Agenda and minutes

Mr James moved, and Mr Wileman seconded, and it was:

 

RESOLVED – That Mr Michael Greatorex be elected Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 22 March 2018be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

Mrs Wilson moved, and Mr B Williams seconded, and it was:-

 

RESOLVED – That Mrs Kath Perry be appointed Vice-Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year.

 

Former County Councillor Gwilym Roberts

 

The Council were informed of the death, on Thursday, 15 March 2018, of former County Councillor Gwilym Edffrwd Roberts.  Mr Roberts represented the Brereton and Ravenhill (Cannock Chase) County Electoral Division on the County Council between 1985 and 1993 and also between 2001 and 2009.

 

He served on a number of the Council’s Committees including the Highways Committee, Libraries, Arts and Archives Committee, Social Services Committee, Social Care Scrutiny Committee, Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, Corporate Policy Scrutiny Committee and the Pensions Committee. He also served as Chairman of the Audit Committee and the Resources Scrutiny and Performance Panel.

 

Prior to becoming a Member of the County Council, Mr Roberts served as Member of Parliament for Cannock between 1974 and 1983.

 

Mr Atkins, Mr Davis and Mr Winnington paid tribute to the contribution Mr Roberts had made during the time he served on the County Council, following which Members observed a one minute’s silence in his memory.

 

Chairman’s Civic Service

 

The Chairman extended an invitation to Members to attend the annual Civic Church Service which was to take place at St. Mary’s Church, Stafford on Sunday, 17 June commencing at 12:00 noon.

 

Microsoft UK Digital Skills Live Event

 

Members were informed that that Microsoft UK Digital Skills Live was in Stafford town centre.  Delivered in partnership with Microsoft UK and Staffordshire University, this was an exciting event for people of all ages and stages who were hungry to improve their digital skills.  The Digital Skills Programme aimed to provide everybody with free basic online skills, nurture young people's passion for computer science and provide essential training to businesses and IT professionals who need to develop their understanding of the cloud.  The Chairman encouraged all Members to go along to the event following the Council Meeting.

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

 

Quarter 4 2017/18 Integrated Performance Report

(Paragraph 1 of the Statement)

 

Mrs Woodward, Mr Philip White and Mr Atkins referred to the important role played by Governors in helping to build strong schools and improving performance.  Mrs Woodward also encouraged Members to consider becoming a Governor of the school(s) in their area.  Mr Atkins also stressed the importance of community involvement in the management of schools.

 

Enlargement of St Stephens Primary School, Fradley and Baldwins Gate CE (VC) Primary School

(Paragraph 2 of the Statement)

 

Mrs Eagland and Mr Northcott expressed their support for the proposals to enlarge St Stephens Primary School, Fradley and Baldwins Gate CE (VC) Primary School.

 

Pothole Investment

(Paragraph 3 of the Statement)

 

Mrs Woodward expressed her concern at the time it was taking to repair some highway defects and the consequent dangers this could cause for motorists and cyclists.  Mr Smith added that, now that the winter was over, he was seeing tremendous improvements in the condition of the roads in his electoral division.  Mrs Fisher responded by indicating that where Members had concerns about potentially dangerous highway defects, she would be happy to look into those issues.  She added that there was currently around 10,000 potholes across the County and that, since 1 April, 3,000 repairs had been undertaken and that improvements were beginning to be seen.  Mr Atkins praised the work of the highway teams in dealing with the backlog of repairs and indicated that delays had occurred over the winter period due to the adverse weather conditions.

