Agenda item

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

A.   Motion proposed by Councillor Nathan Boyd, seconded by Councillor Elaine Ware.

This Council notes:

1. The recent endorsement of the "Twenty is Plenty" campaign by Oxfordshire County Council in its role as Highways Authority which means all new residential roads will have a 20 mph speed limit.

2. The evidence that introduction of 20mph limits even without formal enforcement results in much safer speed profiles and this is particularly beneficial in the vicinity of schools, community hubs and care facilities.

This Council believes that as the Local Planning Authority we could look to facilitate the campaign by designing in a 20 Mph speed limit policy for new developments via the emerging local plan.

The Council further believes that there may be a role for a "best practice guide" and case studies for parish Councils to help them facilitate 20mph limits where there is local demand.

Council requests officers to prepare a report for the Scrutiny Committee on the practical implications.

B.   Motion to be proposed by Councillor Paul Barrow, seconded by Councillor Richard Webber

The flooding in Oxfordshire over Christmas served as yet another reminder of the importance of flood defences and effective road-side drainage as climate change makes flood events more common and more extreme. As well as planning policy needed to take increasing flood risk seriously, it is vital that the Environment Agency are properly funded to help them protect communities and the local economy from the devastating impact of flooding.

Council notes:

-          The excellent partnership work between this council, the Environment Agency and other partners on the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme which will protect South Hinksey, Kennington and North Hinksey as well as Oxford City once built.

-          There is a Flood Alleviation Scheme designed to protect parts of Abingdon around the River Ock that the Environment Agency believe will protect the Town. This scheme is unfunded.

-          That the likelihood and severity of flooding on the scale of what Abingdon experienced in 2007 and South Hinksey experienced in 2014 is increasingly likely.

-          The impact of flooding on our communities can be devastating – for residents personally affected, financially in the damage caused to property, and the impact on our electricity and transport infrastructure which has a knock-on impact for businesses and the local economy.

-          The financial constraints that limit infrastructure maintenance by Oxfordshire County Council, such as clearing gullies once every three years and adopting a reactive approach to flooding.

Council asks the Leader to:

-          Write to the Secretary of State for DEFRA and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury asking for the Environment Agency funding for flood alleviation schemes to be increased significantly and for the Abingdon Flood Alleviation Scheme specifically to be funded as part of the government’s next budget round.

-          Continue to work through our partnerships, such as the Growth Board and OxLEP, to highlight the importance of flood alleviation in our district and action to protect residents and businesses. 

-          Write to Oxfordshire County Council to encourage the development of a rational, comprehensive and cost-effective management plan for maintenance of roadside gullies and drainage, liaising with landowners to clear important drainage ditches and involving increased funding.

C.   Motion to be proposed by Councillor Jenny Hannaby, seconded by Councillor Ron Batstone

Council notes that the Wessex Leisure Centre project was put on hold in October 2018 at a point when it was clear that the total of Section 106 Developer contributions already collected and those to be received in the future fell very significantly short of the amount required to fund the project.  Council is also aware that the current restrictions imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic and the unknown potential implications of the need to maintain social distancing and other measures may impact the nature of leisure facilities for the foreseeable future.  However, recognising that earmarked funds are and will become available this Council:

1. Asks officers to initiate early engagement with residents and stakeholders in the Grove and Wantage area to inform the best use of the S106 leisure funds generated locally that were previously allocated to the ill-fated Wessex Leisure Centre.

2. As part of this work, asks officers in its infrastructure, policy and legal teams to disentangle these S106 agreements and in doing so acknowledge that it may then be necessary to consult further with other local communities about what recreation and leisure facilities are required in the areas that generated some of those S106 contributions.

3. Notes that the new and more flexible CIL Spending Strategy adopted by Cabinet reinforces this Council's intention to use CIL developer contributions to pay for community infrastructure, including for leisure provision, in a way that assists the delivery of larger projects to the benefit of the whole community.  

4. Enthusiastically supports the recent changes to the Vale's CIL Charging Strategy which will see a near doubling of CIL infrastructure funding to this District over the life of the Local Plan. 

5. Supports the prioritisation work on the Vale’s Active Communities Strategy to inform how best to use S106, CIL and other funding to provide recreation facilities and opportunities for communities across the district.

Prior to consideration of this item, and prior to the expiry of two and a half hours, Council agreed, in accordance with council procedure rule 12, to extend the meeting by half an hour.

A.   Councillor Nathan Boyd moved, and Councillor Elaine Ware seconded the motion as set out in the agenda at agenda item 18.

Amendment

Councillor Neil Fawcett moved and Councillor Bob Johnston seconded an amendment with additional words in bold and deleted words shown by a strikethrough

“This Council notes:

1. The recent endorsement of the "Twenty is Plenty" campaign by Oxfordshire County Council in its role as Highways Authority which means all new residential roads will should have a 20 mph speed limit.

2. The evidence that introduction of 20mph limits even without formal enforcement results in much safer speed profiles and this is particularly beneficial in the vicinity of schools, community hubs and care facilities.

This Council believes that as the Local Planning Authority we could look to facilitate the campaign by designing in a 20 mph speed limit policy for new developments via the emerging next Local Plan.

The Council further believes that there may be a role for a "best practice guide" and case studies for parish Councils to help them facilitate 20mph limits where there is local demand.

