Agenda and minutes
PDF 204 KBVenue: Woodhatch Place, 11 Cockshot Hill, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 8EF
Contact: Amelia Christopher Email: amelia.christopher@surreycc.gov.uk
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chair to report apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Nick Harrison, David Harmer (remote), John Robini, Becky Rush.
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To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 12 December 2023.
Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 12 December 2023 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: Rachael Lake declared a non-pecuniary interest noting that her son works for Surrey County Council.
Keith Witham declared a non-pecuniary interest noting that his daughter works for Surrey County Council in the Finance department.
Bernie Muir declared a non-pecuniary interest noting that her son works for Surrey Choices.
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CHAIR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Donations to Surrey Charities Whilst Christmas now seems a rather distant memory, I am pleased to announce that, instead of hosting a Christmas Reception, I donated much-needed funds to several Surrey charities that help some of our most vulnerable and at-risk residents. As you know, my theme for my chairmanship is ‘Celebrating Diverse Communities’ and I therefore selected a number of charities that do fantastic and vital work within Surrey’s diverse communities. Furthermore, as we are all too aware, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for many individuals and families facing homelessness and poverty and I therefore donated to foodbanks and homeless charities across the county. We have had some heartfelt feedback and I am humbled to know that among others, donations ensured that many were given a hot meal and a warm bed over the festive period.
Thank You to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) On Christmas Day, I visited Surrey’s Fire Stations in Guildford, Painshill and Woking to not only wish the firefighters and staff a very ‘Merry Christmas’ but also to thank them on behalf of Members for all they do to keep us safe all year round, particularly on those special days when most of us are relaxing and having fun with family and friends. They do an incredible job and it was a privilege to spend time with them and boost morale.
King’s New Year Honours I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to the Surrey residents who were honoured in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours. Our great county is home to exceptional residents who have made a significant and often immeasurable difference to the lives of many Surrey residents.
A particular ‘well done’ to Surrey County Councillor Rachael Lake, who received an Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to the community in Walton-on-Thames. Very many congratulations to you Rachael - your residents are lucky to have you.
Please find the list of Surrey New Year Honours 2024 here: New Year Honours List 2024 - Surrey Lieutenancy
Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 On 26 January we marked Holocaust Memorial Day to remember and pay respects to all those who suffered so horrendously at the hands of Nazi Germany.
Members and officers gathered at Woodhatch Place to hear from Councillor Paul Deach, who spoke so movingly about his experiences of growing up in a Jewish household in Manchester. We reflected on the Holocaust and other genocides that have taken place over the years and we lit candles in remembrance of those who perished.
To find out more, please visit Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (hmd.org.uk) ... view the full agenda text for item 4/24 Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair:
· Congratulated the Surrey residents who were honoured in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours; including Surrey County Councillor Rachael Lake, who received an Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to the community in Walton-on-Thames. · Reported the death of former County Councillor Daphne Plaskow, she represented the Walton-on-Thames division between 1985-1989. · Highlighted the social media drop-in session for Members with the Communications and Engagement team. · Noted his thanks to the Chief Executive, Joanna Killian who would be leaving Surrey County Council on 6 March, and wished her luck in her new position as the Chief Executive of the Local Government Association. · Celebrated the launch of the Super Access service at Horley Library. · Noted that the rest of his announcements could be found in the agenda.
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2024/25 FINAL BUDGET AND MEDIUM-TERM FINANCIAL STRATEGY TO 2028/29
Council is asked to approve the 2024/25 Final Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy to 2028/29.
There will be an opportunity for Members to ask questions and/or make comments.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader presented the 2024/25 Final Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy to 2028/29 and made a statement in support of the proposed budget.
A copy of the Leader’s budget statement is attached as Appendix A.
Edward Hawkins arrived at 10.22 am.
Each of the Minority Group Leaders (Will Forster, Catherine Powell, Jonathan Essex and Robert Evans OBE) were invited to speak on the budget proposals.
Key points made by Will Forster were that:
· Thanked the Leader and officers for their hard work on the budget despite the cuts to local government by the Government, high borrowing costs, cost of living pressures and the short-term funding settlement. · Noted that councils had to do more for less having lost one quarter of their funding in the past eight years, there was a £5.8 billion shortfall in the coming financial year. · Called for fairer funding, stressed that the Government cannot continue to neglect local government, it would leave crises for years to come. · Feared that the budget repeated past failures in not spending money properly and with multiple inefficiencies. · Noted disappointment in the MySurrey project with a £10 million overspend, equivalent to residents paying an additional 1% on Council Tax. · Noted that the Council spent £500,000 on compensation for pothole damage and redress payments concerning Education, Health and Care Plans(EHCPs) because it did not get things right the first time; that money could have funded Short Breaks services. · Noted that the Council spent at least £19,000 in legal fees regarding the High Court’s Judicial Review into the Council's decision not to house a child in need, that money could have been spent on supporting vulnerable residents. · Noted that whilst the Council would use some reserves to bolster its services it had £150 million in reserves, noted that it was difficult to explain that amount of money not being spent on potholes or Home to School Transport. · Queried how viable and realistic the budget is as last year the Council did not achieve all the planned efficiencies.
