Here is a summary of the scheduled Cabinet meeting of the Vale of White Horse District Council on 10 October 2025. The meeting will cover a range of topics, including financial reports, environmental strategies, and contract awards. Several items, including discussions about the Great Haseley Trading Estate and the Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Contract Award, may be held in private due to the commercially sensitive nature of the information.

Treasury Management Outturn Report 2024/25

The cabinet will be asked to note the Treasury Management Outturn report for 2024/25. The report, written as at 31 March 2025 by Helen Ellerton, Head of Finance, is required to ensure adequate monitoring and reporting of treasury management activities. The report pack states that effective treasury management is required to help the councils meet their strategic objectives. The report includes details of treasury activities for the 2024/25 financial year, and shows performance against the prudential indicators and benchmarks set for the year in the 2024/25 Treasury Management Strategy. The report pack confirms that the council has complied with the requirement to give prior scrutiny to all treasury management reports by the Joint Audit and Governance Committee. The report pack also notes that MUFG Corporate Markets are the councils' retained treasury advisors. The report pack states that there are three types of investment, the performance of which is covered in this report:

• True treasury investments
• Non-treasury loans
• Direct property investments

The report pack states that the councils continue to invest with regard for security, liquidity and yield, in that order. The report pack notes that both South and Vale exceeded treasury budgeted investment income this year in terms of actual income. The report pack states that the treasury investments arranged in 2024/25 generated £8.9 million of investment income for South and £8.2 million for Vale. The report pack states that the councils had no direct investments during the financial year with companies engaged in environmentally harmful activities, and that the councils' externally managed pooled investment fund managers are founding members of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative.

Adoption of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Management Plan 2025-2030

The cabinet will be asked to consider the adoption of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Management Plan 2025-30. The report pack states that the delivery of the North Wessex Downs Management Plan contributes to several of the priorities in the Council Plan 2025-2029; Action on Climate and Nature Recovery and Promoting Healthy, Sustainable and Inclusive Communities. The report pack states that the preparation of a Management Plan for National Landscapes is a statutory requirement under s.89 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CRoW) 2000. The report pack states that the plan is prepared on behalf of this council and the other constituent local authorities by the North Wessex Downs Council of Partners. The report pack states that the management plan sets out a vision for the North Wessex Downs and is split into eight key themes:

• Landscape
• Farming and Land Management
• Biodiversity and Nature Recovery
• Historic Environment
• Natural Resources and Climate Change
• Planning and Development
• Communities
• Access Recreation and Tourism

The report pack states that the plan policies are designed to be delivered by a wide range of stakeholders and partners in the National Landscape. The report pack states that the new Management Plan includes a new chapter on Natural Resources and Climate Change, reflects the strengthened s.85 duty on public bodies and updates the plan to reflect many other changes that have happened since the previous plan was published in 2019. The report pack states that the council contributed to a review of the existing management plan in February 2025 and then submitted comments to the public consultation on the draft management plan in April 2025, and that officers also contributed to drafting Chapter 5 – Biodiversity and Nature Recovery. The report pack states that the proportion of funding from each local authority corresponds to the amount of National Landscape land within that authority, and that Vale of White Horse falls within the lowest band contributing 1 per cent of the core costs, rising to £5,073 in 2025/26. The report pack states that the climate and ecological impacts of the Management Plan are broadly positive, and that the NWD Management Plan sets a strategic vision and a set of policies that will act as a framework to further the purposes of the designation of the national landscape over the next five years. The report pack states that adopting the North Wessex Downs Management Plan could have positive implications on Equalities as policies in Chapter 10 specifically mention the need for greater accessibility in green spaces. The report pack states that the progress of local government reorganisation and devolution will impact the governance of the National Landscape and lead to a reduction in the number of local authorities represented on the Council of Partners. The report pack includes forewords from Sarah Nichols, outgoing Chair of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Council of Partners, and Gill Haggarty, incoming Chair of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Council of Partners. The report pack includes a vision for the North Wessex Downs National landscape as a place:

• where land use, management and development are driven by an overarching principle of long-term stewardship of the protected landscape
• where the highest environmental quality is seen as a key economic driver
• with thriving land-based and other rural enterprises that prioritise conserving and enhancing the valued qualities of the North Wessex Downs
• with high quality habitats reflecting the distinctive character of the North Wessex Downs and stable and recovering populations of key species
• with a rich and conserved cultural landscape where the pervasive historic landscape character is understood, appreciated and informs future change
• where the integrated management of land conserves and improves high quality healthy soils and water resources
• where beautiful views delight and inspire all those who experience the landscape
• where a sense of remoteness and tranquillity predominates
• where the landscape's potential to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change is realised in ways that conserve and enhance its natural beauty
• where development responds to genuine local need and where new buildings show continuity with the past
• where an integrated approach to transport and active travel meets local needs and minimises negative effects on the environment
• with vibrant rural communities, where villages and market towns meet the needs of local communities and visitors
• that is a nationally recognised centre for responsible tourism and enjoyment of the countryside
• that is recognised as a vital community resource, welcoming to local residents and visitors of all backgrounds and abilities
• where there is wide public recognition of the protected status and valued qualities of the North Wessex Downs

The report pack states that the North Wessex Downs National Landscape contains all or part of 173 parishes, straddling the boundaries of two county councils, three unitary authorities and four district/ borough councils, and that it sits on a regional divide, with roughly half of the area in south east and half in south west England. The report pack states that the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Partnership does not work in isolation, and that the National Landscape is part of the national network of protected landscapes that includes National Parks, National Trails and other National Landscapes. The report pack mentions the Mend the Gap programme, a programme run jointly by the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs National Landscapes and the community-led Railway Action Group since 2020. The report pack mentions the South East and East Protected Landscapes group (SEEPL), and the Big Chalk partnership programme. The report pack states that the legislative amendments also give the Secretary of State the power to make provision through regulations about how a relevant authority is to comply with the strengthened duty, and make regulations requiring protected landscape Management Plans to contribute to the meeting of any target set under Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Environment Act 2021. The report pack states that the legislative amendments require an active commitment to furthering the purpose of designation, and that paragraph 189 of the National Planning Policy Framework complements the Duty by stating that great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in National Landscapes, which have the highest status of protection". The report pack states that the natural beauty of the North Wessex Downs is a function of the relationship between people and place over time, and encompasses everything that makes the area distinctive. The report pack lists the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Types as:

• Open Downland
• Downland with Woodland
• Wooded Plateau
• High Chalk Plain
• Downs Plain and Scarp
• Vales
• River Valleys
• Lowland Mosaic

The report pack lists the Landscape Priority as: Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, tranquillity and distinctive landscape character of the North Wessex Downs and its setting. The report pack lists the Landscape Policies as:

• Encourage all partners and other stakeholders to seek to further National Landscape purposes across all relevant policies, programmes, activities and decision.
• Recognise and respond to the main factors that threaten the valued qualities of the National Landscape
• Use the North Wessex Downs Integrated Landscape Character Assessment to inform policy and decision making across the National Landscape and its setting.
• Support and promote a landscape-led approach across all sectors that conserves and enhances the character and qualities of the North Wessex Downs landscape.
• Support and encourage efforts to conserve and interpret the rich heritage of the North Wessex Downs.
• All development in or affecting the setting of the National Landscape should conserve and enhance the character, valued qualities and heritage of the North Wessex Downs landscape.

Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy

The cabinet will be asked to approve the publication of the Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy by Oxfordshire County Council. The report pack states that the publication of the Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) will directly contribute to the Climate and Nature Recovery priority in the South Oxfordshire District Council/Vale of White Horse Council Plan's 2025-2029, and will complete the first part of Action NR9 of the Joint Nature and Climate Action Plan 2025-29. The report pack states that Oxfordshire County Council is the Responsible Authority (RA) for Oxfordshire and each of the districts and city council and Natural England are Supporting Authorities (SA's). The report pack states that officers from the Climate and Biodiversity Team have been closely involved in the preparation and drafting of the LNRS, and that both officers and members participated in a series of public and stakeholder engagement events and completed a survey which ran between February and March 2024. The report pack states that the consultation generated over 2100 comments, seventy five percent of these were supportive of the LNRS. The report pack states that the final publication version of the LNRS comprises of four key parts:

• A description of the strategy area
• A statement of biodiversity priorities
• A species priorities list
• A local habitat map.

