The new leader for the council’s Liberal Democrat group is Councillor Tim Bearder. There will be an extraordinary general meeting of the council on a date to be set to elect a new leader. In the interim, the current Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Cllr Neil Fawcett, will lead the authority.

Cllr Leffman is only the third leader of the county council since a cabinet system for local government was introduced in 2001. 

She said: “It has been a huge privilege to serve as leader of the county council since 2021. I have very much enjoyed the role and the connections that I have been able to make with people all over the county, in all walks of life.

"However, now is the time for me to stand down. In May 2027, we will be having elections for the new unitary council or councils, and as I will not be standing for election, it is right that I hand over the leadership in the run-up to these elections. I do intend to remain as a member of cabinet.

“I know that while welcoming new members the cabinet will continue to steer Oxfordshire through local government reorganisation, devolution and the financial challenges that are facing many councils

“We will also want to re-dedicate ourselves to our priorities based around climate action and sustainable economic growth.”

With Councillors Andrew Gant, Judy Roberts and Jenny Hannaby leaving cabinet there are new faces on the decision making body of the council to replace them. Cllrs Gareth Epps, Rebekah Fletcher, Laura Gordon and Judith Edwards have joined cabinet.

The new line up is as follows:

• Cllr Neil Fawcett, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources
• Cllr Laura Gordon, Cabinet Member for Future Economy and Innovation
• Cllr Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People
• Cllr Gareth Epps, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action
• Cllr Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation
• Cllr Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Transport Management
• Cllr Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adults
• Cllr Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities
• Cllr Judith Edwards, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Each year in May the council holds its annual meeting and that is the right time for changes to be considered on cabinet. Sometimes councillors decide it is the right time to step down and we thank them for the tremendous amount of work they have put in on behalf of the people of Oxfordshire.

“That is certainly the case for Cllrs Gant, Roberts and Hannaby who have each dedicated themselves to their portfolios with distinction. We are incredibly grateful for their efforts and look forward to continuing to work for them as they represent their own individual parts of Oxfordshire as county councillors.

“Meanwhile we have the pleasure of welcoming newcomers to the cabinet and we look forward to working with them on all of the challenges and opportunities the council faces.”

The new Chair of Oxfordshire County Council for the 2026/7 year is Councillor Ted Fenton who represents Bampton and Carterton South at County Hall.

Councillor Fenton, 63, was voted in to the role at the Annual Meeting of the county council on Tuesday, 12 May. His chosen charities for the year will be Oxfordshire Air Ambulance and Oxfordshire Royal British Legion.

The Vice Chair for the 2026/7 year will be Councillor Roz Smith.

Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, King’s College London (BD, AKC), and Magdalene College, Cambridge (PGCE) Cllr Fenton moved to West Oxfordshire in 1985 to join Cokethorpe School. During 35 years there, he held roles including Director of IT, Senior Tutor, Director of Studies, and later Senior Administrator, transitioning from teaching Religious Studies to IT and academic administration.

Councillor Fenton was elected to West Oxfordshire District Council in 2015 (Bampton and Clanfield) and to Oxfordshire County Council in 2017 (Witney West and Bampton). In 2025, he was re-elected to represent the new division of Bampton and Carterton South.

He has been married to Hilary since 1998, he has three stepchildren, several young granddaughters, and a grown-up grandson. He retired early in 2020 to spend more time with family. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and practising the piano.

Cllr Fenton said: “It is an honour to have been elected by my fellow councillors to chair the council for this municipal year. I am looking forward to the next 12 months and to the challenge of chairing the council. As Vice-Chair of the council last year I have an insight into the role and thus I am well prepared.”

About the role of Chair

As the ceremonial head of the council, the chair must be a serving county councillor but must remain politically impartial. A new chair is elected each May at the annual general meeting of the county council, which this year was on Tuesday 21 May.

Ceremonial duties performed by the chair include:

• being the politically impartial civic leader of Oxfordshire
• promoting the objectives and services of the county council and Oxfordshire
• acting as an ambassador for the county council and Oxfordshire
• fostering community identity and pride

Key responsibilities include:

• presiding over meetings of the full council
• accepting invitations on behalf of the county council to attend events
• inviting individuals and representatives of key organisations to events at County Hall and other venues.

More than £30,000 has been raised for three local charities thanks to the generosity of council staff, county councillors and residents over the past year.

The fundraising took place during Councillor Mark Lygo’s year as Chair of Oxfordshire County Council, before he hands over to his successor, at the council’s annual meeting on 12 May.

The Chair of the county council traditionally raises funds for chosen charities during their year in office. A total of £10,300 was raised through events including four charity quiz events, a cake sale and the annual Chair’s charity gala dinner.

One of the highlights of the year was the annual Chair’s charity gala dinner, held to support the Chair’s chosen charities.

This year’s dinner took place in the historic HMS Diamond Room at County Hall.

Thirty special guests attended, including the Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, who represents His Majesty The King, and local government representatives from across the county.

The money raised will support Councillor Lygo’s chosen charities: OXSRAD, which provides inclusive fitness and social activities, the Riding for the Disabled Association, and Oxford United in the Community.

Chair of Oxfordshire County Council, Councillor Mark Lygo, said: “It has been a real privilege to serve as Chair over the past year and to see such generosity from council staff, councillors, community organisations and residents.

“Together, we have raised a fantastic amount for three very deserving charities. Thank you to everyone who supported these efforts and helped make a real difference to local people and communities across Oxfordshire.”

A further £20,200 was raised through events the Chair took part in, including a spinathon, charity football match, bingo nights and quiz nights.

EM Normandie Business School also donated £500 to the Chair’s chosen charities.

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Her comments came at the budget-setting meeting of the council on Tuesday, 10 February. The council has been able to deal with a budget shortfall of £5.4m while still investing extra in adult social care (£14m), children’s services (£19m), highways, libraries and other services.

However, the authority already knows that it will need to find further savings of at least £15.5m from 2027/28.

The government will cut grant funding by £27.2m by 2028/29 and assumed the council will make up most of the difference with maximum council tax rises. The effect of this is that the county council will have to put up council tax by 4.99% each year only to see a lot of this money immediately being subtracted by the government and sent elsewhere.

Cllr Leffman said in her speech at the meeting: “We recognise that there are areas of the country with higher levels of deprivation than our own, and it is right that the people in those places receive the support that they need, but this government has failed to recognise the pressures and challenges that we and other county councils face in delivering critical services across a wide rural area.

“In spite of the constraints, and because we have managed our finances very carefully over the past few years, we have not only been able to balance the budget for 2026/2027 but have included investments that will make a difference to the things which are of greatest importance to our residents.

“I am confident that with the investment that we are making in our highways network, with our surface dressing programme for example, along with the new Highways Asset Response Teams that have been out and about in Oxfordshire since the autumn, we will see a significant improvement in the forthcoming weeks and beyond.

“Flooding has become a regular event in many parts of the county thanks to climate change, and we have recognised the importance of tackling this. 

“The decision last year to clear all our gullies on an annual schedule has revealed that much of our drainage system is in urgent need of repair, following years of neglect.

“We therefore propose to allocate £2 million in our capital budget to repairing our drainage system, bringing the total to be spent on our drains and gullies in 2026/2027 to £3.2 million.

“Our library refurbishment programme will continue, with an investment of £550,000 in Didcot coming next, following successful refurbishments in Chinnor, Henley and most recently Witney, where 200 new registrations for library tickets were received in the week following its reopening.”

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We face great pressure because of funding cuts and demand pressures, and there is still lots of uncertainty in areas like SEND provision. Money is being redistributed away from Oxfordshire and other areas on a large scale by the government.

“However, we are confident not only that we are setting an ambitious balanced budget for next year, delivering services to residents, but also that we are ready to face the more difficult years ahead.”

Note to editors

By 2028/29 there is a reduction of £24.1m in funding from central government compared to 2025/26. Within that there is an increase of £3.1m in funding for the Families First Partnership that the government will expect the council to use to fund new investment and activity in preventative services for children’s social care. Excluding that, the underlying reduction in grant funding is £27.2m

People in Oxfordshire are being urged to have their say as part of a statutory government consultation on the future of local government in the county.

The consultation launched today (Thursday 5 February) and will run until 23:59 Thursday 26 March.

There are three proposals being consulted on for Oxfordshire. Oxfordshire County Council is backing its One Oxfordshire proposal, which is for a single countywide unitary council – Oxfordshire Council. There are two other proposals – one proposing two unitary councils and the other three councils. Both of these include West Berkshire.

One Oxfordshire will create stronger, simpler services that are closer to communities, connected and cost effective.

It will bring all services together under one roof, protect high‑performing social care, simplify and improve services through better coordination and save £63 million every year. One Oxfordshire will give residents one front door to access services, stronger local decision‑making, and a unified voice that can drive investment, innovation and sustainable growth.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The government’s call for local government reform is both timely and necessary. One Oxfordshire offers a once in a generation opportunity to build a stronger, fairer and more ambitious future for the county.

“It is the only proposal that fully meets government criteria with the scale, efficiency and resilience to save the most money and withstand future financial shocks; the stability to protect and improve critical services; and the simplicity residents want.

“It will bring together all council services across Oxfordshire to create a new single authority, Oxfordshire Council, with the strength and voice to activate exciting and enduring change.

“We will reduce duplication, protect our critical services and have the scale to focus and invest in prevention and early help, tackling inequalities and homelessness.

“By bringing together all the levers of local government into a single, resilient authority, we can unlock the full potential of our people and places, drive innovation and deliver the high quality services our communities deserve.

“We urge people to have their say and take this opportunity to support our positive vision for the future.”

One Oxfordshire will strengthen local democracy through robust neighbourhood governance with a stronger partnership with town and parish councils and a set of new area committees. Local voices will be heard, with clear accountability and a single set of councillors operating at the heart of their areas.

A single unitary council for Oxfordshire will not separate Oxfordshire’s residents, businesses and institutions from the county they are in or move boundaries from the places and communities they recognise.

Oxfordshire County Council already delivers services on a countywide footprint to over 750,000 residents, providing 85 per cent of local government services by expenditure in Oxfordshire. These include adult and children’s social care, some education services, public health, fire and rescue, libraries and museums, roads and transport, trading standards, waste disposal and recycling.

One single council for Oxfordshire will avoid splitting critical services up and means less disruption, including those delivered in partnership, such as health. It will also avoid the costly and risky separation of high-performing services, particularly in adult and children’s social care rated “good” by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. We will protect and improve these critical services.

One Oxfordshire will streamline and coordinate strategic planning and housing across the whole of the county, delivering more homes in the right places and overcoming the failures of fragmented governance.

A single countywide unitary council simplifies services for residents, businesses and investors and makes them stronger with clear accountability – one set of councillors, one chief executive, one set of services, one senior management team, one set of buildings and one front door to access services. Money saved from creating simpler services can be reinvested into strengthening them.

One Oxfordshire offers the quickest, most cost effective and safest route to a safe, legal and confident new council, one that is ready to transform from day one.

What are the three options

1. A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council. This is our preferred option.
2. Two unitary councils – Oxford and Shires Council and Ridgeway Council.
3. Three unitary councils – Greater Oxford Council, Northern Oxfordshire Council and Ridgeway Council. 

How to have your say

Visit oneoxfordshire.org.uk to find information on all three proposals and how to have your say.

A major change to the way the government distributes grant money to councils means it and many other local authorities will face real challenges from 2026/27 with more significant reductions then required in the following two years.

Although there will also be a significant number of investments in to budgets for adult social care (£14m), children’s services (£19m), libraries and other services in 2026/7 savings are now also being proposed to ensure a balanced budget.

The council knows that it will need to find further savings of at least £14m in 2027/28 (in addition to the £5.4m in 2026/27) because the government provided funding information for three years. As such there will need to be planning work throughout 2026 to meet this large challenge. Further savings will be needed in 2028/29, the first year of local government reform in Oxfordshire. By 2028/9 the reduction in grant funding is £27.2m.

The proposals will now be debated by all councillors at a meeting of the full council on 10 February.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Property, Finance and Transformation, said “This year’s budget features a number of positive investments with significant extra money for adult social care and children’s services to cope with demand. However, we have had to propose some savings to ensure budgets are balanced and we are going to start facing real challenges in future years. We need people to hear that message loud and clear.

“The government has cut grant funding and assumed the council will make up most of the difference with maximum Council Tax rises. The effect of this is that we will have to put up Council Tax by 4.99% each year, but a lot of this money will immediately be subtracted by the government and sent elsewhere. This is both financially difficult and hard to square with local accountability and choice.   Even with 4.99% Council Tax rises, the effect will be that Oxfordshire will have less money to spend on services for residents.

“Money is being redistributed away from Oxfordshire and other areas on a large scale by the government. There will be very real impacts on our budgets and our services in future.

“We respect the government’s desire to put extra money into areas of the country that have higher levels of deprivation. However, do not think this should be at the expense of Oxfordshire and its residents.”

Savings to close the £5.4m budget gap in 2026/7

There are proposals to save £3,9m by setting less money aside for pay inflation; assuming more money will be accumulated in bank interest on money waiting to be spent on services during the year and by reducing contingency funding.

The remaining £1.5m is proposed to be from services by way of the following:

• In 2025/26 the council took the unprecedented step of moving to annual gully clearance, backed by £1.5m of new investment, a significant improvement on previous years. Against the challenging backdrop of central government cuts, the council proposes to maintain additional investment while spending it carefully in order to address the most pressing needs and not duplicate or carry out unnecessary clearances. This means an additional £1.2m is still planned, and the capital budget will include a £2m investment in each of 2026/27 and 2027/28 to improve drainage systems that have been found to require major repair after years of neglect
• The council will seek to reduce operating costs by £250,000 in transport services that it provides in adult social care/children’s services/home to school transport etc. The aim is that there will be no negative impact on the end user. This will be achieved by seeking efficiencies with organisations such as taxi and bus companies. A £1 million saving in this area was included in last year’s budget and the overall budget for this area is £43m.
• The council’s adult social care charging policy currently makes a standard allowance for Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) of 35 per cent.  Subject to a full consultation process the council’s proposal is to consider a reduction of the DRE to 25 per cent which would produce a potential in year saving of £500,000. Following consultation, the council will consider next steps and in the event that it decides not to proceed with this proposal, alternative savings will need to be found.
• After reviewing its inflationary pressure Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue can absorb a previously listed financial pressure of £120,000 for personal protective equipment without any impact to the public or firefighter safety.
• The council has a school improvement team that operates in non-academy schools to support improvement in standards. The team will continue to offer support, and schools do pay towards this without covering the full cost. A government grant that helped towards this was withdrawn over the last three years, and the council has substituted this from its own funds. A first move to schools fully paying for the service is planned, which will allow a saving of £100,000. More than half of Oxfordshire primary schools are academies and all but one secondary school and will therefore not be affected by this proposal.
• By paying for some staffing costs out of its capital programme budget for major projects the council can save £150,000 from its day to day revenue budget.

The most significant changes to local government funding in more than a decade were originally due to be confirmed by government in October but have now been delayed until late November. The council will then not hear specifically how much money it is to receive in grant funding until mid-December.

Oxfordshire County Council is currently expecting to lose around £35 million funding over a three-year period but until specific detail is made clear by the government, large uncertainties remain.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “It is well known that the financial environment for local government has been very tough for some years now. We work hard to balance our budgets and continue to provide much valued, high quality services to Oxfordshire people. Overall, our finances are in a resilient and stable position compared to many other councils.

“Each year as autumn moves in to winter we have to wait to hear what funding central government will provide in grants, and there is always uncertainty until we see the detail in black and white. This year that uncertainty is greatly amplified because of the wide-ranging changes the government plans to the formula it uses to decide how much each individual council in England will receive.

“This creates real complications for our finance experts who have only been able to model the potential outcomes to a very limited extent due to the low amount of information available. We do expect to lose out over coming years but it’s hard to speak in anything other than the broadest terms.

“We do, of course, have all of the usual and continuing pressures on our budgets that have been experienced for a decade or more by us and fellow councils such as inflation and pressures on spend in social care. We also expect the government to increase the national living wage from April 2026.

