Agenda and minutes

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 3 October 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.

One question for Cabinet was received.

The question and the response are attached to the minutes.

Cabinet considered the annual reports on complaints and feedback received between 2023 to 2024. It was noted that the county council had a legal obligation to publish a complaints and customer feedback report on social care statutory complaints on an annual basis. There were two statutory procedures, both different: one for children and young people's social care complaints and one for adult social care complaints. In addition, a non-statutory report on complaints made through the county council's corporate complaint's procedure, covering other service areas, was included.

Resolved: That the next steps and associated learning, as set out in the report, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report that would allow the county council to become the accountable body for devolution capital funding. It was noted that as part of the Lancashire Devolution Deal, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government would allocate a £20m capital settlement to Lancashire. In the absence of an established Combined County Authority, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government had determined that Lancashire County Council would act as the Accountable Body and distribute the funding to individual projects.

Resolved: That

i.  Lancashire County Council acts as the Accountable Body for the Devolution Capital Funding and any further funding allocated prior to the establishment of the Combined County Authority, if the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government prescribes, and

ii.  The Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport & Health be authorised, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Commerce, the Director of Law and Governance, and the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth, to draw up and approve Grant Funding Agreements to make individual project funding awards.

Cabinet considered a report on the Medium-Term Financial Strategy of the county council for 2025/26 to 2026/27.

It was noted that the report identified a shortfall of £9.095m in 2025/26 but achieved a balanced position by 2026/27. To achieve this position, based upon the demand and inflation assessments within the strategy, additional new savings of £24m in 2025/26 and £20.6m in 2026/27 were required as detailed in the report.

Resolved: That, the following be approved:

1. The Medium-Term Financial Strategy as set out within the report;
2. The assumptions around council tax levels and savings; and
3. The report acts as a basis of budget consultation with key stakeholders. 

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

1. Supply and Delivery of Food and Drink Products

It was noted that at the conclusion of the procurement process, any award of contract will be made under Section 9.52 (36) of the county council's Scheme of Delegation to Officers.

Resolved: That the commencement of a procurement exercise for the following be approved:

1. Supply and Delivery of Food and Drink Products

Cabinet considered a report on the Lancashire Road Safety Strategy 2025-2027. It was noted that the objective of the Road Safety Strategy 2025-2027 was preventing harm, saving lives, and changing minds, in support of the ambition of 'Vision Zero' for Lancashire: that no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads, and to make Lancashire's roads safer for everyone.

Resolved: That the Lancashire Road Safety Strategy 2025-2027, as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report on the Lancashire County Council Cohesion and Integration Strategy for 2024 – 2028. It was noted that the county council's Cohesion and Integration Strategy 2024 - 2028 was presented to the Community, Cultural, and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee on 21 May 2024, and all the recommendations made by the scrutiny committee had been incorporated into the strategy.

In presenting the report, it was noted that information on the consultations had been omitted from the report and it was clarified that appropriate consultations had been undertaken. It was noted that the development of the strategy involved a comprehensive community engagement process, which was achieved through multiple routes over several years, including consultations with internal county council services and councillors, external partnerships, other stakeholders and in-depth research and data analysis.

Additionally, it was noted that the county council had collaborated closely with the Lancashire Hate Crime and Cohesion Partnership, which was co-chaired by the county council and Lancashire Constabulary.  This partnership was made up of 43 organisations across Lancashire, including the 12 district councils and two unitary councils, Voluntary Community and Faith Sector organisations and other key stakeholders.  Organisations which attended this partnership had strong community engagement representation with members of the public. A conference consultation, supported by this partnership, took place prior to the strategy’s development, and that welcomed community input, and the county council had shared the work done with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which had acknowledged that the county council's framework was ahead nationally.

It was also noted that a bitesize briefing was arranged for all Members in October 2024, so all Members had the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of the strategy.

Resolved: That the Lancashire County Council Cohesion and Integration Strategy 2024 – 2028, as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

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 5 December 2024 at 2.00pm at County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of Cabinet would be held at 2pm on Thursday, 5 December 2024 at County Hall, Preston.