 

HS2 petitioning

(Paragraph 4 of the Statement)

 

Several Members expressed concern in relation to the timeliness and accuracy of information provided by HS2 and also indicated that the company was not listening to the concerns of the Council and local communities.  In response, Mr Winnington indicated that the following the petitioning in relation to Phase 2A, the select Committee had just issued its report.  He indicated that MPs had rejected calls for a longer tunnel between Whitmore Heath and Madeley, on the basis that it would cost too much. He added that the county council had petitioned the committee on 60 items, and had successfully secured changes elsewhere on the route in Staffordshire.  Mr Tittley referred the lorry routing during the construction phase of HS2 and the severe detrimental impact would have on road users and businesses particularly in the area around Fradley Park.  Mrs Eagland indicated that she had recently attended a meeting with representatives of HS2 and it was clear that the company had no understanding of the impact of the proposed works on local residents and businesses.  Mrs Hood also spoke about the impact of the proposed railhead near Stone which would see around 569 HGV movements per day along Yarnfield Lane.  Mr Colin Greatorex spoke about the importance of the construction traffic sticking to the designated routes and indicated that HS2  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

(a)       Independent Remuneration Panel Appointment

 

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.

 

Leslie Trigg was appointed to the Independent Remuneration Panel in 2014 for a period of four years, which expired in March 2018.

 

The Independent Remuneration Panel currently had two members, appointed by the County Council in October 2017. The minimum number of people permitted to sit on the Independent Remuneration Panel was three and it was therefore recommended that the County Council agree that Leslie Trigg’s term of office be extended for a further period of 12 months.

 

It was also noted that the Council at its meeting on 12 October 2017, agreed “That the Audit and Standards Committee be requested to carry out a further recruitment exercise for IRP members in 2018.” This recruitment process was underway and Leslie Trigg’s experience would provide continuity to the Panel.

 

RESOLVED – That the period of office for Leslie Trigg as a member of the Independent Remuneration Panel be extended for a further period of 12 months to 31 March 2019.

 

(b) Proposed Changes to the Constitution – Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee

 

Members were informed that the membership of the Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee comprised 13 County Council members and one member representative from each of the eight District and Borough Councils in Staffordshire. All had full voting rights. Historically the joint working arrangements were successful; however more recently, due to other time pressures, there had been a notable decline in the regularity of attendance of District and Borough members at meetings of the Committee.  The importance of local member representation at Healthy Staffordshire meetings had been discussed at a joint meeting of Staffordshire’s Council Leaders. That meeting requested a change to the terms of reference of the Select Committee to permit the appointment of substitute member level representation (with full voting rights) for the District and Boroughs.

 

Mrs Woodward expressed her support for the proposals and asked whether, in addition to the nominated member, the substitute member may also be permitted to attend meetings of the Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee as an official observer so as to aid continuity.  In response, Mr Atkins indicated that he would have no objections to this but it should be borne in mind that the relevant District/Borough Council would be responsible for the payment of their travelling allowances.

 

Mr Smith and Mrs Atkins indicated that those persons who were appointed as the nominated and substitute members must have sufficient time available to enable them to fulfil their roles as Members of the Committee.

 

The Council were also informed that where a NHS body or Health Service provider consulted more than one local authority’s health function about proposals for substantial development or variation of services, in accordance with Regulation 30 of ‘The Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013, those local authorities were required to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Director of Strategy, Governance and Change.

RESOLVED – That the annual report on the Staffordshire Local Community Fund 2017 be received.

To consider the appointment of the members to Committees on the nomination of Group Leaders.

Mr Atkins moved, and Mr Alan White seconded, and it was:

 

RESOLVED – That the Members indicated below serve on the Committees indicated for the period up to the annual Council meeting in 2019:-

 

Corporate Review Committee
Charlotte Atkins	Jonathan Price
David Brookes	Ian Parry
John Francis	Martyn Tittley
Colin Greatorex	Stephen Sweeney
Bob Spencer	David Williams
Johnny McMahon	Susan Woodward
Jeremy Oates

 

Prosperous Staffordshire Select Committee
Ron Clarke	Ian Parry
Tina Clements	Kyle Robinson
Keith Flunder	David Smith
Bryan Jones	Simon Tagg
Julia Jessel	Bernard Williams

 