“Our finances are managed well, and this gives us a strong base from which to seek protection for frontline services. However, there are so many unknown factors as we head into winter and the period when we set our budget for 2026/27.

“What we, and many people in local government, find disappointing is that the most significant change to the distribution of funding being announced for many years is being squeezed into the same timeframe as when councils are actually going through the process of setting a budget. It works against the ability to councils to conduct any meaningful consultation. It makes it very difficult to make the hard decisions that all councils go through when setting budgets and it limits our ability to serve our residents in an effective and cost-efficient way.

“We were promised by the incoming government that there would be improvements to the way that funds were allocated to support local services. We are still waiting for those improvements.”

When the council set its budget for 2025/26 it also set a medium-term plan for future years including 2026/27. This estimated a budget deficit of £2 million before the impact of funding reform. 

New pressures and impacts from the new government funding formula would be added to this

In the same medium-term plan the council worked on the basis of a 3.99 per cent council tax rise in 2026/27. In the summer the government confirmed that the referendum limit above which a referendum would be required for a council tax rise will be 4.99 per cent.

Medium-term financial planning for the council will be set out to the early 2030s so that information is available to support local government reorganisation, currently timetabled to happen in April 2028. Oxfordshire’s district and city councils are doing the same and this is to provide a good basis from which new council structures can work.

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today approved the accelerated delivery plan to unlock £27.5 million of investment – known as Section 106 (S106) funding.

By investing £4m of additional funding, which was approved in the 2025-26 budget, it aims to fast-track 33 schemes that otherwise faced delays due to various barriers and funding gaps.

The accelerated delivery programme includes 16 active travel schemes, two bus improvement schemes, six combined bus and cycle schemes, five traffic calming and village improvements, two junction improvements and two strategic link improvements.

The 33 schemes were chosen based on local priorities.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Our S106 reserves have been in the spotlight in recent years, and it is only right and proper that public money comes under this high level of scrutiny.

“We are proud of our record of securing S106 contributions from developers to pay for the infrastructure that communities need. However, the process of making sure that money is spent promptly is far from simple.

“That’s why we are continually investigating ways of speeding up the delivery process for the benefit of residents. This accelerated delivery plan should help unlock the funding required to enable work to begin on these much-needed projects.”

S106 money is held for specific purposes related to development and cannot be spent on general council services. In most cases, the projects they relate to are large and complex, can take many years to come forward, and have trigger points when payments can be made.

The rate of spend of reserves of S106 money has increased in recent years as the council looks to deliver the infrastructure that Oxfordshire’s towns and villages need to cope with new developments in their areas. This new scheme is expected to ensure that trend continues.

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Positive progress has been made in 2024/25 against priorities set for Oxfordshire County Council by its cabinet, with notable achievements in the council’s work to tackle climate change.

The 17 June meeting of the council’s cabinet was presented with the authority’s annual report, which detailed many positive developments during 2024/5.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Across the wide array of services we provide to the Oxfordshire public, from highways to social care, our aim is to make Oxfordshire a greener, fairer and healthier county.

“Our officers have worked hard to deliver against these priorities in partnership with many other organisations. It was great for the first cabinet meeting since the elections to report on the progress that has been made in supporting our communities and protecting our environment over the past 12 months.

“It is worth noting that these achievements have been delivered against a backdrop of financial constraints and high, complex demand on our services as we continue to work with our communities to support those who are most vulnerable.”

Achievements in 2024/5

Action to tackle climate change lies at the heart of the council’s work and 2024/25 has seen the authority being ranked as the top performing waste disposal authority in England for the eleventh year running as well as expanding the council’s electric vehicle fleet and reducing operational emissions by 71 per cent.

Since the report was published the council has been told that it is the best performing county council in the UK for tackling climate change.

Meanwhile £3.6m has been secured to improve public EV charging to make driving electric vehicles more accessible in the county and more than 200 requests have been approved to reduce speed limits to 20mph in towns and villages. Five new bus routes began operating to connect more villages and market towns to Oxford following a £1.2m allocation from the council.

During 2024/5 the council planted 825 trees and 16 new community orchards. It completed more than 3,300 tree care operations and 20 new road verge nature reserves were designated.

The council’s work to support residents during the cost of living crisis includes providing 500 vulnerable households more than £1.2m in supermarket vouchers, energy credit and essential household items through the council’s government-funded resident support scheme; and providing £3.3m to ensure families entitled to free school meals received support during school holidays.

And in terms of wider support to the most vulnerable, the council was awarded local authority of sanctuary status for supporting people fleeing war, persecution and serious human rights violations - the first county council to do so.

Achievements around creating a healthier county include partnering with University College London’s Institute of Health Equity and renowned academic Sir Michael Marmot to become a “Marmot Place” – a two-year programme to tackle health inequalities and local communities.

Waiting times for social care assessments continued to fall, with the cumulative improvement over the last four years being 80 per cent. Meanwhile more people were supported to live in their own communities for longer with 3,186 packages of home care arranged.

The council’s discharge to assess programme has enabled more than 7,000 people to be discharged safely from hospital – an increase of 23 per cent compared to the previous year.

Many accolades were achieved by the council in 2024/5 including the 2024 LARAC Best Partnership award for improving recycling and reducing waste (jointly won with community action groups), and an MJ award for the “Cheers M’Dears” Community Support Service in Banbury.

The council’s performance and insight analyst team won the best teamwork award in the ONS Datathon 2024 and a construction project to improve Banbury railway station won a Green Apple Environment Gold award.

Cllr Leffman added: “The report provides a snapshot of the wide range of activity and support that the council provides to residents across the county on a day to day basis. It’s a great way for people to spend a few minutes learning what their council tax contributions went towards during 2024/25.”

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Councillor Lygo, 52, was voted in to the role at the Annual Meeting of the county council on Tuesday, 20 May.

His chosen charities for the year will be OXSRAD (providing a space for everyone to have access to inclusive fitness and social activities), the Riding for the Disabled Association and Oxford United FC in the community. The three charities will also be collaborating to support each other in the 2025/6 council year.

The Deputy Chair for the 2025/6 year will be Councillor Ted Fenton who represents Bampton and Carterton South.

Councillor Lygo was first elected to the county council in 2013 and has previously served as Cabinet Member for Public Health. He is currently the council’s Mental Health and Loneliness Champion and has for ten years served on as committee member for corporate parenting.

The former St Nicholas Primary School, pupil was first elected to Oxford City Council in 2008 and has held several cabinet with different portfolios, He is currently Armed Forces champion for Oxford. He has previously been Lord Mayor of Oxford, Deputy Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Oxford.

Married with two children, Cllr Lygo’s hobbies include being a level 5 referee in football, meaning he officiates at grassroots and academy football matches. He is the former chair and vice chair of Quarry Rovers FC and is a member of volunteer charity for good deeds Goodgym.

His wife Louise Lygo will be his consort. She has worked for Oxfordshire County Council since 2007 as family health practitioner.

Cllr Lygo said: “I am looking forward to a busy year seeing all parts of the beautiful county of Oxfordshire and supporting as many events as I can. Having served as Deputy Chair to Councillor Alison Rooke in 2024/5 I have had a good insight in to what the role involves and I also have experience of serving as Lord Mayor of Oxford to bring to my new role.”

About the role of Chair?

As the ceremonial head of the council, the chair must be a serving county councillor but must remain politically impartial. A new chair is elected each May at the annual general meeting of the county council, which this year was on Tuesday 21 May.

Ceremonial duties performed by the chair include:

• being the politically impartial civic leader of Oxfordshire
• promoting the objectives and services of the county council and Oxfordshire
• acting as an ambassador for the county council and Oxfordshire
• fostering community identity and pride.

Key responsibilities include:

• presiding over meetings of the full council
• accepting invitations on behalf of the county council to attend events
• inviting individuals and representatives of key organisations to events at County Hall and other venues.

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The accreditation has been awarded by the City of Sanctuary UK movement following assessment by a panel of experts on migration.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The county council is immensely proud of the work it has undertaken to support refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Oxfordshire. Supporting people who arrive with very little and enabling them to regain their confidence and independence is not only the right thing to do, but it also reduces the risk of future pressure on vital services.

“We are especially proud of our partnership with Asylum Welcome and the bus companies to provide free bus passes for asylum seekers in Oxford. The scheme has already had a positive impact.

“It has enabled them to access services that are not close by, as well as provide a safe way to escape the pressures of living in a hotel on a long-term basis, while learning about the Oxfordshire way of life.”

“Oxfordshire has always been a welcoming place and achieving sanctuary status underpins the county council’s commitment to welcoming all sanctuary seekers coming to the county, regardless of how they arrived.”

The county council’s vision is to lead positive change and make Oxfordshire a greener, fairer and healthier county. The council is committed to responding in a humane way to all people seeking sanctuary, supporting our priorities of reducing inequality and preventing a greater increase in demand for services in the future.

As a member of the Oxfordshire Migration Partnership, the county council works alongside the city and district councils, voluntary and community sector organisations, the NHS and Thames Valley Police to ensure a warm welcome to everyone, regardless of how they arrived.

Together, partners have supported over 8,000 refugees and asylum seekers to access the services that they need. These include help to find their own accommodation;  gain employment;  register with a GP and attend hospital appointments; get children into school; use libraries as places to learn English; and make new friends within communities.  

Work is now underway to finalise the Council of Sanctuary action plan (2025-2028) and ensure Oxfordshire grows as a place of welcome and inclusion for people seeking sanctuary for many years to come.

Sian Summers-Rees, the Chief Officer of City of Sanctuary UK said: “Oxfordshire County Council’s recognition as the first county council of sanctuary is a testament to its commitment to compassion, inclusion and support for those seeking sanctuary.

“This award reflects years of dedicated work to create a more welcoming, fair, and inclusive county, work that will continue through partnerships, community engagement and practical action.

“By embedding sanctuary principles across services, we not only support new arrivals but also strengthen our communities, fostering understanding, resilience, and a sense of belonging for all.”

The award has been achieved following a motion passed at a meeting of all county councillors in November 2023, approval by the council’s cabinet in June 2024 and an assessment by the City of Sanctuary UK peer review group on 10 March 2025.

In early February, the government set out more detail on its timelines for changes in local government structures.

A request was made to all remaining two-tier areas across England (county and district councils) for interim proposals for new single-tier (unitary) authorities by 21 March and final proposals by 28 November.

Cabinet or executive meetings will take place at Cherwell District Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council on this subject between 19 and 20 March.

Each cabinet or executive will be asked to endorse a joint response to government that sets out how local authorities in our area are collaborating to develop proposals for new unitary structures. The response will also include information on each of the three options being developed for Oxfordshire, in line with the criteria set out in the government’s statutory invitation. The options are:

1.    A single unitary council for Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire Council.

2.    North Oxfordshire Council (created from the existing district councils of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire) and Ridgeway Council (created from the existing district councils of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse and the unitary council of West Berkshire).

3.    Three unitary authorities – with a unitary city on expanded boundaries as well as northern and southern unitaries, also including West Berkshire.

Should each cabinet or executive approve this approach, further detailed discussions will take place between the councils so that final proposals can be submitted by 28 November. The government will then decide what form unitarisation will take in Oxfordshire.

In parallel, all Oxfordshire councils, with other partners, will continue collaborating to propose a mayoral strategic authority to government as part of the national programme of devolution and re-organisation of local government. 

Councillor David Hingley, Leader of Cherwell District Council, said: “Cherwell’s thriving market towns, valued rural communities, and diverse economy give our area a distinct identity, which we want to enhance through any local government reorganisation. We have worked closely with neighbouring Oxfordshire councils to develop credible initial options for further discussion. Our focus is prioritising strong local governance and securing the best outcomes for our residents.”

Councillor David Rouane, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “New unitary councils could provide a strong foundation for the future. It’s an opportunity to provide enhanced financial stability, sustainable economic growth, and to address our housing and infrastructure needs. Our cabinet will discuss its preferred approach on 19 March, focusing on the needs of our communities as well as the government's criteria for new councils."

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “Unitary councils will be simpler for everyone. We propose separate councils for central, northern and southern Oxfordshire together with West Berkshire, to reflect our distinct geographies. We are working collaboratively with the other councils in the interests of Oxfordshire residents and businesses, and our place in a mayoral strategic authority.”

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: "Local government reorganisation offers an opportunity to improve our services for residents and nurture a vibrant and inclusive economy. We must maintain the links between our great universities and organisations developing advanced technology, including on Bicester, Culham, Harwell and Milton Park campuses, so that our county can drive change across the Oxford to Cambridge corridor."

Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “The government's invitation provides an opportunity to combine the strengths of existing councils to create a modern and effective local authority that puts people and communities at the heart of strong, healthy and robust local government, all while providing a firm base for wider regional economic growth."

Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “West Oxfordshire has a rich cultural and heritage environment. In a changing landscape we need to work together in partnership with neighbouring authorities to ensure we have improved services, a strong workforce and that our communities voice and engagement is heard and enshrined in emerging local government structures.”

The dates of individual cabinet and executive meetings are:

• Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, 19 March.
• Oxfordshire County Council, 20 March.

In late December, councils across the country were given individual information on their grant funding for 2025/26.

In the autumn, Oxfordshire County Council had said that it would face a £25 million funding shortfall in 2025/26 before taking account of any new funding.

The impact of new money allocated to local government combined with local changes and a recommendation for a 4.99 per cent council tax increase in 2025/26 means proposals can be made to deal with this shortfall with some additional money to allocate to services.

A total of two per cent of the council tax increase would need to be ringfenced for adult social care under rules set down by central government.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “Each year central government allocates grant funding to individual councils and this information is communicated in late December.

“Our finance team has been working its way through this information in fine detail. The analysis is that the council is now able to set a balanced budget in 2025/26 with some additional funding allocated to new priorities on a one-off basis.

“We still look to future years with some concern. While the 2025/26 financial year looks healthier, there remains huge uncertainty about the impact of funding reform that could reduce the funding available to the council beyond that.”

Changes to previous proposals

The combination of a proposed 4.99 per cent council tax rise and additional grant funding from government means the following one-off broad additions can be made to areas of the council’s budget with precise detail to be worked on later by officers:

• £2.1m for pro-active flooding measures and working with communities who have suffered flooding. This would be added to £1.5m new funding that has already been proposed for highway drainage.
• £1m to leverage investment in rail, including supporting active travel access, improvement programmes and the development of strategic cases and masterplans to prove the environmental, economic and community case for rail.
• £300,000 towards working with other organisations collaboratively on planning regeneration in Banbury Town Centre
• £1.3m for active travel measures to encourage walking and cycling would be added to the £500,000 for active travel in rural areas already proposed.
• £400,000 is proposed to support holding the price of a joint ticket (parking and bus fare) at Park & Ride car parks unchanged from 2024/25

A public consultation on the substance of the 2025/26 budget proposals ran throughout December and ended on 2 January 2025.

This followed extensive engagement with residents over the summer on their priorities, including on the budget. This was through the council’s annual residents’ survey and participatory engagement opportunities using an online budget simulator, focus groups and sounding boards for children and young people.

The feedback from this engagement is included in the Cabinet report along with the consultation responses.

Councillor Levy added: “At this stage these remain proposals. Cabinet has now set out its proposed budget and full council will finally set the budget on 11 February. In finalising our proposals, we have taken account of feedback from our budget engagement activity in the summer, from scrutiny committees in December and January and the findings from our budget consultation.”

Oxfordshire County Council launched its Climate Action Framework in 2020, which set out how it wants to cut its own emissions and transform into an organisation that can play its part in Oxfordshire’s green transition.

As part of these plans, the council is now launching the first round of the Oxfordshire Green Investment, which will allow residents and businesses to invest in the greener future of their communities.

It is looking to raise an initial £500,000 to help fund a range of energy efficiency improvements to council owned buildings, such as fire stations and care homes as well as an ambitious tree planting programme.  

While the council invests its own money in many climate change measures, this was seen as a great opportunity to allow the public to be involved in our net zero ambition.