Council asks the Leader to write to the County Council in support of swift implementation of the “Twenty is Plenty” campaign, asking the County Council to provide a “best practice guide” to help facilitate 20mph limits where there is local demand, asking that County Council officers promote 20mph limits in discussions with developers, that County Council officers base their responses to planning applications on this policy and asking for any further advice or guidance the County Council can provide to the Vale in how it can help support the implementation of this policy.

Council requests officers to prepare a report for the Scrutiny Committee on the practical implications.

Council would welcome any request by Scrutiny Committee to invite the County Council to discuss how this initiative is being implemented”.

With the agreement of Council, the mover and seconder of the original motion accepted the amendment.

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

RESOLVED: That Council notes;

1. The recent endorsement of the "Twenty is Plenty" campaign by Oxfordshire County Council in its role as Highways Authority which means all new residential roads should have a 20 mph speed limit.

2. The evidence that introduction of 20mph limits even without formal enforcement results in much safer speed profiles and this is particularly beneficial in the vicinity of schools, community hubs and care facilities.

This Council believes that as the Local Planning Authority we could look to facilitate the campaign by designing in a 20 mph speed limit policy for new developments via the next Local Plan.

The Council further believes that there may be a role for a "best practice guide" and case studies for parish Councils to help them facilitate 20mph limits where there is local demand.

Council asks the Leader to write to the County Council in support of swift implementation of the “Twenty is Plenty” campaign, asking the County Council to provide a “best practice guide” to help facilitate 20mph limits where there is local demand, asking that County Council officers promote 20mph limits in discussions with developers, that County Council officers base their responses to planning applications on this policy and asking for any further advice or guidance the County Council can provide to the Vale in how it can help support the implementation of this policy.

Council would welcome any request by Scrutiny Committee to invite the County Council to discuss how this initiative is being implemented.

B.   Councillor Paul Barrow moved, and Councillor Richard Webber seconded the motion as set out in the agenda at agenda item 18

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

RESOLVED:

That the flooding in Oxfordshire over Christmas served as yet another reminder of the importance of flood defences and effective road-side drainage as climate change makes flood events more common and more extreme. As well as planning policy needed to take increasing flood risk seriously, it is vital that the Environment Agency are properly funded to help them protect communities and the local economy from the devastating impact of flooding.

Council notes:

-          The excellent partnership work between this council, the Environment Agency and other partners on the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme which will protect South Hinksey, Kennington and North Hinksey as well as Oxford City once built.

-          There is a Flood Alleviation Scheme designed to protect parts of Abingdon around the River Ock that the Environment Agency believe will protect the Town. This scheme is unfunded.

-          That the likelihood and severity of flooding on the scale of what Abingdon experienced in 2007 and South Hinksey experienced in 2014 is increasingly likely.

-          The impact of flooding on our communities can be devastating – for residents personally affected, financially in the damage caused to property, and the impact on our electricity and transport infrastructure which has a knock-on impact for businesses and the local economy.

-          The financial constraints that limit infrastructure maintenance by Oxfordshire County Council, such as clearing gullies once every three years and adopting a reactive approach to flooding.

Council asks the Leader to:

-          Write to the Secretary of State for DEFRA and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury asking for the Environment Agency funding for flood alleviation schemes to be increased significantly and for the Abingdon Flood Alleviation Scheme specifically to be funded as part of the government’s next budget round.

-          Continue to work through our partnerships, such as the Growth Board and OxLEP, to highlight the importance of flood alleviation in our district and action to protect residents and businesses. 

-          Write to Oxfordshire County Council to encourage the development of a rational, comprehensive and cost-effective management plan for maintenance of roadside gullies and drainage, liaising with landowners to clear important drainage ditches and involving increased funding.

C.   Councillor Jenny Hannaby moved, and Councillor Ron Batstone seconded the motion as set out in the agenda at agenda item 18

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

RESOLVED:

That Council notes that the Wessex Leisure Centre project was put on hold in October 2018 at a point when it was clear that the total of Section 106 Developer contributions already collected and those to be received in the future fell very significantly short of the amount required to fund the project.  Council is also aware that the current restrictions imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic and the unknown potential implications of the need to maintain social distancing and other measures may impact the nature of leisure facilities for the foreseeable future.  However, recognising that earmarked funds are and will become available this Council:

1. Asks officers to initiate early engagement with residents and stakeholders in the Grove and Wantage area to inform the best use of the S106 leisure funds generated locally that were previously allocated to the ill-fated Wessex Leisure Centre.

2. As part of this work, asks officers in its infrastructure, policy and legal teams to disentangle these S106 agreements and in doing so acknowledge that it may then be necessary to consult further with other local communities about what recreation and leisure facilities are required in the areas that generated some of those S106 contributions.

3. Notes that the new and more flexible CIL Spending Strategy adopted by Cabinet reinforces this Council's intention to use CIL developer contributions to pay for community infrastructure, including for leisure provision, in a way that assists the delivery of larger projects to the benefit of the whole community.  

4. Enthusiastically supports the recent changes to the Vale's CIL Charging Strategy which will see a near doubling of CIL infrastructure funding to this District over the life of the Local Plan. 

5. Supports the prioritisation work on the Vale’s Active Communities Strategy to inform how best to use S106, CIL and other funding to provide recreation facilities and opportunities for communities across the district.