Safe and Strong Communities Select Committee
Ann Beech	Jason Jones
Mike Davies	Natasha Pullen
John Francis	Paul Snape
Syed Hussain	Conor Wileman
Trevor Johnson	Mike Worthington

 

Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee
Charlotte Atkins	Kath Perry
Janet Eagland	Jeremy Pert
Phil Hewitt	Bernard Peters
Dave Jones	Carolyn Trowbridge
Alastair Little	Ross Ward
Johnny McMahon	Victoria Wilson
Paul Northcott

 

Planning Committee
Ben Adams	Alastair Little
David Brookes	Kath Perry
Ron Clarke	Kyle Robinsom
John Cooper	David Smith
Alan Dudson	Paul Snape
Keith James	Bob Spencer
Julia Jessel	Mike Worthington
Trevor Johnson

 

Pensions Committee
Ben Adams	Bob Spencer
Philip Atkins	Mike Sutherland
Derek Davis	Stephen Sweeney
Ann Edgeller	Martyn Tittley
Colin Greatorex

 

Audit and Standards Committee
David Brookes	Jeremy Oates
Mike Davies	Paul Northcott
Derek Davis	Martyn Tittley
Colin Greatorex	Carolyn Trowbridge
Michael Greatorex	Ross Ward
Jill Hood	Bernard Williams
Syed Hussain	Victoria Wilson
Ian Lawson

 

Corporate Parenting Panel
Gill Burnett	Jill Hood
Ron Clarke	Bryan Jones
Maureen Compton	Bernard Peters
Janet Eagland	Natasha Pullen
John Francis	Paul Snape
Michael Greatorex	Mark Sutton
Gill Heath	Carolyn Trowbridge
Phil Hewitt

 

Charities and Trusts Committee
Michael Greatorex	Kath Perry
Dave Jones	David Smith
Ian Lawson

 

 

Cabinet Members (9)

 

Leader of the Council – Philip Atkins        

 

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for   

Health, Care and Wellbeing – Alan White           

 

Cabinet Member for Finance – Mike Sutherland

 

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People           - Mark Sutton

 

Cabinet Member for Economic Growth – Mark Winnington

 

Cabinet Member for Commercial – Mark Deaville

 

Cabinet Member for Communities – Gill Heath

 

Cabinet Member for Learning and Employability – Philip White

 

Cabinet Member for Highways – Helen Fisher

 

           

Support Member with specific portfolio (1)

 

Adult Safeguarding – Gill Burnett

 

  

Cabinet Support Members to chair and lead the All Party Member Groups (4)

 

Innovation – Keith Flunder

 

Improvement – Simon Tagg

 

Community – Mike Davies

 

External Relationships – Alastair Little

 

Community Cabinet Support Members (8) to support the Cabinet Member for Communities

 

Cannock Chase – Phil Hewitt

 

East Staffordshire – Bernard Peters

 

Lichfield – Janet Eagland

 

Newcastle-under-Lyme – Trevor Johnson

 

South Staffordshire – Victoria Wilson

 

Stafford – Jeremy Pert

 

Staffordshire Moorlands – Ross Ward

 

Tamworth – Jeremy Oates

 

Mr Atkins moved, and Mr Alan White seconded, and it was:

 

RESOLVED – That the under-mentioned be appointed as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committees stated for the period up to the annual Council meeting in 2019:-

 

Corporate Review Committee
Chairman	David Brookes
Vice-Chairman	Stephen Sweeney
Prosperous Staffordshire Select Committee
Chairman	Ian Parry
Vice-Chairman	Julia Jessel
Safe and Strong Communities Select Committee
Chairman	John Francis
Vice-Chairman	Conor Wileman
Healthy Staffordshire Select Committee
Chairman	Johnny McMahon
Vice-Chairman	Paul Northcott
Planning Committee
Chairman	David Smith
Vice-Chairman	Ben Adams
Pensions Committee
Chairman	Colin Greatorex
Vice-Chairman	Ann Edgeller
Audit and Standards Committee
Chairman	Martyn Tittley
Vice-Chairman	Carolyn Trowbridge
Corporate Parenting Panel
Chairman	Mark Sutton
Vice-Chairman	Bryan Jones
Charities and Trusts Committee
Chairman	Kath Perry
Vice-Chairman	David Smith