This type of investment, also known as a Community Municipal Investment, will offer a “low-risk” return of [4.4 per cent] a year, which is fixed for the full five year investment term. Anyone can get involved, with a minimum investment of just £5.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance said: “The council wants to lead the way by reaching net zero significantly ahead of the national 2050 target, and wants to inspire local residents and businesses to join it along the way.

“This scheme is a chance for people to get involved and help fund the council’s exciting plans. Initially, we want to raise £500,000 to support a variety of green measures;to decarbonise council-owned buildings; help create cleaner air; and improve local biodiversity for the county as a whole.”

Councillor Pete Sudbury Deputy Leader of the Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment & Future Generations said: “It's great to be able to offer residents of this county an investment designed for a decent return, with a direct impact on improving their local environment and services."

The investment process is managed by Abundance Investment, a leading platform for ethical and sustainable investments. It’s simple (and free) to find out more about how to get involved – just click here to get started.

This initiative is entirely separate from the council’s budget process for 2025/26 and beyond.

Notes to editors:

Investments are long-term and may be hard to sell. Council investments are not a savings account and you  are lending money to a council. Changes in market interest rates may affect the value of your investment if you sell before maturity. Approver: Abundance investment (FRN 525432). Approval date: 25/11/24.

Abundance’s service in relation to council investments (P2P loans) is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.

Holding investments in an IFISA does not reduce the risk of the investment or protect you from losses. You can still lose all your money. It only means that any potential gains from your investment will be tax free. The tax treatment of your investment will depend on your individual circumstances and may change in the future.

Oxfordshire Green Investment, which is a loan, is Green Loan Principles compliant and is being issued under a Green Finance Framework. This is a voluntary standard which sets out how Oxfordshire County Council intends to manage its green local authority securities in the future, and outlines how it will meet the Green Loan Principles. This assures investors that funds raised can only be used to help them deliver on eligible green projects from within this framework, and Abundance will monitor the use of funds across the investment term to ensure the principles are being adhered to.

Investments into companies that derive significant revenues from thermal coal, tar sands and tobacco production have been excluded from investments by the county’s Pension Fund Committee, which is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council with representatives from other organisations as members.

With the adoption of a new responsible investment policy at its September meeting, the committee decided to exclude investments in thermal coal, as it is by far the highest carbon-emitting source of energy; tar sands, as it is among the most carbon-intensive means of crude oil production; and tobacco, as its products are responsible for killing up to eight million people a year.

The policy also excludes companies producing controversial weapons where their use is complicit in breaches of United Nations’ human rights standards.

The Oxfordshire Pension Fund is committed to actively engaging with the companies it invests in, as this approach is in the long-term interest of the company, investors, and broader society.

However, it is unlikely that engagement with the companies that have significant activities in these areas will lead to meaningful change in their behaviour. The fund and its investment pool manager Brunel will, therefore, concentrate engagement efforts on sectors and companies where engagement will be more effective.

Councillor Donna Ford, Chair of the Pension Fund Committee, said “The pension fund is committed to considering environment social and governance factors in investment decisions to ensure the long-term interests of the fund are protected.

“The fund’s investment view is that tobacco companies represent a financial risk to the fund as they face intense pressure from investors, regulators and consumers, and therefore the decision to divest from tobacco is the right one.

“As a fund, we also have a commitment to be net zero by 2050. Thermal coal and tar sands are some of the most intense emitters of greenhouse gases, as such they are not compatible with our net zero target, so we will be divesting from these highly polluting sectors and reallocating money to more sustainable investments.”

More information

The Oxfordshire Pension Fund is managed by a committee of councillors who are advised by the county council’s director of finance and an independent financial advisor.

All public sector pension schemes were required under the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 to set up a pension board with effect from 2015/16 to assist the administering authorities of their pension scheme in ensuring compliance with national Local Government Pension Scheme and other pension regulations.

The board's key roles are to support and challenge the Pension Fund Committee as it carries out its legal responsibilities.

More information about the board, the committee and the work that they do is available on Oxfordshire County Council's website or the Brunel Partnership’s website. For more information about the pension fund’s policies and investments visit the Oxfordshire Pension Fund investment webpage.

The building primarily comprises office accommodation and was completed in 1973.  Old County Hall dating from 1841 comprises the Council Chamber and Coroner’s Court and is listed Grade II*.

The sale offers the opportunity for the council to move into modern, net-zero accommodation enabling County Hall to be re-imagined by a new owner as part of the regeneration of the West End of the city centre of Oxford.

Receipts from the sale of County Hall will pay for the upgrading of Speedwell House with decisions to be taken on how any surplus would be deployed.

Councillor Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We took the momentous decision to move from County Hall in January and since then a lot of technical and professional work has been ongoing to progress the matter.

“We have now reached the milestone of marketing County Hall to potential buyers.

“County Hall is in a prime location in one of the world’s most famous cities and we anticipate a wide range of interest from the UK and across the world. 

“We believe that our decisions at County Hall and Speedwell House will improve the delivery of services and will help with the physical, social and economic regeneration of Oxford. We will use the move to stimulate this ambitious thinking for the city and the county as a whole.”

The marketing approach to County Hall will not dictate or pre-determine the future use of the buildings and will be designed to encourage as wide a range of interest as possible.

Old County Hall is included in the marketing of the site and allows the council to assess market interest and to make an informed decision about the future of the building.

All offers received will be reviewed in detail with a shortlist of potential purchasers to be selected and interviewed to determine the deliverability of proposals.

Decisions are expected to be made towards the end of 2024.

The move to Speedwell House

Under approved plans the county council will move its headquarters to Speedwell House on Speedwell Street. These offices had for many years provided city centre office accommodation for the council in addition to County Hall. Work is being completed to strip out the building.

This means work can commence in the middle of 2025, with the intention to create new net zero headquarters for the council, using sustainable technologies including air source heat pumps.

The Speedwell House offices will be designed to maximise natural light and make best use of technology. The building will be extended, and extra floors added to the current building.

Concept designs of Speedwell House include a new Council Chamber and Coroner’s Court in a building that is modern, fit for purpose and accessible.

There will only be minimal car parking at the site (for those with disabilities), with electric pool cars, secure bike storage and changing facilities provided for employees to support sustainable travel to and from work.

The building is close to the city centre with easy bus and train access and close to Thames Valley Police offices, the Magistrates Court and Crown Court with potential for shared use to save money for the taxpayer.

There will be an ambition for a 20 per cent biodiversity net gain.

Cllr Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, added: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us not only to create a modern carbon-neutral office and a welcoming and comfortable space for our employees, councillors and residents, but also to help transform this part of the city and better support those using the area. We’re looking forward to seeing the new offices take shape and to moving in during early 2027.”

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Since February 1970, the ‘Wittenham Rose’ has been presented as a peppercorn rent to landowners at Little Wittenham. It is a symbolic gesture which allows ongoing access for the general public to the woods, pastureland and round hills of the reserve.

When the agreement was drawn up in 1970 the area was still in Berkshire. Since 1974 Oxfordshire County Council has presented the rose.

Increasing access to the countryside

Councillor Alison Rooke, Chair of Oxfordshire County Council said: “This ceremony is a long standing tradition that the county council is delighted to honour. Public access to the countryside is an important issue for both the county council and the Earth Trust, so the rose ceremony is an important annual event in our calendars. It is a mid-summer Oxfordshire fixture and part of the fabric of our wonderful county.”

Cllr Rooke will return to the nature reserve on 11 July to plant the rose.

The Earth Trust and Wittenham Clumps

Since 1982 the Earth Trust has managed the area around Wittenham Clumps and the surrounding farmland, grassland and woodlands. The area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation, because of its grassland and significant population of great crested newts.

Following an earlier motion, the council’s cabinet is now set to discuss rolling out a scheme to provide period products in 18 libraries and eight children and family centres across Oxfordshire on a trial basis.

Lorna Baxter, Executive Director of Resources said: “During the cost of living crisis, residents have been forced to make difficult decisions about which essentials they can buy.

“We know that in 2023, Action Aid found that 21 per cent were struggling to afford period products – an increase of nearly 10 per cent in just a year. This is a trend that is even higher among younger age groups.

“No doubt it is very distressing for those experiencing period poverty but it can also pose a real health risk. This is why it’s so important that we make it easier for everyone who needs them to access period products.

“Being able to access period products at school, work or in a public place free of charge could be the difference for some between staying at home or being able to go to school, work, exercise, socialise and more. This all can have wider implications for a person’s mental health, wellbeing and future.

“Since the period poverty motion went to the full council meeting of all county councillors back in September 2023, we’ve been working to look at how we can best implement any such scheme.

“We have been looking at a number of options to support residents, including disposable and reusable products. We hope that this trial will help us to determine the most effective way to support those experiencing period poverty in the county.” 

If approved, the scheme will provide period products to anyone who need them in larger libraries, libraries serving priority areas of deprivation, children and family centres, and for council employees in larger council offices.

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Cllr Rooke first became a councillor in 1999 and served on both Abingdon Town Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council. She has been a county councillor in Abingdon since 2013. She succeeds Cllr Felix Bloomfield in the post. Cllr Mark Lygo will be her vice-chair.

She had a career in computer programming and as a personal assistant before leaving full time employment to care for her father. She is a mother of two daughters and has been a member of Abingdon Operatic Society for more than 40 years.

Becoming Chair of the county council is the latest in a sequence of important roles she has held including being Mayor of Abingdon and Leader of Abingdon Town Council. She was also Chair of Vale of White Horse District Council.

As the ceremonial head of the council, the chair must be a serving county councillor but must remain politically impartial. A new chair is elected each May at the annual general meeting of the county council, which this year was on Tuesday 21 May.

Cllr Rooke said: “I am looking forward to getting around to many different parts of Oxfordshire and supporting as many events as I can by attending and representing the county council. We are keen to hear from organisations who have events over the next year.”

The new Chair will raise funds for three charities during her year in post: My Vision (who support Oxfordshire residents who have poor sight or sight loss); Parkinsons UK (who have three branches in Oxfordshire) and the Earth Trust in Little Wittenham.

Cllr Rooke added: “At first it may appear that these three charities are not linked but we hope there will be a sense of synergy. People who have sight loss or may have problems with moving and getting around may not automatically think that Earth Trust could help. They are very keen to educate and open the countryside to everyone.”

“We are certainly hoping for an event over the summer involving people being able to go for a walk and enjoy afternoon tea afterwards.

“As important as the fundraising is, raising the profile of these local charities is equally as important. I hope we can achieve both during the forthcoming year.”

 About the role of chair

Ceremonial duties performed by the chair include:

• being the politically impartial civic leader of Oxfordshire
• promoting the objectives and services of the county council and Oxfordshire 
• acting as an ambassador for the county council and Oxfordshire
• fostering community identity and pride.

Key responsibilities include:

• presiding over meetings of the full council
• accepting invitations on behalf of the county council to attend events
• inviting individuals and representatives of key organisations to events at County Hall and other venues.

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A notice of vacancy has been published at County Hall and on the Council’s website.  The requisite notice from two local government electors to hold the by-election have also been received.  

The notice of election will be published on Wednesday 15 May, by county council Chief Executive Martin Reeves in his role as Returning Officer, and the election will be held on Thursday, 20 June

Following an allocation of £3,361,256 from the government’s Household Support Fund, the council would be able to provide support for the next six months.

Councillor Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “While the rate of inflation has reduced a great deal, the impact is still being felt by many, especially low-income households with many costs remaining very high.

“This is why it’s so important that this funding from the government’s Household Support Fund means we can carry on providing support to those who need it the most for the next six months.”

This funding is the fifth round of assistance provided by the government’s Household Support Fund to support vulnerable residents. All funding must be spent by 30 September 2024.

The programme will provide support to the following groups:

• Children and young people in early years settings, schools and colleges will continue to receive free school meal equivalent support ahead of school holiday periods.
• City and district councils will receive additional funding for locally targeted support as in the previous year.
• The Residents Support Scheme funding will stay at the same level as 2023/24, ensuring anyone experiencing financial crisis can get assistance with basic household costs.

The Residents’ Support Scheme launched back in June 2023 and helps residents with one-off short-term basic living costs such as food, credit for gas/electric prepayment meters and essential household items. During the first 10 months of the scheme, 5,238 applications were received, with 3,620 of those resulting in an award being made.

Residents can learn more about help available during the cost of living crisis at Oxfordshire County Council’s dedicated webpage oxfordshire.gov.uk/living.

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 Councillor Felix Bloomfield is chair for 2023/4 and his annual event was held on Friday, 15 March at County Hall.

He was joined by the Chair of West Oxfordshire District Council, Mayor of Didcot, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council, charity representatives from Parkinsons UK, Councillors, colleagues from Oxfordshire County Council and friends.

The evening raised £3,389 which is being shared equally between the chair’s chosen charities. Parkinson’s, Cancer Research, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, SSAFA Oxfordshire, Royal British Legion, Veterans Gateway, Veterans UK, Felix Fund, Sepsis UK and SeeSaw – grief support for children and young people in Oxfordshire.

The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra string quartet played for the first part of the evening after which guests were given a tour in the tunnels that are underneath the court room at Old County Hall.  The evening concluded with a raffle and auction held by the Chair.

Councillor Bloomfield said: “I would like to say thanks to council staff for their hard work and dedication and to guests for attending and supporting me at the annual event that was held. I also offer a big thank you to the organisations and businesses that provided donations towards the raffle and auction.”

 Those who provide donations were as follows:

• The Malmaison Oxford
• The Chequers Inn, Berrick Salome
• Blenheim Palace
• Bodleian Library, Oxford
• Bygone Boating, Benson
• Oxford United
• Chiltern Railways
• Comptoir Libanais, Oxford
• Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra
• Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens
• Crocodile of the World
• Courtyard by Marriott, Didcot
• The Half Moon village pub and pizzeria, Coxham
• Hook Norton Brewery
• Home Sweet Home, Roke
• Oxford Preservation Trust
• The Three Horseshoes, Benson
•  Weston Manor Hotel, Oxford
• Millets Farm
• Rona Art Gallery
• The Oxford Artisan Distillery
• Hazel and Richard Jeffries
• Councillor John Howson
• The Bell at Crowmarsh

The new service is due to start in November this year, bringing together two separate programmes from Oxfordshire County Council’s public health and health, education and social care (HESC) teams, increasing the overall funding and broadening the potential reach of the programme.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “The link between financial hardship and health and wellbeing can be a vicious cycle. Poor health can lead to financial difficulties through reduced access to education and limiting employment opportunities. Living with the stress and anxiety of financial hardship can have a damaging impact on long-term health and wellbeing.

“By combining our resources and bringing financial and health advice resources together, we can offer even greater support to people living in Oxfordshire, enabling them to live well and independently within their own communities. Something we call the Oxfordshire Way.”

The new advice service merges the Oxfordshire Specialist Advice Service and the Benefits in Place programme and will provide free, independent and impartial advice to assist people with benefits, debt, budgeting and other financial and welfare issues. It will help to support people to maximise their income, enabling them to look after themselves in their own homes and communities.

This, in turn, aims to bring sustainable health benefits to residents, enabling them to spend more money on activities which support their wellbeing. There will also be an offer of training for people around money management and this will help to build confidence in people and more resilient communities.

Councillor Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: "While Oxfordshire could generally be considered a healthier part of the country than most others, we can’t ignore that some pronounced disparities remain, particularly with the gap in health outcomes between our wealthiest and most disadvantaged areas. It's clear that health and financial wellbeing are deeply interconnected: poor health can lead to financial strain, just as financial troubles can adversely affect health.

“This reality underscores the importance of our new and enhanced service. By offering this improved support, we're not just addressing a need, we're taking a significant step towards bridging these gaps at the root cause level. It represents a critical move in ensuring those most in need receive the comprehensive assistance necessary for both their financial and health wellbeing."

Data suggests that the amount of people who use the council's existing specialist advice services has increased by nine per cent on previous years and that more than half of those who have been in touch are aged 75 years or older.

Similarly, the complexity of the issues has increased, with 4,549 advice issues managed, an increase of ten percent in the last year.

