Agenda and minutes

The following Member declared an interest in accordance with Standing Order 16.5:-

·       20 January 2021

·       27 January 2021

Decision – That the notes of the meetings held on 20 and 27 January 2021 be approved.

Decision – That the oral report of the Leader of the Council giving an update on a range of issues including 15 million of the most vulnerable people in the UK being offered their first vaccination against Covid-19 (including more than 250,000 Staffordshire residents); the news of a Stafford case of the South African variant and the request for adults in Stafford borough to get tested in the coming weeks; the county council’s “Do it to Feel Good” campaign which offers loads of useful hints and tips on keeping active and staying healthy in body and in mind; the Council securing £1.5m from Government to protect the victims of domestic abuse and their children; and the launch of a new loan scheme for rural businesses which will provide an extensive package of support during the pandemic, to help them bounce back and return to profit quickly and sustainably; be noted.

Decision – That the minutes of the meeting of the Property Sub-Committee held on 3 February 2021 be received.</AI3>

Reasons for the Decision – To consider an update from the COVID-19 Member Led Local Outbreak Control Board including the number of cases of Covid-19 across the country and in Staffordshire falling but remaining high, placing on-going  pressure on the NHS; the vaccination programme was proceeding according to the priority groups defined by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation, with those at highest risk from Covid-19 vaccinated first; most residents of care homes for older people and those aged 80 and above had already received their first dose of the vaccine and the NHS was now focusing on vaccinating frontline health and social care workers who provide care for clinically vulnerable people, as well as those aged 70-79, and individuals who were clinically extremely vulnerable; the next groups to be vaccinated were those aged 65-69 and individuals with a range of underlying health conditions; and the Council and its partners continuing efforts to prevent and control the spread of the virus with more testing being made  available for people with and without symptoms.

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:

• UK clothing firm Asos’s decision to build a £90million distribution centre in Staffordshire at Fradley Park, Lichfield, creating 2,000 jobs over the next three years.
• A £48million distribution base for national retailer Pets at Home has been approved in Stafford creating 1,200 jobs.

• Pledges from District and Borough Councils in Staffordshire totalling just under £3M to support the following initiatives:

-       Staffordshire 500, Apprentices Wage Support

-       Nil Cost Training for Employers Top Up Project

-       Small Business “To Thrive” Financial Support

• The Council taking ownership of the former Magistrates building in Stafford which will form part of the Eastgate regeneration scheme.
• The extension of i54 in South Staffordshire and the discussion with a potential investor on the site.
• 158 people signing on to the Staffordshire Start Up Scheme.
• The Council’s new Start-Up Business Loans scheme was now operational.

The work with the Council’s Destination Management Partners to support the Leisure Tourism and Hospitality sectors.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the Council’s proposed Climate Change Strategic Development Framework which sets out, in simple terms, the Authority’s approach to the complex challenge of achieving net carbon zero which is a legal requirement set by government in May 2019.

Decision – (a) That (subject to any final minor changes required by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Change) the Authority’s Climate Change Strategic Development Framework document be noted and approved.

(b) That the progress that has been made in reducing the Authority’s carbon emissions since 1991 be noted.

(c) That the significant positive carbon reduction that has been made on the Authority’s own carbon emissions since the declaration of the Climate Change Emergency in July 2019 be noted.

Cabinet Member for Education (and SEND)

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the updated Education Planning Obligations Policy, now called “Staffordshire Education Infrastructure Contributions Policy” (SEICP) in response to new and revised guidance/legislation.  The Policy outlines the Council’s approach to assessing the impact of new housing developments on mainstream and early years educational provision and the appropriate mitigation measures.

Decision – That the implementation of the updated “Staffordshire Education Infrastructure Contributions Policy” from 1st March 2021 be approved.

Cabinet Member for Education (and SEND)

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the updated SEND Strategy 2021-26 which details how the Council and its partners will support the inclusion of all children and young people, particularly those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This Strategy builds on the outcomes of the 2018 Ofsted/CQC Local Area SEND Inspection and the Written Statement of Action.

Decision – (a) That the update to the SEND Strategy, in light of the responses received during the consultation period, be noted.

(b) That the Staffordshire SEND Strategy be approved as the core vision and key priority areas that the County Council, along with the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and partners (including education and health providers) will use to drive our ambition for improving provision for our children and young people.

Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the round two bid for National Lottery Heritage Funding for the Staffordshire History Centre project which, if successful, will create imaginative and exciting ways to connect Staffordshire people and their stories, and at the same time, will secure access to historic collections for the next fifty-five years.

Decision – (a) That the Round Two application to deliver the Staffordshire History Centre (which will provide additional storage, release the current QB Archive Outstore and support the Property Strategy) be submitted to the National Lottery Heritage Fund on 1 March 2021.

(b) That if the application referred to above is successful, the Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Families and Communities be authorised to accept the grant funding, terms and conditions, and, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, deliver the project.

(c) That the planned capital investment and project delivery costs of £6.332m for the four-storey extension of the Staffordshire Record Office be approved (subject to confirmation of NLHF funding) and that this is added to the Council’s capital programme.

(d) That additional revenue provision of £0.196m be made from 2023/24 to meet the

additional costs of this property venture.

Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources

Reasons for the Decision – To consider a new strategy for the digital principle called ‘Digital First’ which builds on the progress the Council has made with digital so far and sets out how the Authority will become a genuinely digital organisation for the 21st century.

Decision – (a) That the progress made by the digital principle to date be noted.

(b) That a new strategy for the digital principle called Digital First, be agreed.

(c) That the proposed delivery plan for Digital First, featuring 32 projects and continuous digital improvement for the organisation, be agreed.

Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources

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

Decision – That the report be received.

Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the achievements of the Supportive Communities Programme during 2019/20, including its response to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lessons learned, and the Council’s aims and priorities for 2020/21.

Decision – (a) That the ‘lessons learned’ from the Supportive Communities Programme in 2020 be noted.

(b) That the achievements of the programme so far be noted.

(c) That the high level aims and priorities for the programme in 2021/22 be agreed.

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

The Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 17 March to 21 July 2021, which detailed the following issues, was approved:

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 Education (and SEND)

Reasons for the Decision – To consider proposals to secure special educational day provision in an Ofsted registered school to meet the needs of 25 young people aged 11 – 19 years with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) or undergoing an EHCP Assessment with Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH).

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

Alan White

Leader of the County Council