• The Buckinghamshire Council and Surrey County Council Joint Trading Standards Service Committee meeting on Monday discussed the enforcement of regulations on vapes and reviewed the service's budget.
• The People, Performance and Development Committee meeting on Monday was scheduled to discuss staff pay and conditions of service, agency spending, and redundancy payments for an unnamed member of staff.

Buckinghamshire Council and Surrey County Council Joint Trading Standards Service Committee - Monday 04 November 2024

The Buckinghamshire Council and Surrey County Council Joint Trading Standards Service Committee met to discuss a range of issues. The meeting was not webcast, so it is not possible to report on what was said at the meeting. However, the agenda for the meeting is available on the council's website.

The agenda shows that the Committee was due to receive a report on the service's budget for 2024/25. As you will recall from previous emails, the Council is facing a number of financial challenges, including rising demand for adult social care and home-to-school transport, and the increasing cost of energy. The report to the Committee explained that the joint service is also facing financial pressures. It is not yet known whether the Committee decided to recommend any changes to the budget.

The Committee was also due to review a report on the performance of the joint service in the first half of 2024/25. The report included a discussion of the service's performance against a number of local performance indicators, such as the financial impact of interventions, the number of convictions, and the number of complaints received. It is not known whether the Committee were satisfied with the service’s performance.

The most significant item on the agenda was scheduled to be an update on the enforcement of regulations on vapes. This follows on from previous discussions at the Committee about banning disposable vapes. In January 2024 the government announced that it would be introducing legislation to ban disposable vapes.

As you will recall from previous emails, the last time this Committee met, in July 2024, it was noted that:

“Trading Standards nationally, in partnership with Public Health England, had produced some really good guidance for retailers, for parents and for young people in respect of vaping products.”

The agenda for this meeting notes that “authorities received the draft legislation for their feedback on it.” The legislation is intended to address the growing problem of underage vaping. However, the agenda notes that feedback was given to government highlighting potential issues with the legislation. In particular:

“...that there were gaps in the legislation around powers, for example, it was said that [enforcement officers] could sample products rather than seizing them.”

The agenda also notes that the £30 million of funding previously announced by the government to support smoke-free policies “was still being discussed”.

The agenda also shows that the Committee was due to be given an update on the enforcement work being undertaken by Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards. This included an update on the number of complaints being received, which remained high, and the increase in underage test purchasing being undertaken as a result. The agenda also noted that the service was considering the use of its legal powers, including closure orders, to address the problem.

The final item on the agenda was a report on the Official Food Standards and Feed Controls Service Plan 2024-2025, which sets out the service’s priorities for the coming year.

The Committee also reviewed the Action Tracker, which records actions and recommendations from previous meetings, and considered the Forward Plan, which sets out the work programme for the coming year.

People, Performance and Development Committee - Monday 04 November 2024

This meeting of the People, Performance and Development Committee was scheduled to discuss a number of important issues relating to Surrey County Council’s staff, including their pay and conditions of service. Unfortunately, the meeting was not webcast, and no transcript is available.

The agenda for the meeting, which is available on the council's website, shows that the Committee was due to receive a report on the budget for agency and interim staff spending. As you will recall from previous emails, Surrey County Council, like many other local authorities, is facing a number of financial challenges, and is looking for ways to reduce its spending.

The Committee was also scheduled to discuss the pay offer that will be made to staff this year. The meeting was scheduled to agree to the pay offer in principle, so that negotiations with the trade unions could begin.

The report prepared for the meeting states that The Committee [was scheduled] to approve the Surrey Pay Offer (timetable may vary depending).

The agenda also included the appointment of senior officers as and when they were required.

The committee was scheduled to review the actions tracker from the previous meeting. The only ongoing action listed in the tracker was redacted from the published documents.

The forward work programme included two items for the November 2024 meeting. During the discussion of the forward work programme at the September meeting Councillor Eber Kington asked for a report on a potential restructure within Surrey County Council. This followed the departure of the former Chief Executive. The committee was told that there was ongoing work to restructure the council’s Corporate Leadership Team and that [the chairman] expected more information to be available for the November 2024 meeting.

The final item scheduled to be discussed in the publicly available part of the meeting was a report on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) at Surrey County Council.

The report was prepared by Sarah Richardson, Assistant Director - People Strategy and Organisational Development. It was noted in the meeting that the report was a progress report to Members on the Local Government Association[^1] (LGA) equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) peer review and the three Surrey County Council (SCC) EDI Employee Experience Reviews which were commissioned in 2023. The LGA is a membership body for local authorities in England and Wales. It provides advice and support to its members on a wide range of issues, including EDI.

The report also set out how the recommendations of the EDI reviews had been incorporated into the 2024/25 EDI Action Plan and People Strategy Delivery Plan.

The report notes that there [were] milestones for each piece of work within the Action Plan over the coming year which were monitored through the EDI Programme Board to ensure that the actions and milestones [were] achievable

The report also notes that the Accessibility Officer role at the council was a temporary position for 22 months and that a review was being conducted to assess any potential over-representation of employees with protected characteristics in formal HR cases, such as disciplinary actions.

Finally, the report notes that efforts were underway to ensure diverse recruitment panels, with a focus on fostering a workforce that reflects the communities served by the organisation.

This week in Surrey:

• The Cabinet meeting on Tuesday rejected a proposal for an active travel scheme along the London Road in Guildford.
• The Planning and Regulatory Committee meeting on Wednesday approved two outline planning applications, one for the expansion of St Paul's C of E Infant School in Tongham, and one for extra care housing on the site of the former Colebrook and Spectrum Noke Day Centres in Redhill.
• The Strategic Investment Board meeting on Thursday was cancelled.
• The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions meeting on Tuesday discussed a petition to improve the safety of pedestrians crossing the A30 Egham Bypass, but no decisions were made.