The refreshed programme has been codesigned following engagement with people who have used the council’s advice services in the previous year. This involvement will continue prior to the launch of the new service, building in suggestions and possible improvements for residents.

As well as uniting the advice services, funds have been set aside to modernise the provision, including the possible use of artificial intelligence to help better signpost people to potential support available to them.

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All three main political groups on the council presented their own budget proposals. The Liberal Democrat Green Alliance group forms the administration at the council and they first published a draft budget in late November.

This went through several changes as levels of government and other funding became clearer. A balanced budget was proposed by the council’s cabinet in early February, which later included additional money awarded to councils in England from central government.

The Conservative and Labour groups each independently proposed their own amendments to this budget. Each set of budget proposals was debated in the council chamber.

The Liberal Democrats accepted Labour group amendments and a budget was agreed.

What changes were made from the budget proposed by cabinet in January?

The cabinet’s original budget contained real terms increases for both adults and children’s social care. There is a ten per cent real terms increase for children’s services aimed at helping children stay at home where possible and in Oxfordshire when they need residential support and to support improvements in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

There is also extra money for highways, especially gulley maintenance.

Cabinet’s longstanding commitment to reductions in air pollution and congestion, and to support bus use and active travel are also important parts of the budget.

The Labour amendment that was accepted means that the following is also included in the budget:

• Increasing early intervention work in early years and primary school settings to respond to SEND needs and proactively support the transition into mainstream education (£500,000 in 2024/25 and £380,000 ongoing funding from 2025/26).
• Invest in the Family Help Team to reduce the future demand and cost of care. £375,000 in 2024/25 rising to £500,000 in 2025/26
• Introduce four new Controlled Parking Zones (£200,000 in 24/5)
• Investment in improved collection of fees, charges and penalties (£210,000)
• Restore cost of living funding to support local advice centres. (£300,000)
• £300,000 revenue funding for borrowing supporting £5m additional funding for scheduled highways maintenance added to the capital programme. Meanwhile other capital investments include £6m for additional new children’s homes and £12.65m for additional active travel work

Cllr Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We have worked hard to balance our budget and find savings so we could provide the investment needed to meet demands and pressures in social care. The budget for both adults and children’s social care will rise in real terms in 2024/25.

“Other areas of focus for our extra spending include extra spending for children with special educational needs and disabilities to support improvements in this area. There are also investments in highway maintenance, especially gully cleaning.

“Our longstanding commitments to reductions in air pollution and congestion, and our support for bus use and active travel are also strong elements of the budget we have set.

“Although central government came up with extra cash for local councils in England, this was very late and not enough to resolve the financial challenges facing the sector as a whole. Councils continue to look towards the remainder of the 2020s with concern.

Other key information about the county council budget for 2024/25 and the vote:

• The net budget for 2024/25 will be: £611m
• Council tax will rise by 4.99 per cent.
• Spending on both adult and children’s social care will rise in real terms to meet rising demands and costs.
• A total of 37 councillors voted in favour of the budget and 18 abstained,

The political groups at the county council

• There are 63 county councillors however four were unable to attend.
• The Liberal Democrat Green Alliance group is made up of 23 county councillors (20 Liberal Democrat and three Green)
• The Conservative group is made up of 21 county councillors, with one independent councillor aligned with them in the Conservative Independent Alliance.
•  The Labour & Co-operative Party group is made up of 14 county councillors.
• There are four independent councillors including one member of the Henley Residents Group.

On 30 January, the cabinet agreed balanced budget proposals to be presented to the annual budget setting meeting of the county council on 20 February. This is when all 63 county councillors meet to agree a budget for the next financial year and a medium-term strategy for following years.

The council had been working since late November to close what had previously been a shortfall between what was needed to continue delivering services in the 2024/25 budget and the money available.

After the proposals for cabinet had been formulated, central government announced an additional £600m of funding for councils across the nation in recognition of the financial difficulties faced in the sector. It has since been confirmed that Oxfordshire County Council’s share of this will be £4.8m

Local government funding beyond 2024/25 is uncertain and so the cabinet has only been able to propose one-off spending that does not extend beyond the 2024/25 financial year. Central government has suggested that councils should use the social care element of the new funding to invest in areas that help place children’s social care services on a sustainable financial footing, while being mindful of the level of adult social care provision.

Meanwhile the council is also able to allocate £1.3m from its own budget reserves for new highway and flood recovery work.

Cllr Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “While this extra funding is welcome it has come very late in the day and there remains no longer term plan to deal with the future sustainability of local government across England. Funding is uncertain beyond 2024/25.

“We had already worked hard to balance our budget and find savings so we could provide the investment needed to meet demands and pressures in social care. The budget for both adults and children’s social care was already planned to rise in real terms in 2024/25.

“We have given careful thought as to how this new money should be spent bearing in mind the uncertainties beyond 2024/25 and the fact that most of it should be spent on social care. At £4.8m the new money represents less than one per cent of our overall budget for 2024/25.

“We have listened carefully to what residents have outlined as their priorities during our conversations and engagement with them on our budget over the past six months. A further factor behind our decisions is providing greater support for early help for families and young children to help prevent the need for further spending down the line, working where practical with the voluntary and community sector.

“Other areas of focus for our extra spending include travel for children with special educational needs, support for those affected by flooding, and maintenance of our footpaths and cyclepaths. On the latter, we had already proposed extra money as part of our original budget – although it remains a real disappointment that central government is not recognising the need for extra sustainable funding on roads and infrastructure.”

What are the new proposals?

• £1m for social care (both children and adults) to accelerate digital methods of helping service users find the right information and advice.
• A total of £774,000 to develop the already successful Oxfordshire Way approach (in both children’s and adults social care) to help people live well and independently in their communities, remaining fit and healthy for as long as possible.
• A £1m investment in home to school transport with half to improve data and systems and mitigate pressures by creating efficiencies in the current service. The other half would be for travel training and accessibility to increase independence among service users.
• A £1m investment to further embed the family safeguarding model in children’s social care. This seeks to reduce demand by resolving family issues at the earliest opportunity
• A £500,000 scheme to encourage more people to join the successful Shared Lives scheme.
• A £1.3m investment to undertake gully and ditch cleaning in areas recently affected by flooding, boost capacity with landowners and parishes for them to clear ditches and implement sustainable drainage schemes and a second cut of urban verges and vegetation clearance around footways and cycleways.

The annual budget setting meeting of the county council takes place at 10.30am on Tuesday 20 February.

Proposals to save more than £9.8m in 2024/25 were set out by the county council in November as it seeks to set a balanced budget in the face of continued inflationary pressures and growing demands.

Originally the council had a shortfall of £9.1m to reach a balanced budget but this increased to £11.2m in December after it became clear that grant funding support from central government was not as much as anticipated. The council has proposed measures to close that gap to the extent that there is now a remaining £900,000 shortfall that needs to be closed by the time the council sets its budget later in February.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We did not receive any additional money from government to close what was a £9.1m gap when we first published our draft budget in late November. Quite the opposite.

“The government has spoken widely about a 6.5 per cent increase of funding to local government. As we’ve said previously, this was a case of smoke and mirrors. This increase assumed councils would take the maximum council tax rise and includes funding announced this time last year. There was nothing new in this sum at all.

“Local government as a whole continues to express deep disappointment having already been viewing the second half of the decade with great concern. The government’s dealings with the sector so far this winter did nothing to alleviate those concerns.

“Our track record of responsible financial management means that Oxfordshire County Council has been in a more resilient position than many other authorities. However, the overall position is extremely challenging. Even now we remain £900,000 short of what we need for a balanced budget.

“Over the coming weeks we will continue to work hard to review our costs and identify further potential measures so we can close the gap and balance the budget.”

It remains the case that budgets in both adults and children’s social care will increase in 2024 with investments to meet pressures outweighing savings proposals.

What are the new proposals?

The new proposals that have been made include:

• A further £3.4m can be added to the budget on a one-off basis for 2024/25 as a result of district councils collecting more in council tax than was originally estimated.
• On the basis of analysis of anticipated demand for adult social care services, £1.5m of demographic of funding that was originally proposed to be added to the budget is now judged not to be required. A total of £8.5m of extra funding for demographic/population growth was included in existing forward plans and this remains. The council has always been responsible in planning ahead over several years to deal with pressure on adult social care stemming from population growth/demographic increases.
• Consumer Price Index Inflation was 3.9 per cent in the year to November 2023, down from 4.6 per cent in October and 6.7 per cent in the 12 months to September 2023. As such, £2.3m that was originally thought to be needed to cover anticipated costs of care packages within adult social care is now assessed not to be needed. A total of £12.3m previously agreed funding remains available to support increases in the cost of care packages from 2024/25.
• When the budget was originally proposed, a £14m investment in children’s services was proposed. However, there were also some savings. These savings are focused on things such as reducing the reliance on expensive agency staff, focusing on keeping families together by preventing the need for children to become looked after by the council, and opening new children's homes/increasing foster capacity to reduce the need for expensive out of county placements. However, half of these savings were not built into overall budget assumptions due to the risk of them not being achieved. Further work has now been done on the achievability of savings and this risk adjustment can be reduced by £1.1m from £5.2m to £4.1m.
• Because of anticipated future reductions in funding there is a need to reduce the size of the organisation in future. A new saving of £1.5m relating to workforce restructuring has been added in 2024/25. Planning for this is underway.

The overall projected budget for 2024/25 is more than £614m. The draft budget is based on a 4.99 per cent council tax rise in 2024/25, with two per cent of this being ringfenced for adult social care. No final decision on council tax or any element of the budget will be taken until 20 February 2024 when all 63 county councillors meet at the annual budget setting meeting of the county council.

Proposals to save more than £9.8 million in 2024/25 were set out in November by the county council as it seeks to set a balanced budget in the face of continued inflationary pressures and growing demands.

The detail revealed by central government to each individual council on local government settlement day (18 December) means that this gap has increased to £11.2m. Grant funding support was not as much as anticipated.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We did not receive any additional money to close what was a £9.1m gap when we first published our draft budget in late November.

“The government has spoken widely about a 6.5 per cent increase of funding to local government. Sadly, this is a case of smoke and mirrors. This increase assumes councils take the maximum council tax rise and includes funding announced this time last year. There is nothing new in this sum at all.

“Local government as a whole has expressed its deep disappointment. We are clearly now going to have to take some really tough decisions.”

“As has been known since late November our budget proposals for 2024/25 already include more than £9.8m of savings. The whole of local government was already looking at the second half of the decade with great concern and the government’s announcement on 18 December did nothing to alleviate those concerns.

“Our track record of responsible financial management means that Oxfordshire County Council has been in a more resilient position than many other authorities. However, the overall position is extremely challenging and additional savings will need to be found.”

All local authorities are having to deal with the continued impact of slower than forecast falls in inflation in the UK during 2023 and the consequent continued high levels of costs and prices for energy, fuel, materials and staff costs.

The council also continues to experience demand-led pressures and the effects of the growing nationwide costs of supporting children and young people; the rising cost of social care and care placements for both children and adults; and a national shortage of social care workers leading to a reliance on agency staff and higher costs. The overall projected budget for 2024/25 is more than £614m.

The council’s Performance Scrutiny Committee will be updated on the position at its meeting on 19 January before an updated draft of the budget is presented to the council’s cabinet on 30 January.

The draft budget is based on a 4.99 per cent council tax rise in 2024/25, with two per cent of this being ringfenced for adult social care. No final decision on council tax or any element of the budget will be taken until 20 February 2024 when all 63 county councillors meet at the annual budget setting meeting of the county council.

The gender pay gap is the difference between the average (mean or median) earnings of men and women across a workforce.

 A report to a meeting of full council (all 63 county councillors) in December reported that there had been a decrease in the mean gender pay gap from 2.3% in 2022 to 1.2% in 2023.

Cllr Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council said: “We are committed to improving our approach to equalities, inclusion and diversity. While councillors were welcoming of news that the gender pay gap is so small and better than nationally there is still a small way to go to equalise the situation. We are keen that there should never be any barriers for women to progress into higher paid roles, or roles where they are under-represented.”

Since 2017, an employer that has a headcount of 250 or more employees on a ‘snapshot date’ has been required to comply with regulations on gender pay gap reporting. Gender pay gap calculations are based on employer payroll data drawn from a specific date each year.

This specific date is called the ‘snapshot date’. The ‘snapshot date’ for Oxfordshire County Council (as with most other public authority employers) is 31 March every year.

The council must report and publish its gender pay gap information by 30 March of the following year.

Proposals to save more than £9.8 million in 2024/25 have been set out by Oxfordshire County Council as it seeks to set a balanced budget in the face of continued inflationary pressures and growing demands.

All local authorities are having to deal with the continued impact of slower than forecast falls in inflation in the UK and the consequent continued high levels of costs and prices for energy, fuel, materials and staff costs.

The council also continues to experience demand-led pressures and the effects of the growing nationwide costs of supporting children and young people; the rising cost of social care and care placements for both children and adults; and a national shortage of social care workers leading to a reliance on agency staff and higher costs.

The last Census confirms Oxfordshire has a growing and ageing population, which will continue to increase demand on services.

All of these pressures combined amount to approximately £29.8m. The council proposes to add to contingency funding for risks including inflation by £6.2m meaning an overall pressure of £36m.

After taking account of proposed savings, funding changes and other factors that help meet pressures, the county council currently has a £9.1 million funding gap.

It will work to close this and present a draft balanced budget in the new year after the government has confirmed its financial settlement for local government before Christmas and further financial information has been received from the city and district councils.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “Households continue to face huge financial challenges this autumn and we are still in a cost of living emergency. Many of the same factors that are causing those issues are affecting local government, including Oxfordshire County Council, and organisations and businesses up and down the land.

“At the county council, we are on the frontline of supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities. As always, we are committed to helping them and their families and they will always be prioritised when we make decisions on budget.  

“This is reflected in our budget, which contains large investments to meet new pressures in many areas, primarily in adult and children’s social care and services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To invest in frontline services, we have needed to propose savings in other areas to balance this.

“We seek to manage the council’s finances responsibly and we carefully plan ahead to meet current and future financial challenges. Our budget proposals for 2024/25 include more than £9.8 million of savings. Beyond the budget for 2024/25, it is fair to say that the whole of local government is looking at the second half of the 2020s with great concern as funding issues and challenges look certain to continue.

“Our track record of responsible financial management means that Oxfordshire County Council is in a more resilient and robust position than some other authorities. However, the overall position is still challenging and means we will need to make tough choices.”

New for this year, residents can take part in the budget consultation (for 2024/25) until 10 January using an online budget simulator, which will be hosted on the council’s digital consultation and engagement platform Let’s talk Oxfordshire. The simulator allows residents to try to balance the council’s budget, weighing up tough choices and impacts. People will also be able to comment on the council’s proposed budget with feedback captured using an online form or in writing by Freepost. 

The council is also running three online Oxfordshire Conversations, which offer an opportunity for cabinet representatives to connect with residents on their priorities for local services and explore ideas for how we can make savings to balance our budget. Residents are asked to book.

The events are open to all and will run on the following dates:

• Monday 4 December 1pm to 230pm
•  Wednesday 6 December 7pm to 8:30pm
• Monday 11 December 4:30pm to 6pm.

The council’s budget proposals will be considered by the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 8 December. Later in December, the government will announce council funding levels as part of its local government finance settlement.

This, alongside confirmation of wider financial resources available and the outcome of the public consultation and engagement, will lead to an updated draft of the budget being presented to the council’s cabinet on 30 January.

Currently, the council’s medium-term financial strategy – agreed in February 2023 – is based on a 4.99 per cent council tax rise in 2024/25, with two per cent of this being ringfenced for adult social care. This rise would be less than the current rate of inflation. No final decision on council tax or any element of the budget will be taken until 20 February 2024 when all 63 county councillors meet at the annual budget setting meeting of the county council.

The council’s cabinet will review a report that outlines the process for developing and agreeing the budget for 2024/25 and the assumptions on which the council’s existing medium-term financial strategy (MTFS), agreed in February 2023, is based.

It also provides an update on financial pressures continuing to impact on the county council and local government as a whole, set in the context of the national economy.