 

Mr Atkins moved, and Mr Alan White seconded, and it was:

 

RESOLVED - That, subject to the reference to “Burnett, G” on pages 1 and 2 of the report being amended to read, “Jones, B” the nominations of the Leader of the Council, in consultation with the Political Group Leaders, on the appointment of members to Outside Bodies for 2018/19 be approved and that the Leader be authorised to make any changes to those appointments as may become necessary.

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

In moving consideration of the report, Mr Sweeney indicated that the Authority had received notification that, due to some technical issues, the process for transferring the governance function of the Fire Authority to the Police and Crime Commissioner had been delayed in that the Statutory Instrument which would give effect to the change would not now be lodged in Parliament in time to allow the original date of the 1st June 2018 to be achieved.

 

In response to a question from Mr Francis as to who would scrutinise the Police and Crime Commissioner on fire service related issues, Mr Sweeney indicated that the details of the new regulations were still awaited.

 

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

Mrs Trowbridge asked the following question of the Cabinet Support Member for Learning and Employability whose reply is set out below the question:-

 

Question

 

Would the Cabinet Support Member for Learning and Employability give me some reassurance that, now that Stafford Borough Council’s planning department are considering the proposal for 1500 houses, the new primary school for Burleyfields, scheduled for phase 2 of the development, will be open in time for the extra children this development will bring?

 

Reply

 

The County Council continues to work closely with Stafford Borough Council to support delivery of the adopted Plan for Stafford Borough.

 

One of three Strategic Development Location (SDL) in the town, the “West of Stafford” site is identified in Policy Stafford 3 (see pages 49 and 50 of the Plan).

 

Staffordshire’s School Organisation Team are responsible for delivering the county council’s statutory duty to secure sufficient school places and have identified the key requirements from the location, which includes:

 

a.      “xviii. A new primary school will be provided, and financial contributions to support additional capacity with new provision at existing secondary schools” (see page 50 of the adopted Plan).

 

The master plan for the SDL has been developed jointly with developers and land owners and Burleyfields is part of the SDL, promoted by Taylor Wimpey.

 

A new “2-FE” primary free school would eventually provide for up to 420 pupils, most likely opening in the mid-2020’s.

 

Already there is a sealed Section 106 agreement in place that will contribute to the cost of the new school and, in time, further S106 agreements will be made for provision of the school site and additional education contributions.

 

The new primary school is shown on the list of potentially 25 new free schools across the county to accommodate additional children as a result of new housing development.

 

Mrs Hood asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Economic Growth whose reply is set out below the question:-

 

Question

 

Which elements of the proposed agreement between the County Council and HS2 Ltd, and how much of the £10 million that has been accepted by the council, are specifically directed towards mitigating the significantly detrimental environmental and economic effects of constructing and operating the Stone Railhead?

 

Reply

 

The Council has not been offered or accepted £10 million from HS2 Ltd.

 

The County Council petitioned and raised a number of objections to the HS2 Phase 2a Hybrid Bill. The Staffordshire community impacted by the scheme help shape the petition points and 7 specific requests concerning the Stone Railhead were included.

 

The County Council has received a number of assurances and undertakings from HS2 Ltd in response to the petition but is waiting on a decision from the Select Committee regarding the extension of the tunnel between Whitmore and Madeley.

 

The assurances and undertakings are available to view on the HS2 Ltd website and include mitigation measures directly associated with the Stone Railhead which were in response to our petitioning points.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

There were no petitions on this occasion.