Agenda and minutes

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

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 11 February 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

Former County Councillor Veronica Downes

The Council were informed of the death, on 21 February 2021, of former County Councillor Veronica Downes.  Mrs Downes represented the Penkridge (South Staffordshire) County Electoral Division on the County Council between 2005 and 2013.  She served on a number of the Council’s Committees including the Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny and Performance Panel; Pensions Committee; as Vice-Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny and Performance Panel; Healthier Communities and Older people Scrutiny and Performance Panel; as Vice-Chairman of the Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Committee; Audit Committee; Standards Committee; Enterprise, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Committee; Safeguarding Scrutiny Committee; Safeguarding and Public Protection Committee; and the Corporate Parenting Panel.

Mrs Downes also served as the Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Wellbeing, and as the Cabinet Member for Schools.

Cllr Philip Atkins, Cllr Edgeller, Cllr Sutton, Cllr David Williams and Cllr Winnington paid tribute to Cllr Downes following which Members stood and observed a one minute silence to her memory.

Covid-19

On behalf of the Council, the Chairman extended her thanks to Staffordshire residents and businesses for the sacrifices they had made during the pandemic. She also thanked Council staff and partners for their extraordinary efforts over the last year, the NHS staff and volunteers for the vital role they were playing in vaccinating Staffordshire residents; and to teachers and school staff  who had worked tirelessly to enable pupils to return to face to face learning.

The Chairman added that it was still as important as ever that people continued to follow government guidance to control the spread of the virus: with the prospect of restrictions being eased, no-one wanted to see a return to another lockdown.

Report of the Chairman of the Council

The Chairman reported that the following Members had indicated their intention not to seek re-election at the County Council elections in May 2021 and would thus be retiring from the Authority:

·       Ben Adams – Elected 2009 – Perrycrofts (Tamworth)

·       Ron Clarke – Elected 2011 – Burton Town (East Staffordshire)

·       Maureen Compton – Elected 2005 – 2009 and re-elected 2013 – Stafford Central (Stafford)

·       John Cooper – Elected 2017 – Bradwell, Porthill and Wolstanton (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

·       Derek Davis – Elected 1985 – Chadsmooor (Cannock Case)

·       Helen Fisher – Elected 2017 – Burntwood South (Lichfield)

·       Keith James – Elected 2013 – Perton (South Staffordshire)

·       Trevor Johnson – Elected 2017 – May Bank and Cross Heath (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

·       Bryan Jones – Elected 2017 – Hednesford and Rawnsley (Cannock Chase)

·       Alastair Little – Elected 2017 – Amington (Tamworth)

·       Natasha Pullen – Elected 2017 – Lichfield City North (Lichfield)

·       Kyle Robinson – Elected 2017 – Talk and Red Street (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

·       Martyn Tittley – Elected 2013 – Lichfield Rural West (Lichfield)

The Chairman, together with the political group leaders and several other Members, thanked their fellow Members, and in particular Cllr Derek Davis, for the contribution they had made to the work of the Authority during their time in office.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

The Leader of the Council presented a Statement outlining his recent work since the previous meeting of the Council.

Update from COVID-19 Member Led Local Outbreak Control Board

(Paragraph 1 of the Statement)

Cllr Peters and Cllr Snape paid tribute to the hard work of the County Council and the NHS in tackling the Covid pandemic in their respective areas and for the roll-out of the vaccination programme.  Cllr Snape did however express concern about the impact of the pandemic on access to GP services with many residents being unable to get face-to-face consultations with their GP.  In response, Cllr McMahon indicated that this was a complex issue and that, due to the pandemic, GP surgery waiting rooms were not the place for vulnerable people to be.  He added that the “productivity” of surgeries had fallen as a consequence of them needing to be Covid secure.

Cllr Charlotte Atkins and Cllr Woodward expressed their concerns about the poor performance of the national Test and Trace system and indicated that it provided poor value for money and that contact tracing could be more effectively carried out by local public health teams. 

Cllr Winnington praised the work of Nexus Cares in supporting lateral flow testing across the County.  He also paid tribute to the NHS in respect of the roll-out of the vaccination programme in Staffordshire.

Cllr Flunder enquired as to what more could be done to support care homes and, in particular, to work towards relatives of residents being given increased access to visit their loved ones.

In response to issues raised by Members, Cllr McMahon indicated that infection rates across Staffordshire were falling and that vaccination rates in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, with over 500,000 people being vaccinated to date, were higher than in any other parts of the Country.  He also added that he was heartened by the fall in hospital admissions due to Covid.  With regard to Test and Trace, Cllr McMahon stated that he agreed with Cllrs Charlotte Atkins and Woodward that this could be undertaken more effectively locally and that the Leader of the Council had written to the Government to ask for more local autonomy in responding to the pandemic.

Staffordshire Means Back to Business: Investing in our Economy

(Paragraph 2 of the Statement)

Cllr Winnington spoke about the work of the Council’s Destination Management Partnership and the opportunities to relaunch the tourism and hospitality sectors in the County as many people would be taking “staycations”.

Cllr Deaville and Cllr Pert added that they supported the investment in the Destination Management Partnership and the many initiatives that the Council had introduced to support the Staffordshire economy.

Cllr Philip White thanked Members for their comments and added that unemployment rates in the County remained low.  He also referred to the creation of new jobs including at JCB and on the i54 site in South Staffordshire.  He added that the proposed creation of a freeport at East Midlands airport would also have a beneficial impact on A38/A50 corridor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

a)    Proposed adoption of new Code of Conduct for Members

b)    Pay Policy Statement 2021/22 - Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011

(a) Proposed adoption of new Code of Conduct for Members

The Council were informed that the Audit and Standards Committee had recently considered a new Model Code of Conduct for Members as produced by the Local Government Association (LGA), with a view to its adoption by this Council. 

