Decisions

The Leader of the Council:

Determined the statutory notices to agree the proposal to close St Mary’s C of E Infant School and transfer its pupils to Puttenham C of E Infant School or an alternative preferred school from September 2025.

Footway slurry seal is a low-cost preventative maintenance treatment used to extend the life of a footway, and is included as one of a number of services covered under the existing Surrey County Council (‘SCC’) Highways Term Maintenance Contract.

The Footway Repair Treatment Programme has a relatively high profile as footway condition is often more prominent to local residents and communities and the impact of completed work (to the expected standard) is well received and creates positive outcomes in those areas.

Footway Slurry is a weather dependent treatment and the window for delivery closes early to late November and doesn’t reopen until early March, and there are limited providers of this specific treatment.

The intention of this award of contract is to increase a specialist resource in the SCC delivery programme, and to reduce the potential risks of delays to the programme, including deterioration of the footways if not surface treated at this time.

Decision made:

It was AGREED that:

1.A contract with an initial term of 9 months, from 1^st July 2025 to 30^th March 2026, would be awarded to a specialist contractor to support the SCC Footway Repair Treatment Programme.

2.The contract would have a discretionary 12-month extension period, from 1^st April 2026 to 31^st March 2027.

RESOLVED:

1. That SIB agree the Connect2Surrey business plan prepared by the company and reviewed by the Shareholder Investment Panel (SHIP).
2. For SHIP to review the fee structure and overheads of Connect2Surrey.
3. For Connect2Surrey to maximise the opportunities that Local Government Reorganisation brings.

Reasons for Decisions:

To ensure the company business plan is aligned with the company’s agreed strategy and the Council’s investment strategy.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee)

RESOLVED:

          I.        For SIB to approve the continuation of the existing governance arrangements. Noting that an updated governance proposal paper will be brought to SIB later in 2025.

         II.        For SIB to approve the strategic principles set out below:

a.    Investments must either deliver a favourable financial return or provide a service.

b.    Services provided to the Council by LATCO’s must be subject to some form of procurement or soft market testing on an appropriate cycle for that service, with the award of contracts being based primarily on quality, value for money and other typical procurement criteria.  Services should not rely on Teckal exemptions without any comparison to alternative services.

c.     Investments for the purposes of trading or general commercial investment should produce a financial return that demonstrates financial benefits above the opportunity cost of investment and an agreed risk premium. 

d.    Risk monitoring should be in place for each LATCO, reviewed at company Board level at least quarterly, and summarised for higher level risks at the Shareholder Investment Panel (SHIP) and SIB twice per year as part of formal reporting.

e.    Additional consideration should be given in 2025/26 and 2026/27 to potential forthcoming changes to circumstances due to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

f.      The strategy of each LATCO should be refreshed at least every 3 years, in addition to annual business plans.  These are to be reviewed by SHIP and approved by SIB.

Reasons for Decisions:

• To ensure there is a transparent and effective governance process in place.
• To ensure investments deliver either a financial benefit or service benefit to the Council.

This decision record sets out the key information for publication on the decision by the Executive Director for Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships to approve expenditure for a Your Fund Surrey project located in Tandridge. The agreed recommendations are set out below and details of the project are set out in a decision report attached as an Annexe to this record.

Decision made:

It was AGREED to:

Fund the full amount requested of £42,363 (out of a total project cost £44,863, 94%), comprised of:

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet endorses the School Organisation Plan 2025 which will meet our statutory duties to ensure that there are sufficient high-quality places for pupils in Surrey and refer it to Council to approve its publication.

Reasons for Decisions:

The School Organisation Plan is a key document used by schools and education stakeholders in considering medium- and long-term plans. Sufficiency of high-quality school places is a key statutory duty and underpins a great education for all and therefore, it is necessary to review the plan to ensure that the best and most up to date information is published for use in this process. This will encourage collaborative and collegiate planning and will provide greater transparency and understanding to local communities.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member of the month update be noted.

This item will update Cabinet on the anticipated government consultation on LGR options in Surrey and set out our plans to support stakeholders and residents to engage. This item is urgent as the council was only recently informed by government that they expect the consultation period to start in mid-June and run for 8 weeks. Having a discussion with Cabinet towards the start of the consultation period will ensure that Cabinet are informed about the government’s approach and how the council plans to support stakeholders and residents to engage in the consultation.

This item will be dealt with under the General Exception rule as it has not had the required 28 days’ notice on the Forward Plan. The Chairman of the Resources and Performance Select Committee has been notified of the intention to make this decision.

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet notes the latest developments of Surrey’s Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (D&LGR) programme.

