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.

County Councillor Peter Buckley made a non-Pecuniary Interest on Item 5 – Procurement Report in respect of the second procurement exercise, M55 Heyhouses Link Road (Earthworks and Structures), as his wife is a member of Fylde Borough Council.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 August 2020 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Cabinet considered the Money Matters report setting out an update on the county council's 2020/21 revenue and capital financial position, as at the end of June 2020 and an updated medium term financial strategy (MTFS) covering the period 2021/22 to 2023/24.

The report also showed the increasing financial pressures felt by Covid-19 and the impact it would have on the county council's budget.

In presenting the report, it was noted that there was a discrepancy in the Executive Summary on page two of the report. This was under point (i) of the summary, where it should say "overspend' instead of "underspend". This had been corrected on the published agenda on the council's website.

Resolved: That

  i.  The current forecast overspend of £3.737m on the revenue budget in 2020/21, be noted;

  ii.  The revised funding gap of £79.306m covering the period 2021/22 to 2023/24 as set out in the revised financial outlook forecast for the council, be noted;

  iii.  The contents of the county council's reserves position, be noted;

  iv.  The expected capital expenditure outturn of £149.709m, be noted; and

  v.  The revised 2020/21 capital delivery programme of £149.510m as presented within the body of the report, be noted.

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

1. Street Lighting Electrical Connection Services
2. M55 Heyhouses Link Road (Earthworks and Structures)

Resolved: That the commencement of procurement exercises for the following be approved:

1. Street Lighting Electrical Connection Services
2. M55 Heyhouses Link Road (Earthworks and Structures)

Cabinet received a report seeking approval for a proposed £12.8m economic recovery and growth programme that will target and tackle some of the economic impacts of Covid-19 and to stimulate economic growth.

Resolved: That;

1. The allocation of use of £12.8m to fund a targeted economic recovery and growth programme as outlined in the report be approved;
2. The Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport and Communities be authorised, to finalise the programme and award funding to projects in consultation with the Director of Corporate Services, Director of Finance and Leader of the Council; and
3. The Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transport and Communities be authorised, in consultation with the Director of Corporate Services, to identify the most appropriate delivery models, to procure all such external resources required, to negotiate the terms and conditions of any arrangements or contracts, and to enter into contractual arrangements.

Cabinet considered a report setting out a proposal to make a Traffic Regulation Order on Barrow Greaves, Ellel, Five Ashes Lane, Thurnham, Hazelrigg Lane, Ellel and Scotforth and Lancaster City, in order to assist in removing commuter parking from the local rural road network.

Resolved: That the proposals for parking restrictions on the various lengths of road as detailed within this report be approved.

Cabinet considered a report setting out a proposal to make a Traffic Regulation Order to address anomalies in parking restrictions and to clarify, simplify and remedy a number of discrepancies that have been identified in the Burnley, Chorley, Pendle and Preston districts. In addition, a further proposal was made for new restrictions in the districts of Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Preston, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre.

Resolved: That the proposals for parking restrictions on the various lengths of road within the Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Pendle, Preston, Hyndburn, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre Districts, as detailed within this report be approved.

Cabinet received a report setting out the Lancashire Youth Policy. The purpose of the policy was to provide a guiding framework for partners and stakeholders, including underpinning principles and areas for action, to help ensure that young people:

-  are at the heart of and part of our policy making;

-  are better supported to achieve their full potential; and

-  ensure that our engagement is best in class.

In presenting the report, it was noted that there was a discrepancy with the names of the Priorities listed in the report, where on page 3 of the report, is should have said "Priority 1", instead of "Theme 1". There were also issues with the numbering of the remaining priorities, where on page 5 of the report, "Priority 2" should say "Priority 3", on page 6 "Priority 3 should say "Priority 4" and on page 7 "Priority 4" should say "Priority 5". These changes had been corrected on the published agenda on the council's website.

Resolved: That;

1. The principles, key issues and priorities for action set out within this report be approved; and
2. The Executive Director for Education and Children's Services be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, to complete the development of the Lancashire Youth Policy through ongoing engagement and participation with children and young people and, where there are areas for partnership action, with relevant partner organisations.

Cabinet received a report on a proposal to update the county council's Education Contribution Methodology which had been in place since May 2016. The updated methodology reflected the latest guidance issued by the Department for Education in relation to securing contributions from housing development.

Resolved: That the adoption of the Education Contribution Methodology, as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report that proposed to replace the county council's care home, Bowgreave Rise, with a new residential care home able to meet the needs of people living with dementia and a new extra care scheme.

Resolved: That

  i.  The feedback from the consultation in relation to the initial proposals for the replacement of the Bowgreave Rise care home, be noted.

  ii.  The data and evidence in relation to the prevalence of dementia and the current supply of care beds, be noted.

  iii.  The outline proposals for the procurement, funding, delivery and operation of a separate care home and future extra care facility on the Bowgreave Rise site, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report setting out proposals to reduce the county council's reliance on long-term residential care placements by proposing arrangements for delivering the key ambitions of the Housing with Care and Support Strategy in relation to extra care.

Resolved: That

i.  The overall approach to the implementation of the county council's Housing with Care and Support Strategy in relation to extra care housing namely to adopt an approach to the funding of extra care based on Homes England grant and borrowing rather than a lease based/institutional funding model, and any contribution of land or grant by Lancashire County Council to be funding of last resort and only applied in order to make a strategically important scheme financially viable, be approved; and

ii.  Work with Eric Wright Group's Health and Care Division as Lancashire  Regeneration Property Partner, to assist in engagement with the wider health sector on delivery of the strategy's aims and specifically bring forward developments in areas of demand where there is no activity, be approved.

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

Director of Public Health - Delegation of Functions

Resolved: That the two urgent decision taken by the Leader of the County Council and relevant Cabinet Members 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 1 October 2020 at 2.00pm.

It was noted that the next meeting of Cabinet would be held at 2pm on Thursday 1 October 2020 as a virtual meeting.

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 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 as indicated against the heading to the item.

Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The report 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. The report 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.

Cabinet considered a report on funding for Business Support Programmes that aimed to help firms deal with the economic disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report be approved.

Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972. The report 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. The report 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.

Cabinet considered a report to explore increasing the capacity requirements for the Strategic Development Team.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report be approved.