The Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss a range of significant local issues, including the ongoing challenges with minerals and waste planning, the effectiveness of school streets initiatives, and the monitoring of a temporary congestion charge scheme in Oxford. The committee was also set to review bus services and rural transport, including the development of mobility hubs, and receive an interim report on an unauthorised waste disposal site near Kidlington.

Minerals and Waste Planning

The committee was scheduled to consider a report providing an overview of Oxfordshire County Council's statutory responsibilities as the Minerals and Waste Planning Authority. This report detailed the governance, performance, and resourcing arrangements in place for these functions, which are distinct from district planning roles and crucial for economic activity, environmental protection, and sustainable growth. The report highlighted the long-term implications of decisions in this area, often spanning decades, and the need to balance environmental protection with community impacts, infrastructure needs, and national policy. The council's role encompasses determining planning applications, plan-making, safeguarding resources, monitoring operational sites, and enforcing compliance. The report identified key risks, including challenges in preparing a new Minerals and Waste Plan within statutory timescales, limited service resilience due to specialist roles, and the risk of mineral resource sterilisation or loss of waste infrastructure. The report was intended to provide information on how these functions are delivered, including resources, team responsibilities, reporting, decision-making, monitoring, and risk management.

School Streets

An update was scheduled on the school streets programme, which supports the ambitions of the 'Oxfordshire Strategic Plan 2025-2028' by contributing to a 'Greener, Fairer and Healthier Oxfordshire'. The report aimed to answer specific questions from the committee regarding the number of fines issued, the reasons for perceived high numbers of car drivers entering school streets, and the regulations surrounding highway signage. It was intended to provide statistics on Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued, explain the exemptions process, and detail the criteria used for prioritising new school street schemes. The report also aimed to clarify the process for residents reporting potential violations and the criteria for exemption permits, as well as outlining best practices and lessons learned from other local authorities. The committee was to be updated on the progress of recently implemented trials and the data collected on travel modes and air quality.

Temporary Congestion Charge Scheme Monitoring

The committee was scheduled to receive a monitoring report on the temporary congestion charge scheme, which began operating in October 2025 to reduce traffic in Oxford during the closure of Botley Road. The report was to present data on traffic volumes, vehicle and bus journey times, park and ride usage, footfall, income generated, and permits issued. Initial data indicated faster bus journeys and increased park and ride use, alongside some increases in traffic on outer roads, as predicted by modelling. The report was to detail income generated from congestion charge payments and penalty charge notices, and how this income was being spent. Information on permits issued to residents, Blue Badge holders, and community health workers was also to be presented, along with available footfall and spend data for the city centre.

Bus Services and Rural Transport (including Mobility Hubs)

This report was scheduled to outline actions being taken to implement policies related to rural transport, including bus services, mobility hubs, and transport interchanges, as set out in the Local Transport & Connectivity Plan. It was to provide an update on car clubs and focus on countywide policies for improving connectivity to make sustainable and active travel the preferred choice in both urban and rural communities. The report was to detail the restoration of bus services since 2016, the current annual spend on supported bus services, and the extent of bus service provision in Oxfordshire parishes. It was also to discuss community transport services, the Council's own 'Comet' service, and the rationale for not pursuing demand-responsive transport in the same way as some other authorities. The report was to cover shared vehicle schemes, electric vehicles, and the impact of the National Bus Fare Cap scheme and the 'MyBus Oxfordshire' multi-operator ticket. Additionally, it was to address accessibility, with a focus on a forthcoming report from Innovate Oxfordshire identifying areas with significant transport needs. Future plans for strengthening Enhanced Partnership arrangements with bus operators and the potential transfer of responsibilities to a future Combined Authority were also to be discussed. The report was also to cover mobility hubs, their integration into transport initiatives, and the development of Movement and Place Plans to identify suitable locations. Plans for new railway stations, improvements to existing stations as mobility hubs, and a study on new and improved Park & Ride sites were to be presented. Finally, the report was to detail the active travel strategy, Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), the Strategic Active Travel Network (SATN), the Oxford Greenways Project, and the formalisation of Quiet Lanes initiatives.

Unauthorised Kidlington Waste Disposal Site: Interim Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an interim report on the unauthorised waste disposal at a large-scale illegal site near Kidlington. The report was to set out the statutory roles and responsibilities of the Environment Agency and Oxfordshire County Council in relation to unauthorised and illegal waste sites, and how these authorities worked together in response. It was to clarify the regulatory mechanisms used and summarise key actions taken to protect public safety and the environment, including an update on remediation works being undertaken by the Environment Agency. The report was to acknowledge that matters remain subject to a live criminal investigation by the Environment Agency and that full plans for the site's future are under review. The report was to provide background on the national picture of illegal waste activity, including the Government's Waste Crime Action Plan and the Environment Agency's 10-Point Action Plan. It was to detail the functions and powers of the County Council's Mineral & Waste Planning, Monitoring & Enforcement teams, and the Environment Agency's role as the principal regulator for waste activities. A timeline of key events related to the Kidlington site was to be presented, along with insights and lessons learned from the incident, emphasising the importance of early joint working and partnership approaches. The report was to note that the Council's Mineral and Waste Planning Authority functions are funded within existing budgets and that no new financial implications arise from the report itself.