RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 20 May 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

Staffordshire residents recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

The Chairman extended the Council’s congratulations to the following Staffordshire residents who had been honoured in her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours:

·       CBE for Amanda Penelope Sunderland, of Burton, formerly Chief Nurse of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, for services to Nursing;

·       OBE for Margaret Isobel Bernadette Kincade, of Stafford, tax specialist for HM Revenue & Customs, for services to the taxation of the oil industry;

·       OBE for Jayne Lowe, of Caverswall, Managing Director and Education Advisor, Bright Green Learning, for services to Education;

·       MBE for Dr John Alexander, of Loggerheads, Consultant in paediatric intensive care at UHNM NHS Trust, for services to critically ill children and young people;

·       MBE for Corrine Boden, of Stoke-on-Trent, for services to the community in Stoke-on-Trent, particularly during Covid-19;

·       MBE for Barry Michael Bond, of Wombourne, Chair of Governors at Green Park School in Wolverhampton, for services to Education;

·       MBE for Julia Catherine Bridgewater, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Group Chief Operating Officer at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, for services to the NHS, particularly during Covid-19;

·       MBE for Zoe Adelle Clark-Coates, of Tamworth, Founder of the Mariposa Trust, for services to the baby loss community and the improvement of bereavement care;

·       MBE for Neil Anthony Dawson, of Stoke-on-Trent, for services to the community in Stoke-on-Trent;

·       MBE for Aida Haughton, of Stoke-on-Trent, Housing Support Administrator at YMCA North Staffordshire, for services to ‘Remembering Srebrenica’;

·       MBE for Eric Horabin, of Tamworth, Member of, and Poppy Appeal Collector for, the Tamworth Branch of the Royal British Legion, for services to the Ex-Services community;

·       MBE for Karl Humphries, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, of Get Hooked on Fishing, for services to Education;

·       MBE for Tracey Maria Johnson, of Stoke-on-Trent, formerly HR director at Leek United Building Society, for services to Financial Services during Covid-19;

·       MBE for Josepha (Josie) Hannah Morris, of Stoke-on-Trent, Managing Director of Woolcool, for services to manufacturing and the Environment;

·       MBE for Ian Andrew Noons, of Yarnfield, Custodial Manager at HM YOI Drake Hall, for services to HM Prison and Probation Service;

·       MBE for Alan Pearson, of Hednesford, Headteacher of New Invention Junior School, Walsall, for services to Education;

·       MBE for Siobhan Reilly, of Bishops Offley, Regional Chief Nurse, Midlands and East NHS England & NHS Improvement, for services to Nursing and the Covid-19 response;

·       MBE for Rebecca Rollason, of Cheslyn Hay, Resourcing Manager for the vaccines taskforce at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for services to the Government during the Covid-19 response;

·       MBE for Clifford John Thornton Stott, of Keele, Professor of Social Psychology at Keele University, for services to Crowd Psychology and the Covid-19 response;

·       BEM for former County Councillor Lee Bates, of Tamworth, for services to the community in Tamworth and Covid-19 response projects;

·       BEM for Councillor Paul Brindley, of Tamworth, for services to the community in Tamworth and Covid-19 response projects;

·       BEM for Hannah Findlay, of Biddulph, front line food retail worker for the Co-operative Group,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

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 Smith enquired as to the take-up rates of the Covid vaccine amongst the 18 - 29 age group and also the number of people in Staffordshire currently in hospital with the virus.  In response, Cllr McMahon indicated that 40% of those in the 18 – 29 age group in Staffordshire had received two doses of the vaccine and 60% had received one dose.  With regard to hospital admissions, Cllr McMahon indicated that rates in Staffordshire were much lower than seen previously.

Cllr Pert referred to the announcement in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List that the NHS had been awarded the George Cross in recognition of 73 years of dedicated service, including for the courageous efforts of healthcare workers across the country battling the Covid-19 pandemic.  He asked whether the Leader of the Council would, on behalf of residents of the County, write to the leaders of the NHS in Staffordshire to congratulate them on the Award?  In response, Cllr Alan White indicated that he would be happy for the Council to do so and that he would ask Cllr Jessel and Cllr McMahon to draft an appropriate letter.

Cllr Afsar and Cllr Greatorex referred to the hesitancy shown by some communities and age groups in getting vaccinated against Covid.  Cllr Afsar added that local councils had a vital role to play in tackling this issue and asked the Leader of the Council whether he agreed that community involvement was critical in encouraging people to come forward and get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity?  In response, Cllr Alan White stated that he agreed with Cllr Afsar about the importance of community involvement and, by way of example, he referred to the leadership shown by Cllr Hussain in supporting his local community in Burton throughout the pandemic.

