Future Oxfordshire Partnership Scrutiny Panel Feedback and Observations to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership

Monday 11 March 2023

Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal: Update at the end of Quarter 3 2023/2024

Whilst acknowledging the pressures on the Home from Infrastructure Programme funding because of inflation and need to re-prioritise the schemes within it, Panel members reiterated previously expressed significant concerns around several road improvement schemes across the county where HfI funding had been withdrawn in 2023 but which were still felt to be valuable and urgently required. Alternative sources of funding were urgently needed for these projects.

Local Enterprise Partnership Functions: Transition Arrangements

A discussion was had over the planned phases of the OxLEP integration; it was felt that further clarification and detail was needed around the scope and intended structure of the later phases. The Panel was advised that this would be shared with it when ready and it was highlighted to the Panel by officers that consideration will be given around engagement with wider groups and stakeholders as part of Phase 2, implementation of the integration process.

The Panel’s feedback is that its view is that it is important that stakeholders from the environmental groups are included as part of the Phase 2 engagement and consultation so as to ensure that the opinions of these groups on the social and environmental aspects of economic growth are taken into consideration. Engagement with the farming sector as an important Oxfordshire industry was also important.

Planning Advisory Group notes 15 December 2023– Local Transport and Connectivity Plan

It was felt that the opportunity to remove freight from roads and onto rail was not included in the update the advisory group had received but that it should have been. A discussion was also raised around the electrification of East West Rail trains and how they appear to be more focused on passenger transport and housing or growth opportunities along the routes rather than freight opportunities.