Agenda and minutes

To record apologies for absence and the attendance of substitute members. 

South Councillors Sue Lawson and Ian White, and Vale Councillor Anthony Hayward (substituted by Yvonne Constance) submitted apologies.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Joint Scrutiny Committee minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2018 (attached). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2018 were agreed as an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

None.

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

None.

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

None.

To consider the report of the head of planning (attached).

The committee considered the report of the head of planning which sought comments on the draft consultation document, timetable and changes to the Statement of Community Involvement for the Oxfordshire Plan 2050, which was formerly known as the Joint Statutory Spatial Plan (JSSP).

Councillors Felix Bloomfield and Roger Cox, South and Vale Cabinet members for planning, respectively, introduced the report.  Also present to answer questions were Andrew Down, head of partnership and insight, Adrian Duffield, head of planning, and Holly Jones, planning policy manager.

The committee was informed that there was an error in paragraph 27 of the report as it referred to work directly commissioned by South Oxfordshire District Council rather than work directly commissioned by both this council and Vale of White Horse.

Councillor Emily Smith addressed the committee and made the following points:

• the draft consultation document did not adequately reflect the stakeholder workshop's commitment to combating climate change, the need for innovative forms of transport and the importance of involving young people.
• the timescale for production of the Plan was too tight and did not allow sufficient time for responses to the Regulation 18 consultations to be reflected in the draft Plan.
• It was unclear as to which Councillors/officers/ bodies were accountable for the production of the Plan.

The committee was advised that the consultation process, subject to agreement from all of the district councils, would commence in mid February and last for 6 weeks, closing prior to the pre-election “purdah” period. There was a full programme of consultation events and methods of engagement planned which had been discussed with the Member sub group for the JSSP.

During further discussion, committee members made the following comments:

• the draft consultation document does not adequately reflect the stakeholder workshop's commitment to combating climate change.
• the timetable for the production of the Plan is very tight.
• accountabilities for the production of the Plan need to be clarified.
• consideration should be given to delaying the Regulation 18 Part 1 consultation in South Oxfordshire so that it does not overlap with the council's Local Plan consultation.
• consultation should be as wide-ranging as possible with a particular emphasis on engagement with young people.
• uncertainty about the route of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway could have a detrimental impact upon the production of the Plan.
• a strategic review of Oxfordshire's Green Belt should be carried out to support the Plan.
•  the A420 should be included in the roads mentioned in paragraph 26 of the draft consultation document.
• the risk register requires strengthening and should include risks such as the impact of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway and the reservoir.

RESOLVED: to

1)     note the report; and

2)     request the South and Vale Cabinet members to consider the committee’s comments, detailed above.

To review the attached scrutiny work schedule. Please note, although the dates are confirmed, the items under consideration are subject to being withdrawn, added to or rearranged without further notice.

The committee noted its work programme.