Agenda and minutes

To record apologies for absence. 

Councillors Neil Fawcett, Ruth Molyneaux and Catherine Webber had each sent their apologies for absence. 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 5 April 2019. 

RESOLVED: to adopt as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 5 April 2019 and agree that the chair signs them as such. 

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

None

None

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

Rita Atkinson of Sutton Courtenay Parish Council addressed Cabinet, seeking a seat and vote for the parish council on the Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board.  She suggested that other parish councils might have the same view and the Campaign to Protect Rural England should be invited also. 

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

Cabinet considered the head of partnership and insight’s report on the governance of Didcot Garden Town.  The report sought agreement to new governance arrangements, including a new advisory board and three new sounding boards for the local community groups/residents, for local businesses and for parish councils within the ‘area of influence’.  The report also sought the prioritisation of projects and the allocation of capacity funding. 

The Cabinet member for partnership and insight proposed the recommendations set out in the report.  However, Cabinet expressed concern at the lack of community engagement in the proposed new governance arrangements. 

Cabinet members requested that improved community engagement activities began for Didcot Garden Town, but that consideration was given to as much inclusiveness as possible in the Didcot Garden Town project.  This should allow the public and the local community to have an input to shaping the future of their area.  This community engagement should involve young people, vulnerable groups, hard-to-reach groups, community groups, all parish councils in the ‘area of influence’, local businesses/chamber of commerce, and any groups/organisations reflecting the environmental agenda.  Cabinet also requested officers to prepare a timeline for events, leading to decision-making by this council and South Oxfordshire District Council. 

Cabinet agreed to defer consideration of the Didcot Garden Town revised governance arrangements, the allocation of capacity funding and the prioritisation of projects, to allow the Joint Scrutiny Committee to consider these and comment back to Cabinet. 

Cabinet noted that South Oxfordshire’s Cabinet was also due to consider the same report on 1 August.  Officers were asked to advise South Oxfordshire of this Cabinet’s decisions before that meeting took place. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)      defer consideration of the Didcot Garden Town revised governance arrangements, the allocation of capacity funding and the prioritisation of projects, to allow the Joint Scrutiny Committee to consider and comment back to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the head of partnership and insight’s report to Cabinet on 12 July 2019;

(b)      request that improved community engagement activities begin for Didcot Garden Town, and that consideration is given to as much inclusiveness as possible in the Didcot Garden Town project to allow the public and the local community to have an input to shaping the future of their area, including: young people, vulnerable groups, hard-to-reach groups, community groups, all parish councils in the ‘area of influence’, local businesses/chamber of commerce, and any groups/organisations reflecting the environmental agenda;

(c)       request officers to prepare a timeline for events, leading to decision-making by this council and South Oxfordshire District Council;

(d)      advise South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet of this Cabinet’s views. 

To consider the head of planning’s report. 

Cabinet considered the head of planning’s report on Ashbury 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 Regulations Assessment. 

The referendum, held on 4 July 2019, had resulted in 94.2 per cent support for the plan.  Cabinet welcomed the plan and supported the recommendation. 

RECOMMENDED to Council to:

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

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

To consider the head of planning’s report.  

Cabinet considered the head of planning’s report on Uffington and Baulking 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 Regulations Assessment. 

The referendum, held on 4 July 2019, had resulted in 87.7 per cent support for the plan.  Cabinet welcomed the plan and supported the recommendation. 

RECOMMENDED to Council to:

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

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