Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Ms K J May.

There were no declarations of interest.

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The Minutes of the meeting of 20 December 2019 have been previously circulated.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 20 December 2019 were agreed to be a correct record and were signed by the Chairman.

The Cabinet considered the 2020/21 Budget and medium-term financial plan update 2020-22. The details were set out in the report and its appendices.

The Leader introduced the report and explained that since Cabinet in December, more information had been received about the Social Care Grant and income had been increased more than expected due to gaining £0.9 million Social Care Grant and £1.3million extra from Council Tax. These increases would mean that money could be added to reserves rather than having to use a small amount of them to cover services. Investment would be made in adults and children’s social care and the priority would be supporting the most vulnerable. Large capital investments would be made in improving roads and pavements and reducing congestion. Consultations had taken place with Parishes, Unions and Scrutiny. He pointed out that in paragraph 3.4 the date of 2021/22 should in fact read ‘in future years’.

During the discussion the following points were made:

·       This budget was seen as great for adult social care as the government had recognised the pressure it was under and allocated more money

·       Despite the increase in the Social Care Grant it was expected that there would be a small budget deficit overall

·       The business rates pilot, with the common pool with the six District Councils and Hereford and Worcestershire Fire Brigade, was welcomed

·       Cabinet Members were pleased that money would be made available for flood mitigation, street lighting, the planting of 150,000 extra trees as well as the continued investment in Children’s Safeguarding

·       It was felt that the investment in highways was one of the highest that highways had ever had. Projects to ease congestion were going on around the County and there would be a massive increase in funding for roads and footways. The bus subsidy would also be increased by over 10% and the overall the bus network was being extended

·       In general, the investment in highways helped with the Council Priority of being Open for Business

·       It was mentioned that caution was required around the amount of Public Health Ring Fenced Grant as the announcement of the final settlement amount had been delayed. If the amount of the grant was increased the extra money could be used for prevention and Get Safe

·       The amount for Home to School Transport including for Special Educational Needs transport was welcomed along with the capital amount being used to improved schools – although it was recognised that even more money could be used in that area

·       Cabinet Members were pleased that the increase in Council Tax had been kept below inflation

·       The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board (OSPB) thanked Michael Hudson and the Directors who attended Scrutiny meetings for their co-operation and advice. He stated that there had been some frustration trying to reconcile the different information available in December to that available afterwards but explained that the Board had met the previous day and found the proposed budget was economically and legally sound. In future  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1962.

The Cabinet considered the Scrutiny Report on Quality Assurance of Care and Nursing Homes. Mrs Brunner, who had led the Scrutiny Task Group, explained that the scrutiny had been set up by the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board to look at how the Council sought assurance regarding the quality of care and nursing homes. The Scrutiny had proved interesting and she thanked her colleagues for their enthusiasm. She wished to point out that Assistive Technology stood out as important for the future, and although they were aware of the fragility of the care market, they were pleased to hear from the Cabinet Member that the shortfall was being considered.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility welcomed the report, feeling that good work had done quickly and clarity had been brought to the subject. He confirmed that the responsibilities of care homes were detailed in their contracts and was pleased this had been highlighted. He agreed there were concerns with the workforce and that assistive technology was the way forward for self-funders. Unfortunately, the Council had experience and was therefore prepared for dealing with any home closures.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a)  received the Scrutiny Report on quality assurance of care and nursing homes, together with the response from the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Adult Social Care; and

(b)  noted the Scrutiny Report’s findings and recommendations and adopted the response of the Cabinet Member with Responsibility as the way forward.

The Cabinet considered the strategic School Organisation Plan designed to provide an overview of school place planning for the next five-years. The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills introduced the report and acknowledged the complexities which exist in the Worcestershire education system with Academies, varying two and three tier systems and the forecast increase in numbers and new homes being built.

Cabinet members made various points:

·       The Cabinet Member for Adult Services voiced a concern about lots of building just over the borders of the County and the additional pressure this could put on our High Schools and whether agreements with neighbouring authorities were required

·       A concern was raised about school transport and whether the South Worcestershire Development Plan had been considered in the plan. It was also suggested that the provision of ExtraCare housing made more social housing available which could increase the numbers of children moving into the area and needing school places. Additionally, it was pointed out that with the expansion of the University there were more multi-occupancy houses which made planning by assuming a set number of school children per number of houses more difficult

·       The Cabinet member for Education and Skills replied that they were cognisant of issues of demand from over the border and that reciprocal arrangements were in place. Social housing was now included in the revised S106 policy

·       It was good that the plan could be amended every year to be able to respond to local variances, although it was pointed out that in the past planning had been very accurate.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a) in line with its decision in December 2018, noted the updated annual sufficiency information for all areas of education, added to the five-year School Organisation Plan 2019-24;

(b) noted the pressure on mainstream and Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) places, the need for more flexible childcare, and the work being undertaken to support post-16 provision, highlighted in the reports;

(c) approved the 2019 update of place sufficiency information as part of the School Organisation Plan; and

(d) agreed to receive an annual report to approve future iterations of the School Organisation Plan including place sufficiency information.