Overall, the new Code was seen as an improvement on Staffordshire’s current Code primarily because:

• It applies to the behaviour of members when acting/claiming to act/giving the impression of acting in their capacity as a Councillor and/or representative of their council, or when publicly referring to their role of Councillor or using knowledge that could only be obtained by being a councillor
• It gives clear and concise explanations of each undertaking and the expectations on members
• It clearly states that the whole Code applies to member’s actions and behaviour on Social Media

Cllr Woodward and Cllr Charlotte Atkins expressed their support for the adoption of the new Code.

RESOLVED - That:

(a) approval be given to the adoption of the LGA Model Code of Conduct for members with an amendment to the requirement to declare general (pecuniary) interest of relatives and close associates to refer to those interests known to the member; the Code to be effective immediately after the next Staffordshire County Council elections (6 May 2021 or any re-arranged date)

(b) the threshold for the declaration of Gifts and Hospitality be confirmed as £50.

(c) the existing Internal Resolution Procedure and Sanctions be applied to the new Code.

(d) the Director for Corporate Services (Monitoring Officer) be authorised to make the necessary amendments to the Constitution.

(b) Pay Policy Statement 2021/22 - Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011

The Council were informed that it was a legal requirement of the Localism Act 2011 for the County Council to have a Pay Policy statement which must be published annually before 31 March.  Amongst other matters the Statement must set out the authority’s policies for the financial year relating to:

(a)  The remuneration of its chief officers,

(b)  The remuneration of its lowest-paid employees, and

(c) The relationship between -

(i) the remuneration of its chief officers, and

(ii) the remuneration of its employees who are not chief officers.

RESOLVED – That the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22 (as set out in Annex A to the report) be approved.

Cllr Woodward indicated that the Panel had requested the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to provide them with the numbers of PCSO’s, Police Officers and Support Officers employed over the last three years.  She asked if this information could also be shared with all Members of the Council.  In response, Cllr Sweeney confirm that he was content to share the information with Members as soon as he received it.

Cllr Charlotte Atkins referred to COVID-19 inspection letter from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).  The Inspection, which was carried out between 19 and 30 October 2020, noted that staff absence had increased by 63% from April to June 2020.  The Panel had asked the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for more information on staff absences during 2020 for both Fire and Police services and if the absence had been due to Covid-19.  Cllr Atkins asked if this information could also be shared with all Members of the Council.  In response, Cllr Sweeney confirm that he was content to share the information with Members as soon as he received it.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

Questions to be asked by Members of the County Council of the Leader of the Council, a Cabinet Member, or a Chairman of a Committee.  The question will be answered by the relevant Member and the Member asking the question may then ask a follow up question which will also be answered

Cllr Woodward asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport whose reply is set out below the question:-

Question

In a press statement from the County Council last week, Burntwood residents were told, “Work to improve routes for cyclists and pedestrians in Burntwood is being proposed as part of a plan to spend £69million on highways projects in Staffordshire” and that “the authority said the money would mean improving signs, junctions and provision for pedestrians and cyclists in Burntwood.” I am aware of the minor improvements to 0.3km of Milestone Way, between High St and Sycamore Rd, that have been agreed; are any additional cycling and walking schemes being proposed, as this press release would imply?

Reply

The 2021/22 Capital Programme contains £128k for provision of the length of cycle route along Milestone Way referred to by Cllr Woodward (0.3km). This is being delivered in 21/22 through an award of Getting Building Funding (£651K) secured via a bid to the S&SLEP for Sustainable Transport Projects. Improvements will be undertaken between the ‘Morrisons Island’ to ‘Aldi Island’ including an upgrade of the existing pedestrian facility and realignment of splitter island. Detailed design is underway, including a review of scheme details to ensure compliance with latest guidance (LTN 1/20).

Unfortunately, national criteria for cycling improvements does not fit more ‘rural’ areas, and we are actively lobbying for consideration on this front.

A Burntwood Town Centre - Public Realm, Connectivity and Highway Improvements Options Report is being prepared with input from Burntwood Town Council (completion mid-April) to identify further improvements for Burntwood. A phased approach to delivery is anticipated beginning next financial year (22/23) as resources permit, to support regeneration of the town centre. The options report considers a variety of interventions and improvements as well as reviewing existing infrastructure including, enhanced public realm, junction modifications, pedestrian facilities, traffic Orders, wayfinding, directional signing, public transport infrastructure and cycle facilities. The report will inform future programmes which may be funded via the Integrated Transport block grant, dependent on the availability of resources and other spending commitments throughout the County. However, other funding opportunities will be actively sought to aid delivery.

Supplementary Question

When will these minor improvements to 0.3km of Milestone Way be carried out and how is the Cabinet Member going to square the circle regarding the criteria around investment in urban areas verses rural areas?

Reply

The improvements to Milestone Way are contained in the Highways Capital programme for 2021/22.  With regard to the criteria around investment in urban areas verses rural areas, I confirm that I have lobbied the Secretary of State on this issue

Cllr Woodward asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Health, care and Wellbeing whose reply is set out below the question:-

Question

I am grateful to Cllr McMahon and the Director for Health and Care for following up my question on self-isolation payments at the last Council meeting (page 16 of today’s agenda). It appears that the applicant  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

There were no petitions on this occasion.