Cllr Pardesi enquired whether the award of the George Cross would help NHS workers’ pay their bills?  In response, Cllr Alan White indicated that he was sure that the last thing on NHS workers minds during the pandemic was “pay and rations” but doing the right thing for their fellow human beings.

Cllr Hutton extended his congratulations to the Council and its staff for the contribution they had made during the Covid pandemic as they had played a major role in helping to reduce hospital admissions.  Cllr Jessel also paid tribute to Cllr McMahon for the leadership he had shown.  In response, Cllr Alan White indicated that the Council’s senior leadership recognised the valuable contribution made by the Council’s staff during the pandemic and had decided to recognise their efforts by awarding them a day off on their birthday and also sending to every employee a “thank you” card containing wild flower seeds.

Cllr Jessel also referred to the need for parents to ensure that their children were vaccinated against  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Cllr Sutton moved consideration of the Staffordshire Corporate Parenting Panel Annual Report 2020-21. 

Cllr Edgeller, Cllr Hood and Cllr Price extended their thanks to Cllr Sutton, his fellow members of the Corporate Parenting Panel and the officers who supported them, for their excellent work.  Cllr Price added the “Children’s Voice” was now part of the Council’s SEND Strategy. 

Cllr Charlotte Atkins commented on the low level of attendance at Panel meetings by some District/Borough Council representatives.  In response, Cllr Sutton indicated that the Panel worked hard to ensure that there was good and fair representation across the whole of the County and where difficulties were encountered, he spoke to the Leaders of the Councils concerned.

Cllr Pardesi referred to the statement in the Report that “looked after young people generally experience poor mental health and asked for access to mental health support in a timely manner” and enquired as to what time frame constituted “a timely manner”?  In response, Cllr Edgeller indicated that a lot of work was being undertaken to address mental health issues amongst looked after children.  Cllr Sutton added that he would share with all new Members of the Council information on Mental Health Pathways.

Cllr Sutton indicated that there were currently around 1,200 young people in the Council’s care and he reminded all Members of the responsibilities as Corporate Parents.  He extended his thanks to Members of the Panel, both past and present, for the valuable contribution they had made and he also welcomed new members of the Panel.

RESOLVED – That the Staffordshire Corporate Parenting Panel Annual Report 2020-21 be received.

The Council were informed that the Covid-19 Support Fund saw £2500 allocated to each County Councillor to invest in projects which supported communities through the pandemic.  Councillors were able to use as much or as little of this £2500 as they wanted to support projects which needed it, or to work together with other councillors and jointly support bigger projects.

Funding was available initially for two purposes:

·     Projects about providing support to the community re the coronavirus. Group’s activity had to relate to:

•         supporting people who were self-isolating or in quarantine

•         helping the community to be resilient against wider impacts of Covid-19

•         developing community networks to do either of the above.

·     Providing funding to existing community groups who were facing a reduced income due to the impact of Covid-19 (for example around paying overheads while facing reduced incomes).

From July 2020 onwards, county councillors were equipped with a second tranche of the funding because of the ongoing emergency situation, with an additional £2000 to allocate per Member.  The two fund uses above remained, but a third was added in recognition of the fact that some community organisations were beginning to open back up:

·       Projects which related to community recovery, sustaining new social action, restarting activity which had been paused, or adapting provision for the ‘new normal’.

The combined Covid-19 Support and Recovery Fund closed on 30 October 2020, with a deadline for funds being used by 28 February 2021. The Fund was a successful element of Staffordshire’s response to the pandemic.  As part of a much bigger picture of other funders, agencies and volunteers working together, over £230k was distributed to help community organisations look after those who needed it most.

Several members gave examples as to how the funding had been used in their respective areas.  Cllr Greatorex paid tribute to Cllr Wilson for the report and also to Pete Barker of the Council’s Member and Democratic Services Team for the advice and support he had given to Members in allocating the funding.

Cllr Wilson informed Members that, going forward, the member fund for 2021/22 financial year, called the 2021 Community Fund, was aimed at helping the voluntary and community sector think about ‘where next’.  Now that the Country was starting to adapt to a new normal, the 2021 Community Fund was about supporting groups to think about their future offer, how they would fundraise, and how they would return to ideas which they were going to pursue before the pandemic began.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

(a)  (i) Members’ Allowances Scheme - Independent Remuneration Panel Report

(ii) Independent Remuneration Panel – Appointment

(b)  Changes to the Constitution including the review of changes as approved by Annual Council on 20 May 2021 as reviewed by the Audit and Standards Committee on 13 July 2021

(a) (i) Members’ Allowances Scheme - Independent Remuneration Panel Report

Members were informed that the County Council was required to establish and maintain an Independent Remuneration Panel to provide advice and recommendations to the Council on its Members’ Allowances Scheme. Any decisions on the nature and level of allowances were a matter for the Full Council, but the Council must have regard to any recommendations submitted by the Independent Remuneration Panel before establishing or amending the Members’ Allowances Scheme. The Panel met each year to consider the recommendations to be made to the Council in respect of the level and nature of the forthcoming year’s allowances.

