Agenda and minutes
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Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chairman to report apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Bob Gardner, Lesley Steeds, Stephen Spence, Ernest Mallett, Mark Brett-Warburton, Victoria Young and Graham Ellwood. |
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To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 6 February 2018.
(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 6 February 2018 were submitted, confirmed and signed. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter (i) Any disclosable pecuniary interests and / or (ii) Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting NOTES: · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest · 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) · Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial. Additional documents: Minutes: There were none. |
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CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chairman to report. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman made the following announcements:
· Surrey County Council staff who helped during the snowy period were commended for allowing Surrey to keep moving during the bad weather. It was highlighted that over 2,500 tonnes of salt were put on Surrey roads by 37 gritters.
· The Chairman informed Members that he had attended Mark Roberts Motion Control, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nikon based in Blindley Heath. They were world-leading designers and manufacturers of robotic motion control solutions used in films and television. On the day of the visit they were presented with a Queen’s Award for Innovation by the Duke of Gloucester. The president of Nikon also travelled from Japan especially for the occasion.
· The Chairman paid tribute to Julie Fisher, Deputy Chief Executive, who would be leaving the Council after 11 years of service, and welcomed new Chief Executive, Joanna Killian, to her first Surrey County Council meeting.
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The Leader to make a statement.
There will be an opportunity for Members to ask questions.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader made a detailed statement. A copy of the statement is attached as Appendix 1.
Members raised the following topics:
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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 Democratic Services by 12 noon on Wednesday 14 March 2018).
2. Cabinet Member Briefings on their portfolios
These will be circulated by email to all Members prior to 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 15 questions had been received. The questions and replies were published as a supplementary agenda on 19 March 2018.
It was noted that there was an amended response to question 14 which was tabled at the meeting and is attached to these minutes as Annex 2.
A number of supplementary questions were asked and a summary of the main points is set out below:
(Q1) Mr Evans felt the response he had received was not informative and asked the Leader of the Council how Members were supposed to be game changers without being given useful information. The Leader stated that much of the information was in different forms, such as correspondence or conversations with Members of Parliament.
(Q3) Mr Cooksey was disappointed with the response and asked if the Cabinet Member for Highways could provide some specific information about the repair of cycleways and the funding that would be allocated.
Mr Harris highlighted that the original tweet had been taken out of context and was now deleted.
The Cabinet Member confirmed there was a budget to repair cycleways and that the Council was working with local areas to increase cycle lanes throughout Surrey.
(Q5) Mrs Goodwin asked if the Cabinet Member for Adults and Chairman of the Adults & Health Select Committee would consider inviting Surrey Choices to a Select Committee meeting to explain how the Shared Lives Services was benefiting Surrey’s vulnerable people. She also asked if theywould consider inviting Wiltshire Council to share their view of best practises. The Cabinet Member confirmed he had responded to Mrs Goodwin’s email on the same subject and that he did not have authority over the Adults & Health Select Committee.
(Q7) Mr Essex asked if the Cabinet Member for Health could share the letter from Jeremy Hunt and if they could ask that the annual ring-fencing be reversed so the full benefits of increased Public Health spending in Surrey could be realised. The Cabinet Member said that the Council was asking for proper funding for Public Health and highlighted that prevention was key to maintaining the health of residents.
(Q10) Mr Evans thanked the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport for the response and for drawing attention to a number of issues.He asked if the Cabinet Member would agree that the Council should ask workers to use grass strimmers with care as it was the main cause of hedgehog death.
Mr Essex asked the Cabinet Member what the Council would do to reverse the decrease in hedgehogs in Surrey.
Mrs Angell asked what steps would be taken to ensure that Surrey is placed on the hedgehog roll of honour.
Mrs Muir highlighted that toads were also in danger as there was a 68% decline.
The Cabinet Member invited Members to visit the Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue Centre in Windlesham on 2 May 2018 and urged councillors to encourage their district and borough councils to sign up to a national strimmer awareness campaign. It was noted that Windlesham was the first ... view the full minutes text for item 17/18 |
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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 Democratic Services by 12 noon on Monday 19 March 2018).
Additional documents: Minutes: Three Members made statements:
(i) Mr Andy MacLeod in relation to a retail project in Farnham. (ii) Mr David Mansfield thanked the Highways team on behalf of residents for their response to the recent bad weather. (iii) Dr Zully Grant-Duff thanked the Highways Team for their prompt response to the aftermath of a recent car crash in her division.
