Agenda and minutes

No apologies were 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 May 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.

There was one question for Cabinet. A copy of the question and the response is attached to the minutes.

Cabinet considered a report proposing to appoint County Councillor Carole Haythornthwaite as Champion for Disabled People in place of County Councillor Rupert Swarbrick.

Resolved: That, the appointment of County Councillor Carole Haythornthwaite as Champion for Disabled People in place of County Councillor Rupert Swarbrick with immediate effect, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report providing an overview of the key performance indicators to enable monitoring of performance against the four priorities of the corporate strategy:

• Delivering better services
• Protecting our environment
• Supporting economic growth
• Caring for the vulnerable

It was noted that previously, the quarterly monitoring reports were presented to the Cabinet Committee on Performance Improvement. However, this committee was disestablished by Cabinet on 5 May 2022.

Following consideration of the report, it was requested that the next quarterly report contain data on gullies cleaning, specifically on the time it takes for gullies to be cleaned throughout Lancashire.

Resolved: That, following consideration of the report and the additional information set out in Appendices 'A' and 'B', the report be noted and that data on gullies cleaning be provided in the next quarterly report to Cabinet.

Cabinet considered a report providing details on the county council's 2021/22 revenue and capital outturn position.

It was noted that the 2021/22 revenue position at the end of the year was net expenditure of £851.490m, against an approved budget of £881.413m. This represented an in-year underspend of £29.923m or 3.39% of the revenue budget.

Resolved: That;

1. The council's final revenue and capital outturn position for 2021/22 be noted; and
2. Approval be given for the transfer of the 2021/22 revenue underspend to the transitional reserve.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to commence the procurement exercise for the construction of Cottam Parkway Railway Station, Preston in accordance with the county council's procurement rules.

Resolved: That, the commencement of the procurement exercise for the construction of Cottam Parkway Railway Station, Preston be approved.

Cabinet considered a report outlining proposals to upgrade the junction of Broadgate, Fishergate Hill, Strand Road and Liverpool Road in Preston to improve walking and cycling facilities through the introduction of Cycle Optimised Protected Signals design with associated measures.

It was noted that public engagement, consultation and formal advertising of the proposals had been undertaken with a small number of objections being received.

Resolved: That, the following be approved:

1. Junction improvements for cycling and walking at the Broadgate junction with Liverpool Road (Appendices 'A' and 'C' refer);
2. Construction of a cycle track for cycle use only in and around the junction, and of a footway which was for on foot only around the junction, together with construction of shared use cycletrack, the removal of existing carriageway and footway at the junction and areas of planting to introduce the Cycle Optimised Protected Signals design (Appendices 'A' and 'C' refer);
3. The making of associated Orders for reconfigured parking, waiting and loading arrangements on Fishergate Hill, introduction of a 20mph speed limit and a one-way restriction on Fishergate Hill filter lane -U4369 (Appendix 'A' refers);
4. Rumble Strips, road humps (40mm high) and parallel crossing on Fishergate Hill filter lane (Appendix 'A' refers); and
5. Bus stop clearways on Broadgate and Fishergate Hill (Appendix 'A' refers).

Cabinet considered a report that provided the outcomes of the formal consultations that were carried out in relation to proposals to create Special Educational Needs (SEN) units attached to two primary schools and one secondary school.

It was noted that the results of the feasibility studies and informal consultations to expand and increase the number of school places in two special schools were also provided and Cabinet was being asked to approve the publication of statutory notices and the initiation of formal consultation needed to make changes to the two schools. 

Additionally, the report included information in relation to a proposal to create a free special school for primary aged pupils presenting with social, emotional and mental health needs in a partially occupied building on the same site as Castle View Primary School in Lancaster. Cabinet was being asked to approve the initiation of the process required to establish the new school.

