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.

County Councillor Azhar Ali OBE declared a non-Pecuniary interest in Item 12 – Lancashire Community Renewal Fund Progress and Financial Update as he is the Chair of Lancashire's Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) network.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 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 were two questions received.

The questions and responses are attached to the minutes.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the county council's intentions in relation to delivering cost of living support in Lancashire.

It was noted that the report had been considered by the Warm and Welcome Public Spaces Task Group at its meeting on 29 September 2022. A copy of the minutes from the meeting of the task group on 29 September 2022 had been circulated to Cabinet Members prior to the meeting, including a number of recommendations, as follows:

1. The report to Cabinet at its meeting scheduled for 6 October 2022 on delivering cost of living support in Lancashire be endorsed; and
2. That the Warm and Welcome Public Spaces Task Group recommends that Cabinet gives consideration to;
   1. Providing all County Councillors with an information sheet containing contact details for all targeted advice and support initiatives as set out in the Delivering Cost of Living Support in Lancashire report.
   2. Establishing a fund (£200,000k) to support organisations that own premises and are willing to establish warm hubs.
   3. Utilising the Lancashire Leaders' Forum as the mechanism through which strategic planning with district councils will take place.
   4. Providing a resource to promote the support available.

Cabinet commended the work that the task and finish group had undertaken and after considering the proposed recommendations,

Resolved: That

1. The Director of Public Health be authorised, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members and officers, to implement the initiatives as set out in the report, including entering into contractual arrangements as appropriate;
2. All County Councillors be provided with an information sheet containing contact details for all targeted advice and support initiatives as set out in the Delivering Cost of Living Support in Lancashire report;
3. A fund of £72,000 be established to support organisations that own premises and which are willing to establish warm hubs, with consideration to be given on the need for further funding following the one month progress review
4. The Lancashire Leaders' Forum be utilised as the mechanism through which strategic planning with district councils will take place; and
5. A resource be provided to promote the support available.
6. The Warm and Welcome Public Spaces Task Group be asked to assess the progress of the scheme after four weeks of operation and report back as appropriate.

Cabinet considered a report to relocate two bus stops and associated clearway on Lyndhurst Road, Burnley. The report summarised the results of the public consultation and it was noted that objections had been received.

Resolved: That the merging and relocation of 2 existing bus stops on Lyndhurst Road, Burnley, to a new location outside numbers 40 to 54 Lyndhurst Road, as shown on the plan attached at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report on the review of charging for attachments to lighting columns.

It was noted that the county council currently did not charge for permits or licences to attach items to lighting columns, although a charge was currently levied for structural tests for columns over seven years old. Industry guidance had been reviewed and it was proposed that, in line with many of the other Highway Authorities surveyed, a charge of £70 per application for a consent should be applied.

Consideration was also sought to waive the charge for parish and town councils, and charitable organisations, for structural surveys where applications for seasonable decorative items were received at least 10 weeks prior to installation.

Resolved: That

1. The introduction of a £70 charge per application for consents to attachments to lighting columns together with the cost of structural tests for each column where required be approved;
2. Such consents are valid for three seasons as defined in the report;
3. The charge to parish and town councils, and other charitable organisations, for said structural tests be waived where applications are for seasonable or event decorative items and are received at least 10 weeks prior to installation; and
4. The charge for said structural tests where the application is for temporary lightweight correx type signs satisfying the tests set out in the report be waived.

Cabinet considered a report proposing a budget increase to the Woodplumpton and Catforth Traffic Calming Schemes.

It was noted that the Woodplumpton and Catforth traffic calming schemes were added to the capital programme in October 2019 with a budget allocation of £12,500 for design fees. Both schemes were funded by Woodplumpton Parish Council using monies received from local developments via the Community Infrastructure Levy monies payable to parish councils. A budget increase to £307,660.74 was now required to enable the progression of both schemes and delivery of the Woodplumpton scheme, for which Woodplumpton Parish Council had entered into a Section 278 agreement with Lancashire County Council.

Resolved: That the revision to the budget, as set out in the report, to support delivery of a traffic calming scheme in Woodplumpton, and further work on a scheme in Catforth, subject to payment of scheme costs and any additional costs by Woodplumpton Parish Council under S278 Agreements, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report on the proposed Woodplumpton Village Traffic Calming Scheme. It was noted that the proposed scheme consisted of a series of road humps through the village and one chicane along Woodplumpton Road. The report also highlighted the objections received to the recent consultation for the Speed Limit Order, Road Humps, Chicane and the closure of Whittle Hill.

