Agenda and minutes

The Chair, on behalf of Cabinet, welcomed Mark Wynn as the county council's new Interim Chief Executive, to the meeting.

There were no apologies received.

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.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To answer any verbal questions and supplementary questions from a county councillor, about any matter which relates to any item under Part I on the agenda for this meeting under Standing Order C34(7).

There will be a maximum of 30 minutes for the questions to be asked and answered.

There was one question received.

A copy of the question and the response is attached to the minutes.

Please note that Appendix 'B' to this report is in Part II and appears as Item No. 17 on the Agenda.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to commence the following procurement exercises in accordance with the county council's procurement rules:

1. Speed Camera Enforcement
2. Skew Bridge, Grimsargh - Bridge Widening Works
3. Future Delivery of 0-19 (up to 25 years with SEND) Public Health Nursing Service in Lancashire in the geographical lots as set out in Appendix 'A'.
4. Spray Injection Jet Patching and Heated In-Situ Road Repairs

Additionally, the report set out a request to approve a waiver of Procurement Rules:

5. Waiver of Procurement Rules to make a direct award for highway defect repairs as an interim measure until the procurement exercise in relation to the Spray Injection Jet Patching and Heated In-Situ Road Repairs has been completed.

The report also set out the necessary amendments to procurement processes already approved by Cabinet to proceed but which had been impacted following the 12 September 2024 Cabinet Office announcement that the commencement of the Procurement Act 2023 will be delayed until 24 February 2025.

It was noted that Appendix 'B' of the report contained financial and legal details concerning fees for the future delivery of 0-19 (up to 25 years with SEND) Public Health Nursing Service in Lancashire and was therefore in Part II and appeared at Item No. 17 on the agenda.

Resolved: That

i.  The commencement of procurement exercises for the following be approved:

a.  Speed Camera Enforcement

b.  Skew Bridge, Grimsargh - Bridge Widening Works

c.  Future Delivery of 0-19 (up to 25 years with SEND) Public Health Nursing Service in Lancashire in the geographical lots as set out in Appendix 'A'.

d.  Spray Injection Jet Patching and Heated In-Situ Road Repairs

ii.  The request for a waiver of Procurement Rules to make a direct award for highway defect repairs as an interim measure until the procurement exercise in relation to the Spray Injection Jet Patching and Heated In-Situ Road Repairs has been completed, be approved;

iii.  The Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport and Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, HR and Property (Deputy Leader) and the Director of Law and Governance, be authorised to finalise the arrangements for the procurement exercise in respect of procurement exercise (iv), Spray Injection Jet Patching and Heated In-Situ Road Repairs; and

iv.  The necessary amendments to procurement processes already approved by Cabinet to proceed but which had been impacted due to the recent delay to the commencement of the Procurement Act 2023, which would now come into effect from 24 February 2025, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report on the appointment of an Agreed Syllabus Conference to commence in Autumn 2024 for the purpose of reviewing the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.

Resolved: That an Agreed Syllabus Conference for the purpose of reviewing the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education be convened and that any person who sits on the representative groups on the Lancashire Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education, excluding the co-opted members and observers, be appointed as members of that Agreed Syllabus Conference.

Cabinet considered a report on the Skills Bootcamps 2025/26. It was noted that the Skills Bootcamps formed part of the Government's Lifetime Skills Guarantee and were funded by the Department for Education under the National Skills Fund. A total of £1.2m had been allocated to Lancashire under Wave 3 for financial year 2022/23, £3m under Wave 4 in 2023/24 and £6.4m under Wave 5 (2024/25). 

Resolved: That

1. Any grant funds offered by the Department for Education to enable the delivery of a Skills Bootcamp programme in accordance with the proposal submitted, to the benefit of Lancashire residents and businesses, be accepted; and.
2. The Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport and Health be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, the Section 151 Officer, and the Director of Law and Governance, to review and agree the grant funding offer and terms and conditions, giving due consideration to any procurement considerations, and to agree and enter into any legal agreements required to protect the interests of Lancashire County Council in accordance with its decision making processes.

Please note that Appendix 'A' to this report is in Part II and appears as Item No. 18 on the Agenda.

Cabinet considered a report that set out the draft School Place Planning Delivery Programme for 2024-27 and proposed a series of projects which aimed to provide additional places in existing schools and proposed to deliver two new primary schools and a new secondary school in Preston.

It was noted that Appendix 'A' of the report was in Part II and appeared at Item No. 18 on the Agenda.