Resolved: That;

1. Following consideration of the results of the formal consultations, and the creation of a Special Educational Needs unit at Fleetwood Chaucer Primary School, St Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale and St Augustine's Roman Catholic High School, Billington, near Clitheroe be approved, and it be noted that the development of a Special Educational Needs unit at St Augustine's Roman Catholic High School was part of a larger school expansion that received Cabinet approval in April 2022;
2. Following consideration of the results of the informal consultation to expand and increase the number of school places at Thornton Cleveleys Red Marsh School and Lostock Hall Moor Hey School, approval be given to initiate the formal consultation process; and
3. The undertaking of the process to establish a new school in Lancaster for primary aged pupils presenting with social, emotional and mental health needs, in accordance with the updated Department for Education 'Establishing a New School: Free School Presumption' guidance and associated framework, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report that outlined the opportunity from the government to develop and deliver a new skills programme, 'Multiply', aimed at boosting adult numeracy as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the successor programme to European Structural and Investment Funds.

The report also described the priorities for the Multiply programme and confirmed that £5.9m had been allocated to Lancashire County Council for a three-year period from April 2022. Additionally, the paper outlined the short-term requirement for an Investment Plan, which was needed to be submitted to the Department for Education by the end of June 2022.

Resolved: That;

1. Authorisation be given to develop the Investment Plan and the Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport and Community Services and the Executive Director of Education and Children Services be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth and the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to approve the plan; and
2. The Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport and Community Services and the Executive Director of Education and Children Services be authorised to finalise the programme and award funding to projects, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth and the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Director of Corporate Services and Director of Finance.  This would enable the commissioning and procurement of numeracy provision, including entering into legal/funding arrangements as required up to the indicative budget limit of £5.9m.

Cabinet considered a report that provided an update on the progress towards preparing for a submission to Round 2 of the Government's Levelling Up Fund by 6 July 2022, including specifying the details of the emerging submission and confirmation of the financial implications to the county council.

Resolved: That;

1. The details of the emerging submission to the Fund, be noted;
2.  The development funding of up to £400,000 (as previously approved by Cabinet in July 2021) be confirmed and be continued towards the design activity following the submission and in advance of the Government's formal announcement of successful applications anticipated in late 2022;
3. The underwriting of a capital contribution be made as local match funding to support a funding bid, estimated at up to £5 million (as previously approved by Cabinet in July 2021); and
4. The Executive Director of Growth, Environment and Transport, be authorised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth, to submit the county council's funding application by 6 July 2022.

Cabinet considered a report on the Parish and Town Council Biodiversity Small Grant Scheme. It was noted that Full Council on 17 February 2022 approved the allocation of an annual budget of £58,000 for a small grants scheme to support local nature and biodiversity projects.  This report set out the grant details and the process for Parish and Town Councils to access the funding through the Public Rights of Way Local Delivery Scheme.

County Councillor Graham Gooch declared a Non-Pecuniary interest as he was the Chairman of Longton Parish Council.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson also declared a non-Pecuniary Interest as she was a member of Arkholme Parish Council.

Resolved: That, support be given to the Parish and Town Council Biodiversity Small Grant Scheme and to the promotion of the scheme.

Cabinet considered a report on the Capital Redevelopment of the Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library. It was noted that the Re-Imagining the Harris project was a partnership between Lancashire County Council and Preston City Council that was established in 2015 with the aim of transforming the Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library (the Harris). A bid to the National Heritage Lottery Fund for the redevelopment of the Harris worth £4.5m was successful and the release of funds were previously agreed at Cabinet on the 9 August 2018.

Resolved: That, the release of the remaining £750,000 of the £1m funding previously agreed by Cabinet on the 9 August 2018 with £250,000 having been paid towards the support of the bid as agreed in November 2017, be approved.

The following urgent decision has been taken by the Leader of the County Council and the relevant Cabinet Member in accordance with Standing Order C16(1) since the last meeting of Cabinet, and can be viewed by clicking on the relevant link:

-  Nomination of a Local Authority Partner Member to the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board

Resolved: That the urgent decision taken by the Leader of the County Council and the relevant Cabinet Member, since the last meeting of Cabinet, 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 were no items of Urgent Business.

The next meeting of Cabinet will be held on Thursday 7 July 2022 at 2.00pm at County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of Cabinet would be held at 2pm on Thursday, 7 July 2022 at County Hall, Preston.