Issue - meetings

Two reports were received from:

a)    Moving Closer to Residents Task Group (Resources & Performance Select Committee) – linked to items 10 & 14 on the agenda.

b)    Surrey’s Greener Future Task Group (Communities, Environment & Highways Select Committee).

The Cabinet response to the reports was published in the supplementary agenda.

Two reports were received from:

a)    Moving Closer to Residents Task Group (Resources & Performance Select Committee) – linked to items 10 & 14 on the agenda.

b)    Surrey’s Greener Future Task Group (Communities, Environment & Highways Select Committee).

The Cabinet response to the reports was published in the supplementary agenda.

The items were discussed in reverse order.

b)    Surrey’s Greener Future Task Group

Mr John O’Reilly, Chairman of the Communities, Environment & Highways Select Committee commended the report to Cabinet.  Mr Andy MacLeod, Chairman of the Greener Future Task Group described some of the ways in which the Task Group had worked together, and sought evidence, which he thought had worked very well.  He also gave examples of the most useful witnesses

Mr Jonathan Essex, who was also part of the Task Group, explained how this was only the foundation work and that much more was needed to be done in order to meet the scale of the challenge.  He called for a plan be set out describing the scale of the challenge and funds needed in order to address those challenges.  He also wanted this to move beyond the emissions of council buildings and services.

In response the Cabinet Member for Environment & Waste spoke of the need to work with the government on developing a clear national strategy and action plan as Surrey County could not do it alone and referred the Members to the Cabinet response to the report. 

a)    Moving Closer to Residents Task Group

Mr Will Forster, Chairman of the Task Group, presented the report and asked when the independent valuation would be available.  He also spoke of the need to support staff properly and that lessons should be learned from other councils who had taken on agile working. He also sought assurance that proceeds from the sale of County Hall would cover the cost of the refit of the new building

The Leader of the Council responded that the independent valuation was expected by 9 December when it would go to the Task Group. He also reiterated that agile working not so much about moving to Woking but more on flexibility and agility and there would be support for staff.  He went on to say that advice had been taken from other councils and a Member Reference Group had been set up and that there were other benefits to the move apart from capital receipts such as reduction in carbon footprint and the cost of running the building.