Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest on this occasion.

Decision – That the notes of the meeting held on 14 December 2022 be approved.

Oral report of the Leader of the Council

Decision – That the oral report of the Leader of the Council giving an update on a range of issues including the Staffordshire residents who were recognised in the King’s New Year’s Honours list; the importance of getting vaccinated against Covid and Flu, if eligible, to protect yourself and ease demand on the NHS; the support available for those hit hard by the cost of living, including through the Council’s Here to Help campaign; the commencement of resurfacing works on the A34 near Stone, and the ongoing work to repair potholes; investment in the Staffordshire economy including the £3.5m investment at Chatterley Valley West in Newcastle; the official opening of Fradley Primary School in Lichfield; and the news that the Council’s Chief Executive, John Henderson, will be stepping down later this year; be noted.

(a)        7 December 2022

(b)       4 January 2023

Decision – That the minutes of the meetings of the Property Sub-Committee held on 7 December 2022 and 4 January 2023 be received.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills

Decision – That the oral report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills giving an update on “Staffordshire Means Back to Business” activity including the following matters be noted:

·       The Council’s commitment to support Staffordshire’s local business community and to continue to make representations through our MPs to encourage government to seek a fair and growth-based approach to business rates to support jobs and investment. 

·       The claimant count, which saw a further increase of 335 claimants over the last month, with the total number of claimants in the county now standing at 14,640. The main contribution to the overall increase in claimants this month came from those aged 25-49 years of age with this group seeing an increase of 225 claimants.

·       How the Council was continuing to play a key role in the delivery of local plans across Staffordshire. These plans were vital in supporting sustainable economic growth in Staffordshire, not least through allocating land that will ultimately lead to the creation of new homes and jobs. 

·       The economic growth programme through which the Council, working with partners, continued to support and directly deliver sites such as the Chatterley Valley enterprise zone, Redhill and i54. 

·       The Council’s intention to contribute to a piece of work to further consider the need and potential location for large scale strategic employment sites across the West Midlands region. 

Innovation activity within the county had increased substantially in recent years and particularly within our universities.  Work was already ongoing on a number of further innovation projects within the county, including as part of the Hydrogen Technologies Valley proposal.  Working with our district and borough partners through the Leaders Board, the Council was also beginning to consider further projects that could drive innovation activity across the county.

Cabinet Member for Health and Care

Reasons for the Decision – To receive an update on pressures facing the NHS this winter and the additional and ongoing services commissioned by the Council to facilitate timely hospital discharges and support those residents who need adult social care.

Decision – (a) That the pressures facing the NHS this winter be noted.

(b) That the additional services commissioned by the Council to facilitate timely hospital discharges and support those residents who need social care be noted.

Cabinet Member for Health and Care

Reasons for the Decision – To receive an update on the development of the partnership Staffordshire Social Care Workforce Strategy, timescales for publication and the approach being taken to implement the key activities to achieve the outcomes.

Decision – (a) That the Staffordshire Social Care Workforce Strategy be endorsed.

(b) That the timescales for publication and launch, and arrangements for implementation, be noted.

Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport and Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change

Reasons for the Decision – To seek approval for the adoption of a Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy developed by Staffordshire County Council working with the Staffordshire District and Borough Councils.

Decision – (a) That the adoption of a Staffordshire County Council Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy (attached as Appendix 1 to the report) be approved subject to the amendments proposed by the Leader of the Council as to: (i) the deletion of the words “from the Council” in the second line of the second paragraph on page 60 of the Strategy; and (ii) to replace the words “A socially equitable public” with the words “An accessible” in the first line of the fourth paragraph on page 60 of the Strategy.

(b) That it be noted that additional guidance on EV strategies may be issued by the DfT in connection with Local Transport Plans and that it be agreed that any minor required text changes to the Strategy be delegated to the Director for Economy, Infrastructure & Skills, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport and the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change to implement.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the joint Staffordshire Sustainability Board Communications Plan 2023 which has been developed with the Staffordshire Sustainability Board in conjunction with all district and borough councils to help residents to reduce their carbon emissions.

Decision – (a) That the progress of the Staffordshire Sustainability Board in developing a unified 2023 programme of activity across the county and eight district and borough councils, to tackle climate change and work towards our net zero targets, be noted.

(b) That the Staffordshire Sustainability Board joint communications plan (attached as Appendix 1 to the report), which sets out our 12-month programme of climate change awareness-raising and behaviour change activity, be approved.

Decision – That the following decisions taken by Cabinet Members under delegated powers be noted:

The Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 15 February to 21 June 2023, which detailed the following issues, was approved:

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)

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

(Exemption paragraph 3)

Cabinet Member for Commercial Matters

(Exemption paragraph 3)

Reasons for the Decision – To agree the sale of surplus land and property at Scotch Orchard, Lichfield following an informal tender process.

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

(Exemption paragraph 2)

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

(Exemption paragraph 3)

Reasons for the Decision – To provide Cabinet with an update in relation to the use of unregulated placements in extenuating circumstances.

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