Agenda and minutes

Cabinet
Wednesday, 17th April, 2019 10.00 am

Venue: Oak Room, County Buildings, Stafford. View directions

Contact: Mike Bradbury  Email: michael.bradbury@staffordshire.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

92.

Decision notice of the meeting held on 20 March 2019 pdf icon PDF 326 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision – That the notes of the meeting held on 20 March 2019 be approved.

93.

Leader's Update

Oral report of the Leader of the Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision – That the oral report of the Leader of the Council giving an update on a range of issues including 94% of parents applying for a primary school place in Staffordshire for their child being allocated their first choice and 99% allocated one of their top three preferences; the successful bid for nearly £800,000 of special government funding to support parents whose children need additional help with their early speech and communication skills;  the role played by the Community Learning offer in Staffordshire with almost 900 courses being delivered to 4,658 learners in 2017/18; and the promotion of the tourism in Staffordshire with Staffordshire Day on 1 May and Ironman 70.3 on 9 June; be noted.

94.

Minutes of the meeting of the Property Sub-Committee held on 3 April 2019 pdf icon PDF 63 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision –That the minutes of the meeting of the Property Sub-Committee held on 3 April 2019 be received.

95.

Development of a Regional Permanency Arrangement pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Mark Sutton

“We work very hard at the early stages to keep families together and prevent children coming into care.

 

But if they do, and we cannot return them to their own homes, we are committed to finding them loving, safe and secure ones elsewhere.

 

This proposal to work jointly with neighbouring authorities offers the opportunity to maximise resources, cover a larger area and offer greater flexibility in placing children in happy homes via adoption, fostering or special guardianship.”

 

Mark Sutton, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals to create a regional arrangement across Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council with the creation of a joint service delivery model  with a focus on finding local, caring, stable and loving homes where Looked After Children achieve permanence.

 

Decision – (a) That the statutory requirement to be part of a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) by the 1st April 2020, as set out in the Education and Adoption Act 2016, be acknowledged.

 

(b) That the formation of a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) between Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council be approved.

 

(c) That the Outline Business Case (OBC), which sets out the ambition of Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council to go beyond adoption and develop a regional model of wider permanence which includes Fostering, Connected Persons and Special Guardianship Orders (SGO), be approved.

96.

Highways and Transport Capital Programme 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 133 KB

Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Helen Fisher

“Good roads and transport schemes are hugely important to this council, to residents and to businesses, not just for getting to where we need to be, but also for underpinning a flourishing economy.

 

That’s why this year we will once again be investing taxpayers’ money where it is needed most, including for the third year an extra £5m to help tackle potholes.

 

Each county councillors has also been allocated an extra £20,000 to prioritise local highways improvements and I look forward to see how this extra investment will benefit local communities.”

 

Helen Fisher, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport

 

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the Highways and Transport capital block grant investment programme for 2019/20.

 

Decision – (a) That the Highways and Transport capital investment proposal, as set out in the report and supporting appendices, be approved.

 

(b) That the Commissioner for Highways and the Built County be requested to monitor progress and make any necessary in-year alterations in agreement with the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation.

97.

Integrated Performance Report - Quarter 4 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 775 KB

Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Philip Atkins

 

“We have seen some significant achievements over the final quarter of the financial year – not least the county council’s children’s social care services retaining its overall rating of ‘Good’ by Ofsted. We are one of only three authorities in the West Midlands to achieve and also retain this rating.

 

Nearly 92 per cent of Staffordshire parents were allocated their first preference secondary school, with 95 per cent being allocated one of their top three preferred schools despite increased pupil numbers.

 

We are strengthening our focus on improving healthy lifestyles in young people to ensure they can get the best start in life. And in adult social care we have made overall savings over quarter four while reducing the number of days in terms of delayed transfers of care.

 

Our economic growth programme has seen numerous successes. Completed and current projects within the programme have created and safeguarded a total of

8,500 jobs and delivered 993 houses up to January 2019. The current total financial value of the programme is around £455 million.

 

Meanwhile we are seeing continued low unemployment, with Staffordshire the joint lowest of the 14 strategic WM local authorities for residents with more people in work and only 1.5% claiming out of work benefits.

 

Tourism in the county also continues to thrive. Latest figures show that there were more than 26.2 million visits to the county in 2017 – an increase of 1.9% compared to 2016.”

 

Philip Atkins OBE, Leader of the Council

 

“Throughout quarter four we have managed the substantial pressures on our finances from both adult and children’s social care. We maintain our focus on improving the county’s economy and supporting people to lead healthy and independent lives.

 

The latest revenue forecast outturn shows a forecast underspend of £0.93m compared to the forecast underspend of £0.99m at quarter three. We have taken action to close the £35m forecast shortfall for the next financial year, resulting in a balanced five-year budget plan. These final plans were presented to full council in February.

 

In addition to lobbying government for additional social care funding, we have secured extra funding by successfully bidding to be part of a national business rates pilot scheme.

 

Our efforts to make efficiency savings and spending controls remain in place across the county council.”

 

Mike Sutherland, Cabinet Member for Finance

 

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider an overview of Staffordshire County Council’s progress, performance and financial position in delivering against its Strategic Plan and Delivery Plan.

 

Decision – That the report be received.

98.

Forward Plan of Key Decisions pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 15 May to 18 September 2019, which detailed the following issues, was approved:

 

Subject Matter

Contact

Supported Living Dynamic Purchasing System

Name: Andrew Jepps

Tel: (01785) 278557

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards - Amendments to the Mental Capacity Act 2005

Name: Dr Richard Harling

Tel: (01785) 278700

The Staffordshire County Council Apprenticeship Strategy

Name: Anthony Baines

Tel: (01785) 895984

The Henry Prince CE (C) First School, Mayfield: Determination of Statutory Proposal

Name: Andrew Marsden

Tel: (01785) 278787

Staffordshire History Centre Stage 1 NLHF Application

Name: Joanna Terry

Tel: (01785) 278370

Families Health and Wellbeing Service (0-19) Variation to Contract

Name: Tilly Flanagan

Tel: (01785) 277111

West Midlands Sub-Regional Children's Homes Block Contract

Name: Shahid Munir

Tel: (01785) 854188

Future Delivery of Adult Social Care Services

Name: Amanda Stringer

Tel: (01785) 895170

Final Outturn Report for 2018/19

Name: Rachel Spain

Tel: (01785) 854455

Adult Learning Disability Community Offer 2022

Name: Amy Evans

Tel: (01785) 277160

Waste Disposal Arrangements in the North of Staffordshire from 2025

Name: Clive Thomson

Tel: (10785) 276522

 

 

99.

Exclusion of the Public

The Chairman to move:-

 

“That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of Local Government Act 1972 indicated below”.

 

 

PART TWO

(All reports in this section are exempt)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Decision – That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of Local Government Act 1972 indicated below.

 

PART TWO

 

100.

Strategic Review of the Older People Care Home Market in Staffordshire

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing

 

(Exemption paragraph 3)

Minutes:

(Exemption paragraph 3)

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals to support the further development of the care home market.

 

Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be approved.

101.

Block Booked Short Term Care Home Beds

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing

 

(Exemption paragraph 3)

Minutes:

(Exemption paragraph 3)

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals for the commissioning of short-term residential and nursing care home beds for the purposes of planned respite, emergency respite and short-term care placements.

 

Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be approved.

102.

Stafford Western Access Route: Award of Construction Contract

Cabinet Member for Economic Growth

 

(Exemption paragraph 3)

 

Minutes:

(Exemption paragraph 3)

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals for the award of the contract for the Stafford Western Access Route Main Contract Works.

 

Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be approved.