At this early stage in the budget process, the council is forecasting it will need to manage new pressures of around £30 - £40 million in 2024/25.

However, as is the case every year, this figure will be updated as the council moves through the budget process and will need to be considered alongside information on future funding received from central government and other sources.

What are the pressures on the council’s budget?

All local authorities continue to face significant increases in inflation that are driving up costs and price increases in energy, fuel and materials. These remain above those forecast by government.

Along with the rest of local government, the council is also continuing to experience high demand pressures from the growing nationwide costs of supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities; the rising cost of social care and care placements for both children and adults; and a national shortage of social care workers leading to a reliance on agency staff and higher costs.

There remains prolonged uncertainty about the government’s plans for the future relating to local government financing, including a new funding model for adult social care. Meanwhile, there have been substantial reductions in funding to local government over the last decade, which means the ability to make savings is reduced.

Oxfordshire County Council is not an outlier in facing these pressures – councils across the country are facing exactly the same issues.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We know that people across our county are still facing huge financial challenges as we move into winter. Prices are continuing to rise and it is still legitimate to say we are in a cost of living crisis. The county council also continues to face major budget pressures.

“As a council, we are on the frontline of supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities. We are committed to them and their families. However, as the cost of doing this rises and our funding fails to keep pace, we are left facing tough choices.

“Each year the council goes through this initial process of identifying new pressures on budgets and the £30 - £40m figure is where we stand at the beginning of the process this year. We will manage the council’s finances responsibly and we are planning ahead carefully to meet current and future financial challenges.

“We will engage with residents about the big issues that matter most to them and their communities. We encourage residents to take part in budget engagement activities this winter. We will use this feedback to help us shape our budget proposals for next year.”

Currently, the council’s medium-term financial strategy – agreed in February 2023 – is based on a 4.99 per cent council tax rise in 2024/25 with two per cent of this being ringfenced for adult social care. This rise would be less than the rate of inflation.

What happens next?

In late November, the county council will publish the detail of its budget proposals for 2024/25.

The proposals will be considered by the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee during December. The committee’s feedback, alongside the results from the 2023 residents’ survey and wider  budget engagement,  will be reported to the council’s cabinet in January before the budget is set at a meeting with all county councillors on 20 February 2024.

The council’s cabinet today approved in principle the lease of land at the ‘Triangle’ to the football club for the development of a new stadium.

The leasehold comes with a number of conditions:

• The club must be given planning permission by Cherwell District Council.
• The club must produce a net-zero plan that is fully costed and comes with clear timescales and outcomes from design, construction and full operation of the stadium.
• The club must provide detail of how it will meet the commitments made in its submissions to the county council so far.
• Restrictive covenants will be put in place that will set aside the use of the land for football/community sports and leisure/sports stadia for the term of the lease, with limited commercial activities permitted only within the stadium footprint.

Officers had proposed the sale of the land but following their debate at the cabinet meeting, councillors decided to opt for the leasing of the land.

The county council cabinet’s decision follows extensive public and stakeholder engagement during 2022 and 2023. More than 5,000 people and organisations shared their views through a survey run during June and July 2023.

A previous survey in January and February 2022 resulted in over 3,700 responses. Feedback was also provided from the county council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which met on 13 September.

Cllr Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Leader, said: “Cabinet members have individually and collectively thought long and hard about this decision. There has been a huge amount to weigh up in considering this matter and we recognise that there are very strong and diverse views.

“We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback with us, which we have studied in great detail.

“We know that many local residents have concerns about the stadium, particularly around transport and parking. Officers advised us that these had not yet been fully addressed in the information provided by the club. The conditional agreement to lease the land is only the first step in the process and the club must now provide much more detailed proposals alongside the planning process, including addressing transport and connectivity issues.

“Our officers will be scrutinising these plans in detail in our statutory role as local highways authority.

“A key factor for the cabinet in reaching this decision has been to bring long-term benefit to communities in Oxfordshire. We believe the new stadium has the potential to do this by providing local employment, education opportunities for our young people, much improved facilities for local sports groups, and securing the future of county’s only professional football league club, which has such a positive impact on many people’s lives.

“We have asked the club to spell these out as they now develop their plans through the planning process and we will insist on them through the conditions we place on a future contract. It is now for the club to demonstrate that they can develop the detailed proposals to meet the aspirations they set out in their statements to us and to the public. If they fail to do this, we will not sign.

“Once again, we would like to thank everyone who has taken part in this extensive and thorough process.

“The next step for the club is to submit a planning application, and residents will once again be able to share their views as part of this process.” 

Full detail on the club's proposals, results of the engagement exercises, and the seven strategic priorities that the county council set, can be found in the cabinet report.

A total of 5,441 people and organisations responded during June and July as the county council sought views on whether the club’s proposals address the council’s seven strategic priorities. The council owns the land in question.

Previous to this, a series of targeted, independently facilitated meetings with stakeholders were held in April and May to explore early views on the OUFC proposals. Public and stakeholder engagement had also taken place in 2022.

The report from the public engagement will be considered by a meeting of the council’s Place and Overview Scrutiny Committee on 13 September. Members of the public can apply to speak. It will then be considered by Cabinet on 19 September as part of its final decision on whether to lease or sell the land to the club.

Just over two thirds of those who responded were a resident of Oxfordshire (71 per cent). Overall a slim majority of Oxfordshire resident respondents felt the information provided by the club fully addressed the council’s seven strategies priorities, with percentages varying between 51 and 60 per cent depending on the priority.

There were, however, geographical variations, with respondents who live nearest to the proposed site holding the strongest reservations. The detailed report can be found in the report to the scrutiny committee.

Just over half (53 per cent) of those who responded were supporters of Oxford United, with 75 per cent of them living in Oxfordshire. A small number of responses came from business representatives, representatives of a group or organisation, and local councillors - but fewer than one per cent.

Oxfordshire County Council Chief Executive Martin Reeves said: “Our engagement with the public and stakeholders during both 2022 and 2023 has been extensive and thorough and the county council would like to sincerely thank everyone who has taken part for sharing their views.

“Many people have attended meetings or responded online and the feedback has been collated for the Place and Overview Scrutiny Committee to consider and pass on their recommendations to cabinet. The feedback received from the engagement will be used alongside a range of other detailed information to help inform Cabinet when they come to make this important decision on 19 September.”

Should cabinet ultimately approve the use of the land for the football club to build a new stadium, Oxford United would still need to seek planning approval from Cherwell District Council as the local planning authority.

The Oxfordshire Pension Fund is part of the national Local Government Pension Scheme and has been accepted as a signatory to the UK Stewardship Code by the Financial Reporting Council.

The code sets high standards of stewardship for those investing money on behalf of UK savers and pensioners. Becoming a signatory is recognition of the work the fund has undertaken in recent years to become a responsible investor.

Councillor Bob Johnston, Chair of the Oxfordshire Pension Fund Committee, has made the following statement: “I am pleased that the fund has received recognition for its current work. We pledge that we will continue, alongside our investment partners at Brunel, to engage with and challenge the companies we invest into, on a wide range of responsible investment issues, including climate change. We look forward to developing and strengthening our stewardship activities to drive the positive change that will benefit our members.”

To become a signatory, investors need to demonstrate that they are actively using their voice and influence to encourage companies to act in a way that recognises the importance of environmental, social and governance issues, and delivers financial benefits

There are 277 signatories to the code, representing £44.6 trillion assets under management. This includes 189 asset managers, 69 asset owners and 19 service providers. The Oxfordshire Pension Fund is one of 27 organisations that have been added to the signatory list for the first time.

The Oxfordshire Local Government Pension Scheme is hosted by the county council but also represents the district and city councils and organisations such as Oxford Brookes University, academy schools, further education colleges and housing associations.

Find out more about the Oxfordshire Pension Fund’s approach to responsible investment on the county council’s website and the UK Stewardship Code by visiting the Financial Reporting Council’s website.

More information

The Oxfordshire Pension Fund is managed by a committee. The committee, which is comprised of elected council members, is advised by the Director of Finance and an independent financial advisor and is responsible for the pension fund's investment arrangements.

All public sector pension schemes were required under the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 to set up a pension board with effect from 2015/16 to assist the administering authorities of their pension scheme in ensuring compliance with LGPS and other pension regulations. The board's key roles are to support and challenge the Pension Fund Committee as it carries out its statutory responsibilities.

More information about the board, the committee and the work that they do is available on Oxfordshire County Council's website

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In 2021, Oxfordshire County Council embarked on a four year project to fit all of the county’s streetlights with environmentally friendly light-emitting diodes (LED).

A total of 86 per cent of lights have now been converted. When completed, the £38 million project is expected to lead to energy savings of millions of pounds over the next 20 years.

The LED lights will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by 70 per cent. Before the conversion programme started, the county’s streetlights accounted for around 7,596 tonnes of CO2 every year – representing nearly 35 per cent of the council’s total emissions.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “The LED streetlighting programme is biggest single project that we, as a council, are undertaking to reduce our own carbon emissions. So I am delighted it is on course to be completed next year, despite problems due to issues such as global material shortages.

“This will significantly help us to achieve our target of becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030 and save council taxpayers millions of pounds over the next two decades. It’s a real win-win.”

Last year, 24,383 LED units were fitted meaning that, by the end of March 2023, 51,992 of Oxfordshire’s 60,326 streetlights, wall mounted lights and lights on electricity poles have been converted.

As well as funding the LED conversions, the £38m is also enabling the replacement of 23,000 lighting columns, which are at the end of their structural life. This part of the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2025.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

The proposal is for the stadium to be located on council-owned land, known as “the Triangle” located east of Frieze Way and south of the Kidlington roundabout.

Cllr Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We are committed to taking decision on this proposal in an open and transparent way, with the help of comments and engagement from stakeholders and members of the public. I’d like to thank the organisations who have attended meetings with us and responded constructively to our engagement. This process has been separate to the engagement activities of the football club.

“We asked OUFC to supply us with information of a level of quality, detail and commitment that would allow us – and members of the public – to take a view on whether or not our strategic objectives for any use of OCC land had been met. We hope to receive such information in the next fortnight. If so, we will be undertaking further public and stakeholder engagement during June and July. This would include an online survey and public exhibitions.

“The feedback we receive from residents and stakeholders will help inform our decision making. That timetable would allow the cabinet to make a final decision in September on whether or not to lease or sell the land to the club for the development of a stadium.”

Details of what was discussed by cabinet at its May 23 meeting can be found in the report.

Detail can also be found on the themes that emerged during engagement that took place in May and April as well as how further engagement will happen during June and July.

If a decision were made by cabinet to make available the land to OUFC for development of a new stadium, formal consultation would be required to take place as part of a statutory planning process that would be conducted by Cherwell District Council as planning authority.

A dedicated page has been published on the county council’s website as regards the proposals: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stadium

Cabinet heard that negotiations on heads of terms and due diligence are underway and that the likely timescale for a final decision remains September.

At the March cabinet meeting a memorandum of understanding governing timescales and engagement was agreed with the football club. More detail was set out for cabinet as to how this will work in coming months.

The council has recently been provided with further high-level information by OUFC as regards its long-term vision and intent. Officers will now await more detailed plans.

Councillor Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We promised an open and transparent process and that is what we are delivering. This latest report gave us an update as to where we stand and what will happen in coming weeks and months.

“We want everyone to be able to share their views with us before we take a final decision. The club’s need to find a new home has been well publicised, but any decision we take has to be guided by the overarching aim of whether it brings benefit to our community in Oxfordshire.

“We noted that the club has very recently submitted more statements on its vision and long-term intent. Officers began reviewing this material immediately. We have stressed to the club that we look forward to seeing more detailed plans.”

Current work

Officers are currently undertaking stakeholder meetings to explore early views with regards to the OUFC proposals. The meetings are being run by an independent chair and are taking place in April and May.

Invitations have been sent to a range of stakeholders, including local parish councils, district and county councillors, MPs, local sports clubs, local interest groups, groups representing OUFC supporters, and representatives of Oxfordshire’s business community including tourism.

Meanwhile a meeting took place for all county councillors on 17 April at which councillors were able to ask questions of the club. A link to OUFC’s presentation is available on the council’s dedicated website: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stadium. A set of frequently asked questions will be published on the site shortly.

OUFC is undertaking its own engagement activities. The county council welcomes these activities and recognises that it does not replace its own engagement and listening activities.

Next steps

• Independently facilitated stakeholder meetings will take place in April and May.
• Officers are planning the second phase of engagement, which will include a six-week engagement exercise open to everyone. This will commence when the football club publishes its detailed scheme proposals and after officers have been satisfied that they have sufficient information to assess to what extent the council’s seven strategic priorities will be addressed.

The council’s priorities

For Oxford United to receive in-principle agreement from the council to lease or buy the triangle site, their proposal must address the seven strategic priorities set out by the council for the use of the land. It must also meet objectives around mitigating long-term financial risk to the council and obtaining best value for the taxpayer from any transaction. These were agreed at the 24 January cabinet meeting.

The seven strategic priorities are:

• Maintain a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington
• Improve access to nature and green spaces
• Enhance facilities for local sports groups and on-going financial support
• Significantly improve the infrastructure connectivity in this location, improving public transport to reduce the need for car travel in so far as possible, and to improve sustainable transport through increased walking, cycling and rail use
• Develop local employment opportunities in Oxfordshire
• Increase education and innovation through the provision of a sports centre of excellence and facilities linked to elite sport, community sport, health and wellbeing
• Support the county council’s net zero carbon emissions pledge through highly sustainable development.

The report to the 18 April meeting of the cabinet says that negotiations on heads of terms and due diligence are underway and that the likely timescale for a final decision remains September.

At the March cabinet meeting a memorandum of understanding governing timescales and engagement was agreed with the football club. More detail is set out in the 18 April report as to how this will work in coming months.

The council has recently been provided with further information by OUFC as regards its long-term vision and intent. Officers will now await more detailed plans.

Councillor Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We promised an open and transparent process and that is what we are delivering. Cabinet members will be updated with the latest information on 18 April and all councillors will receive a briefing beforehand.

“We want everyone to be able to share their views with us before we take a final decision. The club’s need to find a new home has been well publicised, but any decision we take has to be guided by the overarching aim of whether it brings benefit to our community in Oxfordshire.

“We welcome the fact that the club has very recently submitted more detail on its vision and long-term intent. Officers began reviewing this material immediately and will look forward to seeing more detailed plans in due course.”

Current work

Officers are currently undertaking stakeholder meetings to explore early views with regards to the OUFC proposals. The meetings are being run by an independent chair and are taking place in April and May.

Invitations have been sent to a range of stakeholders including local parish councils, district and county councillors, MPs, local sports clubs, local interest groups, groups representing OUFC supporters, and representatives of Oxfordshire’s business community including tourism.

Meanwhile an update briefing will take place for county councillors on 17 April. A recording of OUFC’s presentation will be published on the council’s website together with a set of frequently asked questions. A dedicated page has been published on the county council website: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stadium .

OUFC is undertaking its own engagement activities. The county council welcomes these activities and recognises that it does not replace its own engagement and listening activities.

Next proposed steps

• Independently facilitated stakeholder meetings will take place in April and May.
• Officers are planning the second phase of engagement, which will include a six-week engagement exercise open to everyone. This will commence when the football club publishes its scheme proposals and after officers have been satisfied that they have sufficient information to assess to what extent the council’s seven strategic priorities will be addressed.

The council’s priorities

For Oxford United to receive in-principle agreement from the council to lease or buy the triangle site, their proposal must address the seven strategic priorities set out by the council for the use of the land. It must also meet objectives around mitigating long-term financial risk to the council and obtaining best value for the taxpayer from any transaction. These were agreed at the 24 January cabinet meeting.

The seven strategic priorities are:

• Maintain a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington
• Improve access to nature and green spaces
• Enhance facilities for local sports groups and on-going financial support
• Significantly improve the infrastructure connectivity in this location, improving public transport to reduce the need for car travel in so far as possible, and to improve sustainable transport through increased walking, cycling and rail use
• Develop local employment opportunities in Oxfordshire
• Increase education and innovation through the provision of a sports centre of excellence and facilities linked to elite sport, community sport, health and wellbeing
• Support the county council’s net zero carbon emissions pledge through highly sustainable development.

