Agenda item

To receive questions from members of the council under standing order 12:

(1)       Question from Councillor Tony de Vere to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber:

‘Please would the Leader reassure council that under no circumstances will he allow a change in the branding of ‘Science Vale UK’ before bringing the issue back to full council?’ 

(2)               Question from Councillor Judy Roberts to the Cabinet member for economic development, Councillor Elaine Ware:

‘Please would the Cabinet member update Council on the % Retail Occupancy rates for each of our Market Towns?’

(3)       Question from Councillor Julie Mayhew-Archer to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber:

‘Please would the Leader of the Council report to Council on the present state of the Vale Lease of Abbey Fishponds and its future?’

(4)       Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to the Cabinet member for environmental heath, Councillor Roger Cox:

‘The Botley Air Quality Management Area was created in 2008.  The Air Quality Updating & Screening Assessment report of 2012 concluded that it was necessary to develop an Air Quality Action Plan for Botley.  Please would the Cabinet member for environmental health comment on the efficacy of the Vale's current Action Plan for reducing nitrogen dioxide air pollution in the Botley AQMA along the A34 corridor, and point us to where the public can see that Action Plan.’ 

1.         Question from Councillor Tony de Vere to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Matthew Barber:

‘Please would the Leader reassure council that under no circumstances will he allow a change in the branding of ‘Science Vale UK’ before bringing the issue back to full council?’ 

Councillor Matthew Barber responded that there were no plans to change the branding but that it was a matter for the Science Vale Board.

In response to a supplementary question asking whether he was aware that Oxfordshire County Council had already discussed a change of name, Councillor Matthew Barber responded that as far as he was aware no proposal had been submitted to the Science Vale Board and it had not been raised as an agenda item.

2.             Question from Councillor Judy Roberts to the Cabinet member for economic development, Councillor Elaine Ware:

‘Please would the Cabinet member update Council on the percentage Retail Occupancy rates for each of our Market Towns?’

Councillor Elaine Ware responded as follows:

“Economic Development undertakes annual retail vacancy surveys in each of the towns in September as there is evidence that vacancies are affected by seasonality, particularly around Christmas, Easter and summer. As a result we will not have a full updated vacancy position for all the towns until later this year.

However, I am pleased to report that due to ongoing work in two of the towns the retail vacancy rate in Wantage has decreased from 26 units in September 2012 to 15 units in July 2013. The vacancy rate in Wantage has therefore fallen from 14% to 8%. In Faringdon the number of vacant units increased from 1 to 3 in the same period but 2 of these units will shortly be in use which means that the vacancy rate remains unchanged at just under 2%. 

Additionally in Botley there is 100% occupancy and therefore 0% vacancy rate.

The figures quoted may be compared to the National retail vacancy rate of 14.1% published in May 2013.

With regard to Abingdon, as already mentioned there will be a full survey undertaken in September. The shopping centre redevelopment has only recently been finalised and although there are a number of vacant units one of the larger units in the centre will shortly be let and we are hopeful that once there is an anchor tenant in place that the other units will quickly be filled. There will be an announcement about this by Scottish Widows early next week. In addition the former West End News shop (next door to Costa) is to become a Parsons Bakery, work has already begun and Costa Coffee will be expanding into the former Jessop’s store that closed when the company went into administration nationally. Officers tell me that another shop outside the centre has recently been purchased and will start trading by the end of summer – more details will be available once legal work is completed. Weatherspoon’s are investing significant sums of money in the Old Post Office and Phase one of the Old Gaol development is nearing completion. We are confident that this time next year, the number of vacant units in Abingdon will be much lower and we should see some improvement by the time the survey is carried out.

The Vale’s percentage vacancy rates compared with the National average are extremely encouraging and no doubt reflect that the introduction of 2 hours free car parking has had a beneficial effect.

I shall ensure that details of the full survey are provided to all councillors as soon as they are available”.

Councillor Judy Roberts asked the following supplementary question:

"To what extent is any increase in the four marketing areas attributable to the introduction of 2 hours free car parking and/or the implementation of the £100k Portas money at the start of 2013?"

Councillor Elaine Ware agreed to provide a written reply.

3.         Question from Councillor Julie Mayhew-Archer to the Cabinet member for economic development, Councillor Elaine Ware:

‘Please would you report to Council on the present state of the Vale lease of Abbey Fishponds and its future?’

Councillor Elaine Ware responded as follows:

“The existing manager of the site BBOWT (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust) does not wish to continue being involved with the site after the end of this year.

We are giving active consideration to entering into a management agreement with a local charity that is well experienced in the management of environmentally important sites.

As the Vale is only the leaseholder we have involved the owner of the site in those discussions with a view to having new agreements in place in time for the expiry of the lease”.

In response to a supplementary question Councillor Elaine Ware confirmed that meetings between representatives of the trust and district council were important to the success of the Abbey Fishponds.

(4)       Question from Councillor Debby Hallett to the Cabinet member for environmental heath, Councillor Roger Cox:

‘The Botley Air Quality Management Area was created in 2008.  The Air Quality Updating and Screening Assessment report of 2012 concluded that it was necessary to develop an Air Quality Action Plan for Botley.  Please would the Cabinet member for environmental health comment on the efficacy of the Vale's current Action Plan for reducing nitrogen dioxide air pollution in the Botley AQMA along the A34 corridor, and point us to where the public can see that Action Plan.’ 

Councillor Roger Cox responded as follows:

 “I have instructed officers to produce a district wide strategy and action plan incorporating measures needed to deal with the air quality issues identified at Botley, Abingdon and Marcham.

The rationale for this approach is that the cause of the air quality issues in each of these areas is road traffic emissions and we consider that a district wide approach, in conjunction with Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, will achieve more tangible results”.