The Performance & Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on 5 December 2025 to discuss public health, devolution, parking permits and the FixMyStreet service. The committee will review a report on public health, consider a proposal for a Mayoral Strategic Authority, and receive updates on digital parking permits and the FixMyStreet platform. The meeting will also cover updates on previous recommendations and the committee's future work plan.

Devolution

The committee is scheduled to discuss a report regarding devolution for Oxfordshire. Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of the Council, and Kim Sawyer, Programme Director: Devolution, have been invited to present the report. The report pack includes a draft cabinet report and a Thames Valley Devolution Expression of Interest letter. The committee will be asked to give its views on whether the cabinet should approve the decision for Oxfordshire to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the government for a Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA). The EOI is described as an early-stage invitation to the government to engage in discussions, and is different from the Local Government Reorganisation proposal. The report states that the EOI will initiate discussion which will lead to the government deciding whether to accept Oxfordshire onto the devolution priority programme, and if so, initiate work to define the proposal. The report to the cabinet recommends that the cabinet:

• Confirms its commitment to devolution as a strategic approach for Oxfordshire.
• Agrees that a Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) offers potential benefits for the region, including stronger regional collaboration and access to additional powers and funding.
• Supports further engagement with the government to explore what an MCA could achieve for Oxfordshire and the wider region. The EOI represents a joint proposal agreed by leaders across Oxfordshire and the wider region, and reflects a shared ambition for greater local control and improved outcomes for residents. The report notes that devolution could bring enhanced powers and resources for local leaders around transport, housing, skills and economic development, and that an MSA would provide a formal governance structure to deliver these benefits collaboratively. The report also notes that the government intends that all of England be devolved by default and is committed to ending the deals-based approach. The government will also legislate for a ministerial directive, which will enable it to directly create Strategic Authorities in any places where local leaders in that region have not been able to agree how to access devolved powers. The report states that the do nothing option could mean the government legislating on Oxfordshire's behalf for devolution. The report states that opting to begin further discussions with the government on devolution would allow the council to lead the definition of the MSA for Oxfordshire, providing choice over the geography and the ability to determine the key priorities for the area. The report states that should the council consent to an MSA at a future meeting, it would have a seat at the Council of Nations and the Regions influencing government policy and ensuring the local community voice is heard. The Thames Valley EOI highlights:
• Economic rationale: The region has national excellence and/or international excellence in at least 5 of the 8 key business sectors highlighted in the Modern Industrial Strategy¹.
• Collaborative governance: There is a commitment to partnership working across constituent councils, with clear terms of reference and for the EOI to mark the start of wider stakeholder engagement across the region.
• Strategic powers and funding: Powers over transport, skills, housing and economic development and the ability to provide these within a business eco-system will lead to greater investment.
• Place-based leadership: Greater local control to deliver national policy objectives at local level has been shown to be successful in other established Strategic Authority areas. Adapting powers and functions to meet local needs strengthens local identity, accountability and the ability to deliver tailored solutions for residents.

Public Health

The committee is scheduled to discuss the Business Management Monitoring Report (BMMR) with a focus on public health. Councillor Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health & Inequalities, Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, Ansaf Azhar, Director of Public Health, Kate Holburn, Deputy Director of Public Health, and Sam Read, Public Health Programme Manager, have been invited to present the report. The BMMR is in two sections: finance (October) and performance (November). The committee has agreed to focus on public health in December, and the next meeting will focus on economy and place. An abridged version of the BMMR is provided as Annex 1 (finance) and Annex 2 (performance). The Public Health Service area is forecasting a balanced position. The service area was holding £14.6m of reserves on 1 April 2025. As part of the revenue forecast, the service area is intending to drawdown £6.4m. The forecast reserves position for 31 March 2026 is £8.2m. The report includes a scorecard of the council's performance in relation to annual measures and specific measures directly relating to public health. The table below shows the measures that have a year-to-date (YTD) performance of red or amber:

The report states that overall corporate performance supports all the council's policies and strategic priorities, and that the work of public health primarily furthers the council's ambitions to Tackle inequalities in Oxfordshire and Prioritise the health and wellbeing of residents .

Parking Permits

The committee is scheduled to receive a report on digital parking permits. Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, Paul Fermer, Director of Environment & Highways, and Phil Whitfield, Head of Network Management, have been invited to present the report. Digital parking permits have been operational in Oxfordshire since November 2022, and digital parking permits for visitors have been operational since December 2024. The contract with Unity 5 to provide a digital parking permits solution is also used to deliver the traffic filter trial and subsequently congestion charge permits. The current contract runs until May 2026 with the ability to extend for up to two more years, with extensions at the discretion of the council. The report states that Unity 5 are considered a mature player in this sector, providing parking permit software for several other authorities in the UK. The report suggests that the complexity of the scheme itself is creating the issues for Oxfordshire which isn't seen elsewhere. The report includes data for parking permit appeals from December 2024 to September 2025:

The report states that the data suggests c. 26% of all penalty charge notices (PCN's) were issued in CPZ areas², and 12% of all PCN's were issued in relation to contravention of conditions of shared bays specifically. The report notes that current reporting tools do not allow for a detailed quantitative assessment of reasons PCN's were issued in relation to parking permits as a specific reason is given via 'free text'. The report states that key issues being reported as of September 2025 were related to:

• Getting stuck in a 'loop' after using the single sign on function
• Slow speeds when loading pages on the system
• Difficulty in loading documents and submitting payment
• Not receiving reminders that permits are due to expire The report states that based on this feedback, the county council has worked closely with Unity 5 to deliver a series of system and experience upgrades, seeking to improve user experience (UX) and 'flow' of customer journey. The report notes that improvements have included the implementation of a new 'single sign on' function, and an overhaul as to how the Unity 5 system accesses/ loads permits. The report states that officers are in continual dialogue with Unity 5 to seek out further UX and system enhancements to improve resident experience, but that any radically different user experience would require the reprocurement of a new system. The report notes that to ensure inclusivity, support on how to apply for a parking permit can also be provided through contacting the council's customer service team and through staff at the county's libraries, and that where digital is not an option for some residents, by exception, paper 'scratch card' permits are still offered. The report states that for carers across Oxfordshire whose organisations are registered with Oxfordshire County Council, a free permit is available which allows them to park for up to 3 hours in any of the Oxford City permit zones. The report notes that a single day contractor pass will be introduced from April 2026, to cater for instances where the 2-hour free pass is not sufficient to carry out work. The report states that the move to a digital solution also helps protect two-hour bays, allowing for a targeted approach to enforcement to be taken. The report notes that failure to award an extension to the Unity5 contract will result in risk to the Oxford Temporary Congestion Charge and Traffic Filters Trial as no other bidders came forward to provide a permitting solution capable of managing these types of restrictions.

FixMyStreet

The committee is scheduled to receive a report on the usage and satisfaction levels associated with the FixMyStreet platform in Oxfordshire. Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways, and Sean Rooney, Head of Highway Maintenance and Road Safety, have been invited to present the report. Since 1 January 2025, the council has received over 37,000 enquiries via FixMyStreet. Nearly 41,000 highway defects have been identified and actioned, with approximately 25% originating from FixMyStreet reports. The report notes that analysis of escalated feedback received via the FixMyStreet platform has identified the following key areas of dissatisfaction among users:

• Delays in response or resolution
• Enquiries closed down when no action has been taken
• Localised concerns not meeting intervention thresholds The report states that the FixMyStreet data does not account for reports received through other channels, such as telephone, email, or social media, and that the platform's data alone does not provide a comprehensive view of all defect reporting activity within the council. The report notes that service improvements in response to user feedback have included:
• Enhanced categorisation
• Improved visual guidance
• Aerial mapping integration
• Expansion of the Super Users Programme
• Integration with the National Street Gazetteer (NSG) The report states that the council prioritises FixMyStreet reports through a structured, risk-based assessment framework, and aims to investigate reports within 10 working days. The report notes that the council's highway maintenance services are delivered in partnership with MGroup, who operate a mixed delivery model comprising both direct labour crews and approved subcontractors. The report states that the council conducts post-completion inspections on 20% of all works to ensure the quality and consistency of repairs. The report notes that the council adopts a multi-layered approach to highway defect identification and resolution, combining reactive reporting through FixMyStreet with proactive inspection and asset management strategies.

Committee Action and Recommendation Tracker

The committee is recommended to note the progress of previous recommendations and actions arising from previous meetings, having raised any questions on the contents. The action and recommendation tracker enables the committee to monitor progress against agreed actions and recommendations. The tracker is updated with the actions and recommendations agreed at each meeting. Once an action or recommendation has been completed or fully implemented, it will be shaded green and reported into the next meeting of the committee, after which it will be removed from the tracker. The tracker includes updates on recommendations from the Hire Bike and Scooter report, the Our People and Culture Strategy, and the Oxfordshire Strategic Plan.

Committee Forward Work Plan

The committee is recommended to agree its work programme for forthcoming meetings, having heard any changes from previous iterations, and taking account of the Cabinet Forward Plan and of the Budget Management Monitoring Report. The council's forward plan can be found on the Oxfordshire County Council website. The committee is scheduled to discuss future agenda items for their work programme, and has agreed to review the performance of Fix My Street, focusing on usage, feedback, accuracy, timeliness, and the recent cleansing of old reports. They will also examine the use of AI in customer services, including resident awareness, effectiveness, and impact on response times. The committee has confirmed that public health and parking permits will return as agenda items for the December meeting.

Responses to Scrutiny Recommendations

The committee is asked to note the cabinet responses to the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee reports on the Oxfordshire Strategic Plan, Hire Bike and Scooters, and Our People and Culture. The cabinet responses are attached to the agenda. The cabinet welcomes the report from the Performance & Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee on the Hire Bikes and Scooters matter, and has accepted all of the recommendations. The cabinet welcomes the report from the Performance & Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee on the Our People and Culture Strategy, and has accepted all of the recommendations. The cabinet has responded to the recommendations from the Draft Strategic Plan 2025-28, and has accepted some of the recommendations, partially accepted others, and rejected one.