The report pack states that officers believe that the final LNRS is a comprehensive, well thought through and innovative strategy that will help to drive the recovery of nature in Oxfordshire. The report pack states that any financial implications arising from the subsequent delivery phase of the LNRS will be taken through the usual democratic processes and the financial implications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The report pack states that the Oxfordshire LNRS sets a strategic vision and framework that will be used to drive forward nature recovery in Oxfordshire. The report pack includes a statement by Councillor Judy Roberts, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, Oxfordshire County Council. The report pack states that the LNRS is part of an LNRS latticework across England, which aims to halt the decline of wildlife in this country by 2030, and that the LNRS has created a focused set of priorities and a map of focused opportunity areas showing a county-wide route that could create resilient, connected ecosystems and save threatened wildlife. The report pack states that the LNRS is owned by the local authority partners which have a statutory duty to produce it. The report pack states that the LNRS is a significant contribution to the UK's implementation of the Council of Europe Landscape, a multinational treaty which is devoted exclusively to the protection, management and planning of landscapes throughout Europe. The report pack states that the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Partnership does not work in isolation, and that the National Landscape is part of the national network of protected landscapes that includes National Parks, National Trails and other National Landscapes. The report pack states that the legislative amendments also give the Secretary of State the power to make provision through regulations about how a relevant authority is to comply with the strengthened duty, and make regulations requiring protected landscape Management Plans to contribute to the meeting of any target set under Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Environment Act 2021. The report pack states that the legislative amendments require an active commitment to furthering the purpose of designation, and that paragraph 189 of the National Planning Policy Framework complements the Duty by stating that great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in National Landscapes, which have the highest status of protection". The report pack states that the natural beauty of the North Wessex Downs is a function of the relationship between people and place over time, and encompasses everything that makes the area distinctive. The report pack lists the North Wessex Downs National Landscape Types as:

• Open Downland
• Downland with Woodland
• Wooded Plateau
• High Chalk Plain
• Downs Plain and Scarp
• Vales
• River Valleys
• Lowland Mosaic

The report pack lists the Landscape Priority as: Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, tranquillity and distinctive landscape character of the North Wessex Downs and its setting. The report pack lists the Landscape Policies as:

• Encourage all partners and other stakeholders to seek to further National Landscape purposes across all relevant policies, programmes, activities and decision.
• Recognise and respond to the main factors that threaten the valued qualities of the National Landscape
• Use the North Wessex Downs Integrated Landscape Character Assessment to inform policy and decision making across the National Landscape and its setting.
• Support and promote a landscape-led approach across all sectors that conserves and enhances the character and qualities of the North Wessex Downs landscape.
• Support and encourage efforts to conserve and interpret the rich heritage of the North Wessex Downs.
• All development in or affecting the setting of the National Landscape should conserve and enhance the character, valued qualities and heritage of the North Wessex Downs landscape.