The start of initial negotiations about land known as “the triangle” near Kidlington were approved at January’s cabinet meeting and have already begun. A memorandum of understanding has now been agreed at the 21 March meeting of the council’s cabinet along with a plan for engaging with stakeholders and local communities over the coming weeks and months.

Councillor Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “Whether or not a stadium is built at the triangle site is a significant decision for local people in this area, residents across the county and fans of Oxford United. As such, the decision and the process leading up to it needs to be as open and transparent as possible.

“We know that it is an urgent project for the club, who have outlined their need to find an alternative home before 2026. We are committed to responding promptly to them and to taking decisions in a timely way. That’s why officers were in touch with the club the day after the January cabinet meeting and regular discussions have been taking place ever since.

“We have now approved a timetable for the next stages and a memorandum of understanding with the club on the process in the coming months. The first step is for the club to provide further detailed proposals. We know they are working to deliver these.

“We have built into the proposed timetable a period of public and stakeholder engagement that will commence as soon as the club’s proposals have been received. It will focus on whether the club’s proposals address the council’s seven strategic priorities for the use of the land. In the meantime, we are encouraging the club to undertake their own engagement with local residents as their plans develop. 

“We want everyone to be able to share their views with us before we take a final decision. The club’s need to find a new home is well understood, but any decision we take has to be guided by the overarching aim of whether it brings benefit to our community in Oxfordshire.”

What does the memorandum of understanding say?

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) requires Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford United FC to agree to:

• Work constructively to allow informed decision-making by the cabinet within an agreed timeframe (recognising that planning processes will inevitably have an impact on the timeframe).
• Recognise that the development and location of the stadium is not without contention, and both parties will seek to engage with stakeholders and promote debate and discussion that is constructive and respectful.
• Approach all discussions with a spirit of honesty, openness and transparency, sharing information freely to progress the decision-making.
• Attempt to resolve any disagreements or differences of opinion constructively, utilising an objective third party if required. 
• Note that the county council’s participation in these discussions is predicated on supporting and recognising the community role, legacy and heritage of the club. The council is not offering financial support to the club for the construction of the stadium or the running of the club. 
• Undertake engagement with stakeholders and local communities. For OUFC this will ensure community views are taken into account as part of the scheme development; for the county council this will help assess the extent to which the council’s seven objectives for the use of the land (set out below) have been met.
• Recognise the commercial viability and plans of the club are outside the scope of this working partnership and the county council is not inclined to support additional enabling development that is not aligned to the strategic priorities as set out above.
• Recognise the role of Cherwell District Council (CDC) as the planning authority and ensure that communications and engagement undertaken by the club or the county council do not impact on this process. Note that planning engagement with CDC will be undertaken by OUFC as the scheme developer and not Oxfordshire County Council as the landowner.
• Recognise that, in the event of the MOU being broken, either party has the right to walk away from these discussions.  

What conditions has the county council already set out?

For Oxford United to receive in-principle agreement from the council to lease or buy the triangle site, their proposal must address the seven strategic priorities set out by the council for the use of the land. It must also meet objectives around mitigating long-term financial risk to the council and obtaining best value for the taxpayer from any transaction. These were agreed at the 24 January cabinet meeting.

The seven strategic priorities are:

• Maintain a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington
• Improve access to nature and green spaces
• Enhance facilities for local sports groups and on-going financial support
• Significantly improve the infrastructure connectivity in this location, improving public transport to reduce the need for car travel in so far as possible, and to improve sustainable transport through increased walking, cycling and rail use
• Develop local employment opportunities in Oxfordshire
• Increase education and innovation through the provision of a sports centre of excellence and facilities linked to elite sport, community sport, health and wellbeing
• Support the county council’s net zero carbon emissions pledge through highly sustainable development.

The county council’s engagement will focus on the extent to which stakeholders are satisfied that OUFC’s proposals address the council’s strategic priorities set out above. It will be divided into two phases.

1. Targeted stakeholder engagement, which is designed to capture early views on how OUFC’s emerging plans meet the council’s objectives. These views will feed into ongoing discussions with the club.
2. A small number of ‘listening’ events with invited groups of stakeholders, together with open engagement over a six-week period.

The results of these engagement exercises will be analysed and reported to the county council’s cabinet prior to its decision on whether to make the land at the triangle available to OUFC.

Further details can be found in the cabinet report. There is also information on the council’s website at  www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stadium

Oxfordshire County Council is not the final decision-maker on whether or not the scheme receives planning consent. Any final proposal by the club would need to be put through the planning process at Cherwell District Council, which will include public consultation.

The start of negotiations about land known as “the triangle” near Kidlington were approved at January’s cabinet meeting and have already begun. A memorandum of understanding is proposed for agreement at the 21 March cabinet meeting along with a plan for engaging with stakeholders and local communities over the coming weeks and months.

Councillor Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “This is a significant decision for fans of Oxford United, local people in this area and residents across the county so the decision and the process leading up to it needs to be as open and transparent as possible.

“We also know that it is an urgent project for the club, who have outlined their need to find an alternative home before 2026. We are committed to responding promptly to them and to taking decisions in a timely way. That’s why officers were in touch with the club the day after the January cabinet meeting and regular discussions have been taking place ever since.

“At our cabinet meeting on 21 March, we will be asked to approve a timetable for the next stages and a memorandum of understanding with the club on the process in the coming months.

“The first step is for the club to provide further detailed proposals. We know they are working to deliver these.

“We are building into the proposed timetable a period of public and stakeholder engagement that will commence as soon as the club’s proposals have been received. It will focus on whether the club’s proposals address the council’s seven strategic priorities for the use of the land. We are also encouraging the club to continue to undertake their own engagement with local residents and fans as their plans develop. 

“We want everyone to be able to share their views with us before we take a final decision. The club’s need to find a new home is well understood, but any decision we take has to be guided by the overarching aim of whether it brings benefit to our community in Oxfordshire.”

What would the memorandum of understanding say?

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) would require Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford United FC to agree to:

• Work constructively to allow informed decision-making by the cabinet within an agreed timeframe (recognising that planning processes will inevitably have an impact on the timeframe).
• Recognise that the development and location of the stadium is not without contention, and both parties will seek to engage with stakeholders and promote debate and discussion that is constructive and respectful.
• Approach all discussions with a spirit of honesty, openness and transparency, sharing information freely to progress the decision-making.
• Attempt to resolve any disagreements or differences of opinion constructively, utilising an objective third party if required. 
• Note that the county council’s participation in these discussions is predicated on supporting and recognising the community role, legacy and heritage of the club. The council is not offering financial support to the club for the construction of the stadium or the running of the club. 
• Undertake engagement with stakeholders and local communities. For OUFC this will ensure community views are taken into account as part of the scheme development; for the county council this will help assess the extent to which the council’s seven objectives for the use of the land (set out below) have been met.
• Recognise the commercial viability and plans of the club are outside the scope of this working partnership and the county council is not inclined to support additional enabling development that is not aligned to the strategic priorities as set out above.
• Recognise the role of Cherwell District Council (CDC) as the planning authority and ensure that communications and engagement undertaken by the club or the county council do not impact on this process. Note that planning engagement with CDC will be undertaken by OUFC as the scheme developer and not Oxfordshire County Council as the landowner.
• Recognise that, in the event of the MOU being broken, either party has the right to walk away from these discussions.  

What conditions has the county council already set out?

For Oxford United to receive in-principle agreement from the council to lease or buy the triangle site, their proposal must address the seven strategic priorities set out by the council for the use of the land. It must also meet objectives around mitigating long-term financial risk to the council and obtaining best value for the taxpayer from any transaction. These were agreed at the 24 January cabinet meeting.

The seven strategic priorities are:

• Maintain a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington
• Improve access to nature and green spaces
• Enhance facilities for local sports groups and on-going financial support
• Significantly improve the infrastructure connectivity in this location, improving public transport to reduce the need for car travel in so far as possible, and to improve sustainable transport through increased walking, cycling and rail use
• Develop local employment opportunities in Oxfordshire
• Increase education and innovation through the provision of a sports centre of excellence and facilities linked to elite sport, community sport, health and wellbeing
• Support the county council’s net zero carbon emissions pledge through highly sustainable development.

The county council’s engagement will focus on the extent to which stakeholders are satisfied that OUFC’s proposals address the council’s strategic priorities set out above. It will be divided into two phases.

1. Targeted stakeholder engagement, which is designed to capture early views on how OUFC’s emerging plans meet the council’s objectives. These views will feed into ongoing discussions with the club.
2. A small number of ‘listening’ events with invited groups of stakeholders, together with open engagement over a six-week period where anyone can share feedback using an online response form.

Oxfordshire County Council is not the final decision-maker on whether or not the scheme receives planning consent. Any final proposal by the club would need to be put through the planning process at Cherwell District Council, which will include public consultation.

Oxfordshire County Council has sent letters to over 4,250 residents eligible for support. These residents will be in receipt of housing benefit but no other relevant state benefits, and therefore do not qualify for the government’s cost of living payments.

Claire Taylor Oxfordshire County Council’s Corporate Director for Customers and Organisational Development and Resources said: “We know it’s a challenging time for many residents. That is why we are using the Household Support Fund, money provided by Department for Work and Pensions, to support residents most in need. 

 “This measure is another way the council is continuing to support residents during the cost of living crisis, and I would encourage everyone eligible to respond to their letter as soon as possible.”

 Each letter has a link to a form where residents can securely enter their bank details. They will also receive a unique reference number to protect against fraud. Residents must fill in this form by 28 March 2023 to claim this money.  

 Anyone with concerns or who is unable to access the online form can contact Oxfordshire County Council’s customer service’s team on 01865 956511.

 The council received £3.3 million from Department for Work and Pensions. This funding is the third round of the Household Support Fund to support vulnerable residents. As well as assisting residents who receive housing benefit, the council is offering support to other vulnerable groups:

• £1.1m food vouchers for children and early years on free school meals during school holidays
• Over £500,000 to city and district councils for local emergency welfare schemes
• £200,000 for residents known to the council with long term health conditions and disabilities
• £200,000 for carers across Oxfordshire

In all cases, residents will be directly contacted about support by their school or the council. Those who need to apply for emergency welfare can apply through their city or district council.

Residents can learn more about help available during the cost of living crisis at Oxfordshire County Council’s dedicated webpage oxfordshire.gov.uk/living

More information

Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards service is encouraging all residents to ‘Take 5 to Stop Fraud’ during the cost of living crisis.

Stop: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe

Challenge: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you

Protect: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud

Report: You can report fraud or cybercrime to Action Fraud any time of the day or night using our online reporting tool, or by calling 0300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm).  If you or someone else is in immediate danger or risk of harm dial 999

For advice on any other consumer issue, or to report a matter to trading standards, call the Citizens Advice national consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or at citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer  

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Discussions to secure information and undertakings that meet the county council’s objectives will continue. Any final decision regarding the leasing of the land will be taken in public by a future cabinet meeting, based on whether the council’s objectives have been met.

The land in question is east of Frieze Way/south of Kidlington roundabout. It is known as “the triangle”. OUFC has provided the council with information consistent with the first stage of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) pathway for developing proposals (stage 0). This means there is still considerable detail to be developed by the club.

The site has the advantage of being close to Oxford Parkway railway station and park and ride at Water Eaton, which would enable greater walking, cycling, bus and rail use among fans. However, the council remains mindful that – as with the previously proposed site at Stratfield Brake – it is in the green belt.

Cllr Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “The cabinet has today agreed that the council should open legal negotiations with OUFC on its request for land for a new stadium at ‘the triangle’ site. These will take place alongside the ongoing discussions with the club to get to the point where a firm proposal can be published for consideration.

“Many people have questions about what the new stadium will look like and how matches will be managed for fans and local residents. There will be regular opportunities for the club to engage with the public about their plans as they develop. As the plans on which any final cabinet decision would be based are published, sufficient time will be allowed to seek the views of a wide-range of stakeholders. The cabinet will take into consideration the results of this engagement as part of its decision-making.

“Oxford United is close to the hearts of thousands of people across this county. We understand how strongly supporters wish to see the club secure a new and enduring home. We will work constructively and openly with the club to help them achieve a long-term home in the county and a sustainable future.

“When it comes to this proposal, it is important to stress that the county council has not today given the club a green light to develop a new stadium. We have agreed to start detailed negotiations on the terms on which Oxfordshire County Council land could be offered.

“The club should be clear from today that the county council has clearly set-out objectives that this development must meet. To receive agreement from the council, the proposal must have a positive impact on the lives of people in Oxfordshire - it needs to bring improvements that will benefit residents in years to come.”

Oxford United will now be required to provide further information and undertakings before any final agreement is entered into. The decision taken by cabinet requires that any legal agreement with OUFC should be consistent with the county council’s strategic priorities, by achieving the following seven objectives for the use of the council’s land. These are:

• Maintain a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington
• Improve access to nature and green spaces
• Enhance facilities for local sports groups and on-going financial support
• Significantly improve the infrastructure connectivity in this location, improving public transport to reduce the need for car travel in so far as possible, and to improve sustainable transport through increased walking, cycling and rail use
• Develop local employment opportunities in Oxfordshire
• Increase education and innovation through the provision of a sports centre of excellence and facilities linked to elite sport, community sport, health and wellbeing
• Support the county council’s net zero carbon emissions pledge through highly sustainable development

Meanwhile the report to cabinet also sets out objectives around managing financial risk and obtaining best value for the taxpayer from any transaction.

Taking account of the recommendations around consultation, cabinet has asked officers to identify further opportunities for meaningful engagement with stakeholders as proposals are developed and impacts clearly identified.

Were cabinet to be satisfied that these objectives had been met and secured through a draft legal agreement, planning permission would be required from Cherwell District Council as the local planning authority.

In early 2022 the council ran a public engagement exercise to better understand the opportunities and concerns relating to the stadium proposal. More than 3,700 people responded from across the county and beyond. Overall, a strong majority expressed support for us to begin discussions with the club. However, a majority of local residents expressed reservations.

Cllr Calum Miller added: “Discussions have been taking place between the council and the club since late 2021. We are now adding negotiations on the potential legal and commercial terms to those discussions, but there are still critical pieces of information that we require from the club before any agreement could proceed.

“We have already taken the results of the engagement exercise conducted in early 2022 into account. These highlighted concerns and challenges associated with the Stratfield Brake site and the scale of OUFC’s proposals to lease 18 hectares of land for the development of a football stadium alongside hotel, retail and conference facilities, and training/community grounds. 

“In response officers recommended a smaller site of approximately 5 hectares for the provision of a stadium only, which is separated from Kidlington and Gosford by two major roads. Use of this site would not impact community sports facilities or access to Stratfield Brake and the land owned by the Woodland Trust as a community amenity. We are, however, very mindful that this site is also in the green belt.

“In summary, this is the continuation of a process, not the end of one. There remain clear objectives that the club must prove it will meet before the county council would consider agreeing to provide the land at the Triangle.  The county council will seek the views of a wide range of stakeholders before reaching any final decision.”

Discussions have been taking place between the council and the club since late 2021 about leasing council-owned land for the development of an 18,000-capacity football stadium. In March 2022, the cabinet asked officers to seek further information from the club on their proposals. This information was provided in November 2022.

A site at Stratfield Brake in Kidlington had initially been proposed by the club, but it was recognised there were considerable challenges associated with it. Officers have now identified another potential location between Oxford and Kidlington and are discussing its suitability with the club.

The alternative site is located south of Kidlington roundabout, west of Banbury Road and east of Frieze Way.

The decision about whether or not to enter into formal negotiations with OUFC about the lease of land will be taken in public at a cabinet meeting on 24 January. It is important to recognise that a decision by cabinet would not give a green light to go ahead with the development of the stadium. This would be subject to the full democratic planning process, led by the local planning authority Cherwell District Council.

