Agenda item

The Leader to make a statement.

There will be an opportunity for Members to ask questions and/or make comments.

Rebecca Paul arrived at 10.10 am.

The Leader of the Council made a detailed statement. A copy of the statement is attached as Appendix A.

Members raised the following topics:

·         Introduced himself as the new Liberal Democrats’ Group Leader and noted that his group would be a constructive opposition offering alternatives, working to tackle external and internal challenges.

·         Thanked his predecessor, both a Member and now a Member of Parliament who recognised the challenges faced by the Council and local government.

·         Noted that change was needed nationally to enable counties like Surrey to continue to support its residents, his group would lobby for that change and noted the difficult task ahead by the new Chancellor of the Exchequer having inherited significant public sector debt and underfunded public infrastructure.

·         Noted that Surrey has the power to influence the lives of over one million people, yet devolved powers without funding was a concern.

·         Welcomed the new Chief Executive, new Executive Director - Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships and new Section 151 Officer.

·         Had been educated and lived in Surrey for most of his life and from personal experience, noted that adult health and social care, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) management and the Council’s treatment of parents, carers and children were highly important.

·         Noted his roles as a leader at a town council and borough council governing jointly with other political parties, providing assurance that he would work collaboratively to achieve positive outcomes for residents.

·         Noted the desire for the improvement of the working relationship between the Council and the borough and district councils.

·         Sought greater resident engagement and understanding of the work of local government which should be close to the communities it serves.

·         Stressed the need for robust and viable statutory services to ensure that ‘no one is left behind’.

·         The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated that the funding per person from central government to councils was 46% lower in 2024/25 than it was in 2010.

·         Noted the viscous cycle requiring a huge effort to break regarding the financial strains, less spending on prevention and early intervention, and increasing demand on statutory services; last year’s budget task group called on the Council to intervene early and prevent escalating need.

·         Noted that her rejected budget amendment focused on supporting charities providing such services and addressing inequalities, valuing the third sector was critical to the outcome to residents.

·         Noted the concerns about the capital budget, cost and focus of the borrowing, and affordability of Your Fund Surrey, had queried whether that should have been targeted on areas of deprivation and to SEND schools.

·         Highlighted the silos in the Council, joined up teams were needed concerning Children’s Services and Adult Social Care, asked for a review of the request to have complex caseworkers.

·         Queried whether Digital Demand Responsive Transport (DDRT) was a good use of public money, asked for the better use of community transport systems to be reconsidered providing varied services, reducing carbon emissions and building rural communities.

·         Called for the streamlining of directors to be reviewed in the budget.

·         Noted the need to learn from mistakes and improve, preventing issues from reoccurring, ensuring long-term solutions.

·         Noted that frontline staff know where the inefficiencies are, their views and concerns as well as Members’ must be heard; eliminating duplication was vital working with third sector partners and foster carers.

·         Noted that despite the planning permission for oil drilling at Horse Hill being quashed, the oil company continued to produce oil there, asked the Leader whether that was unacceptable and was contrary to the climate targets.

·         Asked the Leader to request that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Deputy Prime Minister should help Surrey deliver affordable homes on council sites rather than helping developers build on Surrey’s countryside.

·         Noted that Home to School Travel Assistance and SEND placements were huge concerns, queried why it took over ten days to respond to cases.

·         Asked whether the Leader would commit to implementing the task force recommendations now, it was unacceptable that children with autism for example travel hours to get to school without assistance. 

·         Noted that instead of cutting discretionary funding for Home to School Transport, called for the full quota of school age and post-16 years old SEND places needed, to be delivered within budget.

·         Referring to the devolution agreement for Surrey, asked the Leader how he envisaged the Council’s compulsory purchase powers for housing and regeneration purposes would be used, using brownfield land and grey belt sites.

·         Regarding the Council’s powers around the Adult Education Budget to secure appropriate facilities for further education for adults, asked the Leader what he envisaged residents could expect.

·         Asked whether the Leader had considered forming economies of scale with neighbours regarding fiscal devolution.

·         Welcomed that the Leader would not defend the indefensible regarding the long-running issues and hoped that there would be genuine action on SEND and provision for children on Home to School Transport.

·         Noted that whilst there were national issues, there were Surrey dimensions to the problem, highlighted a teenager that missed school having had to involve lawyers to get the Council to produce their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), that EHCP was subsequently reviewed.

·         Noted that it was unfair that pupils in Surrey were unable to access facilities in the county that neighbouring counties were sending their children to.

·         Noted that families were being forced to fight the Council to get a decision to be made, decisions were made late with too much bureaucracy.

·         Noted that a large problem in rural areas was the lack of commercial bus services, thanked the Leader for the roll out of DDRT which had transformed that situation, urged for that service to be publicised more.

·         Regarding the ability for local government in England to franchise bus services, asked whether the Leader had discussed the matter with the Government on using those powers to improve access for residents and address duplication.