Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence. 

None

To adopt and sign as a correct record the public minutes of the Executive meeting held on 2 October 2009 (previously circulated). 

The Executive adopted and signed as a correct the minutes from its meeting held on 2 October 2009.  

To receive any declarations of personal or personal and prejudicial interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

Any councillor with a personal interest or a personal and prejudicial interest in accordance with the provisions of the code of conduct, in any matter to be considered at a meeting, must declare the existence and nature of that interest as soon as the interest becomes apparent in accordance with the provisions of the code.

When a councillor declares a personal and prejudicial interest he shall also state if he has a dispensation from the Standards Committee entitling him/her to speak, or speak and vote on the matter concerned.

Where any councillor has declared a personal and prejudicial interest he shall withdraw from the room while the matter is under consideration unless

(a)                his/her disability to speak, or speak and vote on the matter has been removed by a dispensation granted by the Standards Committee, or

(b)                members of the public are allowed to make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter by statutory right or otherwise.  If that is the case, the councillor can also attend the meeting for that purpose.  However, the councillor must immediately leave the room once he/she has finished; or when the meeting decides he/she has finished whichever is the earlier and in any event the councillor must leave the room for the duration of the debate on the item in which he/she has a personal and prejudicial interest.

None

To receive notification of any matters which the Chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the Chair.

The Chair accepted one item of urgent business in order to allow a delegation to take place in early December to publish the Executive’s draft budget for 2010/11. 

The Executive considered how its draft budget should be approved before publication for consultation in accordance with the council’s budget and policy framework procedure rules.  Councillors considered that the draft budget should be published by the portfolio holder. 

RESOLVED

that the Chair of the Executive be invited to delegate authority to the Executive portfolio holder for Finance to prepare and publish the Executive’s draft 2010/11 budget for consultation purposes. 

Any statements, petitions or questions from the public under Standing Order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting. 

Mr Stephen King made a statement on behalf of the Abingdon shopkeepers and presented a petition containing 115 signatures.  The petition called on the council carefully consider the impact on businesses and on town centre vitality generally, should any increase in car parking tariffs be approved.  Moreover, the signatories expected the council to bring tariffs in line with that of Didcot, Wallingford, and Witney.  Mr King reiterated these points. 

Scrutiny Committee – 17 November 2009

Annual review of leisure contractors’ performance

At the Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 17 November 2009, councillors conducted an annual review of the leisure contractors’ performance.  The following matters were referred to the Executive for consideration:

1. to investigate the possibility of introducing a unified leisure facilities membership card for use at all Vale sites, regardless of there being different centre management contractors.

2. to review the current parking restrictions at Tilsley Park.

3. to request the officers to report on the nature of the dual use agreements at Faringdon and Wantage Leisure Centres to demonstrate that the agreements are in the council’s interest.  

(Time: 3.21pm to 3.24pm)

At the Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 17 November 2009, councillors conducted an annual review of the leisure contractors’ performance.  They referred the following matters to the Executive for consideration:

1. to investigate the possibility of introducing a unified leisure facilities membership card for use at all Vale sites, regardless of there being different centre management contractors;

2. to review the current parking restrictions at Tilsley Park; and

3. to request the officers to report on the nature of the dual use agreements at Faringdon and Wantage Leisure Centres to demonstrate that the agreements are in the council’s interest.   

The Executive noted that the officers were in discussion with the council’s partners/contractors on the first and third item and would report in due course.  With regard to the second item, this was an operational matter; the parking restrictions would be lifted shortly.  The Executive welcomed this. 

RESOLVED

(a)               that the officers be requested to investigate the possibility of introducing a unified leisure facilities membership card for use at all Vale sites, regardless of there being different centre management contractors;

(b)               that the current parking restrictions at TilsleyPark be lifted; and

(c)               that the officers be requested to investigate and report back on the nature of the dual use agreements at Faringdon and Wantage Leisure Centres to demonstrate that the agreements are in the council’s interest. 

Appended to the agenda is a schedule of requests for virements.  Table 1 sets out virement requests for approval by the Executive.  Table 2 sets out virements approved under delegated authority by the Strategic Director. 

Recommendation

that the virements set out in table 1 of the agenda report be approved. 

(Time: 3.24pm to 3.26pm)

The Executive considered an agenda report setting out requests for virements (table 1).  Councillors approved the requests. 

The Executive also noted a schedule of virements approved by the Chief Finance Officer under delegated authority (table 2). 

RESOLVED  (by 7 votes to nil)

that the virements set out in table 1 to the agenda report be approved. 

To receive and consider report 75/09 of the Principal Performance Management Officer. 

(Time: 3.26pm to 3.39pm)

The Executive received and considered report 75/09 of the Principal Performance Monitoring Officer.  This monitored the council’s performance from July to September 2009.  It set out:

·        how the council had performed against the national indicators that applied to district councils, nine of which were local area agreement targets;

·        how the council performed against the local performance targets, set by the council;

·        a summary of sickness and turnover; and

·        a financial commentary. 

The Executive was pleased with the council’s performance in delivering affordable housing.  However, councillors requested that the officers issued a media release to correct inaccuracies in a BBC report of the council’s housing performance.  The council had no restriction on who could join the housing register.  This meant the waiting list could be longer than some other councils.  However, the council had been successful in dealing with housing need, preventing homelessness, and keeping people out of temporary accommodation. 

Councillors were pleased to note that the performance in processing planning applications had improved and were better than their targets.  It was noted that the provisional planning delivery reward grant had been announced by the government but this had yet to be confirmed. 

In terms of benefits’ administration, the Executive was pleased with the recent performance in processing benefits applications but believed that there was a need for significant improvement in processing accuracy.  The Executive would be looking for improved performance in the third quarter. 

RESOLVED

(a)               that the council’s progress and the end of year predictions be noted; and

(b)       that a media release be issued to correct the BBC’s report on the council’s housing performance. 

To receive and consider report 76/09 of the Head of Commercial Services. 

(Time: 3.39pm to 3.52pm)

The Executive received and considered report 76/09 of the Head of Commercial Services.  This set out how the council could regulate its car parking charges to meet the council’s objectives of covering the cost of the service, influencing usage patterns, and supporting town centre vitality. 

The report set out options for councillors to consider as part of the 2010/11 budget preparation.  Each one would meet the council’s strategic objectives.  These options included:

• Free parking for the first hour

• Free parking after 4pm

• Increasing medium-stay charges

• Increasing long-stay charges

• Increasing permit charges

• Matching the Civic car park charges in Abingdon with those of the adjacent Cattle Market car park

• Reducing the level of enforcement

• Outsourcing the parking service

The Executive agreed to consider these options when preparing its budget for recommendation to the Council in February 2010.  When considering this, the Executive would take into account the petition submitted by the Abingdon shopkeepers and the comments of New River Capital Limited that had been sent to the Chair.  Any new car parking charges would take effect from 1 April 2010. 

RESOLVED

that the car parking charging options be taken into consideration as part of the budget preparation for 2010/11. 

To receive and consider report 77/09 of the Head of Planning. 

(Time: 3.52pm to 4.07pm)

The Executive received and considered report 77/09 of the Head of Planning Services.  This set out the recommendations of the Strategic and Local Planning Advisory Group on further changes to the draft core strategy as part of the council’s local development framework.  The report advised the Executive to carry out public consultation on these changes to assess reaction to the revised proposals.  This was a requirement of the local development framework procedure.  The report also set out a revised timetable to complete the core strategy. 

The key issue of debate at the advisory group had been over the need to provide for additional housing over that suggested in the original draft core strategy and the location of development.  The advisory group recommended that this should be north-east of Wantage rather than south-west of Abingdon, due to the evidence that the latter site should not be pursued for development.  Also recommended was a new housing allocation site in the northern part of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. 

The advisory group reconsidered the policy seeking affordable housing on all new sites and recommended that affordable should be sought on housing sites where the application was for three or more homes.  However, this would have to be subject to individual schemes remaining viable. 

The advisory group also looked at proposals for additional shopping floor space in Abingdon and Faringdon town centres. 

The Executive agreed with the advisory group’s recommendations and agreed to consult the public on the further changes proposed to the draft core strategy.  The consultation would take place from 18 December 2009 to 29 January 2010.    Councillors noted the proposed consultation arrangements. 

R E C O M M E N D E D

(a)               that the local development framework core strategy will not include a major housing site for up to 1,500 homes south-west of Abingdon as no deliverable solutions have been identified to resolve the traffic problems; and

(b)               that work proceeds on the core strategy on the basis of including a major housing site north-east of Wantage;

RESOLVED

(c)        that consultation is carried out for a six week period on the following:

(i)                 the amount and distribution of housing outlined in paragraph 14 of report 77/09, including the preferred strategic sites west of Didcot, south of Park Road at Faringdon, and north east of Wantage, and a new strategic housing site in the northern part of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus;

(ii)               a policy seeking affordable housing on all new sites in the district of three or more homes, subject to individual schemes remaining viable;

(iii)             a general policy relating to gypsies;

(iv)             current expectations on future economic development growth and the amount of land to be identified in the local development framework;

(v)               details of potential redevelopment schemes in Abingdon and Faringdon to provide additional retail floor space;

(vi)             a proposed new road west of the A34, linking the A417 south west of Didcot with the Harwell Science  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

To receive and consider report 78/09 of the Head of Planning. 

(Time: 4.07pm to 4.09pm)

The Executive received and considered report 78/09 of the Head of Planning Services.  This set out the responses to the consultation on the draft statement of community involvement.  The statement formed part of the local development framework.  The statement explained how the council would involve the community in preparing the local development framework. 

The advisory group had reviewed the schedule of responses received during the consultation period and made recommendations for changes to the statement.  The Executive agreed with the proposed changes. 

RESOLVED

(a)       that the representations received on the statement of community involvement be noted; and

(b)       that the changes to the statement of community involvement, recommended in the schedule to report 78/09, be approved. 

To receive and consider report 79/09 of the Head of Planning. 

(Time: 4.09pm to 4.10pm)

The Executive received and considered report 79/09 of the Head of Planning Services.  This set out the responses received during the consultation period on the supplementary planning documents that gave guidance on residential design and sustainable design and construction.  The council had a choice on whether to publish these documents as part of the council’s local development framework.  The Executive considered that publishing these documents would give important guidance to developers on design and construction. 

The advisory group had reviewed the responses received during the consultation period and had made recommendations for some changes to the draft documents.  The Executive agreed with the proposed changes. 

RESOLVED

(a)       that the representations received on the draft residential design guide and sustainable design and construction supplementary planning documents be noted; and

(b)               that the changes to the supplementary planning documents, recommended in the schedule to report 79/09, be approved; and

R E C O M M E N D E D

(c)        that the residential design guide and sustainable design and construction supplementary planning documents be adopted.     

To receive and consider report 80/09 of the Head of Corporate Strategy. 

(Time: 4.10pm to 4.15pm)

The Executive received and considered report 80/09 of the Head of Planning Services.  The report sought the Executive’s agreement to extend the service level agreement with Thames Valley Police for the monitoring of CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras in South Oxfordshire district and to change monitoring arrangements. 

The Executive noted that the CCTV control room at Abingdon had monitored South Oxfordshire District Council’s CCTV cameras for almost five years; the contract was due to end on 31 January 2010.  It was recommended that this agreement was extended to 31 March 2011.  This would allow South Oxfordshire to review its CCTV service and for this council to consider South Oxfordshire’s recommendations. 

Following advice from Internal Audit, it was recommended that the Community Safety Manager was given the discretion to target staff resources at the busiest times. 

The Executive supported both recommendations. 

RESOLVED

(a)               that the service level agreement with South Oxfordshire District Council for running the CCTV control room be extended to 31 March 2011; and  

(b)               that authority be delegated to the Community Safety Manager to change the current CCTV monitoring arrangements to target resources at the busiest times. 

The chair to move that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public, including the press, be excluded from the remainder of the meeting to prevent the disclosure to them of exempt information, as defined in Section 100(I) and Part 1 of Schedule 12A, as amended, to the Act when the following items are considered:

Item 15     Minutes

(Category 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information.)

Item 16      Corporate property review

                   (Category 3)

RESOLVED

that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public including the press be excluded from the remainder of the meeting to prevent the disclosure to them of exempt information, as defined in Section 100(I) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, as amended, to the Act when the following items are considered:

Minutes

(Category 2 – Information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual.)

(Category 3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information.)

Corporate property review

(Category 3)

To adopt and sign as a correct record the exempt minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 2 October 2009, (previously circulated).

The Executive adopted and signed as a correct the exempt minutes from its meeting held on 2 October 2009. 

To receive and consider report 81/09 of the Head of Economy, Leisure, and Property. 

The Executive considered a report on a review of the council’s property and supported changes to operational arrangements.