Future Oxfordshire Partnership response to recommendations of the Partnership Scrutiny Panel made on

22 November 2022

 

The Future Oxfordshire Partnership is requested to provide a response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Panel for decision at its meeting on 29 November 2022.

 

Recommendation

Comment

Local Nature Partnership

The Scrutiny Panel welcomed the update and supported the recommendations set out in the report. It also wished to highlight the following matters to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership, and requests that they recommend to the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership that such matters be considered by it as the partnership develops.

 

  1. The need for continued joint working and coordination with organisations in neighbouring counties given the cross border nature of biodiversity corridors.

 

  1. The need for the introduction of a performance matrix to set a base line by which to monitor and assess the natural economy effectiveness of the outcomes of the Local Nature Partnership.

 

  1. That ways of levering in the involvement of youth organisations as part of the Local Nature Partnership’s work be fully explored.

 

  1. That it recognise the challenges around the independence of consultants commissioned to undertake Biodiversity Net Gain assessments.

 

  1. The need for adequate funding to support the high level of aspiration of the Local Nature Partnership, whilst recognising the importance of not competing with partners for limited funds.

 

 

Oxfords Inclusive Economy Partnership

The Scrutiny Panel welcomed the update and supported the recommendations set out in the report. In addition, it recommended to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership that:

 

  1. Future Oxfordshire Partnership members, (particularly local authorities and their sub-contractors) should be ambitious in their response to the OIEP and set measurable targets around its work, for instance around the promotion of inclusive ownership models such as co-operatives and the use of purchasing power through social procurement strategies.

 

  1. It recognise the importance of improving work force diversity within the county by the encouragement of employers inside and outside the OIEP to set and disclose work force diversity targets.  

 

  1. Encourage the OIEP take steps to seek age diversity of the attendees at the launch event.

 

 

Delivering the Strategic Vision

 

The Scrutiny Panel welcomed the report and supported the recommendations set out in the report, particularly the plans for further engagement sessions with it around identifying opportunities for joint working aligned to the outcomes of the Oxfordshire Strategic Vision (e.g. on the topic of solar farms and energy planning). The Panel recommended to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership in its consideration of the report that it:

  1. Remain cognitive of the need for commonly agreed and understood definitions of the desired outcomes of the Strategic Vision across the Partnership, as a prerequisite to its success.

 

  1. Consider the need to link the high level outcomes of the Strategic Vision with more specific, deliverable outputs.

 

  1. Monitor and evaluate the outputs via a results framework.

 

 

Advisory Group Updates

 

  1. The panel recommends to the FOP that it requests that the Infrastructure Advisory Group (IAG) co-opts a representative from Active Travel England or a delegated nominee to IAG in order to provide active travel expertise to the group.