Cabinet - Tuesday 29 October 2024

The Cabinet of Surrey County Council met to discuss a range of topics, including the London Road Active Travel scheme, the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report, a Your Fund Surrey application for a new village hall in Rowledge, and the council’s finances.

London Road Active Travel Scheme

The meeting began with a discussion about the controversial London Road Active Travel scheme, which was rejected by the Cabinet. As you will recall from previous emails, the scheme proposed a number of changes to the London Road in Guildford, including a new cycle path and shared use footway, intended to improve safety for cyclists and encourage more people to cycle.

The scheme, which was to be funded by Active Travel England, had been subject to much public debate, with supporters arguing that it would improve safety for cyclists and reduce traffic congestion, while opponents argued that it would be unsafe for pedestrians and cause more traffic congestion. The council received a large number of emails and letters from members of the public about the scheme, both for and against.

The scheme had been split into three sections. The first section, from the Boxgrove roundabouts to the junction with Ewing Lane, had been deferred from the last Cabinet meeting, on 27 February 2024, to allow for further work to be carried out on the design, particularly in relation to the ability of large vehicles to pass safely. The second section, a simplified scheme for the Boxgrove roundabouts, was approved at the February meeting, and the third section, which related to the road outside Guildford High School, was rejected at the same meeting because it was felt that the road was too narrow.

The Cabinet heard that, in accordance with a decision made at the February meeting, an independent technical assessment of the first section of the scheme had been carried out by Arup Group, an engineering consultancy. The assessment concluded that the design would allow HGVs to pass safely and that the shared use paths complied with LTN 120 guidance. LTN 120 is a piece of guidance from the Department for Transport that sets out best practice for the design of cycle infrastructure.

The Cabinet also heard from a number of public speakers, both for and against the scheme. Those in favour of the scheme included Guildford Bike User Group, two students from George Abbott School, and Councillor George Potter, who represents the Burpham ward on both Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council. They argued that the scheme would improve safety for cyclists and encourage more people to cycle, which would benefit the environment and reduce traffic congestion. Those against the scheme included a local resident, a representative from the Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, and Councillor Fiona Davidson, who also represents the Burpham ward. They argued that the scheme would be unsafe for pedestrians, particularly those with disabilities, and that it would cause more traffic congestion.

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, Councillor Matt Furniss, recommended that the scheme be approved, but the Cabinet voted to reject it.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Tim Oliver, said that he supported the principle of active travel schemes but that this particular scheme was not safe. He said that:

“This scheme as designed would require consideration by all users of that footpath. That would mean, I suspect, cyclists having to get off at some point where it narrows down to allow a pushchair to come through or a wheelchair. And I don't think necessarily, I'm afraid, we can guarantee that that would be the case.”

Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report

The Cabinet received a presentation on the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2023/24. As you may recall from previous emails, the Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) is a statutory body that is responsible for coordinating and improving safeguarding adults work in Surrey. The SSAB is made up of representatives from a range of organisations, including Surrey County Council, Surrey Police, and the NHS. The Annual Report provides an overview of the SSAB's work over the past year, and sets out its priorities for the coming year.

The Independent Chair of the Board, Teresa Bell, explained that the past year had been about trying to understand what 'safeguarding is everybody's business' really should mean for the safeguarding adults partnership in Surrey. She highlighted the importance of multi-agency working to identify and manage risk, and of ensuring that safeguarding reviews are conducted in a timely and effective way. The report set out the board’s efforts to develop a more efficient approach to safeguarding adults reviews, as well as the progress it has made in implementing the recommendations from its thematic reviews on self-neglect, financial abuse, and domestic abuse.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Councillor Sinead Mooney, thanked Ms Bell for her work and highlighted the importance of the board’s work in protecting vulnerable adults.

Your Fund Surrey Application - New Rowledge Village Hall Project

The Cabinet approved a grant of £800,000 to the New Rowledge Village Hall Project, to build a new village hall in Rowledge. As you will recall from previous emails, Your Fund Surrey is a grant scheme that allows residents and community groups to apply for funding for projects that benefit their local area.

The Cabinet heard that the existing village hall was in a poor condition and that the new hall would provide a much-needed community facility for the village. The grant was approved on the condition that the project secure the remaining funding needed and that it provide evidence of the sale of the land on which the current hall is located.

2024/25 Month 5 Financial Report

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Councillor David Lewis, introduced the council’s monthly financial report. The report highlighted the difficult financial position the council is in and outlined the steps that are being taken to address it.

As you will recall from previous emails, the Council is facing a number of financial challenges, including rising demand for adult social care and home-to-school transport, and the increasing cost of energy. The report showed that the council is forecasting an overspend of £16.7m against its revenue budget. The report also highlighted that capital expenditure of £319.3m is forecast for 2024/25.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Tim Oliver, said it was important for the council to continue making the point to the government that “part of the difficulty in balancing our budget is the exponential increase in demand for both adult social care, particularly those working age adults with disability, and of course, those with additional needs and disabilities and the cost of home to school transport”. The Leader concluded by saying that “This is the first year really that we’ve had in the last six where we’ve had continual pressure on our budget”.

The Cabinet noted the report.

Planning and Regulatory Committee - Wednesday 30 October 2024

The Planning and Regulatory Committee met to discuss two outline planning applications. They also noted the Supreme Court's recent decision to quash a decision it had made in 2019 to grant planning permission for oil extraction at Horse Hill, near Horley.

Oil drilling at Horse Hill

As you will recall from previous emails, this application had been challenged in the High Court, which ruled in favour of Surrey County Council. The applicant, Horse Hill Developments Limited, then appealed to the Court of Appeal, which again ruled in favour of the Council. The applicant was then granted permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court found that the Council’s original decision was unlawful because the Committee had not properly considered the impact of downstream emissions from the oil that would be extracted. As a result of this decision, Surrey County Council is now required to redetermine the application, taking into account the full climate impact of the proposed oil extraction.

