Decisions

The decision is to approve final hourly funding rates paid in 2023/24 to providers of the funded early entitlement for two, three and four year olds under the early years funding formula.  These hourly rates could not be agreed at the date of the Cabinet report because at that point insufficient data on take up of the funded early entitlement was available to determine affordability and the DfE had not yet published the rates at which local authorities would be funded for early years for 2023/24.

Decision made:

It was AGREED that the hourly rates for 2023/24 should be:

For three and four year olds, £5.14 (increase of 27p).  The total increase is equal to the increase in the DfE hourly funding rate (of 27p like for like). This reflects the fact that no significant underspend is now expected in 2022/23 (as at 31 March 2023).

For two year olds, £6.65/hour, an increase of 52p.  The DfE increase was 62p and the lower increase in the hourly rate reflects previous year overspends and the need to set a sustainable rate which contains costs of provision for two year olds within budget going forward. The proposed rate is in line with discussions with Schools Forum, but is likely to mean some level of overspend in 2023/24

Additionally an hourly rate supplement of 27p/hr will be implemented for state maintained providers employing qualified nursery teachers in the teacher pension scheme (33p/hr for maintained nursery schools).

The Educational Psychology Service has been under increasing pressure to meet the statutory timeframes of the EHCP process for children with SEND. There has been a recovery plan in place to address the backlog whilst managing the rising numbers of requests, but this has not been successful in addressing the challenge due to the limited ability to recruit educational psychologists.

The current SCC EP staffing (internal) is at 50% despite being the focus of corporate support for recruitment and retention.

The internal team providing these assessments can offer 27 assessments per week but with the use of locums and associate EPs this rises to 38 assessments per week.

The predicted demand for assessments until December 2023 is 1886 advice required over 43 weeks which suggests that there will be 44 assessments required per week.

Therefore, the core team and locums require additional support to manage business as usual and to address the backlog of 729. 

To address the majority of the backlog, the service has identified a provider able to deliver immediately on the current backlog of assessments over next 13 months from 1^st April 2023 – 30^th April 2024.

It was AGREED that:

1.           A contract is awarded to Sanctuary Personnel Limited under the ESPO STRATEGIC HR SERVICES (2022) Framework 3S_22. Lot 1d - Education.

The existing school accommodation at the St Matthews CofE Primary School does not enable the provision of a full statutory educational offer that meets the educational needs of Surrey’s most vulnerable learners; therefore, a new block is required. The school is forecast to accommodate an additional 13 primary aged SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) pupils. The places are planned to be phased in over a period of 3-4 years commencing in September 2023. 

This project therefore will involve the design and construction of a new building adjacent the main school which will provide high quality modern accommodation facilitating the best learning environment for the new cohort of 13 SEND pupils.

Following a compliant tender exercise, it is proposed to award the contract to TG Escapes Ltd. The Contract value is £1,180,500.

Decision made:

Following the conclusion of the tender process, it was agreed that the contracts will be awarded and commence on 1st June 2023.

The Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth confirmed the response to the petition as published.

Dr Joan Donnelly presented her petition to the Cabinet Member.

The Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth confirmed the response to the petition as published.

The Cabinet Member agreed to make the one-way system trial along Walnut Tree Close permanent.

RESOLVED:

1.      That Cabinet agrees to fund Master Park Pavilion Charity for the full amount requested of £1,860,000 towards the creation of the Master Park Community Pavilion.

2.    That Cabinet recommends the applicant provides evidence to confirm full funding is in place before funding is released.

Reasons for Decisions:

This application has been the subject of a rigorous assessment process and officers consider the project meets the aims and published criteria of the Fund and to satisfy the requirements to award funding.

The new pavilion will create a new hub in the centre of the busy town, providing opportunities and facilities for the whole community.

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

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet notes the Council’s forecast revenue and capital budget positions for the year, including the use of the contingency budget and the commitment to continue to develop Directorate budget recovery plans.

