The Shareholder Committee (Cabinet Committee) was scheduled to meet on 14 August 2025, to elect a chair and deputy chair for the 2025/26 council year, and to discuss changes to bank signatories and the scheme of delegations for Enterprise Oxfordshire. Councillors were also expected to confirm the minutes of the previous meeting and to determine future meeting dates.

Enterprise Oxfordshire - Changes to Bank Signatories and Scheme of Delegations

The committee was scheduled to review proposed changes to Enterprise Oxfordshire's bank account signatories and scheme of financial delegation. These changes were considered a priority due to recent personnel and role changes, and the upcoming departure of Enterprise Oxfordshire's chief executive officer, Nigel Tipple, on 30 September 2025.

According to the report pack, any changes to Enterprise Oxfordshire's bank mandate and other payment authorisations require Shareholder Committee approval.

The proposed changes to the bank mandate included adding Helen Ryan Wallis, Head of Strategic Development & Programmes, and Helen Brind, Head of Business and Skills, as full power signatories to the company bank accounts. The report pack noted that both women have been employed at Enterprise Oxfordshire since 2018 and have carried out their roles with professional integrity and financial probity.

The report pack also proposed amendments to Enterprise Oxfordshire's Scheme of Financial Delegation, including:

• The addition of the new roles of Head of Business and Skills and Head of Strategic Development & Programmes.
• The addition of the Company Secretary with specified levels of delegation.
• Upgrades to the delegation levels of the Finance Manager, reflecting their role as part of the Senior Leadership Team.

The report pack stated that a strong financial and controls environment is essential to ensure the smooth and effective operation of the company, and that the proposed changes to the Financial Scheme of Delegation and changes to signatories would ensure the continued and smooth operation of the company on a day-to-day basis, whilst maintaining a strong control environment consistent with the council's robust internal controls/approvals process across all financial matters.

The Shareholder Committee was recommended to support the recommendations of the Enterprise Oxfordshire company board held on 31 July 2025 to approve the change to signatories and financial scheme of delegation.

Other items

The committee was also scheduled to:

• Elect a Chair for the 2025/26 Council Year.
• Elect a Deputy Chair for the 2025/26 Council Year.
• Confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2025¹.
• Determine future meeting dates.