The Cabinet considered the Admissions Policy for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools 2021/22, the Co-ordinated Admissions scheme for Primary/Middle and Secondary Schools 2021/22, Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools and the Fair Access Policy for Worcestershire Schools. The details were given in the Agenda.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills introduced the report and explained that the Office of the Schools Adjudicator clarified that PAN forms part of the admission arrangements as a whole and therefore needs to be approved by the Cabinet Member annually. No responses were received in relation to the Admissions Policy for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools 2020/21.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a)     approved the Admissions Policy for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools 2021/22 as set out in Appendices 1a and 1b to the report;

(b)    approved the scheme for Co-ordinated Admissions for Primary/Middle and Secondary Schools for 2021/22 as set out in Appendices 2a and 2b to the report;

(c)     approved the Published Admission Numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, including the proposed reductions, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report;

(d)        approved the Fair Access Protocol for Worcestershire Schools as set out in Appendix 4 to the report; and

(e)         confirmed the authorisation to the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education and Skills to approve the Council’s annual Admission Arrangements, in consultation with the Director of Children’s Services, including:

(i)    the annual Schools Admissions Policy for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, Schemes for Co-ordinated Admissions, and Fair Access Protocol where no significant changes are proposed to them; and

  (ii)   approving school PANs (other than for prescribed alterations to maintained schools through increases in physical capacity, and without prejudice to their separate delegation).

The Cabinet considered a revised Council policy on responding to change of age range requests or consultations. The Cabinet Member with responsibility for Education and Skills introduced the report, explaining that the Council did not want to make a wholesale change, for example removing middle schools from the system, but had to ensure there was a sufficiency of school places and that all schools remained viable. The details were given in the report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a) noted the results of the non-statutory consultation on proposals to amend Council policy on change of age range proposals;

(b) noted that further amendments have been made to the proposed new policy in the light of responses to the consultation;

(c) approved the revised Council policy on responding to change of age requests or consultations as set out in Appendix 4 to the report;

(d) authorised the Director of Children’s Services to respond to change of age range consultations where the Local Authority is not the decision-making body in line with the revised Council policy;

(e) authorised the Director for Children’s Services to continue to respond to change of age range consultations from all other types of schools where the Local Authority is not the decision-making body in line with the revised Council policy in consultation with the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education and Skills; and

(f)  endorsed the delegation of authority given by the Leader on 25 June 2018 where the Local Authority is the decision-making body as set out in paragraph 4 and Appendix 6 of the report.

The Cabinet considered proposals for a new Primary Alternative Provision free school in Kidderminster. The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education and Skills introduced the report and apologised that the report had been late meaning that scrutiny had not had time to look at the report before the agenda was published. It had been identified that an alternative provision school was needed in Wyre Forest, a bid had been made to the Department for Education and the Secretary of State for Education would be making the decision on who the provider will be. It was proposed the school would be ready to open in September 2021. The school would be built on the site of the former Sladen Middle School and be on a 125-year lease. Around a third of the site would be used for housing.

A Member from Outside the Cabinet welcomed the use of the site and was pleased that ideas had been suggested to ensure early re-integration of the children back into mainstream schools.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a) endorsed the work undertaken by Worcestershire Children First and the Department for Education in respect of the wave 2 process for establishing a Primary Alternative Provision free school in the Wyre Forest area of Worcestershire;

(b) noted that a final decision on the choice of proposer for the new school rests with the Secretary of State for Education and is due to be announced in Spring 2020;

(c)             approved that the proposed location and site of the new school would be on part of the former and vacant Sladen Middle School site, agreed that the required land would be leased to the new free school on a 125-year lease, and authorised the Strategic Director of Commercial and Change to settle the details of such a lease;

(d)            approved the revenue funding set out in the report for the primary places with the intention for the new free school to open from September 2021 subject to the signing of the funding agreement between the Secretary of State for Education and the trust; and

(e)noted that the statutory consultation under Section 10 of the Academies Act 2010 to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State for Education to set up a free school rests with the chosen trust as part of the pre-opening phase.

The Cabinet considered the development of a new delivery model for Medical Education Provision. The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills introduced the report and stated that the timetable and proposal for a new delivery model had been endorsed by scrutiny. Following co-production work with families, schools and health partners a report would return to Cabinet with the aim of a phased introduction from September 2020.

The Chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Panel welcomed the report and noted that links between the MET and mainstream schools needed to improve to enable young people to fulfil their potential.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a) noted the issues identified regarding the existing Medical Education Service delivery;

(b) approved the proposed timetable for the development of a new delivery model for Medical Education Provision; 

(c)  approved the proposals for a new delivery model for Medical Education Team (MET) Provision to be co-produced with families, parents/carers schools and health partners; and

(d) agreed to receive a further report to consider proposals for the new delivery model following design and co-production work.

The Cabinet considered supporting an application to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s ‘Rural Connected Communities’ fund for a West Mercia 5G project to support a 2-year research and design project in 5G in rural areas.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Infrastructure introduced the report. Cabinet agreed that the digital strategy was important to Worcestershire and that Tenbury was the ideal place to test 5G in a rural area. Residents may query whether there were health concerns with this project but the Cabinet Member was able to quote Public Health England to say there would be no consequences for public health. It was also mentioned that agri-tech was a further area where 5G may prove to be useful.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a)noted the success to date, by Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (WLEP), Worcestershire County Council and project partners in delivery of the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) Phase One of the 5G Testbed and Trials project and ongoing extension to March 2020;

(b)endorsed the application of the separate ‘West Mercia 5G’ project into DCMS’s Rural Connected Communities fund, to support a 2-year research and design project in 5G in rural areas;

(c)noted, should the ‘West Mercia 5G’ application to DCMS be successful, the award of the initial grant from DCMS would be up to £3.3m and the role of Worcestershire County Council as the lead partner, managing the project, assuring and financing partners’ claims and drawing down the funding;

(d)noted and accepted both the potential opportunities and risks that are identified within the Cabinet report;

(e)authorised the Strategic Director of Economy and Infrastructure in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure to finalise and agree the necessary agreements to progress and support the proposed project; and

(f)  authorised the Strategic Director of Economy and Infrastructure to take all appropriate actions to progress and support the proposed West Mercia 5G project and to continue to support the current Worcestershire 5G Consortium, including supporting investigations for alternative funding sources to potentially extend the referenced projects and wider programme.