2.    That Cabinet approves the transfer of the closing surplus revenue and capital balances of the Mead Infant School to its successor academy (revenue surplus £85,963.92 and capital surplus £3,789.76) (Paragraph 12 - 13)

3.    That Cabinet notes the summary of the Fees & Charges review (paragraph 14 - 23 and Annex 2)

4.    That Cabinet approves the new charges and increases to existing Fees & Charges that are more than budget setting guidance (paragraph 22 and Annex 3

Reasons for Decisions:

This report is to comply with the agreed policy of providing a monthly budget monitoring report to Cabinet for approval of any necessary actions. It also outlines Cabinet requirement to approve the transfer of balanced for forced academy conversions and the Financial Regulations setting out when Cabinet approval is required for Fees and Charges price increases. 

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

RESOLVED:

See Minute 43/23.

Reasons for Decisions:

See Minute 43/23.

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

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet endorses the Annual Report of the Strategic Investment Board.

Reasons for Decisions:

• To inform the Council about the activities of the Strategic Investment Board

• The Strategic Investment Board has been established in accordance with best practice governance to ensure effective oversight and alignment with the strategic objectives and values of the Council.

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

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet notes the response to the public and stakeholder consultation.
2. That Cabinet agrees the proposed changes to the public bus network as set out in Annex B, with service changes to be implemented at the start of the new academic year in September 2023.
3. That Cabinet agrees the recommended priority areas for capital investment to support bus services and help grow bus patronage.
4. That Cabinet agrees the recommended areas for expansion of new Digital Demand Responsive Transport services in 2023 as set out in Annex C.
5. That Cabinet agrees the process and timescales for updating the Bus Service Improvement Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme and agree that the approval and submission of the Bus Service Improvement Plan to Government be delegated to the Director of Highways and Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth.
6. That Cabinet agrees that the decision to award contracts for local bus services and Digital Demand Responsive Transport services is delegated to the Director, Highways and Transport, following discussion with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth, and the Council’s Section 151 Officer.

Reasons for Decisions:

The public consultation has helped shape the bus service changes proposed in Annex B. These changes are necessary to ensure the network is financially sustainable and has responded to changed travel patterns, particularly in areas where passenger numbers are unlikely to ever recover to pre-pandemic levels. The financial review of bus services also meets the Department for Transport’s (DfT) requirement for accessing the extension of Covid bus recovery funding. The Council is committed to supporting local bus services and has increased revenue support for service delivery and capital investment to improve their operational effectiveness and efficiency.

The public consultation has also helped shape our proposed investment in bus infrastructure. It demonstrated that resident support for investment in buses is high, showing that people value bus services and that targeting investment will aid patronage growth.

The Council’s previous BSIP, published in 2021, set out a desire to expand our DDRT offer, learning from the successful Mole Valley Connect scheme funded from the DfT’s Rural Mobility Fund. This report sets out proposals for new DDRT schemes shaped by consultation feedback, including the need to promote new schemes and the flexibility they offer residents.

All LTAs are required to review their BSIPs annually. The DfT agreed that the Council’s BSIP refresh could be undertaken once the public consultation was complete, enabling the views and suggestions of residents and stakeholders to be included in the BSIP review. This report sets out the BSIP refresh process, with a submission to date at the end of May 2023.

Following the Future Bus Network Review and the consideration of consultation responses, coupled with ongoing dialogue with bus operators, the Council needs to tender the services proposed for change, along with retender of a number of contracts that were extended during the pandemic. New contracts will be awarded following a procurement process in line with the requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Council’s Procurement and Contracts Standing Orders.

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

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet approves the receipt of £11m grant funding from National Highways for the A3 air quality scheme through the Electric Towns and Cities Initiative, and proceeds with the scheme subject to the approval of a detailed business case by the Council’s Capital Programme Panel.

2.    That Cabinet agrees that, if the scheme is successful and National Highways allocates further grant to the Guildford A3 scheme within the existing timeframe, the acceptance and spend of the additional grant is delegated to the Director of Highways & Transport, in conjunction with the relevant Cabinet member.

Reasons for Decisions:

There is a legal duty on National Highways, as issued by the Secretary of State for the Environment, to address the NO₂ levels along the A3 in Guildford. This stretch of road has been identified as one of the worst roads for air quality in the country. The County Council,  with Guildford Borough Council and National Highways, has a shared interest in addressing the air quality in this area - both from a public health perspective but also in light of our net zero carbon targets as a county. Residents who are users of the footpaths/cycle paths alongside this stretch of road will benefit from reduced exposure to emissions upon completion of the initiative; as well as a secondary benefit for those who drive electric vehicles having access to additional local charge points.  Residents who are employed in organisations/businesses in the local area may also benefit from the travel planning element of the initiative, whereby the opportunity to join a salary sacrifice scheme may be available to encourage the move to electric vehicles.