The Committee heard that, since the Supreme Court's decision, Surrey County Council’s planning enforcement team had been in discussions with the operator, UK Oil & Gas, and that all production had now ceased at the site. An officer explained that the Council’s investigation into the site was ongoing and that it was not possible to provide further details about the outcome of the investigation at this stage.

The officer read out a statement from UK Oil & Gas, which confirmed that the company had instructed its subsidiary, Horse Hill Developments Limited, to voluntarily suspend all production of the Horse Hill site.

The Committee heard from a number of members of the public who asked questions about the site. One member of the public asked why drilling had been allowed to continue after the Supreme Court had ruled that the original planning permission was unlawful, while another asked if the council's conduct meant there was a “bias in favour of the oil and gas industry”. The officer confirmed that the Council had not permitted drilling since the Supreme Court's decision, and that its position was that the oil extraction had been unlawful. He said that the council had had an ongoing dialogue with the company for the past four months, and that the recent cessation of drilling was a result of this dialogue.

A member of the public also asked if an environmental impact assessment that included an assessment of emissions from oil extracted from the site in the future would be required. The officer confirmed that this would be required before any redetermination of planning permission for the site.

Councillor Jonathan Essex joined the meeting remotely to ask if the Council would formally issue and publish a stop notice to ensure that operations at the site ceased and that the site was immediately cleared and restored. The officer confirmed that the Council's investigation was ongoing and that he could not comment further on the Council’s next steps.

Councillor Essex asked for a written answer to the question of why an investigation was needed before the Council issued a formal enforcement notice, given the Supreme Court’s decision. The officer agreed to provide a written answer.

St. Paul's C of E Infant School, Tongham

The Committee considered an application by Surrey County Council to expand St. Paul's C of E Infant School in Tongham. The Committee heard that the school currently has a published admissions number of 90, for children aged four to seven, and is the only infant school in the area that is not linked to a junior school. The application was to extend the school building to provide additional classrooms, a new school hall, and additional staff rooms. The extension would allow the school to increase its capacity to 210 pupils and accommodate children up to the age of 11.

The Committee heard from the local ward councillor, Councillor Matt Furniss, who spoke in favour of the proposal. He explained that there was a significant shortage of school places in the area, which had been exacerbated by the construction of 2,000 new homes in recent years. He highlighted that a number of children who live in Tongham currently have to be bussed to junior schools in other areas, including Waverley Abbey, which is five kilometres away. Councillor Furniss said that the expansion of St Paul's would help to address the shortage of school places and reduce the need for children to travel long distances to school.

The Committee asked Councillor Furniss if he thought the expansion would be sufficient to address the shortage of places. He confirmed that, although the expansion would only increase capacity by one form of entry, he believed it would be sufficient in the short-term. He explained that there were plans to expand other junior schools in the area and that Section 106 funding¹ from new housing developments would be used to fund these expansions.

The Committee discussed the impact of the expansion on traffic and parking. The Committee heard from the Highways Officer that a number of traffic calming measures were proposed as part of the application, including a one-way system, improvements to footways, and new zebra crossings. He said that these measures were in line with the Council’s and national guidance, and that the scheme was a good example of how to make this type of location more sustainable.

The Committee also discussed the proposed hours of use for the expanded school, and how the school intended to manage noise levels to reduce the impact on local residents. The Committee heard from the planning officer that the school would be required to implement a number of mitigation measures, including limiting the hours of use for the hard play areas to 7.30pm, and that these measures were in line with the findings of a noise assessment that had been carried out. The Committee also heard that a three-metre-high fence would be erected around the hard play area closest to local homes. Councillor Victor Lewanski asked if acoustic fencing had been considered, but the planning officer confirmed that this was not necessary.

The Committee also heard from Councillor Richard Tear, who thanked the officers for the work they had done in addressing the concerns raised at the site visit. He commended the proposed park and stride scheme and praised the expansion as a much-needed investment in the school.

The Committee approved the application unanimously.

Colebrook extra care housing, Redhill

The Committee then considered an outline application by Surrey County Council to build an extra care housing facility on the site of the former Colebrook and Spectrum Noke Day Centres in Red Hill. The site, which has been vacant since the day centres closed in 2017, is allocated for residential and community use in the local plan.

Extra care housing is a type of housing for older people that provides self-contained flats with on-site care and support. As you will recall from previous emails, Surrey County Council has a target of delivering 725 extra care homes across the county by 2030.

The scheme proposes the construction of up to 120 self-contained flats, as well as communal facilities, including a dining room, lounge, treatment rooms, and parking.

The Committee discussed the design of the scheme, and the impact of the proposed six-storey building on the surrounding area. They heard from the local ward member, Councillor Jonathan Essex, who joined the meeting remotely, who expressed his support for the scheme. He asked the Council to add informatives to the application to confirm that the homes would be let at social rent and that the building would be designed to Passive House standards, which would significantly reduce its energy demand.

Councillor Essex also expressed concern about the future of the northern section of the site, which is not included in the current application but had previously been home to a youth centre. He asked if the Council could add a condition to the application to ensure that access to the land was retained to enable the development of youth facilities in the future, and if the Council could provide assurances that the land would be used for a new Surrey Choices Day Centre.

The planning officer explained that, although the Committee could not place a condition on the application regarding the future use of the land not included in the current application, there would be scope to incorporate youth facilities in the future if a separate planning application was submitted for that land. He also explained that it would be possible to amend the planning permission for the current application to accommodate a route through to the other part of the site if it was needed. The Committee Chair recommended that Councillor Essex liaise directly with the applicant regarding his concerns.

The Committee then discussed the flood risk associated with the development. They heard that the site was partly in Flood Zone 3, which means that there is a high risk of flooding. Councillor Catherine Powell expressed concern that the design included residential accommodation on the ground floor in Flood Zone 3, and argued that this conflicted with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which states that “Inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk, but where development is necessary, making it safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere”.

