Agenda item

For information: To consider a presentation providing an update on activity to identify additional opportunities for collaborative working which support in delivering the outcomes of the Oxfordshire Strategic Vision, with a focus on areas where partnership working brings added value.

Beth Wilks, Future Oxfordshire Partnership Manager gave an update presentation on the Oxfordshire Strategic Vison for Long Term Sustainable Development and progress made in the identification of additional opportunities to work collaboratively to support the delivery of the vision.

The presentation covered:

·           Mapping and engagement exercises around opportunities for collaborative working undertaken and pending

·           The process by which learning to inform improvements would be taken forward

·           How the 50 additional opportunities so far identified together with existing workstreams would be taken forward as an ‘ideas portfolio’ and filtered to produce a refined list of additional opportunities for collaborative working.

·           It was expected that the refined list of opportunities would be explored at an off-line workshop anticipated to take place in September 2023.

·           That there was some Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal limited capacity funding such that if some of the ideas have funding implications, there may
be the opportunity to request funding to support a project.

The Scrutiny Panel welcomed the update on work being undertaken to map and identify possible areas for joint working to deliver the Oxfordshire Strategic Vision and noted the progress made. In discussion, members of the Panel referred to the importance of avoiding compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs as a consequence of filtering the list of potential opportunities for collaborative working based on the needs of the present. A motion on this subject had recently been adopted by Oxfordshire County Council.

In addition, concern was expressed that the issue of transport emissions and car dependent housing infrastructure as referenced in the Pathways to a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire report did not appear to have a defined place within the Oxfordshire Strategic Vision delivery workstream. The Chair asked that officers clarify where the issue sat within the emerging priority lists of opportunities for collaboration outside of the meeting and which grouping would have responsibility for it.

With regard to the potential establishment of an Oxfordshire Climate Champions Network, listed as an example of the type of opportunity for collaborative working identified on Agenda page 91, the view was expressed that such a grouping should include such organisations as the RSPB, CPRE, BBOWT etc.

The view was also expressed that modular housing should be considered as part of the drive to delivery new sustainable and affordable homes at a faster rate.

In response to these points, Beth Wilks indicated she was happy to meet with Councillor Charlie Hicks with regard to taking the needs of future generations into account as part of the ideas filtering exercise. It was reiterated that all the suggestions captured were currently at high level and had yet to be assessed. The Climate Champions Network suggestion had not been specific about the organisations that should be invited to take part in such a network. Her understanding was that as envisaged, the proposed network could build on work undertaken by Climate Action Oxfordshire.

The Chair expressed the view that once a more refined and filtered list of potential opportunities for collaborative working had been produced that the Panel should have opportunity to comment on it.

RESOLVED: That the Future Oxfordshire Partnership be requested to agree to add to the factors taken into consideration in filtering and selecting the list of future opportunities for joint working ‘acting in a manner which seeks to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ as referenced in a motion agreed by Oxfordshire County Council 28 March 2023.