Resolved: That approval be given for the proposals on Woodplumpton Road, Whittle Hill and Newsham Hall Lane, as set out in the report and in the Draft Orders and depicted on the plans as follows:

• Road humps and chicanes (Appendices 'A' to 'C'). 
• 20mph and 30mph Speed Limit Order (Appendices 'D' and 'E').
• Prohibition of Stopping on School Keep Clear area and Prohibition of Waiting Order (Appendices 'F' and 'G').
• Prohibition of Driving (Appendixes 'H' and& 'I').

Cabinet considered the updated Lancashire County Council Adult Social Care Winter Plan for 2022/23.

It was noted that this winter was anticipated to be one that would significantly be more challenging than the last two years, and the plan included information about various actions being taken across the winter period, and the proposed social care capacity enhancements to provide resilience and system support.

Resolved: That Cabinet supports the ongoing work of Adult Social Care to ensure people who needed social care support across the winter period would get the right support for them at the right time, in the context of the continuing pressures across social care, NHS and the challenges across the care sector, and the Lancashire County Council Adult Social Care Winter Plan for 2022/23, as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the draft School Place Planning Delivery Programme for 2023-25. The report detailed a series of projects which aimed to provide additional places in existing schools and proposed to consult on the establishment of two new primary schools and a new secondary school in Preston.

In presenting the report, it was noted that an amendment was needed to the Ribble Valley West entry located in Appendix 'A' of the report. The figures in the summary box should read "Phase 1: 75 (+15 PAN)" and "Phase 2: 150 (+30 PAN)".

Resolved: That;

1. The School Place Planning Delivery Programme 2023-25 as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report be approved; and
2. Statutory consultations be conducted on sufficiency projects in the following school planning areas:

a.  Establishment of a new primary school in Goosnargh & Grimsargh with Longridge.

b.  Establishment of a new primary school in Preston Rural, North, West.

c.  Establishment of a new secondary school in Preston.

d.  Significant alteration projects in Brierfield; Goosnargh & Grimsargh with Longridge; Preston Rural, North, West; Chorley and South Ribble; Ribble Valley East and West.

Please note that Appendix 'A' to this report is in Part II and appears as Item No. 21 on the Agenda.

Cabinet considered a report on the residential element of Bleasdale School. It was noted that Bleasdale School was an all through school for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties in the north of Lancashire. The number of residential pupils had reduced significantly over recent years and Cabinet was asked to consider different options in relation to the future of the boarding provision at the school.

It was noted that Appendix 'A' of the report was in Part II and appeared at Item No. 21 on the agenda.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson declared a non-Pecuniary interest as Bleasdale School is within her county council divisional area.

Resolved: That, following consideration of the information as set out in the report, including the options for the future of the residential provision at Bleasdale School, approval be given to initiate a feasibility study on all four options.

Cabinet considered a report setting out  progress in the delivery of the Lancashire County Council Community Renewal Fund programme and the steps required to claim the final tranche of funds from the Government.

Resolved: That approval be given for up to £1.22 million of final grant payments to Community Renewal Fund projects, as set out in Appendix 'A' of the report, in advance of the payments being claimed back from UK Government.

Cabinet considered a report on the county council's data strategy. It was noted that Lancashire County Council held a vast amount of data which had continued to grow exponentially over the past 20 years as services were digitised. 

Resolved: That, the Data Strategy, as attached at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

Cabinet considered a report on the future of two historic vessels owned by the county council, and which were currently on loan to the Fleetwood Museum Trust. It was noted that the Museum Trust had developed a project proposal for the long-term preservation of the vessels and had requested financial and in-kind support from the county council.

Resolved: That the funding of £43,690 be provided during 2022/23, including the provision of in-kind support from the county council's Conservation and Collections Team to support a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the development of a conservation management plan over three years for both vessels which will also deliver skills training to apprentices and supervised volunteers.

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 November 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 November 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 to the Local Government Act 1972. It 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 appendix contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It was considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Resolved: That, Appendix 'A' of Item 12 - Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Sufficiency - Bleasdale School, Silverdale, be noted.