The planning officer confirmed that the proposed finished floor level of the ground floor accommodation was above the level of flood risk, and that the developer had submitted a Flood Risk Assessment demonstrating that the development would not increase the risk of flooding. She explained that the assessment included plans for swales at the front of the building to mitigate the risk of flooding.

Councillor Powell explained that her analysis of the site plans and the Environment Agency’s flood maps showed that there were ground floor units within Flood Zone 3. She argued that the current government guidance recommends that floor levels are set at least 600 millimetres above the estimated flood level, but that the plans submitted showed a proposed level of 300 millimetres. The planning officer explained that, although the guidance does recommend a minimum of 600 millimetres, this can be reduced to 300 millimetres if there is a high level of certainty about your flood risk, and that the detailed flood modelling that had been undertaken provided a high degree of certainty in this case.

Councillor Powell remained unconvinced by this, and expressed concern that the residents who would occupy the flats would be vulnerable, elderly people who might struggle to evacuate the building in the event of a flood.

Councillor Ernest Mallett argued that the risk of flooding was “a fact of life”, and that “Councils up and down the land because of housing pressure are building on floodplains”. He argued that the risk of flooding should not prevent the development from going ahead, saying that he did not agree with what he called "this over-consideration of what might happen with a bit of water”.

Councillor John Robini disagreed, arguing that building flats on the ground floor in the flood zone was “building in a future problem”, and that it would be difficult to evacuate vulnerable residents in the event of a flood. He argued that the Council should learn from the flooding in Horley two years previously.

Councillor Powell proposed that the location of ground floor accommodation be reviewed when the reserved matters application for the scheme is considered, to ensure that the development complies with government guidance. However, the planning officer explained that the application had been submitted on the basis that there would be ground floor units, and that it would be difficult to remove them at the reserved matters stage because of viability considerations.

The Committee then voted to grant outline planning permission for the scheme, subject to a number of conditions, including the submission of a detailed flood evacuation plan before the building is occupied.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions - Tuesday 29 October 2024

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions meeting considered a petition submitted by Councillor Isabelle Mullins, representing Egham Town on Runnymede Borough Council, about road safety on the A30 Egham Bypass.

The petition, which had been signed by 317 people, called for a reduction in the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph, the enforcement of the speed limit using average speed cameras, and the installation of a signalised crossing to replace the existing unregulated crossing near the junction with Hummer Road.

Councillor Mullins explained that, although the average speed of traffic on the bypass is below the speed limit, more than 5,000 vehicles a day exceed it. She also highlighted that the Egham Sustainable Transport Programme, which was developed in 2018, had identified the need for a signalised crossing at this location, but that this had not been progressed due to a lack of funding.

Councillor Marissa Heath, the local Surrey County Councillor for the area, explained that she had funded a vehicle activated speed sign on the road. She explained that the road's safety was currently being considered by officers as part of the Runnymede Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and that a new Toucan crossing and new cycle facilities were proposed as part of that plan.

Councillor Heath acknowledged that the need for a crossing had been accepted in the past, but explained that the situation had changed since then and that there was now significantly more traffic using the road. She also explained that installing a signalised crossing on a road with a 40 or 50mph speed limit would be dangerous and would not meet the design standards set out by Active Travel England.

An officer confirmed that the police do undertake speed enforcement on the road, and that the road was included in the County’s Speed Management Plan. He agreed that installing a crossing on a road with a 40 or 50 mph speed limit would be dangerous and explained that installing traffic calming measures would be illegal.

Councillor Matt Furniss, the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, thanked Councillor Mullins for raising the issue and explained that the LCWIP process would be the best way to progress the request. He explained that reducing the speed limit on the road using signs alone would be ineffective and that any changes to the speed limit would require the support of the police. He also explained that the LCWIP process would make the scheme eligible for funding from Active Travel England. He concluded by saying that Councillor Heath would follow up with the police on the matter of speed enforcement.

Councillor Mullins asked for clarification on the timetable for the Runnymede LCWIP. She explained that Runnymede’s LCWIP had been scheduled to be in the first tranche of LCWIPs to be developed in Surrey but that, despite having been given a number of dates for the start of the public consultation, it had not yet been progressed. An officer explained that stage two of the LCWIP, which would involve developing proposals in more detail, was currently underway and that the designs were expected to be finalised in early 2025.

Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions - Tuesday 29 October 2024

The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions meeting considered a series of reports on the disposal and marketing of a number of property assets.

The Cabinet Member approved the sale of 2 Copse Edge in Guildford and three bungalows at Norbury Park in Mickleham, near Dorking. Both properties had previously been leased to Halsey Garton Residential, a company owned by Surrey County Council that provides accommodation and support for adults with learning disabilities, at a peppercorn rent, under a 40-year lease. HGR had requested that the Council take both properties back and sell them.

The Cabinet Member also approved the sale of two small parcels of land at Burpham Court Farm in Guildford to Guildford Borough Council in order for them to be incorporated into plans for a new nature reserve and Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) as part of the approved Weyside Urban Village development.

A SANG is an area of green space that is designed to provide alternative recreational opportunities for new residents, reducing pressure on existing green spaces. They are often required as part of a planning application to mitigate the impact of a new development on protected wildlife sites.

Finally, the Cabinet Member approved the joint marketing of a 0.19 hectare parcel of land on Deepdene Avenue in Dorking with an adjacent 0.85-acre piece of land and three houses owned by Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner. The site, which is near the Cockerel Roundabout, is being marketed by Vail Williams. As you will recall from previous emails, Surrey County Council is seeking to raise capital to fund its capital programme by selling surplus land and property assets.

