Council this Week: Highlights from the September 25 County Council agenda - 20240925

Automated speed enforcement, budget survey results, ambulance response times, AAA credit rating and more

County Council meetings are broadcast live at www.oxfordcounty.ca/livestream. To download the full agenda or view past recordings of council meetings, visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/council.

Automated speed enforcement

County Council will consider on September 25 the next steps in bringing a camera-based speed enforcement program to Oxford. An Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program uses a camera and speed measuring device to identify speeding vehicles in school zones and community safety zones, and then allows a municipality to collect an administrative monetary penalty (fee) from vehicle owners for speeding. County staff will begin developing the program in 2025, including gathering traffic data and negotiating service agreements, with 2026 targeted for the program’s start subject to Council’s future approval.

PW 2024-36 – Automated Speed Enforcement Program Update

2025 Budget Survey results

Overall, services provided by Oxford County should be maintained at current levels into 2025, according to the results of the 2025 Budget Survey. Areas most often selected for increased service levels were social housing, children’s services, and long-term care (selected by a quarter of respondents for each).

When asked to rate priorities for their communities, affordable housing was ranked #1 across all municipalities. Among services delivered by Oxford County, municipal infrastructure (roads, bridges and stormwater) was rated #4, long-term care #5, and waste management (curbside garbage and recycling collection) #7.

A total of 1,136 people responded to the budget survey this year, with 62% indicating the value they receive for County tax dollars is fair or good, and 24% indicating they receive poor value. More than 650 comments were received through the survey, spanning housing, children’s services, long-term care, paramedic services and roads.

Public engagement on the budget process is intended to offer community input to County Council and staff as they prepare the 2025 business plans and budget. It also presents an opportunity for the County and area municipalities to work together to more efficiently manage the survey process and outreach to residents.

CS 2024-33 – 2025 Budget Engagement Survey | Attachment: Survey summary

Ambulance response times

Oxford County Paramedic Services brings forward its annual response time performance plan next council meeting. While Paramedic Services is currently meeting its ambulance response time targets, with high population growth in Oxford’s communities, provincial targets for acute emergency calls could be impacted in future years. The addition of ambulance hours in Woodstock, supported through the 2024 budget, has had a positive impact on response times this year.

Oxford County paramedics responded to 21,265 emergency calls in 2023, a 10% increase over 2022. Since 2020, emergency call volume has increased by 43.5%.

PS 2024-05: 2025 Land Ambulance Response Time Performance Plan

AAA credit rating for Oxford County

Oxford County maintained its AAA rating in 2024 year based on its strong financial management practices and exceptional liquidity as an organization. The report for the Standard & Poor's Rating cited the County’s disciplined financial management practices, good long-term capital planning, strong budgeting process, and detailed annual operating and capital budgets as factors in maintaining its high credit rating.

CS 2024-34 – Credit Rating Review – 2024

Questions or comments?

Council this Week previews the Oxford County Council meeting agenda for residents, community partners and employees. Please send your questions and comments to communications@oxfordcounty.ca.

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