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ORIGINAL MOTIONS
Item 8(i)
Mr Stephen Cooksey (Dorking South and the Holmwoods) to move under Standing Order 11 as follows:
This Council welcomes DEFRA's "A consultation on proposals to tackle crime and poor performance in the waste sector & introduce a new fixed penalty for the waste duty of care" document, published in January 2018.
Item 8(ii)
Mr Will Forster (Woking South) to move under Standing Order 11 as follows:
This Council notes that:
1. Last year 170 young people (aged 16 or over) left the care of Surrey County Council and began the difficult transition out of care and into adulthood. 2. Research from The Centre for Social Justice found that over half (57%) of young people leaving care have difficulty managing their money and avoiding debt when leaving care. 3. This Council has statutory corporate parenting responsibilities towards young people who have left care up until the age of 25. 4. The Children and Social Work Act 2017 places corporate parenting responsibilities on district and borough councils for the first time, requiring them to have regard to children in care and care leavers when carrying out their functions.
This Council believes that:
1. To ensure that the transition from care to adult life is as smooth as possible, and to mitigate the chances of care leavers falling into debt as they begin to manage their own finances, the burden of council tax should be relieved until they are 25. 2. Care leavers are a particularly vulnerable group for council tax debt.
This Council, therefore, resolves to use the County Council’s convening powers and expertise in corporate parenting to work with all district and borough councils in Surrey to explore the options for relieving the council tax burden for all care leavers in the County up to the age of 25, sharing any arising costs proportionately.
Item 8 (iii)
Mr Jonathan Essex (Redhill East) to move under Standing Order 11 as follows:
Council notes that according to recent research,
eight million metric tons of plastic waste ends up in the
world’s oceans each year, endangering marine life, and
that there is a growing understanding of the risks posed to
human health by toxic chemicals present in
plastics. Additional documents: Minutes: Item 8(i)
Under Standing Order 12.3 the Council agreed to debate this motion. Under Standing Order 12.1 Mr Stephen Cooksey moved the motion, which was:
‘This Council welcomes DEFRA's "A consultation on proposals to tackle crime and poor performance in the waste sector & introduce a new fixed penalty for the waste duty of care" document, published in January 2018.
Mr Cooksey made the following points:
The motion was formally seconded by David Lee who reserved the right to speak.
Mr Goodman moved an amendment which was formally seconded by Mr O’Reilly.
The amendment was as follows (with additional words underlined and deletions crossed through):
‘This Council welcomes DEFRA's "A consultation on proposals to tackle crime and poor performance in the waste sector & introduce a new fixed penalty for the waste duty of care" document, published in January 2018.
This amendment was not accepted by Mr Cooksey and therefore Mr Goodman spoke to his amendment, making the following points:
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SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL PROGRESS REPORT
To consider the attached report and the matters to which the Deputy Chief Executive draws attention.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader of the Council introduced the report. Members highlighted various aspects of the report and the general feeling of the Chamber was that, following the appointment of the new Chief Executive, it would be beneficial to continue producing a Progress Report.
RESOLVED:
a) To note the report; b) To thank staff for the progress made during the last six months; c) To confirm support for the direction of travel.
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ANNUAL REPORT TO COUNCIL - MEMBER DEVELOPMENT
This report provides an annual overview of the Council’s approach to Member development, so that Members can be assured that the current approach is sufficient, equitable and effective.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman thanked Democratic Services and the Member Development Steering Group for the work done to meet the Charter Plus standard for Member development and support. Members were reassured that the development programme had so far been successful and that they would continue to work to make improvements. Members highlighted various other development schemes including the objective to be paper-light.
RESOLVED:
That the current approach to Member development be endorsed and as it is sufficient, equitable and effective.
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SURREY PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2018/19
The approval of a revised Pay Policy Statement for 2018/2019 and a revision to the Terms of Reference for the People, Performance and Development Committee.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader of the Council introduced the report and asked Members to note that details of the Council’s gender gap and workforce data would be published separately.
RESOLVED:
That:
a) The Pay Policy Statement for 2018 – 2019 be agreed and; b) The revised PPDC Terms of Reference be agreed for inclusion in the Council’s Constitution
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REPORT OF THE CABINET
To receive the report of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 27 February 2018 and to agree one recommendation in respect of the Early Help Strategy.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader presented the report of the Cabinet meetings held on 27 February 2018.
Reports for Information/ Discussion
A) Early Help Strategy
RESOLVED:
That the report of Cabinet be agreed. |
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MINUTES OF CABINET MEETINGS
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 xxxxxxxx
Additional documents: Minutes: No notification had been received by the deadline from Members wishing to raise a question or make a statement on any matters in the minutes. |