Operational Net Zero Annual Progress Report

The cabinet will be asked to note the progress made in reducing the council's operational carbon emissions. The report pack states that the council's operational carbon emissions have reduced by 12 per cent since the council's Climate Action Plan baseline year of 2019/20 and by 45 per cent since Greenhouse Gas reporting commenced in 2009/10. The report pack states that the report reviews the council's progress towards the 2030 target for achieving net zero carbon in its own operations. The report pack states that the paper addresses the shifting context of the local government reorganisation (LGR) announced in HM Government's white paper in 2024, and the implications for achieving the council's targets. The report pack states that the paper includes five scenarios designed to present a review of the council's trajectory to net zero, showing where we are currently in terms of emissions, and giving a realistic assessment of where we will be in 2030. The report pack states that Vale of White Horse' Council Plan 2025-29 outlines five key priorities for the future, and that one of these key priorities is supporting Climate and Nature Recovery. The report pack states that the report meets the commitment in the joint Nature and Climate Action Plan (NCAP) 2025-29 to produce annual reports outlining progress towards the council's operational net zero target and the predicted emissions pathway to 2030. The report pack states that the baseline year used in this report is 2019/20, and that this is the second operational net zero annual report. The report pack states that in March 2025, overall council emissions were 3073 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) compared to 3502 tCO2e in the baseline year 2019/20 (a 12 per cent reduction) and 5588 tCO2e in 2009/10 (a 45 percent reduction). The report pack states that there has been a six per cent increase in the council's greenhouse gas emissions in the year to March 2025. The report pack states that the biggest contributors to the council's carbon emissions are waste collection (50 per cent) and leisure (39 per cent). The report pack states that the NCAP outlines all the areas where the council is taking action to reach the council's net zero target, and that progress against actions in the NCAP is reported annually in line with the performance reporting on the Council Plan. The report pack states that a 'Glidepath' tool is used to record progress against targets to date and to predict the council's future trajectory. The report pack states that the Glidepath tool has been updated for 2025 to deliver scenarios beyond 2030 if required, and that the tool now also includes indirect (Scope 3) emissions. The report pack states that local Government Reorganisation (LGR) will influence the ability take forward key initiatives to reduce Vale's carbon emissions over the short to medium term, for both committed projects and those without existing secured capital investment. The report pack states that the councils' office move to Didcot Gateway was identified as a committed project in the 2023/24 report, with a 93 per cent reduction in emissions from 2026 compared to baseline carbon emissions from Milton Park, but that the council is no longer progressing the Gateway Office accommodation project because of upcoming changes to council structures under LGR. The report pack states that the Government have announced that they will not be funding any further rounds of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS). The report pack states that the Council's waste contractor is leaving the current depot, which is located in Culham at the end of the current waste contract, and that subject to planning, a new waste vehicles depot located in Great Haseley near Thame is due to become operational in June 2026. The report pack states that available technology to meet the council's requirements for electric Refuse Collection Vehicles (eRCVs) over 15 tonnes and certain maintenance vehicles continues to be a barrier to full transition. The report pack states that the introduction of an electric 12T food waste truck has proved successful, and a new electric 3.5T tipper is scheduled to be operational from November 2025. The report pack states that the vehicle leases are now renewed annually, and that this provides regular opportunity to review availability and suitability of EV equivalents for the remaining ICE vehicles. The report pack states that the 124 EV charge points in South and Vale car parks across the districts can be utilised as charging destinations whilst using council fleet vehicles, and that this network of chargers will continue to expand over the next two years due to Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding allocated to Oxfordshire. The report pack states that modelling the Scenario 2 changes gives an estimated emissions reduction of 2.8 tonnes of CO2e per year by 2027/28. The report pack states that the Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Vehicle Strategy sets out the options for how the waste vehicle fleet is replaced over the current four-year period 2024-2028, and that the capital budget of £7.45m per council is based upon like-for-like replacements. The report pack states that modelling the Scenario 3 changes gives an estimated emissions reduction of 45 per cent from the Nature and Climate Action Plan baseline of 2019/20 by the council's net zero target date of 2029/30. The report pack states that the proposed new depot at Great Haseley will have a minimum of ten commercial charging points to begin with when it becomes operational in June 2026, and that existing electrical capacity at the site could allow up to 55 charge points, budget permitting. The report pack states that investment in new agricultural infrastructure and redevelopment of farm buildings where it increases the sustainability of local businesses and aligns with National Landscape purposes is supported. The report pack states that the council's Climate Emergencies Advisory Committee has recommended a set of 'good practice principles' suggested that the councils could follow when considering future offsetting projects to match residual operational emissions. The report pack states that the council is also leading on a joint project with the Local Nature Partnership funded by Innovate UK that aims to help stimulate local markets for nature-based carbon sequestration.

Progress towards net zero in Vale of White Horse report

The cabinet will be asked to note the progress towards meeting the Vale of White Horse target to be a net zero district by 2045. The report pack states that the report presents the latest data (from 2023) on emissions in Vale of White Horse published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in July 2025. The report pack states that the report meets the commitment in the joint Nature and Climate Action Plan (NCAP) 2025-29 to produce annual reports outlining progress towards the Vale of White Horse district net zero target. The report pack states that the latest greenhouse gas emissions data published by DESNZ shows that 822.7 ktCO2e were emitted from sources in Vale of White Horse during 2023, equivalent to 5.6 tCO2e per person. The report pack states that total emissions in 2023 were 3.6% lower than in 2022 and 37% lower than in 2008. The report pack states that there has been an annual average reduction in carbon emissions of 3.3% over the five years from 2019 to 2023, and that the rate of decarbonisation is accelerating slightly but is still lagging behind where it needs to be to reach net zero targets. The report pack states that Vale of White Horse District Council is limited in its ability to meet the target as a large proportion of district-wide emissions are outside of the council's sphere of influence, but that the council has supported a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the district by:

• Undertaking a programme of work to reduce the council's operational greenhouse gas emissions
• Supporting Oxfordshire County Council with the delivery of the Home Upgrade Grant funding scheme
• Participating in the Oxfordshire local area energy planning programme
• Providing funding to local organisations for energy efficiency initiatives and decarbonisation measures
• Installing 62 public electric vehicle charging bays in council car parks
• Including robust net zero carbon building policies within the emerging South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Joint Local Plan
• Exploring the potential for development of low carbon heat networks in Didcot.

Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Contract Award

The cabinet will be asked to recommend to Full Council that additional funds be made available within the relevant budget to enable the relevant contract's financial obligations to be fulfilled, and subject to Full Council agreeing the additional funds, approve the awarding of the waste collection and street cleansing contract. The report pack states that this will be a contract let jointly with South Oxfordshire (SODC) to commence on 29 June 2026, and that the award of the joint contract is dependent upon reciprocal approval by SODC. The report pack states that the Vale of White Horse District Council has statutory responsibilities under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for the collection of household waste, and also has responsibility to maintain the clean nature of its streets as the litter authority. The report pack states that the council currently provides these services through a shared contract with South Oxfordshire District Council, and that the current waste collection service has consistently been among the highest performers in the national combined recycling league table. The report pack states that the councils' previous decision to provide this service through a contracted third-party provider has proven to be highly successful, with more than 85 per cent of respondents to a recent resident survey saying they were satisfied or very satisfied with the service. The report pack states that the current contract is a single umbrella arrangement that requires the contractor to provide for four key elements:

• The provision of the collection and street cleansing crews and services
• The transfer station for bulking and holding the dry mixed recycling until it goes for reprocessing
• The depot from which the service would be operated and from which vehicles would be based
• The reprocessing of the dry mixed recycling so that to can go back into the material cycle for reuse.

The report pack states that the council has:

• Obtained a depot location for development at Great Haseley near Thame
• Already procured a new DMR transfer station contract with FCC to operate from Sutton Courtenay
• Begun the process to procure a waste and street cleansing vehicle fleet on a rolling basis
• Begun the process to procure a contract to handle the reprocessing of materials

The report pack states that the remaining, and most financially significant part of the service is the main waste collection and street cleansing functions, including household waste collection and street cleansing. The report pack states that since 2023, several project groups were set up that reported into a Programme Board led by the Deputy Chief Executive - Place, and that the purpose of this was to provide the necessary governance for the programme, allocate the right resources to support each of the workstreams, and take the necessary delegated decisions to ensure success. The report pack states that the council developed a full-service specification and accompanying contract documents, informed by stakeholder engagement with councillors and residents and pre-market engagement to best understand interests and expectations from the public and limited number of key waste service providers. The report pack states that the council took the opportunity to ensure that there was the correct balance between maintaining the statutory services, cost to the taxpayer, risk of service failure, obtaining environmental benefits and improving service. The report pack states that the social value element of the contract was designed to show how the successful bidder could add value to the council and local area in ways beyond the direct provision of the contract, and that there was also a recognition of the importance of responding to the climate emergency. The report pack states that to identify the new contractor, an open procurement was undertaken inviting bidders to submit a Supplier Questionnaire, from which a maximum of four bidders would be taken forward to the Invitation to Submit Tender (ISIT) stage. The report pack states that the preferred bidder submitted two bids: a core bid that was compliant with the councils' original specification, and a variant bid, which met the same technical specification but offered some areas of difference and came with a different financial outcome. The report pack states that it is the recommendation of officers that the council, jointly with South, enters into a contract with the preferred bidder for their core bid for the provision of the waste collection and street cleaning services, which would begin on 29 June 2026. The report pack states that subject to final contract agreement with the preferred bidder, the contract has the ability to run for a maximum period of sixteen years, with a minimum period of eight years and a break possible after four years. The report pack states that entering into this contract will enable the council to undertake its normal duties to robustly manage the contract and deliver best value, and that once the contract has begun the councils will work with the contractor to regularly look for ways to improve service and/or reduce costs with the mechanisms as outlined in the contract. The report pack states that the councils have previously considered bringing this service back in-house, forming a Local Authority Trading Company or joining an existing local authority arrangement commonly known as a TECKAL, but that the decision by Cabinets on 18 October 2024 was to reject these options and procure a new joint contract. The report pack states that the current estimated annual budget envelope for this contract to deliver the waste collection and street cleansing services is in Appendix 1, and that the preferred bidder pricing is above this budget by £461,000 per full financial year. The report pack states that Cabinet is asked to recommend to Council the approval of the additional budget of £461,000 for each full year from 2026/27. The report pack states that the waste collection and street cleansing service is the biggest contributor to the council's carbon emissions, and that climate considerations were embedded throughout the procurement process.

