The Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 16 June 2026 to discuss a range of important matters. The agenda includes the appointment of representatives to outside bodies, reports from scrutiny committees on various council services, and a plan for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reform. Additionally, the Cabinet will consider awarding a contract for tree care services, review quarterly employee data, and examine the provisional financial outturn for the 2025/26 financial year.

Appointments to Outside Bodies 2026/27

The Cabinet is set to consider appointments to various outside bodies for the civic year 2026/27. This is a non-key decision, and the report by the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer outlines the recommended appointments. These appointments are crucial for the council's engagement with external organisations that support its executive functions.

Reports from Scrutiny Committees

Several reports from Scrutiny Committees are scheduled for discussion, offering insights into the performance and operations of different council services.

Customer Service Centre Update

The Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee has provided a report on the Customer Service Centre. This report follows the implementation of significant changes to the centre's working methods and includes a recommendation for full transparency regarding interactions with AI voicebots. The committee has praised the positive improvements made to the centre, noting benefits for residents, innovation, and efficiency.

Minerals and Waste Planning

The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee has submitted a report on Minerals and Waste Planning. This report includes six recommendations aimed at strengthening the council's function in this area, focusing on capacity and performance, governance and engagement, and transparency and assurance. The committee highlights concerns about staffing pressures and the need for robust liaison arrangements for major sites.

School Streets

A report from the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee addresses the School Streets programme. The committee makes five recommendations focused on strengthening the programme's delivery and governance, broadening its reach, and ensuring long-term impact. Key themes include early engagement with local stakeholders, ensuring adequate officer capacity and funding, and accelerating engagement with independent schools to reduce traffic impacts.

Bus Services and Rural Transport (including Mobility Hubs)

The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee has also reported on Bus Services and Rural Transport, including Mobility Hubs. Seven recommendations are proposed, covering improving rural connectivity and public engagement, ensuring accessibility, and evidence-based service planning. The committee highlights the need to explore pilot shuttle or feeder bus services and review the terminology used for mobility hubs to improve public understanding.

Temporary Congestion Charge Scheme Monitoring

A monitoring report on the Oxford Temporary Congestion Charge has been provided by the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The committee makes three recommendations concerning data transparency, mitigation measures for areas experiencing increased congestion, and contingency plans for the transition to traffic filters.

Unauthorised Waste Disposal Site near Kidlington: Interim Report

The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee has presented an interim report on an unauthorised waste disposal site near Kidlington. This matter has attracted significant public interest due to the scale of the illegal activity. The committee makes two recommendations: one to ensure lessons learned from this incident are captured and used to strengthen early detection and inter-agency coordination, and another to ensure elected members are kept appropriately informed of progress and key milestones.

SEND Reform Plan

A key decision is scheduled regarding the SEND Reform Plan, with a report to be provided by the Director of Children's Services. This plan is crucial for improving outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Oxfordshire.

Tree Care Framework - Contract Award

The Cabinet is asked to approve the use of a Tree Care Framework Contract model for planned and responsive tree management activities. This decision, if approved, would delegate the award of the contract and any future extensions to the Director of Environment and Highways in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair. The report by the Director of Environment and Highways details the need for this framework to manage the council's extensive tree stock.

HR & Cultural Change - Quarterly Employee Data Report Q4 2025/6

The Director of HR and Cultural Change will present the Quarterly Employee Data Report for Q4 2025/26. This report provides details of key people numbers and an analysis of main changes since the previous report, offering insights into workforce trends and the effectiveness of the Our People and Culture Strategy .

Business Management & Monitoring Report - Performance and Risk Quarter 4 2025-26 and Provisional Revenue Outturn 2025-26

This comprehensive report, presented by the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer), provides an overview of the council's performance and risk management for Quarter 4 of the 2025/26 financial year, alongside the provisional revenue outturn. Cabinet is recommended to note the report and annexes, including performance data, exceptions, complaints, FOI requests, and the provisional financial year-end position. Key decisions are also sought regarding the allocation of funds to reserves, including an additional contribution to the High Needs DSG risk reserve, the treatment of the On-Street Parking Account surplus, the creation of a Congestion Charge Reserve, and a contribution to the Budget Priorities reserve.

Capital Outturn Report 2025-26

The Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer) will also present the Capital Outturn Report for 2025/26. Cabinet is recommended to note the performance against the capital programme for the year and the provisional outturn summary. This report details expenditure against various strategy programmes, including the Pupil Places Plan, Major Infrastructure, Highways Asset Management Plan, Property Strategy, and IT, Digital & Innovation Strategy.

Forward Plan and Future Business

The Cabinet will receive an update on the Forward Plan and future business. This item allows Cabinet Members to review items identified for forthcoming meetings and to propose any further changes to the Forward Plan.

For information only: Cabinet response to Scrutiny item

Finally, a report is listed for information only: Cabinet response to Scrutiny item regarding the Repair of Defects and Superusers. This indicates that the Cabinet will be receiving information on how it has responded to previous scrutiny recommendations.