Councillor Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, approved a contract variation to the 0-19 Public Health Nursing Services provided by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, and also approved the minutes of the previous meeting. The meeting also covered declarations of interest, questions from county councillors, and petitions and public addresses, none of which were received.

Contractual Changes to Public Health Contracts

Councillor Kate Gregory agreed to a variation to contract for 0-19 Public Health Nursing Services to Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust to cover above expected staff pay costs for NHS employed staff on Agenda for Change¹ contracts.

The government announced that employees on Agenda for Change NHS terms and conditions would receive an above inflation pay rise for both 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. The council received uplifts to the public health grant to ensure that public health funded contracts that included staff on Agenda for Change NHS terms and conditions remained sustainable.

The report noted that:

There is no expectation from government to use this funding to increase the value of contracts with staff not on Agenda for Change terms and conditions, irrespective of their 2024/25 and 2025/26 pay awards. Nor is there any expectation that similar funding will be made available if Agenda for Change staff receive above anticipated pay awards in the future.

The total variation to contract is up to a maximum of £2,373,315, covering the lifetime of the existing contract, which is due to end in 2028/29, with an option to extend for up to two further years to 2030/31.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

Councillor Kate Gregory approved the minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2025 as an accurate record of the proceedings.

Other Matters

The meeting also included items relating to declarations of interest, questions from county councillors, and petitions and public addresses. No declarations of interest, questions, or petitions were received.