Agenda and minutes

To record apologies for absence. 

Councillors Neil Fawcett, Helen Pighills and Emily Smith (Chair) had all sent their apologies for absence.  Councillor Bethia Thomas, the Vice-Chair, took the chair for this meeting. 

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 8 April 2022. 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 8 April 2022 as a correct record and agree that the Chair signs them as such.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and 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, and to receive any announcements from the chair.

None

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

None

To consider any recommendations to Cabinet from other committees. 

Cabinet received updates from other committees.  The Joint Audit and Governance Committee had approved the 2020/21 statement of accounts and the accompanying annual governance statement.  The Joint Scrutiny Committee had reviewed and welcomed the draft Joint Design Guide and had made suggestions for some changes.  Cabinet noted these updates. 

To consider the head of policy and programmes’ report. 

Cabinet considered the head of policy and programmes’ report, which proposed a revised delivery plan for Didcot Garden Town.  The new plan would bring forward community improvements, assist recovery of the area following the pandemic, and address the climate emergency. 

The council had been working with South Oxfordshire District Council on the new plan.  The respective Cabinets were being asked to draw funds from their Council-approved reserves to fund delivery.  The initial estimate was £825,000, with £165,000 being from the Vale and £660,000 from South Oxfordshire.  Cabinet was asked to authorise the movement of the council’s funds into the budget year 2022/23.  Any unspent funds at the financial year end would be carried forward into following years. 

Cabinet welcomed the new delivery plan, believing that it was simpler and more deliverable than the previous delivery plan.  Cabinet particularly welcomed the environmental benefits the plan would bring, including road improvements, cycling and walking improvements, and a green spaces project.  The plan would be delivered by working with South Oxfordshire, as well as Oxfordshire County Council and Homes England.  Officers were thanked for producing a plan that was more deliverable. 

RESOLVED to:

(a)       approve the revised delivery plan for Didcot Garden Town, as shown in Appendix 2 to the head of policy and programmes’ report to Cabinet on 24 June 2022; and

(b)       agree a supplementary estimate to the 2022/23 revenue budget £165,000 from Vale of White Horse District Council, fully funded from the grant monies held in the council's reserves, thereafter, to be managed by the relevant budget holder to deliver the approved delivery plan. 

To consider the head of policy and programmes’ report. 

Cabinet considered the head of planning’s report, which proposed a new Joint Design Guide.  The guide had been developed by the Vale and South Oxfordshire District Council as a supplementary planning document to the Vale’s adopted Local Plan.  The guide would also form a supplementary planning document to the Joint Local Plan once that had been adopted.  The Joint Design Guide would help the public when designing new development and would assist officers and members of the Planning Committee in determining planning applications.  The guide had been subject to public consultation.  The report set out the consultation results and proposed changes. 

On 20 June 2022, the Joint Scrutiny Committee had considered the guide also, suggesting some changes.  These were set out in an amendment note, which had been published as a supplement alongside the Cabinet agenda. 

The Cabinet member recommended Cabinet to adopt the Joint Design Guide, along with the changes recommended in the amendment note following the Joint Scrutiny Committee meeting. 

Cabinet welcomed the new Joint Design Guide, believing that it would provide clear advice to all users.  Members were pleased that the new guide was an interactive, online publication.  This would make it easier for the public to use and it could be updated quickly as planning legislation changed.  Cabinet also welcomed the changes suggested following the Joint Scrutiny Committee meeting. 

Cabinet thanked the officers and councillors involved in this project, and thanked the Joint Scrutiny Committee for its suggestions. 

RESOLVED to:

(a)    adopt the Joint Design Guide for Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils as a supplementary planning document, subject to the changes set out in the amendment note following the Joint Scrutiny Committee on 20 June 2022; and

(b)    authorise to the head of planning, in consultation with the Cabinet member for corporate services and transformation (Vale) and the Cabinet members for planning (South), to make necessary minor amendments or typographical corrections to the supplementary planning document prior to publication and undertake any factual updates thereafter (e.g. web links and live neighbourhood plan maps). 

To consider the head of policy and programmes’ report. 

Cabinet considered the corporate plan performance monitoring report for quarter 4 2021/22, together with the annual review report for 2021/22. 

Cabinet welcomed the reports.  They provided a helpful strategic overview of the council’s performance.  Officers would be increasing the promotion of these performance reports through the website and social media. 

Cabinet thanked officers and the Cabinet member for the reports, as well as Councillor Catherine Webber for her work as the former Cabinet member for climate emergency and the environment. 

RESOLVED: to note the corporate plan performance monitoring report for quarter 4, 2021/22 and the annual review report for 2021/22.