The Performance & Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Oxfordshire Council met on Friday 12 June 2026 to discuss the performance of the Fire and Rescue Service, the Council's Commercial Strategy, and the future of Oxfordshire's economy. Key decisions included making recommendations to Cabinet on improving reporting for the Fire and Rescue Service, enhancing transparency in commercial decisions, and prioritising economic development.

Business Management and Monitoring Report (Focusing on the Fire and Rescue Service)

The committee received an update on the Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's performance and finances. The service reported a small overspend of £0.5 million against a budget of £32.6 million for 2025/26, with reserves of £3.4 million held at year-end. Performance across key measures was reported as strong.

Discussions highlighted challenges with the current fire cover model, which did not always align with peak demand periods, leading to increasing response times nationally and locally. The service aims to reach 80% of incidents within 11 minutes and 95% within 14 minutes, but current performance stands at 70% and 84% respectively. Proposed changes to the service's delivery model, including shift pattern adjustments, are intended to improve response times and create a more sustainable service. These proposals are expected to go to Cabinet in autumn 2026 for implementation in 2027.

Concerns were raised about the impact of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on the Fire and Rescue Service, with potential for it to move out of the County Council's remit. Officers are assessing the financial implications of this potential transition. The committee also discussed the challenges associated with lithium-ion battery fires and the service's approach to heritage assets, such as Blenheim Palace¹.

The committee agreed to make recommendations to Cabinet regarding:

• More routine reporting on the Fire and Rescue Service.
• Further attention to heritage buildings within response modelling.
• Better information on firefighter recruitment.
• Greater transparency on LGR costs.
• Earlier scrutiny input into the next Community Risk Management Plan.

Commercial Strategy Update

An update was provided on the progress of the Council's Commercial Strategy, which aims to ensure commercial activities add value, support policy objectives, and generate income. Progress has been slower than anticipated due to foundational work required, including redesigning service structures and strengthening commercial capacity.

A key point of discussion was the acquisition of the Castle Quarter site in Oxford for £34 million. Officers explained this was justified by its place-shaping purpose and was expected to generate a net surplus of £550,000 per year. Members raised concerns about the relatively low yield against the investment and questioned whether the Council was becoming a significant commercial landlord.

The committee agreed to make recommendations to Cabinet regarding:

• A better balance between commercial confidentiality and transparency, particularly for significant commercial decisions.
• Explicit information on collaboration with district and city council partners.
• Bringing forward the development of the commercial dashboard with a clear timetable.
• Practical examples of how the Commercial Strategy has improved contract quality, performance, and value for money.
• Greater clarity on how the Commercial Strategy informs the Council's approach to LGR.

The committee also requested further information on the Castle Quarter acquisition, including the Council's vision for the site, letting assumptions, risk profile, and governance arrangements.

Shaping Oxfordshire's Future Economy

An update was presented on Shaping Oxfordshire's Future Economy, highlighting the county's strong economy, research assets, and skilled workforce, but also persistent challenges with productivity, uneven distribution of growth benefits, and infrastructure misalignment. Officers are not proposing a traditional long-term economic strategy due to LGR uncertainty, but are focusing on a short-to-medium term investment plan of approximately £150 million.

Discussions covered the leadership of Enterprise Oxfordshire², the county's economic model, and the need for interventions to improve productivity, such as housing and public transport. Concerns were raised about the alignment of housing and transport decisions with employment opportunities, and the lack of integration between rail and bus planning. The report also acknowledged the need to consider sustainability and climate resilience more fundamentally in economic development.

The committee agreed to make recommendations to Cabinet regarding:

• Giving greater priority to economic development, supported by stronger data and clearer objectives.
• Including specific examples of how productivity relates to residents' lives in the forthcoming Oxfordshire Investment and Productivity Plan.
• Addressing the misalignment between public transport and employment locations.
• Explicitly evaluating alternative economic frameworks, such as wellbeing economy and post-growth approaches, in the forthcoming plan.
• Ensuring the Oxfordshire Investment and Productivity Plan addresses farming and agriculture issues.

The committee also supported the proposal to convene a group of elected members to agree delivery principles and mechanisms for economic development across Oxfordshire.

Committee Forward Work Plan

The committee agreed its proposed work programme. In the event that Council gave it power to consider LGR issues and the government announced its 'minded to' decision in July, the committee requested to replace the Business Management and Monitoring Report item with an LGR update.

Responses to Scrutiny Recommendations

The committee noted the Cabinet responses to previous reports on the Business Management and Monitoring Report (Public Health), Parking Permits, and the Draft Social Value Policy.