the process required to enact them;

(b)      confirm that the delegated responsibility for completing the proposed changes rests with the chief executive in line with the Five Councils Partnership Inter-Authority Agreement; and 

(c)       request officers to brief Cabinet members on the implications of the proposed changes and the changes in the deed of variation completed earlier this year. 

To consider the head of corporate services’ report. 

Cabinet considered the head of corporate services’ report, which proposed the adoption of a joint technology strategy, with South Oxfordshire District Council. 

The Cabinet member responsible for IT welcomed the production of the technology strategy and believed that it would bring benefits for the council, its residents and businesses.  Scrutiny Committee had been supportive also. 

The report also recommended a virement of £38,000 of underspent contingency budget, totalling £76,000 across both councils, to allow for the provision of backfill and specialised resources to deliver the immediate priorities set out in the strategy. 

Cabinet supported the recommendations and thanked the officers for their work on the strategy. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)      approve the joint technology strategy for Vale of White Horse District Council, endorsing the principles documented in the head of corporate services’ report to set the direction for any investment in and use of technology and supporting the proposed approach for delivery; and

(b)      approve a virement of £38,000 from the council’s contingency budget (totalling £76,000 across both councils) for the provision of backfill and specialised resources to aid delivery of the immediate priorities set out in the strategy, to be managed by the head of corporate services. 

To consider the head of planning’s report. 

Councillor Ed Blagrove declared a personal interest in this item as he was the local ward member and stood down from the meeting during its consideration. 

Cabinet considered the head of planning’s report on the Radley Neighbourhood Plan.  The report sought Cabinet’s recommendation to Council to make the plan part of the council’s development plan.

Cabinet noted that the plan was compatible with the current European Union obligations and complied with the Habitats Regulation Assessment.  It would also retain green space and community networks valued by local residents and would allow Radley to benefit from the advantages that growth could offer to the community and local infrastructure. 

The referendum, held on 13 September 2018, had resulted in 87 per cent support for the neighbourhood plan.  Therefore, the Cabinet member for planning recommended that Cabinet supported a recommendation to Council to make the neighbourhood plan part of this council’s development plan.  Cabinet supported the recommendation. 

RECOMMENDED to Council to: 

(a)      make the Radley Neighbourhood Development Plan so that it continues to be part of this council’s development plan; and

(b)      authorise the head of planning, in agreement with the Qualifying Body, to correct any spelling, grammatical, typographical or factual errors in the neighbourhood plan, together with any improvements from a presentational perspective. 

To consider the head of finance’s report. 

Cabinet considered the head of finance’s report on the treasury outturn in 2017/18.  The report had been considered by the Joint Audit and Governance Committee, which was satisfied that the treasury activities had been carried out in accordance with the treasury management strategy and policy. 

Cabinet welcomed the report and noted that performance had exceeded targets. 

RECOMMENDED to Council to:

(a)     approve the treasury management outturn report 2017/18; and

(b)     approve the actual 2017/18 prudential indicators within the report.