The Performance and Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss a hire bike and scooter update, the Our People and Culture Strategy, and a business management monitoring report with a focus on adult social services. The committee was also expected to review the action and recommendation tracker, the forward work plan, and responses to scrutiny recommendations.

Hire Bike and Scooter Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on hire bike and scooter operations in Oxfordshire from Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways, and Joanne Fellows, Place Panning Manager (Central).

The report pack included background information on the management of the ongoing Oxford e-scooter trial and e-bike operations, including the limitations the council faces.

According to the report pack, the Oxford e-scooter trial launched on 18 February 2021 as part of a wider national e-scooter trial being led by the Department for Transport (DfT), and is currently due to end on 31 May 2026. The report pack noted that the DfT is collecting and evaluating data from all participating e-scooter trials across the country, and the evaluation of this data and feedback is expected to inform future decisions about e-scooters at a national level.

The report pack stated that e-scooters used in the Oxford trial are approved by a Vehicles Special Order (VSO) issued by the Secretary of State.

The objectives of the Oxford e-scooter trial are to:

(a) Support safe commuting to work and education as an alternative while social distancing measures are in place (b) Reduce private car use and reduce congestion (c) Contribute towards the reduction in air pollution and carbon emissions (d) Test perceptions and attitudes towards new mobility solutions

Oxford's e-scooter trial is currently operated and managed by Voi Technology UK. Voi has permission from the DfT to operate a maximum of 1,600 e-scooters for hire in Oxford, and Voi currently operate the scheme with no more than 1,100 e-scooters deployed in Oxford at any given time.

The report pack noted that private e-scooters are currently illegal for use on the public highway as they require insurance and tax, both of which are currently unattainable for private e-scooters.

In Summer 2024, Voi and Lime both launched fleets of e-bikes in Oxford, and they both currently operate with a maximum fleet of 100 e-bikes each. E-bike hire is currently an unregulated practice in the UK, and there are minimal rules and restrictions on where these schemes can operate and who can operate them.

The county council's Legal team has advised that e-bike hire does not fall under Street Trader licensing that is overseen by the City Council. With limited means of managing e-bike hire schemes, OCC produced an E-bike Code of Conduct ahead of Voi and Lime launching their operations that is specific to Oxford and outlines the expectations and responsibilities of the operators running e-bike hire schemes in the city.

Both Voi and Lime are CoMoUK¹ accredited BikeShare operators.

Both e-scooters and e-bikes available for public hire in Oxford are required to be parked within dedicated, marked and geofenced parking bays. These are all currently provided on footways that fall within the public highway.

The report pack stated that Oxfordshire County Council are supportive of both e-scooter and e-bike hire operations in Oxford and see these modes of transport as a convenient and accessible form of travel for point-to-point journeys or first- and last-mile journeys that can connect with public transport.

The report pack noted that the e-scooter and e-bike operational costs are covered by the individual operators, and no money is exchanged between Oxfordshire County Council and the operators.

The report pack also included a copy of The Oxfordshire County Council E-scooter Trial Order 2024, which will cover movements of the vehicles as part of a trial in the area specified in the Order, and is valid until the end of 31 May 2026.

The report pack also included Lime's Nine Month Report, which stated that they currently operate 100 E-Bikes in Oxford, having introduced the service to Oxford in September 2024.

Our People and Culture Strategy Update

Niel Fawcett, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Lorna Baxter, Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, and Cherie Cuthbertson, Director of HR and Cultural Change were scheduled to present an update report on the Our People and Culture Strategy.

The report pack stated that the strategy aims to develop an inclusive and empowering culture, enabling all employees people to be the best they can be to deliver excellent services for everyone the council serves.

The Strategy focuses on priorities under four pillars:

• Attract: Attracting, recruiting and retaining talented people
• Thrive: Enabling our people to thrive and perform
• Grow: Enabling our people to grow and evolve for the future
• Lead: Enabling our people to lead and transform for the future

The report pack stated that the council has made significant strides in reshaping its approach to talent acquisition. A new in-house Talent Acquisition and Resourcing team has been established, marking a strategic shift away from reliance on external providers. This has been complemented by the implementation of a modern Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Tribepad, which has streamlined recruitment processes. A new Employer Value Proposition (EVP) and employer brand have been launched, enhancing the council's visibility and appeal in a competitive labour market. Additionally, the transition to a new contingent labour provider (HAYS) has enabled tighter control over agency usage.