Cllr Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Earlier this year we ran a public engagement exercise to better understand the opportunities and concerns relating to the stadium proposal. More than 3,700 people responded from across the county and beyond. Overall, a strong majority expressed support for us to begin discussions with the club. However, a majority of local residents expressed reservations.

“We listened to the many points raised during our engagement exercise and began exploratory discussions with the club with clear principles in mind. These include maintaining a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington, improving public access to high-quality green spaces, enhancing facilities for local sports groups, developing local employment opportunities and increasing education opportunities for our young people.

“Any development must have a positive impact on the lives of people in Oxfordshire both in this specific locality and beyond – it needs to bring improvements that will benefit residents in years to come.

“We listened carefully to feedback from local residents and have taken account of the concerns they raised. The alternative site is separated from Kidlington and Gosford by two major roads, while the current leasing arrangement means its use would not impact community sports facilities or access to Stratfield Brake as a community amenity.

“The new site also has the advantage of being close to Oxford Parkway railway station and the Park and Ride, which would enable greater walking, cycling, bus and rail use among fans. We are, however, very mindful that – like Stratfield Brake − the site is in the green belt.

“As the county‘s only professional football league club, we know that Oxford United is close to the hearts of thousands of people across this county. The club has a long and distinguished history and is an integral part of the county’s heritage and presence.

“We fully recognise the challenges facing OUFC and we are doing everything we can to help them achieve a long-term home in the county and a sustainable future.

“Our officers are reviewing all the information and the responses received and will be making a clear recommendation to cabinet about whether or not to enter into formal negotiations with the club about the potential use of land for the development of a stadium.

“The cabinet will now debate this on 24 January and decide whether they agree with the recommendation from officers. If the cabinet decides to enter formal negotiations with OUFC, any final proposal by the club would then need to be put through the planning process at Cherwell District Council, which provides further opportunities for the public to provide their views before elected members take a decision.”

In January 2022 officers were asked to conduct a public engagement exercise to understand better the opportunities and concerns relating to the stadium proposal. A total of 3,740 responses were received. Further details can be found here.

The football club has asked the county council to transfer 18 hectares/44.48 acres of land that it owns at Stratfield Brake in Kidlington for 250 years. In addition to the stadium, the club’s proposal includes facilities such as a hotel, retail, conferencing and training and community grounds.

At its 18 January meeting the council’s Cabinet concluded it did not have sufficient information to give its approval for officers to enter into negotiations with both the club and the council’s current tenants on the land.

The Cabinet decided that there should first be a period of engagement with the public and local organisations on the principle of entering negotiations and on the council’s objectives for the use of the land. This will run from 25 January at 5pm to 22 February.

It also instructed officers to move forward with exploratory discussions with OUFC and with its existing tenants and sub-tenants at Stratfield Brake. It requested that a recommendation on whether to proceed with negotiations be made to its meeting on 15 March.

Cllr Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “This is a very significant proposal. There are implications for the people of Oxfordshire in general and residents in this area in particular as well as for the environment, the wider economy and job creation and the future of the county’s only professional football club.

“Very careful consideration was given at our Cabinet meeting as to whether we had sufficient information to authorise officers to start negotiations with the club.

“In the last week, it has been clear that many local residents and interested individuals and organisations want more time to consider the idea and to share their views with the County Council. The Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance is committed to participatory, open and transparent decision-making.

 “These initial exchanges of view have highlighted a number of important issues. Rather than rushing into a decision today, we have asked officers to run a four-week public engagement exercise so that we can hear the views of those who care about this proposal. We hope that this will help us understand the views of the public on whether to proceed and, if so, which principles to apply to the negotiation.

 “We appreciate that Oxford United face a tight timeline as they seek to secure a new home for their matches from 2026. We have asked officers to continue exploratory conversations with the club to address some of the issues that have been raised already and to take account of what we hear during the engagement exercise.

 “When the Cabinet meets in March, we will then have more information on which to base a decision on whether to enter into formal negotiations.”

How is the land currently used?

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) purchased part of the land at Stratfield Brake in 1937 to provide a strategic gap between north Oxford and Kidlington – the site is in the green belt. It is currently leased by OCC to Cherwell District Council.

Part of the site is already sports ground. OUFC has proposed that the football club will take responsibility for the cost to replace or mitigate the loss of any community sports facilities at Stratfield Brake. 

 The county council is not prepared to relinquish its current lease to the Woodland Trust which has land at Stratfield Brake. It is therefore not part of any proposal being considered.

 Part of the site is currently let on a short-term basis to Foxcotte Fencing Limited, with the council having the ability to break the lease on 12 months’ notice.

How will the public engagement exercise be run?

This public engagement will run from 25 January at 5pm to 22 February on the council’s digital consultation and engagement platform https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stratfield-brake-land-use-proposal-2022

Local people and organisations will be able share their views on whether the County Council should start negotiations and, if so, which principles should guide any negotiations.

It has warned ministers that, without this funding, council taxes will have to rise to meet adult social care costs.

The number of children with special educational needs, and their complexity of need, continues to grow, with demand far outstripping budgets. Meanwhile there are concerns that the recently announced government funding and policy proposals relating to adult social care do not address the immediate and long-term issues and may be unworkable due to these ongoing pressures.

In addition, in children’s social care local government is seeing a rise in the complexity and costs of supporting vulnerable children and families.

Councillor Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, has sent letters to Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week outlining concerns ahead of the government’s Autumn budget announcements.

Need to address urgent funding needs

Councillor Callum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “Adult social care is facing an immediate crisis. The numbers simply do not add up here in Oxfordshire or elsewhere in the country. We welcome the start that has been made to address the challenges in Adult Social Care but none of the recent announcements address today’s funding pressures – and, in some cases, they increase them.

“In September the government said that current ‘demographic and cost pressures will be met through Council Tax, social care precept, and long-term efficiencies’. In Oxfordshire this equates to £9m to meet demographic pressures and potentially a further £6m to meet anticipated inflationary pressures. Unless there is further funding in the Spending Review, we will have to follow the government’s instruction and increase further the charges to our residents through council tax or social care precept. The only alternative would be to cut the adult social care budgets in real terms, with a direct impact on the care we can afford to provide.”

Funding challenges for children's services

Councillor Miller continued: “Reform is urgently needed on a national basis to provide adequate special educational needs funding. Demand for funding is unsustainable. In Oxfordshire we estimate that our county requires £13.8 million extra in funding to maintain current provision level.

“In children’s social care we are predicting that we will need an additional £2m - £3m of spending to respond to the increased demand that has built up during the pandemic. In addition, children placement cost rises for all councils are significantly higher than inflation. Investment is needed to address the placement sufficiency challenges, the lack of availability of suitable quality placements which meet children’s needs, and prohibitive costs charged by the independent sector. We estimate that increased care costs will add another £4.9m of pressures to our council budget. This national situation needs urgent action.

Invest now and transform adult social care

Addressing the adult social care challenge, Councillor Miller said “An increasing number of people both nationally and indeed here in Oxfordshire are waiting for a care assessment, care, and for their support arrangements to start or a review of their support plans because of ongoing and exacerbating staff shortages. If this is not addressed as a matter of urgency, local authorities nationally and here in Oxfordshire will be unable to undertake the additional assessments required to enable people to begin working towards the cap.

“In terms of the Health and Social Care Levy, it is our understanding that adult social care will have access to £5.4bn, out of a total of £36bn, raised through the levy nationally, a significant proportion of which will be attributed to meeting the costs associated with the set-up and implementation of the care cap and moving local authorities towards paying a fair cost of care. This will not assist in stabilising the workforce or meeting that increased demand for support either here in Oxfordshire or elsewhere.

“On a national basis the government needs to tip the balance by putting prevention, early intervention and wellbeing front and centre of policy and spending priorities. Otherwise, we risk pushing social care into the realms of simply being a crisis support service.

“This winter we think government should provide an additional £3bn nationally to stabilise care supply and build up and strengthen care at home, enhance community support, meet unmet needs, and mitigate ongoing, intensifying recruitment and retention challenges and provide a significant package of support for unpaid carers.

“We believe there should be a new employment deal for care staff across the country, including a workforce strategy, adult social care minimum wage, enhanced training, development and career progression, recognition, and regulation. This must include the introduction of a specific adult social care living wage.

“It is also our strong belief that there should be a significant uplift in funding for local authorities to enable them to fully deliver on their statutory duties.

“Short-termism costs more, has a negative impact on people’s lives and stores up problems for the future. We urge government to invest now, transform social care and most importantly people’s lives for the better.”

The new, temporary bus gates are set to be installed as part of plans by Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, working in close partnership, for the recovery of sustainable transport services as lockdown is eased. The aim is to implement the two gates in August.

A bus gate is a form of access restriction that allows only buses, cyclists, emergency vehicles and other limited exempt users to access to certain key roads between particular times of day (often 7am-7pm).

Bus gates do not prevent access to areas of the city. They aim to redirect traffic through a different route and reduce the use of the city centre as a through-route.

The new experimental bus gates do not require prior consultation or modeling before being installed, however they will be monitored and a consultation will be launched to assess their impact.

The city centre already operates a number of bus gates at High Street, George Street, and Castle Street which have helped reduce congestion and allow passengers to enjoy faster journeys.

As the transport authority, Oxfordshire County Council will be implementing the two temporary bus gates, however the project has been funded by Oxford City Council. The two councils have been working closely together on measures to support social distancing and to protect public health across the city.

Oxfordshire County Council has committed to invest almost £3m of Government funding to support projects to encourage safe pedestrian and cycle movement in cities. Additionally, the City Council has committed £234,000 to start the work to allow pedestrians and cyclists to maintain social distancing.

Oxfordshire County Council will implement two temporary bus gates in the city centre initially located at:

1. On Hythe Bridge Street or Worcester Street, between Frideswide Square and Beaumont Street
2. On St Cross Road or South Parks Road, between Parks Road and Manor Road.

The exact location of the bus gates is to be decided, and due to their temporary nature they might even be moved slightly after installation in response to feedback. A third bus gate is also being considered on Thames Street or Oxpens Road and may be introduced if monitoring of the two initial bus gates suggests this is necessary and desirable.

It is proposed that the gates will be open to all buses and coaches, bikes, electric bikes, taxis and private hire vehicles, blue badge holders and disabled tax class vehicles and the councils also plan to allow city centre residents (through one nominated bus gate only, between 10am and 4pm). Some of these exemptions will require systems to be set up at very short notice so they may not all be in full operation from the outset. More details on the exemptions and how they will work in practice will be shared shortly.

Why bus gates?

Oxford Bus Company has confirmed bus speeds in Oxford are 13% slower than in 2006. Bus gates will reduce this congestion by removing the ability for most private vehicles to go through the city centre.

A further benefit is that bus gates will also allow for safer journeys by cyclists as the roads at the allotted times will only be shared with buses rather than traffic as a whole.

Oxford City Council surveyed members of its residents’ panel last month on the impact of coronavirus and their plans to visit the city centre. When asked how they planned to travel into the city centre on their next visit, 47% of panel members said they intended to cycle, 7% planned to use the bus, 19% planned to walk, and 4% were planning on using a car.

Air pollution will also be cut in the city centre as traffic will not then become stuck in congestion. Oxford city centre has seen a historic 64% drop in air pollution as a direct result of the Coronavirus lockdown. 

In recent weeks, Oxford campaigners have been vocal in support of bus gates for Oxford as a means of addressing economic recovery for the city as it is unlocked. The University of Oxford has also expressed its support for the measure.

The temporary measure will act as one of a series to allow local bus companies to recover and support sustainable means of transport for residents, including cycling. In addition, reduced traffic will also offer all residents the prospect of cleaner air and a goal to continue it into the future.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“The temporary bus gates will form a very important part of the recovery of the transport network in Oxford and offer a series of benefits to residents. Bus journeys across the city have been slowed by increases in motor traffic over many years along with increasing air pollution.

“Bus gates give us a chance to build Oxford back better as we recover; they will help sustain the recovery of the bus operators, reduce congestion where they are located and help offer safer roads for cyclists. Residents have indicated that they want safer streets with less traffic as part of the recovery and this will be one of the steps forward to achieving this goal.”

Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council, said:

“Oxford City Council is funding the introduction of two new bus gates to cut car traffic, allow public transport to run efficiently, and free up safe space for cyclists and pedestrians. This City Council is committed to the fullest and fastest economic recovery to protect jobs—the new bus gates are key to getting Oxford moving again in a clean, green and safe way. We are closely listening to residents and acting on their desires for urgent transport changes which work for the good of every individual and Oxford itself.”

Chris Coleman, Stagecoach Oxfordshire Managing Director said:

"The introduction of these two temporary bus gates is a positive step towards more sustainable active travel patterns. Covid-19 has given us a window on what could be a positive future - one with dramatically fewer cars on our roads, safer streets, cleaner air and less damage to our environment. With less congestion slowing journey times, bus travel is an attractive mode of transport for reaching the city centre and we look forward to seeing the positive effects the two new gates will have on our services."

The gates will be implemented during temporary traffic regulation orders (TTROs), and using the additional powers and guidance issued to local authorities by the Department for Transport to assist in the delivery of emergency active travel measures and other coronavirus recovery schemes.

The Connecting Oxford transport plan between the County and City councils also includes various options for a series of new bus gates in the city centre and eastern area of the city.

The short-term implementation of these two bus gates in the city centre will be outside of this process. This means the bus gates put forward for short term implementation may differ in a number of ways from the bus gates being developed as part of Connecting Oxford.

Differences could include the number of gates, locations, times of operation, exemptions and physical layout. At the same time, these temporary bus gates will yield vital data on the impact of reduced traffic including that on air quality, cycle mobility, increased bus patronage and increased levels of walking.

The plans include community support for people who have become vulnerable in their community so they can live independently for longer, and more help for struggling families to reduce the chances of children having to go into care.

Funding for children and adult social services will increase by £30 million next year, including an extra £8.1 million from the government. This money is needed to support an increase in adult social care needs for both older and disabled people, as well as the increasing number of child protection cases, which have grown in line with national trends.

The budget proposals also include investment in infrastructure across the county, including an extra £50 million for new and existing schools over ten years, with most of the funding coming from housing developers to meet the need for more pupil places in Oxfordshire.

A total of £30 million will be spent in 2020/21 on repairs to roads, bridges, drainage and footways across Oxfordshire’s towns and villages, with major schemes scheduled in Banbury, Abingdon and Witney.

New funding of £3 million per year will improve local road safety and accessibility, including new pedestrian crossings, improved junctions and better bus stop facilities. These measures are designed to encourage walking and cycling as part of the council’s commitment to improving air quality and active lifestyles.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This is an investment budget that will help us meet the needs of residents and communities as the county changes in the future. We plan to redesign services with a greater emphasis on preventing problems before they happen.

“We want to do much more than simply manage the growing demands on council services – we want to help all of our Oxfordshire communities to thrive. That means addressing the real causes of that demand for our services so children have the best start in life and older and disabled people can live as independently as possible.”

Responding to climate change is a key feature of the council’s budget, including support for sustainable travel such as improving park and ride services on the A40, and the replacement of over 50,000 streetlights with energy-efficient LEDs. However, all aspects of the budget have to reflect the climate change agenda and how the county council will meet its aim to be carbon neutral by 2030.

The budget includes ‘invest to save’ proposals totalling £4.8 million across council services, many of which would pay back within a year and lead to further savings of £4.8 million by year four. There are also measures totalling £9.1 million in 2020/21 that will help reduce demand for services in the future.

This approach is part of a council-wide programme of service redesign and organisational change, which enables the council to deliver savings in the future while still improving the services that residents want and need.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, added: “We’ve grasped an opportunity to invest. We are being ambitious about improving outcomes for residents and communities in the future. There remains a lot of uncertainty about funding for local government in the longer term, but I strongly believe this investment budget gives us a solid foundation to manage our finances during the uncertain times ahead.

“We know that the people of Oxfordshire want us to continue to invest in our roads and transport infrastructure – both maintenance and improving how they work for roads users, including for bus journeys, cycling and walking. This is an important part of our overall commitment to reducing carbon and making our contribution to tackling climate change.”