The Independent Remuneration Panel’s report of July 2021 noted and supported the changes to the Special Responsibility Allowances following the 2021 County Council Elections and Annual Council Meeting.  In the report, the Panel also proposed to fully review the Members’ Allowance Scheme, the Basic Allowance and the expenses paid to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the County Council this year and report their findings back to the County Council in due course.

RESOLVED – That (a) the Independent Remuneration Panel July 2021 report be received.

(b) That the Council accept the Panel’s proposal to fully review the Members’ Allowance Scheme, the Basic Allowance and the expenses paid to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the County Council this year and report their findings back to the County Council in due course.

(a) (ii) Independent Remuneration Panel – Appointment

Members were informed that the Independent Remuneration Panel currently had four Members who were appointed by the County Council. The minimum number of people permitted to sit on the Independent Remuneration Panel was three and a maximum of five. Members of the Panel usually served a term of four years, but this may be extended where it was expedient to do so.

Christina Robotham was first appointed as an Independent Remuneration Panel member in October 2017. As the other Members of the Panel were still relatively new, it was proposed that Christina Robotham’s term of office be extended for a further period of five months in order to retain her expertise as the Panel’s Chairman for the duration of the financial year.

RESOLVED – (a) That the period of office for Christina Robotham as a member of the Independent Remuneration Panel be extended for a further period to 31 March 2022.

(b) That, if required, the Audit and Standards Committee be requested to carry out a

recruitment exercise for IRP members in 2022.

(b) Changes to the Constitution including the review of changes as approved by Annual Council on 20 May 2021 as reviewed by the Audit and Standards Committee on 13 July 2021

Members were informed that, at the Annual Council meeting on 20 May 2021, the Council considered a number of proposed amendments to the Constitution which were required to reflect changes to decision making structures.  Included in the report were several changes to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers as had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Cllr Edgeller referred to people’s use of social media to complain about judgements made by the Commissioner whilst, at the same time, there were very few who took up the opportunity to attend meetings of the Panel.  She urged the Commissioner to publicise more widely details of when Panel meetings were to take place and to encourage more public participation.  Cllr Hudson also spoke about the need to improve the links between Members of the Council and their respective Local Policing Units so as to improve communication and he undertook to raise this matter with the Commissioner.

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 Pardesi asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture whose reply is set out below the question:-

Question

Our Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community members live in small confined spaces next to the Walley Quarry Landfill site.  What steps are being taken to ensure their smaller living situations are not more adversely compounded than those of house dwellers?  What is being done to make sure that our GRT community is being fully consulted and updated in order that it is able to contribute to the current process and plans for this site?

Reply

The Environment Agency is responsible for regulating the Walleys Quarry Landfill site and has held three virtual public engagement events, they also provide weekly updates via the environment Agencies ‘Citizen Space’.

Staffordshire County Council continues to work with other public agencies as part of a Strategic Co-ordinating Group (SCG) convened by the Local Resilience Forum, to co-ordinate activities to try and mitigate the risks to the health of all local people.

The SCG held a further a community engagement event on Tuesday 6 July to which all members of the community were invited. Representatives from the Environment Agency, Public Health England, the NHS, and officers from Staffordshire County Council and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council where part of this, with the event chaired by the deputy SCG Chair, Rob Barber Deputy Chief Fire Officer from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee are also considering the important matters further next week (26 July), relating to Walleys Quarry Landfill Site with a focus on health implications for all residents.

All local people can make their views known through complaints to the Environment Agency, representations to Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council or their Elected Members. They are also encouraged to report odour and symptoms to the County Council’s ‘smell and symptom tracker’ to help further inform the SCGs approach.

Supplementary Question

How many members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community living adjacent to the Walley’s Quarry site have access to the internet?

Reply

We do not have that information.

Cllr Pardesi asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Education (and SEND) whose reply is set out below the question:-

Question

In light of the pitiful Covid Education catch-up plan for England students, how can this government claim to be concerned about failing thousands of students and be serious about breaking the link between deprivation and poor outcomes in schools?

Reply

The Department for Education announced a number of different funding streams and packages to support education recovery and children and young people’s wellbeing. In June 2020 mainstream schools were allocated £80 for each pupil from reception to year 11 inclusive and special schools were allocated £240 per pupils. Schools were required to use this funding for specific activities to support their pupils’ education recovery.

Secondary schools have been provided the opportunity to hold a summer school with a blend of academic education and enrichment activities. The funding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

There were no petitions on this occasion.

Chair