This week in Surrey:

• The Resources and Performance Select Committee meeting on Friday was held, but no transcript is available.
• The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee meeting on Tuesday discussed the council’s Climate Change Delivery Plan and their response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report.
• The Farnham Board meeting on Friday was scheduled to discuss a range of transport schemes that have been, are being, or are scheduled to be implemented in Farnham.

Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee - Tuesday 15 October 2024

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee considered progress against the council's Climate Change Delivery Plan and their response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The committee agreed to recommend that the cabinet reaffirm its commitment to meeting the 2030 and 2050 targets set out in the plan, work with national government to secure further funding and resources, and work across departments to look for opportunities to meet targets. The Committee also agreed that engaging children and young people with environmental issues and working with parishes and community groups were crucial to the plan's success. The committee welcomed the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s ongoing work to ensure that buildings in Surrey are fire safe and agreed to recommend that the Cabinet request central government urgently review building control and implement the recommendations in the Inquiry report.

Climate Change

Surrey County Council is still on track to meet the targets set out in its Climate Change Delivery Plan 2021-2025 despite rising costs and a reduction in the scale of national government schemes to support retrofitting homes and businesses.

The council's own direct carbon emissions, primarily from its buildings and streetlights, have reduced by 38%, in line with the target of a 40-69% decrease by 2025/26 set out in the plan. The council’s streetlight replacement programme, in which all of the county's streetlights were replaced with more energy-efficient LEDs, is credited as the most significant driver of this reduction. As you will recall from previous emails, this programme was completed in 2022.

The council has also been successful in securing government funding to retrofit its buildings through the government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This has allowed the council to install insulation and new heating systems in six buildings, saving an estimated £720,000 per year in energy bills. Work on a further 10 buildings, funded by an additional £6.8 million from the PSDS, is expected to begin in the next financial year.

However, the committee expressed concern that the pace of progress on solar energy generation and the decarbonisation of the council's vehicle fleet was too slow. The meeting heard that plans to install large-scale solar farms and solar panels on council-owned buildings had been hampered by capacity issues on the National Grid. Meanwhile, progress on decarbonising the council’s fleet of 487 vehicles, through the installation of charging infrastructure and the purchase of electric vehicles, has been slower than expected.

The committee heard that the council had secured £2.1 million to install insulation and new heating systems in eight schools in the next financial year. Solar panels have been installed on one school, and three more schools are due to have solar panels installed as part of the decarbonisation scheme.

In response to a question from Councillor Richard Tear about carbon offsetting, the committee heard that planting trees, installing solar panels and achieving carbon savings through other schemes could all be considered offsetting.

The committee heard that Surrey County Council had five members of staff working on community engagement and volunteering and was working on an Environmental Volunteering Framework to set out future priorities for these areas. They heard examples of the successful community engagement schemes run by the council, including the First Steps Volunteering and My Green Future schemes, which aimed to encourage young people to get involved in environmental work. The committee also heard that the council had trained 100 volunteers as retrofit coordinators to provide free home energy surveys to residents.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report

The committee heard from Chief Fire Officer Dan Quin, Head of Protection Lee Spencer-Smith, and Head of Change Elizabeth Lacey about the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report.

The committee heard that there are 91 high-rise residential buildings in Surrey¹, seven of which have required remediation work to be carried out.

The committee was reassured that all of these buildings have mitigation measures in place, including communal alarms and waking watches, and that Surrey Fire and Rescue was in regular contact with the people responsible for these buildings.

The committee heard that the service had inspected 277 mid-rise buildings in Surrey and that 14 had been identified as requiring further investigation.

The committee was reassured by Chief Fire Officer Quin that the Surrey Local Resilience Forum² has a comprehensive plan in place to respond to a major incident like the Grenfell Tower fire.

The committee heard that all of the partners in the forum meet quarterly and exercise and train together to ensure that they are prepared for an emergency.

The committee also heard about Surrey Fire and Rescue’s work to check the external wall systems of high-rise buildings and to ensure that ventilation systems and fire doors are being correctly maintained.

The committee heard about a new electronic system being procured by the service that would allow crews on the ground to communicate more effectively with Joint Fire Control and the bridge head in a high-rise building. They heard that this would allow for the real-time sharing of information about residents who might need assistance.

The committee welcomed Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s ongoing work to ensure the safety of residents in Surrey and their active work to implement the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. However, they expressed concern that developers were still allowed to appoint their own building control inspectors.

The committee heard from Councillor Marisa Heath, Cabinet Member for Environment, that the government had taken the issue of building safety very seriously and that, as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire, a number of reviews had already taken place, including the Hackitt Review and the Building Safety Act.

The committee agreed that they should strongly support the recommendation in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report that the government appoint an independent panel to review whether building control should be performed by a national authority.

Cabinet Response to Select Committee Recommendations on Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy

The committee noted the Cabinet's response to their recommendations on the Surrey RoadSafe Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy 2024 to 2035. As you may recall from previous emails, the Strategy was considered by the Committee at their meeting on 11 July 2024.

Forward Work Programme

The committee noted their forward work programme. Councillor Luke Bennett suggested the committee consider Surrey County Council's emerging Local Transport Plan 4, which will be submitted to the Department for Transport for approval at the end of 2025, at a future meeting.

Farnham Board - Friday 18 October 2024

The Farnham Board meeting was scheduled to discuss a range of transport schemes that have been, are being, or are scheduled to be implemented in Farnham. These schemes are intended to improve the town centre, reduce traffic, and encourage cycling and walking. The board was also scheduled to receive an update on the proposed A31 corridor improvements. As you may recall from previous emails, this Board has met several times to discuss these schemes.

Short and Medium-Term Interventions Update

The meeting was scheduled to receive a progress report on a number of short and medium-term transport schemes.

20mph Limits/Zones and Speed Restrictions

The meeting was scheduled to be updated on the progress of the implementation of 20mph speed limits in the town centre, on Weydon Lane and on Upper Hale Road.