Great Haseley Trading Estate

The cabinet will be asked to recommend to Council to proceed with increasing the capital budget envelope by £2.3m to provide a total budget of £15.9m, with 50 per cent of this total budget being the council's share of the costs associated with delivering the waste vehicle depot and making it operational within the required timeframes. The cabinet will also be asked that, subject to Council approval of the increased budget envelope, to approve the awarding of the JCT Design and Build contract to the preferred bidder to deliver the vehicle depot on the Haseley Trading Estate. The cabinet will also be asked to delegate to the Head of Development and Corporate Landlord, in consultation with the Head of Finance and Head of Legal, to approve terms and conditions to directly award a contract to the District Network Operator (DNO) for an upgraded electricity connection, and authority to secure a temporary vehicle depot site, as a contingency plan, and enter into the necessary leases and any ancillary agreements which will bind the council (jointly with Vale) for an agreed period, to be funded from contingency if required. The report pack states that the provision of a new waste vehicle depot will assist in the delivery of the Future Waste Services programme, meeting the strategic priorities of:

• Financial stability and innovative transformation
• Action on climate change and nature recovery
• Providing the homes and infrastructure people need

The report pack states that members were most recently briefed on work to deliver a new waste vehicle depot at Cabinet in November 2024 and Council in December 2024, where they approved the Haseley Trading Estate as the preferred location for the waste vehicle depot. The report pack states that delivery of the depot at the Haseley Trading Estate is required to meet the council's statutory responsibilities in respect of waste collection, and that at present, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils do not own or operate a waste vehicle depot in either district, with the current depot at the Culham Number One site being leased and operated by Biffa. The report pack states that since December 2024, work has progressed at pace to purchase the site at Haseley, produce RIBA Plan of Work Stage 4 designs for the new depot, apply for planning permission, and undertake a procurement for a design and build contractor to deliver the depot at Haseley Trading Estate. The report pack states that Concertus were appointed to lead the professional team, which includes design and planning services, and that following a detailed design process to RIBA Stage 3, a planning application for the site was registered on 9 June 2025. The report pack states that despite an original target decision date of 8 September 2025, a decision is now likely to be made at South Planning Committee on 8 October, as additional time was required to reconsult on the proposals for the scheme. The report pack states that officers have undertaken a compliant procurement process for a design and build contractor to deliver the new depot subject to, and ready for, the outcome of the planning process, and that the remaining bidder performed very well on quality, particularly with respect to social value and carbon reduction and energy. The report pack states that it is the recommendation of officers that the council, jointly with South, enters into a contract with this bidder, and that the costs for the contract will be split equally between both councils, with the financial commitment for the design and build contract totalling up to circa £3.75m per council. The report pack states that the site has its own dedicated on-site substation which needs its capacity increased to meet the medium and long-term operational requirements as it moves towards an electrified fleet, and that the original project budget included allowances for the new substation on-site to suit the capacity requirements but did not include costs for works the DNO would need to undertake to their network. The report pack states that in the event that the new depot is not ready for occupation at contract start date, officers are exploring contingency options to ensure continued provision of the statutory waste service.

Exclusion of the public, including the press

The cabinet will consider whether to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business under Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that:

• It is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A, and
• the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The items to be considered with the public excluded are:

• Great Haseley Trading Estate - to consider a confidential appendix.
• Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Contract Award - to consider confidential appendix one.