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Approved council motions 2022/23

Council meeting Tuesday 14 March 2023

Proposer: Councillor Khan Seconder: Councillor Wilson

Lead officer: Head of Policy & Programmes

Council resolves to:

  1. As a first step, to share its concerns with the following bodies by writing to and engaging with:
    • Didcot Primary Care Network
    • Oxfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board
    • Healthwatch Oxfordshire
    • Oxfordshire Joint Health Oversight and Scrutiny Committee 
    • The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Board
    • The BOB Integrated Care Partnership
  2. call on all those responsible for health decisions that affect the wellbeing of South Oxfordshire District Counci
  3. l residents, to work together to ensure these needs are urgently addressed. We look particularly to the newly established Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & West Berkshire Integrated Care Board for a response to these serious concerns.

Update: Letter sent 4 April 2023 to: 

  • Chair of Oxfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board  
  • Executive Director, Healthwatch Oxfordshire  
  • Chairman, Oxfordshire Joint Health Oversight and Scrutiny Committee  
  • Interim Chief Executive, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Board  
  • Chairman, BOB Integrated Care Partnership  
  • Clinical Director, Didcot Primary Care Network  

Council meeting Thursday 13 October 2022

Proposer: Councillor Bennett Seconder: Councillor Rawlins

Lead officer: Head of Policy & Programmes

Council asks:

the Leader to write to DLUHC and Oxfordshire County Council to say that South Oxfordshire is already a key contributor to the wider UK economy and that democratic local plans remain the best vehicle to continue to deliver that contribution. Responding to the market alone is not enough: South Oxfordshire’s residents need to be heard, not side-lined, and our environment respected

Update: Letters drafted.  Concept of Investment Zones as originally intended abandoned by HM Government at the Autumn Statement. 

Council meeting Thursday 13 October 2022

Proposer: Councillor Khan Seconder: Councillor Macdonald

Lead officer: Chief Executive

Council resolves to:

request the chief executive to ask the Leader of Vale of White Horse if an item can be included on the next Council agenda for Vale of White Horse District Council to seek views on whether it would support, in principle, a request to the LGBCE for a PABR of the boundary between South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils to address the current geographical division of the community within Great Western Park.

Update: Letter sent from the Chief Executive to the Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council – response received 5 December 2022.

Council meeting Thursday 14 July 2022

Proposer: Councillor Robb Seconder: Councillor Gillespie

Lead officer: Head of Policy & Programmes and Head of Planning

Council resolves to:

  1. Ensure that an evidence base is compiled that assesses the cumulative impact of sewage discharge so that this is factored into decisions on the new Joint Local Plan  
  2. Request that Thames Water submit to Council and make public by the end of 2022, detailed and up to date information on sewage treatment work capacity at all treatment works in South Oxfordshire, make clear plans for infrastructure improvements and detail how these will work to reduce and ultimately eliminate sewage discharges.  
  3. Ask Thames Water, as part of its response to major planning applications, to provide detailed and up to date information on capacity at the treatment works that will be handling the waste from the new development, and information on the likely impact of additional development on sewage discharges into the River Thames and its tributaries, in order that this information can be considered in the decision-making process.  
  4. Request that planning officers include in all reports relating to major development, a summary response from Thames Water to our consultation and, where information/data is provided, include a specific section on the impact on the wastewater network and watercourses, including the potential for the development to affect sewage discharges.  
  5. Noting Thames Water’s plans to make information from electronic duration monitors public by the end of 2022, ask Thames Water to measure and make public, information on the volume of sewage discharged, not just the number of hours.  
  6. Request that Thames Water provide detailed costings and timescales to achieve a progressive reduction and ultimately an end to sewage discharges in South Oxfordshire.  
  7. Ask the Leader to write to OFWAT and the Secretary of State to request that work take place to align water company investment strategies and timetables with strategic local planning so that planned infrastructure investment better relates to planned housing development.  
  8. Ask the Leader to write to the Secretary of State, OFWAT and the Environment Agency to request that sewerage undertakers be required to make public, up to date information on sewage treatment work capacity and volume of sewage discharges for all sewage treatment works by the end of 2023.

Update: Letters sent – responses received from the Environment Agency (9 August 2022) and from Defra (10 November 2022). During 2023, the councils’ will be commissioning a Water Cycle Study to inform the Joint Local Plan. This will include an assessment of sewage discharges and their cumulative impacts.  The council has made a change to its validation requirements. This modification puts the onus on the applicant/developer to provide detailed and up-to-date information on the capacity at treatment works that will be holding the waste from new developments (and data on the likely impact of additional development on sewage discharges into the Thames and its tributaries). In order to provide these details, the applicant/developer is, therefore, obliged to liaise with Thames Water. The council have also more clearly set out the level of information that they require in order to assess major planning applications when it comes to drainage.  In addition, officers are including a summary response from Thames Water to the council’s consultation on major applications. Where information/data is provided, officers are including a specific section in their reports on the wastewater network and watercourses – including the potential affects on sewage discharges.

Council meeting Thursday 14 July 2022

Proposer: Councillor Rouane Seconder: Councillor Bennett

Lead officer: Head of Policy & Programmes

Council asks:

the leader to call on the Government to:

  1. Urgently review the energy cap regime and provide much greater protection to consumers, as other European countries have done.
  2. Make an immediate reduction in VAT, which proportionally helps those most in need – Increase benefits in line with inflation and reinstate the Universal Credit uplift
  3. Urgently provide financial support to public transport to avoid service reductions
  4. Recognise that councils like South Oxfordshire will need additional funding to support services affected by high inflation.  