Borelli/Riverside Cycle Improvement Scheme

The meeting was scheduled to be updated on the progress of the construction of a shared cycle and pedestrian path from South Street to the Riverside car parks.

LCWIP

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the progress of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. The plan sets out a range of proposals to improve cycling and walking routes in Farnham.

Water Lane Roundabout

The meeting was scheduled to be given an update on the recently completed work on the Water Lane Roundabout.

Town Centre Improvement Scheme

The meeting was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of the Farnham Town Centre Improvement Scheme. The scheme is intended to improve the public realm in the town centre and make it more pedestrian and cyclist friendly. Engagement with WBC and SCC Heritage Teams was scheduled to be discussed.

Farnham A31 Corridor Update

The meeting was scheduled to receive an update on the proposed Farnham A31 Corridor improvements. The scheme is intended to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on the A31.

Programme and Risks

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the programme for the delivery of the various schemes and projects that make up the Farnham Infrastructure Programme. The meeting was also scheduled to discuss the risks associated with the programme.

Resources and Performance Select Committee - Friday 18 October 2024

The Resources and Performance Select Committee meeting was held on Friday, but no transcript is available.

This week in Surrey: The Council meeting on Tuesday discussed a motion to improve road safety and parking in areas with high concentrations of takeaway food delivery drivers, and another motion for the council to sign the Good Company's End Poverty Pledge. The Adults and Health Select Committee meeting on Thursday discussed the impact of the new Right Care Right Person policy on Police deployments to mental health related incidents, as well as the progress being made to reduce cancer and elective care waiting lists. The adoption of the Council's constitution for 2024/25 was considered at the Council meeting on Tuesday.

Council - Tuesday 08 October 2024

The Council meeting began with an announcement from the Chairman of the sad death of former councillor Wyatt Ramsdale. Councillor David Lewis' leave of absence was extended until February 2025. The meeting also saw the appointment of Andy Brown as Executive Director for Finance and Corporate Services and Section 151 officer¹.

The meeting then discussed a number of motions, including one proposed by Councillor Steve McCormick, to improve road safety and parking in areas with high concentrations of takeaway food delivery drivers. Another motion, proposed by Councillor Mark Nuti, for the council to sign the Good Company’s End Poverty Pledge, was also approved. The meeting concluded with a report from the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee on a referred motion concerning plant-based meals.

Surrey Pension Fund Governance

The meeting also considered changes to the council’s constitution, requested by the Surrey Pension Fund Committee, to better manage the conflict of interest arising from Surrey County Council’s role as both the administering authority and an employer in the Pension Fund.

The changes include the requirement for the Pension Fund Committee to approve an annual conflict of interest policy, which will cover how Surrey County Council’s dual role is managed, the formalisation of the reporting line of the Senior LGPS Officer² to the Section 151 Officer, and the delegation of decisions on specific pension fund matters to officers with relevant expertise.

The committee also discussed the Government’s plans for the LGPS, which as you may recall from previous emails, could involve merging smaller funds.

Moped Delivery Riders

Councillor Steve McCormick’s motion, prompted by resident concerns in Epsom, aimed to address the rising problem of moped delivery drivers parking illegally and dangerously on pavements. This is an issue that has been raised by residents in other parts of the country, and a number of councils, including Ealing Council and Dartford Borough Council, have taken steps to address it.

In response to the motion, the council agreed to create ‘Standing Advice’ for local planning authorities to consider delivery driver parking needs in new retail developments and changes of use, to write to delivery companies, urging them to suspend riders who park illegally based on photographic evidence from the police, and to work with takeaway outlets, landowners, and borough and district councils to identify designated parking areas for motorcycles near high streets.

The Council’s Leader stated that this was a “starting point” and that further work would be needed to address the issue.

End Poverty Pledge

The council discussed a motion for the council to sign the Good Company’s End Poverty Pledge. The pledge encourages organisations to commit to reducing poverty and inequality.

An amendment was proposed to commit to not reducing funding to organisations that work to mitigate and prevent poverty. The amendment was rejected, but the original motion passed, with the council committing to developing an action plan to address poverty.

Plant-Based Meals

The council reviewed the feedback from the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee on a referred motion concerning plant-based meals. The original motion, which was proposed by Councillor Lance Spencer at the Council meeting on 11 July 2024, proposed that the Council:

Should promote a healthy lifestyle which recognizes that we are in a climate emergency and a nature emergency...[and] should consider ways of reducing our meat consumption across all aspects of the Council’s operations, and should ensure that school meals services have a totally plant-based menu just one day per week, ideally Mondays, to start with.

The committee heard from officers that the council’s Whole System Food Strategy and Climate Change Strategy align with the motion's goal of encouraging plant-based meals. The committee noted that the strategy supports the Surrey Healthy Schools approach, which aims to improve the health and well-being of children and young people by promoting healthy eating, physical activity and emotional wellbeing. They also noted that, while schools should be supported to implement Meat-free Mondays, they should retain flexibility for special dietary needs, medical conditions, and individual choices.

Council - Tuesday 08 October 2024

The Council meeting considered a single item: the adoption of the Council's Constitution for 2024/25.

A council’s constitution is a legal document that sets out how the council operates. It includes details of the council's powers and duties, how decisions are made, and the rules governing the conduct of councillors. A council’s constitution is a public document, and any member of the public can request a copy of it.

