Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

None declared.

Resolved: - That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2014 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

County Councillor Bill Winlow, Chair of the Executive Scrutiny Committee, confirmed that the recommendations set out in the reports for consideration by Cabinet had been confirmed without modification or amendment at the meeting of the Executive Scrutiny Committee held on 2 December 2014.

Resolved: - That the report of the Chair of the Executive Scrutiny Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Mrs Alyson Barnes, Chair of the Budget Scrutiny Working Group (BSWG), reported on the Group's recent deliberations. She made particular reference to the government's withdrawal of funding for the Care and Urgent Needs Support Scheme (CaUNSS), and would support any ongoing efforts being made to lobby government to restore the funding.  The BSWG had acknowledged the difficulties faced by the County Council and stressed the importance of understanding how changes would impact on the most vulnerable.

The BSWG issued the following challenge on all proposals:

·  Have the risks of the Service Offer been fully explored and mitigated where possible?

·  Can the savings outlined be delivered earlier in the three year period?

Councillor Barnes thanked everyone who had attended meetings of the Working Group and for the work they had done so far.

Resolved: That the report, now presented, be noted.

The External Auditor's Annual Audit Letter summarising the key findings for the year ended 31 March 2014 was presented.

Resolved:- That the key messages set out in the Annual Audit Letter for Lancashire County Council for the year ended 31 March 2014, as now presented, be noted.

The Chief Executive reported that following a detailed review, the County Council had retained its status as an employer that met the Investor in People (IiP) standard.

Resolved: That,

  (i)  The report from Investors in People set out at Appendix 'A' to this report, now presented, be noted;

  (ii)  The potential risks and areas for continuous improvement identified in the report from Investors in People be picked up as part of the on-going transformation programme; and

 (iii)  The Chief Executive be requested to bring back a further report following the 18 month review in Spring 2016.

A report was presented updating Cabinet on the Living Wage within Lancashire County Council and requesting approval for the annual uplift of the Living Wage to be applied to all centrally employed staff from 1 April 2015.

Having fulfilled all the criteria, as detailed in the full report, the County Council had become accredited as a Living Wage Employer, one of only two shire counties to be accredited, with the right to use the Living Wage Employer Mark.

Resolved: That,

(i)  The full  introduction of the Living Wage  for directly employed staff from 1 April 2014 as set out in the report, now presented, be noted;

(ii)  Successful accreditation of Lancashire County Council as a Living Wage Employer be noted;

(iii)  Full Council be requested to approve the annual uplift of the Living Wage for centrally employed staff, to be applied from 1 April 2015;

(iv)  The significant number of schools adopting the Council's approach to the Living Wage be noted; and

(v)  The wider application of the Living Wage to council contracts be reviewed on a case by case basis.

The Deputy Leader of the County Council presented a report further updating Cabinet on the Council’s financial position for 2015/16 - 2017/18, in particular, the areas of risks and uncertainty highlighted to Cabinet in November.

Key to the position was the Local Government Financial Settlement, which was expected in the week commencing 15 December 2014. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had given his Autumn Statement on 3 December 2014, and a verbal update was provided to Cabinet on issues affecting local government.

Resolved: That,

  (i)  The update from the County Treasurer on the risks and uncertainties within the Council's financial position over the next three years, now presented, be noted;

 (ii)  The views of the Budget Scrutiny Working Group in framing Cabinet's budget proposals for 2015/16 to 2017/18 be considered;

(iii)  The revised service offer proposals put forward by the Chief Executive and her Management Team be consulted on, with responses to be received by the 19 December 2014, to enable Cabinet to consider all responses at the meeting of Cabinet on 8 January 2015; and

(iv)  The views of the Budget Scrutiny Working Group on the further proposals set out in these resolutions be requested for consideration at the meeting of Cabinet on 8 January 2015.

The Service Offer proposals, together with relevant equality analyses, are available at:

http://council.lancashire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=122&MId=3016

A report was presented which set out the Community Safety Agreement for 2014/16 having been developed by the Lancashire Community Safety Strategy Group (LCSSG) in consultation with local partners. Local arrangements were recognised as crucial to the effective delivery of improved outcomes. A review of partnership working had been conducted to ensure that the Community Safety partnership delivery landscape was both lean and best able to make a difference moving forward.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  Full Council be recommended to approve, in line with the County Council's Constitution, the Community Safety Agreement 2014/16 as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report, now presented;

(ii)  Full Council be recommended to delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services to make any subsequent amendments to the Community Safety Agreement; and

(iii)  The proposal that the Lancashire Chief Executives Group undertakes the function of the County Strategy Group be noted and it be recommended that Full Council, as the responsible authority in legislation, approves the appointment of the members of the Lancashire Chief Executives Group as members of the County Strategy Group.

A report was presented setting out the annual report of the Lancashire Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) for 2013/14. The Board has a statutory responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of work undertaken by agencies to safeguard children in Lancashire. This annual report sets out the work undertaken in this regard in Lancashire for the 2013/14 financial year. The report was attached at Appendix 'A'.

The report sets out key successes and also areas for development for all LSCB member agencies during the coming twelve months.

Resolved: That the report, now presented, be noted.

Resolved: - That the report, now presented, on Key Decisions taken by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services, the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, and the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, be noted.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

There was no urgent business to be considered.

The next meeting of the Cabinet will be held on Thursday 8 January 2015 at 2.00 pm at County Hall, Preston.

The Cabinet noted that the next meeting would be held on Thursday 8 January 2015 at 2.00pm at County Hall, Preston.