Agenda and minutes
PDF 58 KBVenue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN
Contact: Anne Gowing 020 8541 9938
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chairman to report apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Mrs Barton, Mrs Coleman, Mrs Hammond, Mrs Lallement, Mr Page, Mr Pitt, Mr Sydney, Mrs Thomson and Mr Witham. |
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To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 9 December 2014.
(Note: the Minutes, including the appendices, will be laid on the table half an hour before the start of the meeting).
Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 9 December 2014 were submitted, confirmed and signed. |
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CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chairman to report.
A list of Her Majesty the Queen’s New Year Honour’s List 2015 is included within the agenda papers. The Chairman has written letters of congratulations to all those who have received awards for services to Surrey communities. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman made the following announcements:
(i) Her Majesty the Queen’s New Year Honours List: A list was included within the agenda. He informed Members that he had written letters of congratulations to those who had received awards for services to Surrey communities.
(ii) Related Party Disclosures – he reminded Members, that it was a legal requirement to complete their forms and return them to Finance by the deadline in March.
(iii) That he was sponsoring the Charity Concert on 18 March 2015 for Keepout and the Yehudi Menuhin School and he urged Members to support this event.
(iv) He presented the Quality Mark plaque from the National Youth Agency to Gemma Rutter and Leigh Middleton from the Services for Young People, Schools and Families. This had been awarded at ‘Ambitious’ level, which is equivalent to the Ofsted grading of ‘outstanding’ for their work in Addlestone. Mr Furey, the local Member was invited to say a few words in support of this achievement.
(v) He also presented Dominic Forbes, Planning and Development Group Manager with the ‘See Further, Go Further Award 2015’ which Surrey County Council had achieved in the Building Partnerships category, for recognition of the partnership approach to the school expansion programme. Ms Le Gal, Cabinet Member for Business Services was invited to say a few words in support of this achievement. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
NOTES:
· Each Member must declare any interest that is disclosable under the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, unless it is already listed for that Member in the Council’s Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests. · As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner). · If the interest has not yet been disclosed in that Register, the Member must, as well as disclosing it at the meeting, notify the Monitoring Officer of it within 28 days. · If a Member has a disclosable interest, the Member must not vote or speak on the agenda item in which it arises, or do anything to influence other Members in regard to that item.
Additional documents: Minutes: There were none. |
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Revenue and Capital Budget 2015/16 to 2019/20 and Treasury Management Strategy
To approve: 1. the draft revenue and capital budgets for the five years 2015-20;
2. the level of the council tax precept for 2015/16; and 3. the revised treasury management strategy, including the borrowing and operation limits (prudential indicators) for 2015-20, the policy for the provision of the repayment of debt (minimum revenue provision (MRP)) and the treasury management policy. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman said that the papers for this item were included in the agenda and the supplementary report of the Cabinet circulated last week, which included details of the final Local Government Finance settlement. He asked Members to note that the recommendations before them today, numbered (1) to (16) were set out in the Council agenda papers.
He said that the debate on the Budget would be conducted, in accordance with the County Council’s Standing Orders.
The Leader presented the Report of the Cabinet on the Revenue and Capital Budget 2015/16 to 2019/20, the Council Tax Requirement for 2015/16 and the Treasury Management Strategy and made a statement in support of the proposed budget. A copy of the Leader’s statement is attached as Appendix A.
The Director of Finance presented her report to Council. A copy of her statement is attached as Appendix B.
Each of the Minority Group Leaders (Mrs Watson, Mr Harrison and Mr Johnson) were invited to speak on the budget proposals.