The changes proposed to the constitution, which are set out in the Public reports pack, included:

• Changes to the scheme of delegation to “provide clarity on the allocation of functions between the Council, Cabinet and officers and to update the scheme of delegation to reflect the current governance arrangements.”
• Updates to specific delegations to officers, including Part 3A, which “contains details of delegations to officers when acting in consultation with, or with the agreement of, other parties,” and Part 3B, which “contains details of delegations to officers, made under Part 2, Article 12.02 (c) of the Constitution.”
• Updates to the arrangements for dealing with Member Conduct. The document outlines the:
  • Procedures for dealing with complaints about the conduct of Councillors.
  • Role of the Monitoring Officer in assessing and investigating complaints.
  • Options available to the Monitoring Officer, including informal resolution or referral to the Standards Committee.
  • Powers of the Standards Committee, which may include issuing a sanction.
• Changes to the Financial Regulations, which set out the Council's financial regulations to ensure compliance with relevant legislation and best practice and promote sound financial management and stewardship of public funds.
• Changes to the Officer Code of Conduct, which outlines the standards of behaviour expected of Surrey Council officers. These changes aimed to promote integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

The report highlighted that:

Clearly [setting] out the governance arrangements for the Council including delegations to officers which are necessary to ensure the efficient and effective discharge of the Council's functions.

Adults and Health Select Committee - Thursday 10 October 2024

The Adults and Health Select Committee meeting began with the Chairman noting that today is World Mental Health Day. The meeting then moved on to discuss the progress being made to reduce cancer and elective care waiting lists and the impact of the new Right Care Right Person policy on Police deployments to mental health related incidents. The Committee also discussed the Council’s Mental Health Improvement Plan.

Cancer and Elective Care Backlogs

The committee heard from Professor Andrew Rhodes, Joint Medical Director for Surrey Heartlands ICB, and Alexander Stamp, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, about the progress being made to reduce waiting lists for elective care, cancer and diagnostics.

Both organisations reported that they had made good progress in reducing waiting lists, particularly those for patients waiting over 65 weeks, which they hoped to have cleared by Christmas. They were less confident about meeting the national target of reducing the number of patients waiting over 52 weeks by the middle of next year. The committee heard that there are a number of factors contributing to the long waiting lists, including the COVID-19 pandemic, industrial action by NHS staff, and staff shortages.

Professor Rhodes explained that:

“My expectation is that they are still so high that it's going to take a number of years to get them back to where we want them to be. And I know that our political masters are suggesting that they're going to try and resolve or get them back to where they need to be over this next parliamentary cycle and that's what definitely we're trying to do. It's about aligning the capacity against the demand. It's about making sure we got the right staff in place and the right facilities and infrastructure to be able to manage the patient flows as they come through.”

The committee heard about new facilities that have recently opened or are in the process of being built, including a new Elective Care Centre at Ashford Hospital, a new Diagnostic Centre at Royal Surrey County Hospital, and a new Diagnostic Centre at Frimley Park Hospital.

The committee expressed concern about the impact of long waits on patients, and asked what was being done to support patients who are waiting for treatment. They were told that patients are encouraged to contact their GP if their condition deteriorates while they are waiting, and that GPs can expedite referrals where appropriate. The committee also discussed the new Waiting Well initiative, which is being piloted at Ashford & St. Peters Hospital and provides patients with more regular contact with the hospital and support while they are waiting for treatment.

The committee heard that, in parallel with the building of new facilities, work is ongoing to increase efficiency and to make better use of existing capacity. This includes operating theatres being used for longer hours each day and over the weekends, and more use being made of capacity in private hospitals.

The committee raised concerns about communication, both with patients and between different parts of the NHS. The committee heard that both Surrey Heartlands and Frimley are rolling out patient portals, which allow patients to access their medical records and communicate with their healthcare providers online, but expressed concern that this would disadvantage those who do not have access to the internet. The committee recommended that Surrey Heartlands ICB and Frimley Health ICS provide a report that addresses the concerns raised about the Waiting Well initiative for elective care patients, and that NHS England must improve the accessibility of its communications with patients.

Right Care Right Person

The committee also discussed the new Right Care Right Person policy, which was introduced in April 2024. Right Care Right Person is a national policy that aims to ensure that people receive the right care, from the right person, at the right time. It encourages Police to transfer responsibility for responding to incidents relating to mental health, vulnerability, and welfare to other more appropriate services.

The committee heard from representatives of Surrey Police, South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), Surrey Heartlands ICB, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP) and Surrey County Council about how they are working together to implement the new policy, and what challenges they have encountered.

The committee were told that there have been a number of successes since the implementation of the policy, including:

• Improved communication between agencies.
• A reduction in the number of police officers attending incidents that do not require a police response.
• A reduction in the number of Section 136 detentions.

However, the committee also heard that there are a number of challenges, including:

• Ensuring that all staff are aware of the policy and how to apply it.
• The need to increase capacity in other services, such as mental health and social care, to cope with the increased demand.
• The need for better data collection and analysis to understand the impact of the policy.

The committee also asked about the impact of the policy on the ambulance service, and were told that, although there had not been a noticeable increase in incidents being referred to them, the policy has improved communication between agencies.

The committee expressed concern that this new policy is putting a strain on already overstretched services, and they asked what is being done to mitigate the impact. They were told that work is underway to invest in new services, including mental health response vehicles and safe havens, and that a review of the policy will be undertaken in six months.

The committee decided to recommend that NHS England, Surrey Police and Surrey County Council improve their reporting on the implementation of the Right Care Right Person initiative.

Mental Health Improvement Plan

Finally, the committee discussed the Council’s Mental Health Improvement Plan, which sets out the Council’s strategy to improve the mental health and well-being of Surrey residents.

The committee discussed the relationship between health and work, and the importance of early intervention to prevent people from falling out of the workforce due to mental health problems. As you know from previous emails, employment is good for mental health, as it provides people with a sense of purpose, structure and social interaction. It also provides financial security, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

The committee heard that Surrey has one of the lowest levels of unemployment in the country, but that this hides pockets of deprivation.