Key points made by Catherine Powell were that:
· Acknowledged that the Leader had worked hard to lobby the Government for greater funding for local authorities, yet the response had been frustrating. · Noted that the Council needed to be realistic in its approach and stressed that the greatest need should be targeted, focusing on those being left behind. · Noted that due to the long-term lack of investment in targeted prevention, early intervention and support, need has escalated in Children’s Services and Adult Social Care increasing demand for crisis and statutory services, despite that there had been a decrease in public health funding for local government. · Noted that nationally, family hubs were being rolled out in areas of high deprivation, but there was nothing in Surrey. · Noted that in terms of their education it would take children from areas of high deprivation ten years to recover from the impacts of the pandemic; children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) were impacted badly by delays to the EHCP ... view the full minutes text for item 5/24 |
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MEMBERS' QUESTION TIME
The Leader of the Council, the Deputy Leader 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 31 January 2024).
Additional documents: Minutes: Paul Follows and Penny Rivers left the meeting at 13.00 pm.
Questions:
Notice of thirteen questions had been received. The questions and replies were published in the supplementary agenda (items 5i and 6) on 5 February 2024.
A number of supplementary questions were asked and a summary of the main points is set out below:
(Q1) Joanne Sextonreferred to the second paragraph of the response around the trial of the machinery and regarding the wording of ‘they felt’ and ‘we do not believe’, she asked the Cabinet Member to confirm why the advantages and disadvantages were not included in his response. She requested a detailed report as to why the Council was not proceeding with the innovative idea and to confirm how it was evaluated and analysed.
The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth noted that there was a detailed report and he would check with the Highways Laboratory regarding whether it could be shared with Members. The JCB Pothole Pro was found to be more suited to wider surfacing repairs and that had not achieved better results than existing machinery, there were concerns around the compacting of the material and need for additional transportation to move it across Surrey.
(Q3) Will Forster asked whether the Cabinet Member could let Members know when the final costs are agreed with the aggrieved family.
The Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong Learning would provide that information.
(Q4) Hazel Watsonreferred to the problems with issuing paper parking permits for visitors with only twenty-eight residents applying for those, and asked what was being done to monitor and to ensure that all residents who want paper permits get them. She also asked when the Council's website would be updated on the application process.
The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth noted that he would talk to officers about updating the website, there was also a phone number available. He noted that residents were written to about the changes to the contract. He explained that the team could look at SFRS’ vulnerable list to determine whether other people needed to be contacted on the matter. The team would be happy to contact any other residents that required assistance.
(Q5) Stephen Cooksey noted that as it was a statutory requirement, he sought assurance that the information would be published as soon as received.
Chris Townsend referred to the last sentence of the response that monthly reports on local enforcement activity were being sent to Members,he noted that those reports did not include information on enforcement around schools and he sought assurance that it would be included.
The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth responded to Stephen Cooksey noting that once received that information would be published and it would be included in the monthly update, he noted that some of the borough and district councils had not provided the information requested. Responding to Chris Townsend he noted that the schools programme would be added into the monthly ... view the full minutes text for item 6/24 |
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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 5 February 2024). Additional documents: Minutes: Rachael Lake (Walton) made a statement on a new free school with 950 pupils which had nearly completed its improvement works, it had successfully admitted its second intake. Opposite that free school there would be a new Special Educational Needs school and those places were desperately needed. There had initially been problems around the improvement works to the free school but those had been eliminated through the communication and reassurance provided to residents by BAM Construction; she had not received any complaints in the last nine months.
Maureen Attewell (Laleham and Shepperton) made a statement on the recent flooding in her division, she shared her immense gratitude and appreciation to all those that played a vital role in the collective response. Residents of Abbeyfields had been helped by the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service to evacuate their homes on 8 January. In response, Spelthorne Borough Council opened a rest centre in Shepperton and the Adult Social Care service was notified and service managers assessed the needs of the residents in a caring way and provided reassurance.
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REPORT OF THE PEOPLE, PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
A. Appointment of Interim Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service: to approve the appointment of an Interim Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service.