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

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet endorses the focus on local recruitment, skills development and career support for all ages and notes that this programme of work aligns with the planned Lifetime of Learning Strategy as well as the Surrey Skills Plan.

2.    That Cabinet endorses the approach for SCC to further explore taking on new responsibilities related to schools-focused careers advice and guidance in line with recognition of the need to operate on a Surrey County geography, subject to the appropriate funding being in place.

3.    That Cabinet notes that the approach will be enhanced by ‘all-age’ interventions where appropriate to reflect the challenges around recruitment and the data on economic inactivity, subject to a transformation funding business case.

Reasons for Decisions:

Currently, employment, skills and careers activity is delivered through a number of organisations, in a complex skills landscape. The County Council taking greater ownership of this agenda through a stronger lead and co-ordinating role, and in some cases responsibility for direct delivery, will allow us to ensure that services, support, and activity has better alignment with our strategic priorities, whilst also delivering greater impact and improved outcomes for residents and businesses. This would enable more and better targeted support to be provided for those individuals who need it the most, as well as addressing the barriers to economic growth which are being encountered by Surrey’s employers, who are keen to be more involved in designing and delivering local solutions.

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

RESOLVED:

See Minute 37/23.

Reasons for Decisions:

See Minute 37/23.

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

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet agrees the use of £100.2m of the total approved SEND Capital budget of £202m for 2022/23 to 2027/28 against twenty SEND Capital Programme projects with confirmed viable schemes, locations, and costs. These are part of the four capital strategies previously approved by Cabinet between 2019-2022.

2.    That Cabinet approves procurement of the supply chain for the delivery of all associated services required, in accordance with the Council’s Procurement and Contract Standing Orders.

3.    That Cabinet agrees that the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources, and the Director of Land and Property are authorised to award contracts, up to +10% of the budgetary tolerance level for individual projects and within the overall £202m funding envelope for 2022/23 to 2027/28 that has already been agreed.

Reasons for Decisions:

·                Investing in the Capital Programme’s 2023/24 delivery tranche will generate a positive impact on outcomes for children with complex special educational needs and disabilities, as well as improving the Council’s financial sustainability.

·                The committed expansion projects are business critical to ensure Surrey County Council (the Council) discharges its statutory duties under Section 3 of the Local Government Act 1999, Sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996 and Part 27 Section 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

·                The confirmed budgets against each of the 20 projects in the Capital Programme’s 2023/24 delivery tranche are above the current threshold for £1m. Cabinet’s delegated authority is required to enable the Cabinet Members for Property and Waste, Education and Lifelong Learning and Finance and Resources to approve contracts and allocate resources from the approved Capital budget for the programme to individual projects following Capital Programme Panel (CPP) approval of business cases.

·                To that end, agreement is sought to use defined resources to enable project progression against the Procurement Forward Plan, so that contracts can be awarded in time to facilitate target delivery timescales for 2023 and 2024.

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

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet endorses the benefit of and approach taken to initiating and developing a county-wide strategy for Housing, Accommodation and Homes,

2.    That Cabinet adopts the strategy and encourages others to do likewise in a spirit of collective endeavour to address the evidenced housing crisis in Surrey.

3.    That Cabinet Delegates authority to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Housing and Executive Director for Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth to make any necessary final amendments to the strategy following a period of public consultation.

Reasons for Decisions:

The baseline assessment undertaken as part of the work of developing a strategy makes clear the challenges in housing, accommodation, and homes in Surrey, with advisors describing the situation as a crisis. While recognising the sovereign responsibilities and service responsibilities for Housing and Planning of other organisations, the strategy sets out a ‘Call to Government’ and a ‘Call to Action’ to which everyone involved in housing in Surrey is encouraged to contribute.