Key points made by Mrs Watson were:
· Support for the level of Council Tax increase proposed but opposition to the Budget as a whole · Referred to specific budget pressures including the additional school places required and also pressures within the Adult Social Care budget · Proposed that some budget savings could be made by deleting Cabinet Associate posts, stopping the publication and circulation of Surrey Matters, removing unused office space from the County’s property portfolio and using the untouched earmarked reserves · Considered that the cuts to the youth service budget was a short sighted approach and that this reduction could have been funded from the additional funding received as part of the final Local Government Finance Settlement · Proposed other alternatives, such as funding front line services by reducing back office support · Considered that this budget lacked detail. · Finally, she requested a separate vote on recommendations (8) – (10)
Key points made by Mr Harrison were:
· Highlighted the budget pressures and the need to request a council tax uplift of 1.99% for 2015/16 · Agreed it was not the year to accept the council tax freeze grant · Considered that there was not sufficient information in the Budget report, in relation to the savings required · Highlighted Appendix 1 of the report, which set out details of the steps taken by the County Council to reduce unit costs · Referred to the savings target for 2015/16 and the budget proposal to eliminate the risk contingency · Expressed disappointment that a list of savings proposals, and how they would be achieved, had not been presented to all Members · That there was a need to look at the overall headcount because there had been an increase over the last 12 months · That by agreeing to the overall budget today, the detail of it would have to be taken on trust
Mr Kington moved an amendment, to the Budget recommendations, which was formally seconded by Mr Harrison. This was the addition of this following recommendation:
‘Requests that as a priority the Leader and Cabinet ... view the full minutes text for item 5/15 |
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MEMBERS' QUESTION TIME
(1) The Leader of the Council or the appropriate Member of the Cabinet or the Chairman of a Committee to answer any questions on any matter relating to the powers and duties of the County Council, or which affects the county.
(Note: Notice of questions in respect of the above item on the agenda must be given in writing, preferably by e-mail, to Anne Gowing in Democratic Services by 12 noon on Wednesday 4 February 2015).
(2) Cabinet Member Briefings on their portfolios
These will be circulated by email to all Members on the day before the County Council meeting, together with the Members’ questions and responses.
There will be an opportunity for Members to ask questions.
Additional documents: Minutes: Notice of four questions had been received. The questions and replies are attached as Appendix C.
A number of supplementary questions were asked and a summary of the main points is set out below:
(Q1) Mr Robert Evans asked the Cabinet Member for Community Services to clarify both what the extenuating circumstances at the proposed site were and also the level of success of the recruitment campaign for ‘on-call fire-fighters’.
Mr Jenkins referred to a letter from one of his residents relating to their application for employment as an ‘on-call fire-fighter’ and asked for confirmation on whether both the scheme and Option 5 had been suspended. He also asked for confirmation about the suitability of the site.
The Cabinet Member for Community Services said that at this stage, she was unable to add anything further beyond what she had said in her written reply and said that a report on Spelthorne Fire Station was expected to be submitted to Cabinet in late spring 2015.
(Q3) Mr Essex referred to the second point in his question and asked the Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning for confirmation on whether the Education Secretary had been consulted on the proposed change of status for Oxted School. The Cabinet Member said that the County Council would be a consultee if the Governing Body of the school decided to proceed with an application to the Department for Education for change of status and that the Local Authority would respond at that point.
(Q4) Mr Beckett considered that the written response provided had not answered his questions and requested that Members be kept informed of any proposals affecting Sure Start Centres in their divisions.
Mr Townsend, Mr Robert Evans and Mr Kington all expressed concern about the uncertainty surrounding the future of some Sure Start Centres and the consultation process currently in place.
The Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning said that there would be some difficult decisions to be made but she was committed to providing a first class Children’s Services. She confirmed that divisional Members would be advised of any changes to provision in their areas before any decisions were made public and confirmed that the criteria for selecting any centres for closure had now been circulated to all Members. She said that any decision on change of provision would be made at a future Cabinet meeting. Finally, she said that she would discuss with Mr Kington, his concerns about the consultation process at his local Sure Start Centre, outside the meeting.
Cabinet Member briefings on their portfolios are attached as Appendix D.
Mr Mallett asked the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Flooding for details of the schemes being submitted for the Challenge Fund. The Cabinet Member said that, as the date for submission had only been the day before (9 February), he would advise Mr Mallett outside the meeting. |
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STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS
Any Member may make a statement at the meeting on a local issue of current or future concern.