B. Appointment of Interim Section 151 Officer: to approve the appointment of an Interim Section 151 Officer.
Additional documents: Minutes: As Chairman of the People, Performance and Development Committee, the Leader introduced the report.
RESOLVED:
1. Appointed Leigh Whitehouse as Interim Chief Executive and Head of the Council’s paid service of Surrey County Council with effect from 7 March 2024. 2. Appointed Anna D’Alessandro as Interim Statutory Section 151 Officer with effect from 7 March 2024.
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County Council is invited to consider the Independent Remuneration Panel’s report on the review of Members’ Allowances for 2024 - 25 and the Panel’s resulting recommendations. Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader introduced the report noting that regarding recommendation 6 for the Council to consider lobbying the Government to reinstate the right to vote remotely, that had recently been debated in the House of Commons and was rejected.
Regarding recommendation 8 the Leader proposed the following amendment with additional words in bold/underlined:
That the council provides a one-off payment to members in May 2025 for bespoke IT solutions. The payment would be to cover a four year term of office but would not be repeated should the member be re-elected.
Regarding recommendation 9 the Leader proposed the following amendment with deletions crossed through:
That the payment be
The Leader acknowledged that in the current term of office some Members might have incurred additional costs by buying a computer screen for example and therefore there was the flexibility for any Member to claim that payment, however if re-elected they would not be able to claim that payment again.
RESOLVED:
Relating to the Basic Allowance
1. That the Council continues with the 2020 recommendation of linking the basic allowance to the CPI. This should be adjusted on the 1st of April each year. 2. That the increase in basic allowance is capped at the level of the average staff salary increase if this is lower than the CPI.
Relating to Special Responsibility Allowances
3. That the Council continues with the 2020 recommendation of linking any increase to SRAs to the CPI. This should be adjusted on the 1st of April each year. 4. That the increase in SRAs is capped at the average level of the staff salary increase if this is lower than the CPI.
Relating to Inclusivity
5. That the Council conducts an audit of its meeting schedule with a specific focus on mandatory in-person attendance and any need for the meeting to be during the working day or on a particular day. 6. That the Council considers lobbying Central Government to reinstate the right to vote remotely, as was utilised during the COVID pandemic.
Relating to Expenses and food provision
7. That the Council retains its existing subsistence and expenses framework including the provision of a lunch for appropriate meetings.
Relating to Hybrid Working
8. That the council provides a one-off payment to members in May 2025 for bespoke IT solutions. The payment would be to cover a four year term of office but would not be repeated should the member be re-elected. 9. That the payment be £300.
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AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
It is the Council’s responsibility to approve changes to the Council’s Constitution.
This report sets out proposed changes to Part 2 – Articles of the Constitution. These are brought to Council for formal approval in accordance with Article 4.04(b) and Article 13.01 of the Council’s Constitution.
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair noted the proposed changes to Part 2 – Articles of the Constitution.
RESOLVED:
1. Approved the amendments to Part 2 of the Constitution as set out in this report.
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REPORT OF THE CABINET
To receive the report of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 11 December 2023, 19 December 2023 and 30 January 2024.
(Note: report to follow)
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader presented the report of the Cabinet meetings held on 11 December 2023, 19 December 2023 and 30 January 2024.
Recommendations on Policy Framework Documents:
30 January 2024
A. 2024/25 Final Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy to 2028/29
RESOLVED:
That the recommendations regarding this item had already been approved under item 5.
B. Admission Arrangements for Surrey's Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools for September 2025
RESOLVED:
Approved the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools, including the Published Admission Numbers (PANs), for September 2025 as set out in Annex 1 and its appendices.
Reports for Information/Discussion
11 December 2023:
C. Local Area Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) Inspection Outcome and Actions
19 December 2023:
D. Special Guardian and Foster Care Remuneration E. A New Draft Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy and 20 mph Speed Limit Policy F. Acquisition of Corporate Office Hub in Northwest Surrey
30 January 2024:
G. Strategic Investment Board Annual Report - Financial Year 2022/23
H. Quarterly Report on Decisions Taken Under Special Urgency Arrangements: 5 December 2023 – 2 February 2024
RESOLVED:
1. Noted that there had been no urgent decisions since the last Cabinet report to Council. 2. Adopted the report of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 11 December 2023, 19 December 2023 and 30 January 2024.
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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 Democratic Services by 12 noon on Monday 5 February 2024.
(Note: to follow: Minutes, Cabinet - 30 January 2024)
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.
The Chair thanked the Finance team for proposing a sustainable budget.
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