Council further resolves:

  1. To call for a local Cost-of-Living Emergency Summit with stakeholders, including Oxfordshire County Council, Citizens Advice, Food Banks, and others, and to invite both local MPs to attend to work towards a community response to the emergency.
  2. To ensure Council continues to maximise opportunities to inform and support residents in need, directing them towards services that advise on heating bills, employment and skills and wellbeing support via our Community Hub
  3. To continue to offer up to 100% council tax reduction, subject to circumstances, and to advise our residents through all channels of communication how to apply for the scheme.

Update: Letter sent (response received from HM Treasury on 19 August) and relevant officers informed.  A cost-of-living roundtable (organised by the County Council) was held on 6 October 2022. This brought together all of Oxfordshire’s local authorities and various other organisations to discuss the best ways of providing support.  The Council’s Community Hub continues to support residents in need by directing them towards services that advise on heating bills, employment, skills and wellbeing.  Cost-of-Living information is provided on the Council’s website – it is the first option on the home page. 

Council meeting Thursday 14 July 2022

Proposer: Councillor Barker Seconder: Councillor Kantor

Lead officer: Head of Policy & Programmes, Head of Development and Corporate Landlord, Head of Planning

Council resolves to:

  1. To promote local food production and distribution and a sustainable food culture in South Oxfordshire by maximising opportunities to highlight the importance of food and farming in our local economy through our website, communications the press and social media  
  2. To recognise that the initial cause of food poverty is not agricultural but economic/socio-economic due to high cost of living and to work with local partners such as Good Food Oxfordshire to promote and encourage food planning  
  3. To encourage farming communities and agricultural businesses to respond to any consultation on our new Joint Local Plan and Oxfordshire Plan 2050 and to engage more generally with the council  
  4. To encourage developers to include community gardens and allotment provision within all new housing developments  
  5. To encourage and promote high environmental health standards at all stages of food production, distribution and redistribution, and continue to support local businesses, local farmers’ markets and ‘farm-door’ sales, recognising their positive impact on reducing the carbon emissions associated with food miles  
  6. To continue to investigate ways we can support food redistribution organisations and food charities to address food poverty in the district, noting the work that has already been done in this regard  
  7. To continue to promote ways we can reduce food waste through our waste service and the use of food recycling bins and promotion of the circular economy (reduce, re-use and recycle), highlighting the climate benefits this can bring through initiatives such as Food Waste Action Week. 8. To minimise food waste at any event that we may host that serves food, and to use such occasions to highlight the use of waste food, low carbon options, and locally sourced produce wherever possible.

Update: Cabinet endorsed the Oxfordshire Food Strategy (Part One) in December 2022.  Since the motion was passed, officers have engaged with a number of stakeholders within the farming community and rural organisations, through a series of meetings both virtual and in person.  During Q2 2022/23, the Strategic Property team started to review sites which would potentially be suitable for community garden projects. They also established a cross-service officer working group to discuss how to take these projects forward.  

Council meeting Thursday 19 May 2022

Proposer: Councillor Roberts Seconder: Councillor Gillespie

Lead officer: Head of Policy & Programmes

Council resolves to:

  1. To ask the Leader to write to the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee and to relevant Government departments to request that a high level strategy be created for mass retrofitting of homes for the reasons given above, and specifically that: 
    • Local Authorities (LAs) be the delivery vehicles for mass-retrofit 
    • LAs be provided with constant and long-term funding to maintain retrofit units
    • A structured strategy for mass-retrofit be mandated by Government 
    • Resources be committed for mass-retrofit as necessary 
    • Government reject calls to expand fossil fuel extraction and focus instead on energy efficiency and the rapid rollout of renewables, and demand reduction strategies such as retrofit, consistent with the Government’s stated net zero goals  
  2. To respond immediately to fuel-poverty; ask Cabinet to ensure that the council: 
    • Continues to provide an advice-line on what to do if you cannot afford your household bills 
    • make this advice-line prominent – top position – on our website 
    • provide guidance and signposting on retrofitting to residents, especially those most at risk of fuel poverty.

Update: Letters sent and relevant officers informed.  Cost-of-living information continues to be provided on the Council’s website – it is the first option on the home page. Details and guidance are provided for residents on retrofitting. 

Council meeting Thursday 19 May 2022

Proposer: Councillor Arlett Seconder: Councillor Gawrysiak

Lead officer: Head of Legal & Democratic

Council resolves to:

  1. To ask the Leader to write to the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee and to relevant Government departments to request that a high level strategy be created for mass retrofitting of homes for the reasons given above, and specifically that: 
    • Local Authorities (LAs) be the delivery vehicles for mass-retrofit 
    • LAs be provided with constant and long-term funding to maintain retrofit units
    • A structured strategy for mass-retrofit be mandated by Government 
    • Resources be committed for mass-retrofit as necessary 
    • Government reject calls to expand fossil fuel extraction and focus instead on energy efficiency and the rapid rollout of renewables, and demand reduction strategies such as retrofit, consistent with the Government’s stated net zero goals  
  2. To respond immediately to fuel-poverty; ask Cabinet to ensure that the council: 
    • Continues to provide an advice-line on what to do if you cannot afford your household bills 
    • make this advice-line prominent – top position – on our website 
    • provide guidance and signposting on retrofitting to residents, especially those most at risk of fuel poverty.

Update: The motion was referred to the Joint Constitution Review Group. After some debate, the task group concluded that a mechanism already existed to allow the head of planning to refer any planning application to the Planning Committee.  The Group, therefore, agreed to make no change. Officers were, however, asked to raise members awareness of this delegation and mechanism to request a call-in of planning applications where they have been amended.  Officers will be reviewing the Planning Code of Practice to make reference to this mechanism and will also include it in future member training.