(Note: Notice of statements must be given in writing, preferably by e-mail, to Anne Gowing in Democratic Services by 12 noon on Monday 9 February 2015).
Additional documents: Minutes: There were three local Member statements:
(i) Mr Robert Evans concerning a road fatality in his division. (ii) Mr Nick Skellett concerning Oxted School (iii) Mrs Helena Windsor concerning Oxted School |
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REPORT OF THE CABINET
To receive the report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 16 December 2014 and 3 February 2015 and to agree two recommendations in respect of:
(i) Confident in Surrey’s Future, Corporate Strategy 2015 – 2020
(ii) Revised Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (MWDS)
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader presented the reports of the Cabinet meetings held on 16 December 2014 and 3 February 2015.
(1) Statements / Updates from Cabinet Members
The Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning referred to her statement relating to the Youth Collective, Surrey County Council’s newly formed Youth Parliament, which had been included in the agenda papers.
(2) Recommendations on Policy Framework Documents
A Confident in Surrey’s Future, Corporate Strategy 2015 – 2020
The Leader of the Council said that the Corporate Strategy clearly set out the Council’s priorities for 2015/20.
Members made the following points:
· That the Corporate Strategy was an important document that underpinned everything that the Council did · This one page document had captured the Council’s clear sense of purpose and direction · It set out the Surrey Values of: Listen, Responsibility, Trust and Respect · It was a five year plan which only set out goals for 2015/16 (However, this was due to funding uncertainty in future years) · That the Plan should be shared widely – with Borough / District / Parish Councils and Residents Associations
RESOLVED:
That Confident in Surrey’s Future, the Corporate Strategy 2015 - 2020, as set out in Appendix 1 to the submitted report, be agreed.
B Revised Minerals and Waste Development Scheme
Mr Mallett asked that paper copies of all relevant documents be made available in the Members’ Resources Room – the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning agreed to this request.
Mr Beardsmore highlighted his concerns relating to minerals extraction in Spelthorne and said that he would not support the revised Minerals and Waste Development Scheme. He requested that his vote against it was recorded.
The Chairman of the Planning and Regulatory Committee said that this document was about the process and not the Plan and stressed the importance of it to all Members.
Members were asked to vote – 63 Members voted for it, 3 Members voted against it (including Mr Beardsmore who had requested that his vote against the revised scheme was recorded) and there were 7 abstentions.
Therefore, it was:
RESOLVED:
That the revised Minerals and Waste Development Scheme, as set out in Appendix 2 to the submitted report, be approved.
(3) Reports for Information / Discussion
The following reports were received and noted:
· Surrey Local Flood Risk Management Strategy · Agreement with Surrey Wildlife Trust for the management of the County Council’s Countryside Estate · Quarterly Report on Decisions taken under Special Urgency Arrangements: 1 October – 31 December 2014
RESOLVED:
That the report of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 16 December 2014 and 3 February 2015 be adopted.
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Amendments to the Constitution
This report sets out changes to the executive functions set out in the Scheme of Delegation. They specifically refer to new delegations relating to the roundabout sponsorship scheme, trading standards cross border investigations and prosecutions and the Basingstoke Canal Joint Management Committee. These changes are brought to Council for information and do not require formal approval.
Additional documents: Minutes: This report set out changes to executive functions set out in the Scheme of Delegation relating to the roundabout sponsorship scheme, Trading Standards cross border investigations and prosecutions and the Basingstoke Canal Joint Management Committee.
RESOLVED:
That the amendments agreed by the Leader of the Council to the Scheme of Delegations be noted. |
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Minutes of the Meetings of Cabinet
Any matters within the minutes of the Cabinet’s meetings, and not otherwise brought to the Council’s attention in the Cabinet’s report, may be the subject of questions and statements by Members upon notice being given to Anne Gowing in Democratic Services by 12 noon on Monday 9 February 2015.
Additional documents: Minutes: No notification had been received from Members wishing to raise a question or make a statement on any matters in the minutes, by the deadline. |