The report pack stated that the council has introduced a suite of modern, accessible policies, toolkits and manager training resources, including conduct, capability, grievance and sickness. These tools have empowered managers to address people-related matters proactively, contributing to a reduction in sickness absence. Furthermore the 2024 employee engagement survey was completed, providing valuable insights to inform service-level strategies.

The report pack stated that the council has expanded its early careers offer, introducing a work experience scheme, a new internship programme, and extending the management trainee programme to include the Chartered Managers Degree Apprenticeship. The 12.3.2 performance management tool has been refreshed, and a reciprocal mentoring scheme has been launched to support EDI objectives. Secondment opportunities, including at senior levels, have been promoted to encourage internal mobility.

The report pack stated that the council has made significant progress with organisational redesign, streamlining Tier 2 – 4 structures including Directors, Assistant Directors and Heads of Service, to improve efficiency and collaboration. Additionally, the council has implemented a range of people management controls to support financial sustainability, including tighter oversight of agency usage, honorariums, and overtime. A leadership specialist has also been engaged to support the development of inclusive and high-performing leadership practices.

Business Management Monitoring Report

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Members for Adults, Councillor Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, Lorna Baxter, Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, and Victoria Baran, Deputy Director of Adult Social Care, were scheduled to present a Business Management Monitoring Report (BMMR) with a focus of Adult Social Services.

The report pack stated that the Cabinet receives its BMMR report every two months for 2024/25, and that the frequency is changing to every quarter for 2025/26. The paper reports on the Council's performance in terms of finance, delivery and risk, including detail at a service level.

The report pack included a summary of the KPIs:

• OCC04.01 % of people who received short-term services during 24/25 with no further support request
• OCC04.02 % of residents 18-64 with Learning Disability support who live on their own or with family
• OCC04.03 % Section 42 safeguarding enquiries where identified risk was reduced or removed
• OCC04.04 Adults aged 65+ (per 100,000) admitted to residential and care homes
• OCC04.05 Adults aged 65+ (per 100,000) admitted to residential and care homes (stretched target)

The report pack noted that the Capital Programme and Monitoring Report is not part of the BMMR report and is separately considered by Cabinet. As the Capital programme is focussed on large schemes like Major Infrastructure, Highways Asset Management, Property and Pupil Places, the relevant programmes are highlighted within this report.

The report pack stated that during 2024/25 a further £2m has been paid under the Resonance Supported Homes Fund². This will bring the total investment to £5.0m in line with the overall budget provision of £5.0m. A total of 5 properties have been purchased, developed and are now fully mobilised and operational. This investment has resulted in a total of 22 new beds for people with a learning disability in Oxfordshire.

The report pack stated that the Disabled Facilities Grant of £8.3m, was passed to the City and District Councils in accordance with the Better Care Fund grant determination. Households are eligible to apply for the grant for home adaptations if a child or adult in the household has a substantial and permanent disability.

The report pack stated that the service is reporting an underspend position of £3.8m against a budget of £248.9m (-1.6%) due to robust financial management and continuing the Oxfordshire Way approach which supports people to live well in their community, remaining independent for as long as possible.

The report pack stated that the 2024/25 budget included planned savings of £4.3m, and that 98% of these savings have been delivered.

The report pack stated that the 2024/25 budget also includes planned service areas investments of £11.6m, and that £0.7m has been carried forward to be delivered in 2025/26.

The report pack stated that the 120-day invoice collection rate was 93% in March 2025, 1% above the 92% target, and that the final balance of adult social care contribution debt requiring impairment was £4.5m, matching the 2024/25 carried forward balance.

The report pack included an overview of the current strategic risk position, and noted that all nine strategic risks remained static in their residual risk scores from February 2025 to March 2025.

Other Matters

The committee was also scheduled to note the progress of previous recommendations and actions arising from previous meetings, agree its work programme for forthcoming meetings, and note the Cabinet responses to the committee's recommendations on the following reports:

• Commercial Strategy Update
• Community Asset Transfer Policy
• Updated Funding and Budget Proposals 2025/26 2027/28