As part of this invest-to-save approach, the county council will provide support for informal care networks in communities that will help older and disabled people live independently. By increasing the ability of communities to provide informal support, the aim is to manage the long-term demand for social care and target resources at those who need help the most.

Prudent budget management, long-term uncertainty

The county council continues to face long-term financial pressures, with government having reduced funding for local authorities since 2010. At the same time, more people have needed support from social services.

To ensure it can continue to invest in services and infrastructure, while meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people in Oxfordshire, the county council has increased Council Tax by 1.99 percent, with a further two percent ‘precept’ – an additional increase allowed by the government on to pay for the growing number of people requiring adult social services. (Raising council tax by two percent or more requires a local referendum.)

The continuation of the Council Tax precept and other government sources from previous years has enabled the council to consider these investments in Investing now puts us in a better position to make further savings in the years ahead, as we expect to have to do.

Budget briefing

This is a summary of the most significant elements of the budget – investments in services and savings. Councillors have approved two sets of budget proposals: the revenue budget that pays for day-to-day services, including the ‘invest-to-save’ measures; and the capital programme that provides long-term investment in transport, schools, broadband and other infrastructure. Full details of the revenue and capital budget proposals below in Further Information.

Family safeguarding model

Initial investment of £2.3 million in a new approach to supporting families in difficulties, including parenting, substance abuse, domestic violence and mental health. The new model was developed in Hertfordshire and has been independently assessed as a successful way to improve the chances of keeping families together safely. Net savings are projected at £1.8 million by year four.

Foster families

In line with national trends, the numbers of young people in care have risen in recent years requiring an increase in fostering and residential placements. The county council proposes to invest £1 million in internal fostering services to increase the number of local foster carers, including increasing support and payments to foster families.

Community networks

An investment of £1.8 million in community networks, capacity, winter projects and alternatives to formal care, funded from the improved Better Care Fund to enable people to be better able to support themselves and help communities to help the most vulnerable locally. Developing these informal care networks is critical to managing future demand for adult services.

Learning disabilities, mental health, and autism

The council will expand support for the growing number of for people with learning disabilities, mental health issues and autism, with an additional £7.4 million a year. There will be a further one-year investment of £2.8 million to transform and improve current housing support for people with mental health issues and/or autism. Proposals also include the withdrawal of a previously agreed saving proposal of £0.3 million for social workers to support people with mental health issues and/or autism.

The council is developing a programme to address future needs of people with learning disabilities, mental health issues and autism, including a transitions service to help young people to live independent lives as adults.

Weight management

The council will increase support for people to adopt healthier lifestyles and reduce risk of long-term health conditions. The council currently funds 200 places for community weight loss programmes such as Slimming World, Weight Watchers and Men vs Fat but the funded places are at full capacity. Funding will be increased by £0.2 million in 2020/21 (and the same in 2021/22) to help tackle obesity by kickstarting individuals’ weight loss journey.

Children with special educational needs or disabilities

Increased funding of £1.2 million has been agreed to support children with special educational needs or disabilities by increasing the number of case workers to meet the growing number of requests for education, care and health plans (EHCPs) and expanding the educational psychologist service. An additional £3.8 million is being added to the budget for home to school transport. Further investment is planned for the following year, including a new service that will help schools to access support for individual children and support learners with identified needs in mainstream schools.

School catering

The county council currently provides meals to around 60 schools – the vast majority of which are primary schools. A total of £0.2 million will be spent on developing a better and more commercial business model, which encourages healthy eating in schools.

School investment

Housing growth in Oxfordshire means that developers will be providing money, through part of the planning process known as Section 106 agreements, which enables the council to provide the extra pupil places needed locally. An additional £50 million has been added to the capital programme over ten years.

Highway maintenance programme

The county council will spend £30 million in 2020/21 from its capital budget on repairs to roads, bridges, signs and lines, drainage and footways. Major schemes on the programme for the coming financial year include: Oxford Road in Banbury; Northcourt Road in Abingdon; Burwell Drive and West End, both in Witney.

Reactive maintenance to ensure that Oxfordshire’s roads operate safely continues as normal – including things like pothole repairs, drain clearance, and streetlight repairs. This year the council will also be investing £640,000 in sign cleaning and vegetation clearing to ensure signs are properly visible. In future years £320,000 a year will be put in this area.

Climate change - meeting our ambitious target

The council will invest in energy and carbon reduction in the coming years. Having already reduced its own carbon emissions by 50 per cent since 2008, it is now gearing up its efforts to become carbon neutral by 2030. The hard work that the county has already done with district councils means that Oxfordshire is the best county for recycling in the country.

The budget includes a £0.7 million investment in “pump-priming” so that the council can implement new ways of working that will bring cash and carbon savings. This work will include renewable energy generation, improved energy efficiency of our buildings and enabling “cleaner” staff travel.

The council’s new electric vehicle purchasing policy will switch its car and van fleet to electric wherever possible. Over the next five years it will be spending £40 million replacing 56,000 bulbs with new LED technology which will not only provide excellent quality lighting but also drastically cut the amount paid for electricity and greatly reduce its carbon footprint.

Sustainable transport investment

As well as investing in directly reducing its own carbon footprint, the council is also making major investments that will help more Oxfordshire residents to travel more sustainably. Its policy now means that all of transport improvement schemes allow for cycling facilities wherever possible – this supports the work being done to tackle congestion on the roads and encourage more and more people to use sustainable transport.

The council plans to spend £32 million on the A40 bus lane and park and ride and a £6.5 million investment in the Botley Road which will result in infrastructure that will make sustainable transport more attractive to more people.

Major capital projects currently being delivered or where work will begin soon (funded through Section 106, Local Growth Fund and Growth Deal) include:

• £4 million on the Science Vale Cycle Network to improve pedestrian and cycle access
• £9.5 million on the Botley Road corridor improvements including walking, cycling and buses
• £0.8 million on the A361 safety improvements with a new shared path
• £4 million on riverside routes in Oxford improving non-road cycle routes
• £1.1 million on connections to Oxford Station includes pedestrian and cycle improvements
• £32 million A40 Science Transit 2 includes an improved path for cyclists
• £5.9 million A40 Oxford North project including improvements for cyclists

The council will also invest £0.5m in improving sustainable travel plans to ensure bus, cycling and walking routes are integral to new housing and business property developments.

Councillor Priority Fund

The county council will continue to invest in communities by continuing the Councillor Priority Fund, which was established two years ago. In that time, councillors have used this money to support a range of community initiatives, many of which have secured match funding to increase the local investment. During 2018/19, there were over 170 different community and charity groups that received funding involving over 60 different towns and parish organisations.

“Given the inadequate response from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government to the concern of this Council regarding the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway, this Council asks the Leader to write to the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Highways England in the following terms:

Oxfordshire County Council will work with Highways England on the development of the vision for the English Economic Heartland and the Oxford to Cambridge Arc on the understanding that they will expedite the realisation of the East West Rail Link.

The development of the railway line will ensure the delivery of the growth and housing required, without the environmental impact of a road cutting across the centre of rural England.

Building the Expressway flies in the face of Oxfordshire’s commitment to reduce the use of the car. An action which is necessary to tackle the Climate Change Emergency, which Local Government, including Oxfordshire, has signed up to.

Oxfordshire does not support the building of the Expressway irrespective of which route is chosen.”

The motion was carried with 36 in favour, 11 against and eight abstentions.

Background on the motion

The proposed routes for the new expressway have not yet been decided by Highways England and public consultation is still to be held on the proposals. The consultation was due to be held in Autumn 2019. This will now take place after the General Election.

Further information about the Highways England proposals are here.

The budget proposals are being reviewed by the county council’s Performance Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 13 December before the council sets its budget in February. Residents and other stakeholders can comment on proposals as part of the formal budget consultation process.

Locally and nationally, the number of children at risk referred to social services is increasing. The number of children taken into care by the county council has increased by 80 per cent since 2011. Last month, the Local Government Association released figures showing more than 1,000 children a day are being referred to social services across the country.

To make sure the growing number of children at risk of abuse and neglect are protected, the children’s social care budget has increased annually from £46m in 2011 to £78m this year (2018/19). Next year, the children’s services budget will need to increase to £86m, and up to £95m in 2022/23 – more than doubling in ten years.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, the leader of the county council, said: “Where a child is at real risk of abuse or neglect we act first, and deal with the budget impact later. We must meet these budget pressures by finding ways to make savings so we can continue to fund services to support the most vulnerable children and adults.”

The growing number of children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) has meant significant investment is planned to meet increasing demand, with further proposals considered by the county council’s Cabinet in December.

Robust financial position despite long-term pressures

Tough decisions taken since 2010 have created a route to financial stability at Oxfordshire County Council as the council plans to set its 2019/20 budget at a time when all councils face financial challenges.

Councillor Hudspeth continued: “Pressure on funding for day-to-day council services remains intense for all councils, including here in Oxfordshire. We have listened to residents so that we can improve our services and continue to support all of Oxfordshire’s thriving communities.

“We have already agreed to invest up to £120m to improve roads and repair and maintain schools. We know these things are the top of many residents’ list of priorities and we have already spent an additional £10m on repairing roads this year.”

Supporting Oxfordshire’s ageing population

The proportion of older people and adults with complex needs in Oxfordshire is rising faster than the national average, with more people requiring care services each year.

As a result, the county council needs to save money in other parts of its budget to find more money to care for people who need our help the most. Next year the county council proposes to increase funding to adult social care services by £5m to account for demographic changes.

Councillor Hudspeth continued: “The government’s autumn budget provided additional funding for social services, which relieves some of the short-term pressures next year [2019/20] but like all councils, our social workers are dealing with more and more children and adults.”

Council Tax proposals

The council’s plan – agreed at the last budget in February 2018 - to raise Council Tax by 2.99 per cent in 2019/20 and 1.99 per cent in the years thereafter remains the same in the new budget proposals.

However, funding for local government beyond 2020 is currently uncertain, with councils waiting for funding decisions from central government which will not be known until late 2019.

The planned redesign of the council around the changing needs of residents and communities will maintain or improve services, with investment in new technology enabling us to save money in the process.

Transforming will enable us to meet future demand for council services – particularly for vulnerable children and adults – while continuing to invest in the county’s infrastructure.

Following agreement of the blueprint for the transformed council, the council is planning for the implementation of the changes and identifying the upfront investment needed, particularly in digital technology. The costs and savings from the implementation of the redesign over the next four years will be reflected in the budget once they have been finalised.

Have your say

We are asking people for their views on our budget proposals and our proposed Council Tax level for 2019/20. Read the consultation booklet and take part online from Thursday 6 December at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/budget. Alternatively pick up a copy of the consultation booklet at a library or email your views to budget@oxfordshire.gov.uk. The closing date for comments is Sunday 6 January 2019.

Main budget proposals

Budget increases to meet the predicated demand for services

• Investment of almost £6m by 2023 to increase care packages to meet assessed needs for adults with learning and physical disabilities. (Adult Social Care)
• An increase of £5.8m is proposed to be added to the budget in 2022/23 in adult social care to meet projected increased need as a result of the aging population. The council’s existing planning up to 2021/22 already includes provision for budget increases of £5.0m in 2019/20 and 2020/21 and £5.6m in 2021/22. (Adult Social Care)
• Invest £3.2m up to 2023 (£800,000 per year) to support the increasing number of children qualifying for school transport – in particular children with special educational needs. (Children, Education and Families)
• Invest £17m to support the predicted increasing numbers of children in care, including more permanent care staff (Children, Education and Families)

Other financial pressures

• Following a review by the Treasury, the employer contributions to the firefighter pension scheme have been increased nationally to meet the future costs of the scheme – this creates a pressure of £1.6m up to 2023. (Communities)
• Energy price increases of approx. 30% in 2017/18 continue to impact on the cost of providing street lighting and along with repayment of borrowing to pay for LED lighting upgrades this creates a pressure of £2.6m up to 2023. (Communities)
• Funding the inflationary increase in the rates the council pays to adult social care providers from 2020/21 to keep pace with potential increases in the National Living Wage and to respond to other inflationary pressures of £3.3m (Adult Social Care)
• A growing number of children in the county have defined special educational needs (SEND). The number of SEND children; the increasing complexity of disabilities, and the legal changes that mean parents can ask for an assessment for more services has contributed to the growing numbers with an assessed need. This is an unavoidable budget pressure of £5.6m as the Department for Education grant does not cover council costs, and Oxfordshire receives one of the lowest grants in the country. (Corporate)

Proposed savings

This is a list of some of the most significant savings that will be considered by members of the Performance Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 13 December.

Children, Education and Families

The following are proposals already announced that will now take place over coming financial years.

• The council is re-negotiating contracts with outside organisations who assist in the provision of children’s social care. Block contracts provide specific varieties of care for pre-agreed payment. This would save £2.65m between 2019 and 2023.
• The council is working on a new model of delivering children’s social care following the example of other councils who have been able to structure themselves differently to deliver faster more intensive and therefore more effective care to families while at the same time streamlining processes. This would save £1.74m up to 2023.
• Moving children in care back home with increased support rather than keeping them in expensive care placements could save £2.491m. This is based on a new ‘safer and sooner’ approach to family support developed with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).

Communities

• Greater streetlight efficiency due to LED replacements would save £2.6m up to 2023.

Adult social care

• The council currently contributes money towards mental health services that sit with the NHS. This has not reduced over the last five years. Mental health has been protected to date but it is proposed that savings now be made in keeping with savings made elsewhere in adult social care. This would save £1m over 2020/21 and 2021/22 and a further £600,000 on staffing. The reduction in staff spend of £600k with Oxford Health is in order to invest in social work staff for special educational needs and safeguarding and is not an absolute reduction.
• In adult social care, proactive and supportive review / reassessments of learning disability packages of care to increase user independence and ensure best use of resources would save £1.5m
• A person’s care needs are assessed at the time the care is put in place and there are then annual review/reassessments. By investing in a more proactive approach to these review /reassessments care packages can be streamlined to ensure they continue to meet people’s eligible needs while capacity can be released for other people’s essential care needs. With a limited amount of home care the council needs to ensure the right people are getting the right amount of care. This could save £2.4m
• In adult social care, savings of £1.5m are expected as a result of price negotiations with providers on long and short-term care home beds.

Areas of uncertainty in budget setting looking forward to 2023

There are key areas in which councils need more information in coming months:

• Fair Funding Review – the Government is examining the current formula that decides funding allocations for local authorities by updating the assessment of their needs. The Government plans an updated funding formula by looking again at the factors that drive costs for local authorities.
• National Government’s Spending Review – the Treasury is conducting a review across Central Government as to how each much each Whitehall Department will receive in funding. This will affect local government but also defence, health, home affairs, education and all other Government departments.

• Business Rates Retention – the Government is undertaking a review of how much councils should retain in Business Rates that are collected locally.
• Taxbase and collection fund – for 2019/20 the council is awaiting information from district councils about how many homes will be paying Council Tax overall (factoring in housebuilding etc) and how successful district councils have been in collecting Council Tax from those eligible to pay.

The redesigned council will enable residents to report faults or book appointments online, freeing up staff time to help to service users who cannot go online or have complex care needs.

Staff will be given the tools they need to do a better job and spend more time on delivering services to residents. Outdated ICT systems make it hard to join up services and will be replaced, with admin tasks automated to save money and make the council run more smoothly.

The changes will support the county council’s long-term vision of ‘thriving communities for everyone in Oxfordshire’. The redesign is also needed to secure the council’s long-term financial stability as demand for services continues to rise – particularly for children and adult social care.

Yvonne Rees, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“We know that the council has to change as the needs of Oxfordshire residents change, and we have to provide more services with fewer resources. Councillors have decided that now is the time to make a major investment to ensure that we provide services more effectively so we can continue to support the county’s thriving communities in the future.

“Residents who are used to booking holidays online or checking their bank balance will see real improvements in their dealings with the council. We also know that computers are not for everyone and I would like to reassure those people that there will still be a personal touch for those who need it.”

The Cabinet approved the plan to work with specialist advisors PwC as the programme management partner, with likelihood of other partners being brought in for specific projects.