Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors Alan Hosker and Alan Schofield.

County Councillors Mohammed Iqbal, Sobia Malik, and Yousuf Motala joined the meeting virtually.

Announcements

Laura Sales

The Chairman reported that this would be the last Full Council for Laura Sales, Director of Corporate Services and the county council's Monitoring Officer, who would be retiring on 31 March 2023 after a long career with the county council in various legal roles.

Full Council thanked Laura for her may years of service and wished her well in the future.

None declared.

Questions submitted under Standing Order B28.

County Councillors Scott Smith, Ash Sutcliffe, Loraine Cox and Jean Parr asked their questions as follows:

County Councillor Michael Green, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing; County Councillor Rupert Swarbrick, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport; County Councillor Peter Buckley, Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services; and County Councillor Phillippa Williamson, Leader of the County Council, replied.

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the Meetings held on 15 December 2022 and 9 February 2023 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

County Councillor Alan Cullens moved the report of the Political Governance Working Group setting out its recommendations in relation to:

1. Withdrawing Notices of Motion

2. Budget Full Council agendas

3. Mandatory training for Regulatory Committee members

Resolved: - That Full Council approves that the constitution be amended as set out in the report, now presented, in relation to:

(i)  The procedures relating to the withdrawal of Notices of Motion.

(ii)  The agenda for the annual budget meeting of Full Council.

(iii)  The requirement that any member sitting on the Regulatory Committee must have undertaken mandatory training relevant to the committee's work.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report setting out the council's proposed 2023/24 Pay Policy Statement as required by the Localism Act 2011, which must be approved by Full Council prior to publication.

Resolved: - That  the proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2023/24, as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report, now presented, be approved.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report setting out the proposed Members' Allowance Scheme for 2023/24.

Resolved: - That the 2023/24 Members' Allowance Scheme, as presented at Appendix 'A', to the report, now presented, be approved.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report setting out, for 2023/24, the proposed financial threshold above which decisions should be treated as Key Decisions as defined in Standing Order 19 (1) (a).

Resolved: - That Full Council confirms that the financial threshold for Key Decisions, for the purposes of Standing Order C19 (1) (a), be increased to £2m for 2023/24, as set out in the report, now presented.

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 Chairman 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 was no urgent business to be considered.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Cabinet from its meetings on 19 January 2023 and 2 February 2023 together with details of urgent key decisions taken since the last meeting of Full Council, in accordance with Standing Order C23.

Resolved: - That the report of the Cabinet, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Urgency Committee setting out details of the decision taken by the Director of Corporate Services (Monitoring Officer) under the county council's urgent business procedure on behalf of the Urgency Committee, together with the report of the Urgency Committee from its meeting on 19 January 2023.

Resolved: - That the report of the Urgency Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor John Singleton moved the report of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee from its meeting on 30 January 2023.

Resolved: - That the report of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Employment Committee from its meetings on 9 January 2023 (am and pm).

Resolved: - That the report of the Employment Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor David Westley moved the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees from their meetings as follows:

-  Scrutiny Management Board (17 January 2023)

-  Children, Families and Skills (30 November 2022, 25 January 2023)

-  Health and Adult Services (14 December 2022, 1 February 2023)

-  Environment, Economic Growth and Transport (8 December 2022, 26 January 2023)

-  Community, Cultural and Corporate Services (13 December 2022, 16 January 2023)

Resolved: - That the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Michael Green moved the report of the Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board from its meeting on 24 January 2023.

Resolved: - That the report of the Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor David O'Toole moved the report of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority from its meeting on 19 December 2022.

Resolved: - That the report of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority, now presented, be noted.

1.  It was moved by County Councillor Sue Whittam and seconded by County Councillor Stuart Morris that:

This Council notes:

During September/October this year the 3 Dads walking group walked 600-miles across the UK to each of the devolved parliaments raising awareness of suicide and ensure the topic is spoken about in schools in a safe and age-appropriate way.

The 3 Dads came together after their daughters took their own lives. They have also launched a petition to get suicide prevention added to the school curriculum and this has now reached over the 100,000 signatures which will enable a debate in Parliament. The debate is yet to take place, but the petition asks for suicide to be spoken about as part of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) lessons and for the Department for Education (DfE) to include suicide prevention within the statutory guidelines of the new curriculum.

In 2020, the Government made discussion about mental health as part of the RSHE curriculum mandatory. They will review their statutory guidance in 2023 with an aim to bringing in the revised guidance in 2024. The Government is also offering a grant of £1,200 for eligible schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead to develop and implement a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

This Council resolves:

1.  To ask the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing to write to the 3 Dads Walking Group acknowledging the work they are doing to include suicide awareness in schools as part of the review of the RSHE curriculum.

2.  To ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education to request that suicide awareness and prevention is carefully considered in the new guidance as a part of the RSHE curriculum, and to also ask for the grants to be extended to train senior mental health leads in schools beyond March 2023.

3.  To ask the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing to continue to promote resources including the many workforce development programmes that are available to all Lancashire Schools and colleges and also encourage them to participate in the upcoming national public consultation process on the proposed changes to the RHSE statutory guidance.  

On being put to the vote the motion was CARRIED and it was therefore:

Resolved: - That:

This Council notes:

During September/October this year the 3 Dads walking group walked 600-miles across the UK to each of the devolved parliaments raising awareness of suicide and ensure the topic is spoken about in schools in a safe and age-appropriate way.

The 3 Dads came together after their daughters took their own lives. They have also launched a petition to get suicide prevention added to the school curriculum and this has now reached over the 100,000 signatures which will enable a debate in Parliament. The debate is yet to take place, but the petition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.