The Performance & Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to discuss the integration of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) into the council, and to review the council's budget management and monitoring. The committee was also scheduled to note the progress of previous recommendations and actions, and to agree its work programme for forthcoming meetings.

Local Enterprise Partnership Integration

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the integration of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) into Oxfordshire County Council, following the government's decision to cease funding LEPs from April 2024.

The report pack outlined a three-phase approach to the LEP transition:

• Phase 1 – Transition (completed by 1 April 2024)
• Phase 2 – Implementation (1 April – 30 September 2024)
• Phase 3 – Establishment (1 October 2024 – 31 March 2025)

The report pack noted that the council had become the controlling member of OxLEP Ltd, trading as Enterprise Oxfordshire, with the aim of delivering projects and programmes on behalf of the council. A Shareholder Committee was established to provide strategic oversight of the company, and a new board of directors was appointed, including Councillor Dan Levy and Dr Kate Reynolds, Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion. A vacancy remained for an Independent Chair, and a recruitment process was underway.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the strategic economic planning functions previously exercised by the LEP, which the council has retained accountability for. The council is undertaking a reassessment of the local strategic economic planning framework, to ensure alignment with agreed priorities and major developments.

The report pack also noted that the council would establish an Economic Partnership Board to support the Cabinet in the discharge of its economic development functions, inviting a range of voices to advise on the development of economic strategy.

Budget Management Monitoring Report

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Business Management and Monitoring Report (BMMR) with a focus on the Highways and Environment service. The BMMR reports on the council’s performance in terms of finance, delivery and risk.

The report pack included an abridged version of the BMMR, with data relating specifically to the Highways and Environment service. Key performance indicators (KPIs) for this service included:

• Total number of streetlights fitted with LED Lanterns
• Total percentage of household waste which is reused, recycled or composted
• Kilometres of the road network to be treated
• Percentage of newly planted trees still alive on land the council owns and manages

The report pack also included an abridged version of the Capital Programme and Monitoring Report, which provides background information to some of the data within the BMMR.

The BMMR stated that the Environment & Highways service was forecasting an overspend of £0.2m against a budget of £53.2m. This was due to a £1.8m pressure in Network Management relating to the underachievement of lane rental income savings, offset by a £1.6m underspend in Highways maintenance from a reduction in energy costs from lower energy activity.

The Capital Programme Update and Monitoring Report noted that the total in-year forecast capital expenditure for 2024/25 was estimated to be £63.0m and had decreased by £0.4m compared to the previous forecast.

Committee Action and Recommendation Tracker

The committee was scheduled to note the progress of previous recommendations and actions arising from previous meetings. This included recent updates on previously accepted and partially accepted recommendations on the following reports:

• Capital Asset Disposal Process
• Draft Customer Experience Strategy
• Employee Engagement Survey
• Social Value

Committee Forward Work Plan

The committee was scheduled to agree its work programme for forthcoming meetings, taking account of the Cabinet Forward Plan and of the Budget Management Monitoring Report.