Agenda item

The Leader to make a statement.

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

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

Members raised the following topics:

·         Noted condolences to Mark Sugden’s family and friends.

·         Congratulated to new Chair and Vice-Chair, and thanked the outgoing Chair.

·         Thanked and noted support to officers who were facing uncertainty as a result of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). 

·         Noted residents’ concerns around LGR and no local elections in May 2025 and highlighted concerns about debt and the effect on services.

·         Stressed that the next few years would bring unparalleled change for Surrey.

·         Noted that whilst preparing for LGR the Council must continue to provide services, the demand and financial pressures regarding statutory services was continuing to rise due to the lack of prevention and early intervention funding, and cost of living crisis and employer National Insurance Contributions.  

·         Noted some push back from contractors as they could not absorb all the costs assumed in the Council’s budget, charities and the voluntary sector were trying to fill gaps but funding was inadequate.

·         Urged Members to read the National Council for Voluntary Organisations report ‘The Road Ahead 2025’.

·         Noted that the Government would decide on the number of unitary councils in Surrey and asked whether the Leader would ensure that the LGR Equality Impact Assessment is corrected and submitted to the Government.

·         Noted that the debt issue must be resolved, Woking Borough Council’s financing costs were £171 million and its services had been cut, asked whether the services provided in the unitary council - in which Woking would be located - would be reduced to that level.

·         Glad that those working in Children’s Services celebrated the recent Ofsted Inspecting Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACS) report (March 2025) ‘good’ rating, looked forward to further improvements.

·         Noted concern regarding SEND, the Government’s strategy that more children need to be educated in mainstream settings with £740 million allocated might work in some areas; but the proposals do not address the increasing size of schools, which have challenges in being inclusive.

·         Called for an open conversation about the lack of appropriate Key Stage Transfer places in September for children, about communication and working with all stakeholders, there were empty schools and closed private schools that could be converted into SEND schools.

·         Hoped all that Members would have the opportunity to be fully engaged to resolve the urgent issues, to provide the strongest footing for the new unitary councils.

·         Asked the Leader to publish the full set of questions and answers by the online panel of residents.

·         Urged all to adhere to the Nolan Principles.

·         Stressed the need to scrutinise SEND sufficiency in each part of Surrey, to limit the reliance on alternative provision and long-distance Home to School Transport.

·         Noted that Surrey’s Council Tax raising powers do not match Surrey’s wealth inequalities; with a higher cost of living harder for those on low income or in need such as children Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET).

·         Asked the Leader to lobby the Government for a wider reset as part of the Fair Funding Review, to rethink Council Tax raising powers and extend what the Government mandates and funds councils to do, such as prevention and early intervention across a number of areas.

·         Congratulated the Leader in his re-election.

·         Referred to the 56,000 potholes filled over the last year and asked how many more were to be filled.

·         Asked the Leader for assurance that the large number of temporary traffic lights would be addressed.

·         Asked the Leader to place on record Members’ appreciation of Children’s Services staff, the Ofsted ILACS report recognised the service’s leadership and was a testament to the hard work of staff to improve frontline practice.

·         Asked for the Leader to note the references in the Ofsted ILACS report that staff put children at the heart of their work, knew and understood them well, built positive relationships, and worked in a sensitive and respectful way; demonstrating the positive impact that service improvements were making.

·         Welcomed the reference to the work by the Streetworks Taskforce and the fourteen utility companies involved.

·         Thanked the Leader for referencing lobbying letters to the Department for Transport (DfT) regarding the legal definition of emergency works and asked whether the Leader could share a reply from DfT.

·         Referred to a comment in the Ofsted ILACS report that many children achieve permanence via long-term fostering which gives them a sense of belonging, asked whether the Leader could comment on Foster Carers’ commitment, the support they receive from the service, and how that could be developed.

·         Noted that the Council was determined to deliver in the areas that matter the most to residents, to recognise the improvements made to roads, pavements and rights of way despite being one of the busiest networks in the country.

·         Noted that the Leader engaged a rapid response task and finish group to improve the standards and condition of the highways network, with increased resources and investment.

·         Highlighted that verges were regularly cut and well-managed, road markings and lines were being repainted, pavements and footpaths maintained, reporting streamlined and simplified for residents, gullies cleaned, potholes repaired, utilities work monitored and permits controlled; that focus would continue.

·         Acknowledged the problems of SEND provision and noted that those were being tackled, referred to the Ofsted ILACS report which commented on the improvements achieved through skilled leadership and that the consistency of practice had improved across the county; congratulated the Executive Director and the service for their work.

·         Congratulated the Your Fund Surrey scheme which had been transformational to communities.