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

RESOLVED:

See Exempt Minute [E-03-23]

Reasons for Decisions:

See Exempt Minute [E-03-23]

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

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet approves the proposal to re-model the Council’s Strategic Short Breaks offer by working with the market to ensure a more diverse Short Breaks offer.
2. That Cabinet grants approval to proceed with the design and construction of Short Breaks accommodation at two identified sites in Reigate and Banstead and Woking within the capital funding envelope set out in Part 2 of this paper. The sites are as follows:
   • Lakers, Denton Way, Goldsworth Park, Woking, GU21 3LG
   • The Squirrels, The Horseshoe, Banstead, SM7 2BQ
3. That Cabinet confirms approval to procure a developer to construct the new Short Breaks accommodation and delegates approval to award the contract, (including any associated changes related to the contract, once it has been awarded to ensure that it continues to meet the objectives related to this report) and manage the developments within the agreed capital funding envelope to:

·         The Director of Land and Property in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Property and Waste.

·         The Joint Executive Director for Adult Social Care and Integrated Commissioning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health.

Reasons for Decisions:

To promote Carers wellbeing and enable them to have a break from their caring responsibility, but still be able to support the individual to live at home.

To enable residents with learning disabilities and/or autism who meet the Council’s eligibility criteria for Adult Social Care (ASC) funding to have their need for overnight Short Breaks met in a modern, fit for purpose setting with all the necessary facilities and amenities.

To promote the independence of Surrey residents with learning disabilities and/or autism and enable them to remain in their family homes and connected to their local community.

To ensure that together with our partners we develop a range of options that improve outcomes and support for individuals and their families when offering a short break.

To make an essential contribution towards the Council’s strategic objective to tackle health inequality, in line with the 2030 Community Vision for Surrey.

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

RESOLVED:

1.     That Cabinet considers the Ombudsman’s report and the steps that will be taken by the Service to address the findings, and 

2.     That Cabinet considers whether any other action should be taken. 

3.     That Cabinet notes that the Monitoring Officer will be bringing this report to the attention of all councillors.

Reasons for Decisions:

There is a statutory requirement for the Monitoring Office to bring to Members’ attention any public report issued by the Ombudsman about the Council which identifies it is at fault and has caused injustice as a result.

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet supports and endorse the strategic approach of delivering in partnership in towns, to address key priorities for residents, communities, partners, and the County Council.

2.    That Cabinet approves the prioritised towns, identified through assessment against key socio-economic and health criteria, as set out at paragraph 20.

Reasons for Decisions:

As set out in the report, a number of communities and places in Surrey experience significant challenges with e.g. health inequalities, worklessness, skills, aging populations, child poverty, homelessness and housing, despite the general perception of the county as comfortable and prosperous. Partners across the county have set out high ambitions, supported by strategic plans, to address these. Experience has shown that the complex nature of many of the ‘wicked issues’ requires a multi-agency, highly collaborative approach. The approach being recommended, which reflects the learning from work to date, will drive practical delivery, beyond strategic intent, through convening, galvanising and empowering partners to work together to deliver, at an optimum spatial level (e.g. towns), supported, guided and overseen by elected representatives.

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

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member of the Month update be noted.

The decisions taken since the last Cabinet meeting were considered.

RESOLVED:

That the decisions taken since the last Cabinet meeting be noted.

RESOLVED:

That the three Select Committee reports be noted and recommendations considered.

These were agreed as a correct record of the meeting.

This decision record sets out the key information for publication on the decision by the Executive Director for Customer and Communities and the Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Director of Resources, in consultation with the Cabinet

Member for Communities & Community Safety and the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources, to approve an additional 10% contingency payment due to inflation hardship for a Your Fund Surrey (YFS) project located in Woking. The agreed recommendations are set out below on the face of this decision record.

It was AGREED:

1.               to fund up to an additional 10% of the original funded value (up to £50,000) for increased costs relating to current inflation levels towards Your Fund Surrey project CF171 Leatherhead & Dorking Gymnastics.

a.    The original grant award for £500,000 was granted 05/07/2022. An additional 10% inflation hardship claim of up to £50,000 is allowable, and fully in line with, the Cabinet decision from November 2022¹.

b.    Works are currently underway and approaching fit-out of the new building.

c.     Costs have increased due to increased material and labour costs across the build, including construction, electrics and plumbing. The evidence provided by the applicant sufficiently demonstrates the impact of inflationary pressures on the project.

d.    Contingency funding included within the original grant award (£63,000) is also being claimed towards increased costs, however the additional 10% is also required to ensure successful completion of the build and achievement of the assessed community benefits.

The remaining build costs are £116,406 The project cost changes are detailed below: