Agenda and minutes

To receive any announcements from the chair. 

The Council Leader opened the meeting.

To record apologies for absence. 

Apologies were received from Councillors Neil Fawcett and Sue Caul. It was noted that Councillors Andy Crawford and Lucy Edwards were present online.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 31 January 2025.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2025 were agreed as a correct record, and the chair will sign them as such.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.

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.

None

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

None

To consider the attached paper, being the recommendations and updates from other committees to Cabinet. 

Councillor Hayleigh Gascoigne, chair of the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, spoke to agenda item nine, the Nature and Climate Action Plan (NCAP), explaining that the committee was in support of the NCAP being approved, and thanked the officer team for involving the committee throughout the process.

To consider a report from the Deputy Chief Executive – Place.

The Council Leader introduced this report as the lead Cabinet member for Strategic Partnerships. Present online was the Deputy Chief Executive – Place and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services. The Cabinet member for Strategic Partnerships highlighted that the important changes to the newly named Oxfordshire Leaders Joint Committee included a revised membership, and removal of advisory groups, with the options to create task and finish groups if the need arises, therefore a more streamlined approach. The committee would be a forum for discussion between neighbouring leaders, but the streamlining reflects the wrapping up of work from the Oxfordshire Growth Deal.

The Cabinet member for Strategic Partnerships noted an update in paragraph 21 to 22. Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) had decided to make their decision on this revised Terms of Reference (ToR) via Individual Member Decision rather than via their Cabinet, and the date had changed for this decision, which will be taken on 10 March 2025.

The Cabinet noted the recommendations from Joint Audit and Governance and Joint Scrutiny Committees and considered that officers had been active in reviewing the progress of this new ToR. The members of the committees were thanked for their recommendations to Cabinet, and it was noted that there were features of the ToR that supported individual members to step away from decisions if they were not happy with them. Therefore, it was considered that the structure for voting was appropriate, open and transparent.

The Cabinet considered the new ToR to be fit for purpose at this time. Members voted in favour of approving the ToR.

Resolved:

That Cabinet approves the revised Terms of Reference and Memorandum of Understanding. These will take effect following approval by each of the six Oxfordshire councils.

To consider a report from the Head of Policy and Programmes.

The Council Leader introduced this report, as the Cabinet member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery. She thanked Councillor Gascoigne for her contribution.

The Climate and Biodiversity Team Leader was present to support. The Senior Climate Action Officer was present online. The Leader thanked officers for their work on creating this plan, and all the steps and consultation work that had been carried out.

It was confirmed that South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet had approved the plan on 6 March 2025.

Members of Cabinet were pleased to receive this plan. They voted in favour of approving and adopting the plan.

Resolved:

Cabinet formally approve and adopt the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse joint Nature and Climate Action Plan 2025-29.