In presenting the report, an amendment to the recommendations was proposed which was to include the two new recommendations as follows:

  iv.  In addition to Recommendation (iii), pursue the design and planning for a new secondary school on the land to be released North of Maxy Lane assuming that the notice from the developer is issued within three months of today's date.

  v. To authorise the Director of Finance and Commerce, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for HR, Resources and Property and the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to consider both sites and progress with the design and planning permission for the site that will provide the required places within the time constrained development schedule.

It was noted that the original recommendation (iv.) would remain as published and was renumbered as recommendation (vi.)

Resolved: That, the following be approved:

i.  The School Place Planning Delivery Programme 2024-27 set out at Appendix 'A' of the report;

ii.  The commencement of work to design and obtain planning permission for a new primary school at the former Whittingham Hospital site;

iii.  The commencement of work to design and obtain planning permission for a new secondary school at the Tulketh High School site in Preston;

iv.  In addition to Recommendation (iii), pursue the design and planning for a new secondary school on the land to be released North of Maxy Lane assuming that the notice from the developer is issued within three months of today's date;

  v.  To authorise the Director of Finance and Commerce, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for HR, Resources and Property and the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to consider both sites and progress with the design and planning permission for the site that will provide the required places within the time constrained development schedule; and

v.  The commencement of the presumption process to secure sponsors for the new free schools.

Cabinet considered a report on the Digital Strategy Renewal for 2025 – 2029. It was noted that the council's Digital Strategy outlined the council's digital ambitions for the coming 5 years.

In presenting the report, Cabinet thanked all officers in Digital Services for the work they had done, and continue to do, to keep the county council's ICT systems operational.

Resolved: That

1. The following be approved:

2. The Director of Digital be authorised, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance/Senior Information Risk Officer and the Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services, to make technical updates to the strategy and road map where appropriate to reflect the changing technological landscape and the emerging council plan.

Please note that Appendix 'A' to this report is in Part II and appears as Item No. 19 on the Agenda.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the Prevent Strategy 2024/26 which had been updated to meet the requirements of the Counter Terrorism Security Act 2015 and Prevent Duty.

It was noted that Appendix 'A' of the report was in Part II and appeared at Item No. 19 on the Agenda.

In presenting the report, Cabinet thanked all officers involved in producing the strategy.

Resolved: That the Prevent Strategy 2024/26, as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report be approved, for implementation across the county council over the next two years.

Cabinet considered a report on the Lancashire Healthy Weight Programme. It was noted that the Healthy Weight Programme was a key programme of work that spans Public Health, other departments within Lancashire County Council and beyond. 

Following the approval of the Public Health Strategy by Cabinet in July 2024 and the ongoing work with district council colleagues and wider stakeholders, the report sought approval for three supporting new areas of work namely:

·  The Lancashire Food Plan;

·  The development of a Healthy Lancashire Advertising and Sponsorship Policy; and

·  The revised Hot Food Takeaway Advisory Note.

In presenting the report, Cabinet thanked County Councillor Sue Whittam, Lead Member for Health, for all the work she had done in supporting officers in producing the policies, as well as the officers involved in producing the policies. 

Resolved: That, the following be approved:

  i.  The Lancashire Food Plan as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report;

  ii.  The proposals for development of a Lancashire Healthy Advertising and Sponsorship Policy as set out at Appendix 'B' of the report; and that the Director of Public Health, Wellbeing and Communities be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, to approve such policy; and

  iii.  The revised Hot Food Takeaway Advisory Note as set out at Appendix 'C' of the report.

There have been no urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of Cabinet.

There had been no urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of Cabinet.

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 were no items of Urgent Business.

The next meeting of Cabinet will be held on Thursday 14 November 2024 at 2.00pm at County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of Cabinet would be held at 2pm on Thursday, 14 November 2024 at County Hall, Preston.

No representations have been received.

Click here to see the published Notice of Intention to Conduct Business in Private.

Cabinet noted the Notice of Intention to Conduct Business in Private and that no representations had been received.

The Cabinet is asked to consider whether, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it considers that the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated against the heading to the item.

It was noted that the Part II items listed on the agenda related to appendices for reports already discussed in Part I on the agenda. There being no questions to be raised on the appendices, it was agreed that the meeting remain in Part I.

Resolved: That the meeting remain in Part I, open to press and public.

Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. Appendix 'B' contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. Appendix 'A' contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. Appendix 'A' contains information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.