Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

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 20 January 2022 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 C35(7).

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

One question was asked by a county councillor at the meeting and one question asked by a county councillor, who was not present at the meeting, would receive a written response. The questions and the responses are attached to the minutes.

With the agreement of the Chair, consideration of this item was brought forward.

Cabinet considered the annual report of the Director of Public Health for 2021-22. It was noted the Directors of Public Health in England had a statutory duty to produce an Annual Public Health Report to demonstrate the state of health within their communities.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health, was invited to present the report to Cabinet, and it was noted that the report highlighted the state of health and wellbeing in Lancashire and how the pandemic had impacted on lives and livelihoods. The report also made six high level recommendations to improve health and reduce inequalities across Lancashire.

Resolved: That;

1. The high-level recommendations set out in the report be supported; and
2. Full Council be asked to consider and note the report.

Cabinet considered a report providing an update on the county council's 2021/22 revenue and capital financial position, as at the end of November 2021 and an updated Medium-Term Financial Strategy covering the period 2022/23 to 2024/25.

It was noted that whilst the quarter 3 forecast presented an underspend of £23.45m for the current financial year, there remained a level of uncertainty about the longer-term impacts of the ongoing pandemic. The extent and profiling of any latent impact on price or demand for the county council services also remained unclear.

Resolved: That;

1. The current forecast underspend of £23.46m on the revenue budget in 2021/22 be noted;
2. The revised funding gap of £21.690m in 2022/23 be noted and Full Council on 17 February 2022 be asked to approve that this  be met from the uncommitted transitional reserve;
3. The revised forecast funding gap of £42.830m by 2024/25 as set out in the revised financial outlook forecast for the council be noted;
4. Approval be given for the budget adjustments for 2021/22, and following years' changes, included in the revised Medium-Term Financial Strategy;
5. The contents of the county council's reserves position be noted;
6. The revised 2021/22 capital delivery programme of £165.567m and the forecast outturn of £164.050m be noted;
7. Full Council on 17 February 2022 be asked to approve an indicative capital delivery programme of £206.263m in 2022/23; and
8. Full Council on 17 February 2022 be asked to approve a Band D Council Tax for 2022/23 reflecting a 3.99% increase including 2% to be used for adult social care as per the new flexibilities.

Cabinet considered a report for a new school build in relation to Ribblesdale High Primary Provision and to authorise the Chief Digital Officer and Head of Procurement to make the decision whether or not to remain with the current supplier for Microsoft Enterprise licensing arrangements or to join the Crown Commercial Services aggregation procurement if that was an ultimately better commercial deal, in line with the county council's procurement rules.

Resolved: That;

1. The commencement of the procurement exercise for Ribblesdale High Primary Provision as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report be approved; and
2. The Chief Digital Officer and Head of Procurement be authorised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, HR and Property (Deputy Leader) to make the decision in relation to the Microsoft Enterprise licensing arrangements as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report.

Please note that Appendix 'A' to this report is in Part II and appears as Item No. 20 on the Agenda.

Cabinet considered a report to procure an infra-red speed camera system at the locations specified in the report. It was noted that the infra-red speed camera system was more effective in picking up speeding offences and required less intrusive installation than camera systems that required cabling to be installed underground at the locations. In addition, the infra-red camera systems could be mounted on standard and passively safe columns or on existing street furniture and were more reliable and easier to maintain.

It was also noted that Appendix A of this report was in Part II and appeared at Item 20 on the agenda.

Resolved: That, approval be given for a waiver of the county council's procurement rules as set out at paragraph 14.2 of Appendix R to the county council's Constitution, to allow a direct award of a contract to be made to Jenoptik Limited in respect of the installation and maintenance of red light and speed on green cameras as set out in the report.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the county council's proposed fee uplifts for adult social care services for 2022/23, the financial impact of which had been reflected in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

Resolved: That, the following uplifts be approved, with effect from 4 April 2022:

• Residential and nursing care

Weekly older people's approved residential care rates

• • Nursing Standard (5.56%)
  • Nursing Dementia (5.63%)
  • Residential Standard (5.48%)
  • Residential Higher (5.67%)
  • Residential Dementia (5.72%)
  • Mental Health and Learning Disability Residential/Nursing (5.72%)
• Homecare (all client groups) 
  • Off framework providers (4.10%)
  • Framework providers (£1.33 per hour)
• Supported Living 
  • Waking hour rate (6.07%)
  • Sleep in rate (per shift) (6.06%)
• Extracare 
  • Sheltered schemes with 24 hour domiciliary care (6.07%)
  • Other schemes inc purpose built Extracare (6.07%)
• Direct Payments (4.10%)
• Carers (6.62%)
• Shared Lives (6.62%)
• Day Care(5.77%)
• Respite and Individual Service Funds

Uplift in line with relevant service (e.g. homecare/residential care)</AI9>

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Cabinet considered a report on the determination of the statutory scheme and the mandatory timetable for co-ordinating admissions for Lancashire's primary and secondary schools and academies for 2023/2024. 

Resolved: That;

1. The scheme listed at Appendix 'A' of the report, and its accompanying timetable in Appendix 'B' of the report, be approved and adopted as the qualifying scheme for admissions to Lancashire primary and secondary schools and academies for 2023/2024; and
2. The Executive Director of Education and Children's Services be authorised to secure the adoption of the scheme by the governing body of each Lancashire voluntary aided and foundation school and academy, in order to inform the Secretary of State for Education that a scheme has been introduced in Lancashire. 

Cabinet considered a report on the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled primary and secondary schools and sixth forms schools for the school year 2023/2024.

Resolved: That;

1. The admission numbers and admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled primary schools, secondary schools and sixth forms for 2023/2024 as listed at Appendices 'A' 'B' 'C' and 'D' of the report, be approved;
2. The issues raised by Community and Voluntary Controlled Governing Bodies, and the Community be noted and approval be given for the recommendations set out in response, as set out in Appendix 'E' of the report; and
3. The admission numbers and criteria for admission set out at Appendices 'A' 'B' 'C' and 'D' of the report to constitute the Authority's admission arrangements for 2023/2024, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report on the annual review of the Home to School Transport policy.

It was noted that there were no changes to the determined policy for the academic year 2023/2024.

Resolved: That, the Home to School Transport Policy for the academic year 2023/2024 as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report setting out proposals relating to fees and charges in Cultural Services following an annual review to ensure that they supported service objectives, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Resolved: That, the following changes to Cultural Services fees and charges be approved with effect from the 1 April 2022:

1. Include people with a physical impairment and those who are deaf or hard of hearing in the list of groups who are exempt from charges for borrowing audio visual materials from libraries;
2. Include care leavers under the age of 25 in the list of groups who do not have to pay for the late return of library books;
3. Remove the reservation charge for CDs in libraries;
4. Remove the charges for craft activities for children and families in libraries;
5. Offer half price entry for two months in May and June 2022 for National Trust members at Helmshore and Queen Street Mills; and
6. Reintroduce the family Xplorer ticket in Museums.

Cabinet considered a report on existing strategy documents following a review of Cultural Services and had developed two distinct strategies covering each of the Library and Museum services.

Resolved: That, the Lancashire Library and Museum strategies, as set out at Appendices 'A' and 'B' of the report be approved.

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

It was noted that no urgent decisions had been taken by the Leader of the County Council and the relevant Cabinet Members, 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 3 March 2022 at 2.00pm at County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of Cabinet would be held at 2pm on Thursday 3 March 2022 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.

Resolved: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item 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.

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

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

Resolved: That, Appendix A of Item 7 - Installation of Red Light and Speed on Green Cameras, be noted.