Reasons for Decisions:

As Surrey transitions through this historic change to its local government, we are committed to being open and transparent with residents and wider partners on D&LGR work. This includes sharing any opportunities that wider stakeholders may have to influence the process, so their views are taken into account by government in their decision-making process.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee)

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet notes the progress made to date on improved engagement with utilities through the Streetworks Taskforce
2. That Cabinet notes the improvements that have been implemented by Surrey County Council and improved outcomes that are being realised, notably:
   1. 78% increase in Streetworks inspections
   2. 37% reduction in road occupation days by utilities
   3. 9.5% reduction emergency work resident enquiries
3. That Cabinet agrees for this work to continue as business as usual within the Place Directorate.

Reasons For Decisions:

Street works have an impact on Surrey residents’ journeys every day and are regularly reported as a source of concern or frustration.  Whilst legislation determines how street works are undertaken and coordinated, Surrey County Council is keen to improve the experience, and reduce the impact, for residents and as such, has progressed a range of interventions and activities to try and achieve this.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee)

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet note the findings from the March 2025 Ofsted inspection of Surrey’s children’s services and the next steps outlined in the report.

Reasons for Decisions:

The positive progress made since the last full inspection of Surrey’s children’s services in January 2022 has been recognised by Ofsted within their report.

Ofsted have acknowledged that senior leaders within the Children, Families & Lifelong Learning directorate know their services well and understand which aspects of practice need further development.

We know there is still more to do and we are focused on our areas for development and improvement, to continue to provide even better care for children and young people in Surrey.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)

The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure:

1.     Formally declared Surrey County Council’s (the Council) landholding of land at North Looe Sewage Pumping Station, Reigate Road, Epsom formally surplus to operational requirements (in conjunction with the Leader and Deputy Leader).

2.     Approved the freehold transfer disposal to Thames Water Authority on terms as outlined in the attached part 2 report, for the purposes of a sewage pumping station with associated temporary car park access provision for the Council.

3.     Delegated authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Director of Land and Property to finalise the transaction and conclude the associated legal agreement documentation.

The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure:

1.    Formally declared the asset surplus to operational requirements (in consultation with The Leader and Deputy Leader).

2.    Approved the sale of 26 St Martins Close, East Horsley, Leatherhead, KT24 6SU to the party, at the price and subject to the conditions, noted in the part 2 report. The sale was conditional upon the simultaneous surrender of the headlease held over the asset by HGR which had been agreed by the HGR Board.

3.    Approved the HGR premium for the surrender of its interest from the gross receipt and noted there was debt aligned to this asset, with both parties bearing their own costs and appointments of their own professional team.

4.    Delegated authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Director of Land and Property to finalise the transaction and enter into all associated legal agreements.

This decision record sets out the key information for publication on the decision by the Executive Director for Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships to approve expenditure for a Your Fund Surrey project located in Guildford. The agreed recommendations are set out below and details of the project are set out in a decision report attached as an Annexe to this record.

Decision made:

It was AGREED to:

Fund the full amount requested of £22,800 (of total project cost £28,560, 80%), comprised of:

§  Following the above Cabinet Approval (25/7/2023) and subsequent Delegated Officers’ approvals, Surrey County Council (SCC) entered into a contractual commitment to jointly sell their Coxbridge farm holdings in Farnham alongside the Kenward family (as former tenant and adjacent landowner) in January 2024 to Cala Management Ltd (Cala) for £30.756m.  

§  All payments due to the SCC are payable in three tranches over a 24-month period from January 2023; the first payment of £11,060,670 was secured in January 2024, with second payment secured of £7,878,207 secured in January 025, and final payment of £11,817,311 due in January 2026.

§  The sale contract (19/1/2024) requires the above-named relevant parties to legally complete the ‘Retained Land Deed of Easement’ and ‘Open Space Overage Deed’ documentation.  The reason as to why this was not completed at the time of the sale contract was that it was beholden on Waverley Borough Council’s Local Planning Authority to conclude ‘Reserved Matters’ as part of Cala Management Limited securing (post 19/1/2024) a detailed planning consent for the residential development.

§  Attached to this note is an Executive Summary recommendation from DAC Beachcroft and your approval is now sought to finalise same.

§  As a result of the updated request for legal documentation, which needs to be signed/sealed, SCC Legal Property has recommended that as this is now an additional step/ material change to what was previously envisaged, so further Delegated Officers Approval is now requested and obtained.

§  Once SCC Legal has executed the above documentation it will be dispatched to DAC Beachcroft who will then be able complete the legal formalities; DACB Beachcroft has confirmed that this does not compromise the final tranche payment of £11,817,311 to the County Council due in January 2026, nor any other remaining contractual terms of the sale contract (19/1/2024).

Decision made:

It was AGREED that:

1. To conclude report.