The committee heard about a number of programmes that are underway to support people with mental health conditions into work, including:

• The WorkWise programme, which provides support to people who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment due to mental health problems.
• The WorkWell programme, which provides support to people who are in work but are struggling to manage their mental health.
• The How Are You? Workforce Wellbeing Programme, which provides support to employers to create more mentally healthy workplaces.
• The Richmond Fellowship, which provides supported employment services to people with mental health conditions.

The committee welcomed the plan and supported the recommendations, which included increasing the uptake of training for staff, working with employers to create more mentally healthy workplaces, and measuring the impact of the plan on the health and wellbeing of Surrey residents.

This week in Surrey:

• The Strategic Investment Board was scheduled to meet on Monday, but the meeting was cancelled.
• The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions approved the sale of a property in Oxted for an undisclosed sum.
• The Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong learning Decisions approved changes to the admissions processes for Rygate Priory Junior School and Audley Primary School.
• The Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisions approved grants of £495,000 and £135,625 to the Christchurch Gateway Project and Wonersh Bowling Club respectively.
• The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions approved an increase in the charges for suspending bus stops, agreed to fund a number of new schemes from the Integrated Transport Schemes (ITS) budget, and decided to write to the owners of a private road in Penton Park asking them to carry out repairs to it.
• The Cabinet discussed the Council's financial situation and approved changes to the Your Fund Surrey small and large project funds.
• The Planning and Regulatory Committee approved two outline planning applications for extra care accommodation, one in Redhill and one in Englefield Green. They also noted that the Supreme Court had quashed a previous decision to grant permission for oil extraction at Horse Hill, near Horley.
• The Surrey Police and Crime Panel noted all the reports presented to them.
• The Joint Advisory Committee for the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (“Surrey Hills Board”) met on Thursday, but no transcript or agenda is available.

Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions - Tuesday 24 September 2024

The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions meeting considered a single item: the proposed sale of 16 Brook Hill in Oxted.

The property is a two bedroom semi-detached house that had been transferred by the council to Halsey Garton Residential Ltd in August 2020 under a 40-year lease¹. The property was marketed by White & Sons, who reported that they had received three offers. The report notes that The Council continues to operate in a very challenging financial environment and that The capital receipt from this proposed disposal will contribute to the capital receipts funding assumed in the capital programme.

The report does not state how much the property was sold for, or who it was sold to. The Council has stated that the sale price is not public information because it is commercially sensitive. This decision is similar to other recent decisions made by the Council to sell property assets. As you will recall from previous emails, the Council is seeking to raise capital to fund its capital programme.

Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong learning Decisions - Tuesday 24 September 2024

The Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong learning Decisions meeting considered two changes to school admissions arrangements.

The meeting approved a proposal to reduce the Year 3 published admissions number (PAN)² at Rygate Priory Junior School from 150 to 120, following a reduction in the PAN at Holmesdale Infant School in 2023.

The meeting also approved a proposal to introduce a new published admissions number of 2 for Year 3 at Audley Primary School.

Surrey County Council is required to follow a statutory consultation process when making changes to admissions arrangements. This consultation must last for at least six weeks and will take place between 2 October and 13 November 2024.

Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisions - Tuesday 24 September 2024

The Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisions meeting considered two applications for funding from the Your Fund Surrey (YFS) scheme.

The first application was from Christ Church Woking, who requested £495,000 to build a youth and community centre. The new centre will be open seven days a week, offering a space for young adults in the evenings and at weekends, and providing support and activities for young people and vulnerable adults. The Cabinet Member approved this application.

The second application was from Wonersh Bowling Club, who requested £135,625 to help them build a new pavilion. The new pavilion will be accessible to people with mobility issues and will provide a new community space for residents to socialise and participate in wellbeing activities. The Cabinet Member approved this application.

The Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities has the delegated authority to approve YFS grants up to £500,000. Larger applications must be considered by the Cabinet.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions - Tuesday 24 September 2024

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions meeting considered four items: a petition for road safety improvements near Sandcross School in Reigate, a petition about the condition of a private road in Penton Park, funding for a number of schemes from the Countryside Integrated Transport Schemes (ITS) budget, and the revision of the charge for suspending bus stops.

Sandcross School Petition

Louise Cleland, a parent at Sandcross School, and Mark Richards, the school's headmaster, presented a petition asking the council to make road safety improvements to the roads around the school.

They described how the roads and pavements are narrow and congested, with cars regularly mounting the pavement to pass each other and speeding. The speed limit on the road is currently 30mph. The petitioners requested that the Council carry out a full road safety review and take action to make the roads around the school safer. In 2022, the council's road safety team stated that they would wait to see if a proposed housing development was approved, as developer contributions could be used to fund the works.

Councillor Catherine Part, the local ward councillor, spoke in support of the petition, highlighting that in July 2021 the Council had announced a £3 million fund to clear the backlog of road safety outside school assessments.

Duncan Knox, Surrey's road safety and sustainable school travel manager, explained that although the Council could fund the work now, they would need to find more money in future to fund road safety improvements outside other schools if they did, as the proposed housing development was unlikely to be approved in the near future.

In response, the Cabinet Member agreed to write to all of the landowners in the area to request that they contribute to the cost of the road safety improvements.

Mixon's Lane Petition

The meeting also considered a petition about the condition of Mixon’s Lane, a private road in Penton Park, that provides the only access to a residential caravan park and a number of other homes. The petition described how the road is frequently flooded and in a dangerous condition, with large potholes, broken drains, and a crumbling surface.

Alan Baldwin, who presented the petition, argued that the road was not fit for purpose and that its condition was having a detrimental impact on residents, particularly vulnerable elderly people, who were afraid to venture out for fear of damaging their cars or being injured. He also highlighted that the poor condition of the road had led to the bus service being withdrawn on several occasions, further isolating residents.

The petition requested that the Council take action to compel the landowners to repair the road, or to adopt the road and bring it up to highway standard.

Councillor Jonathan Lord, the local ward councillor, spoke in support of the petition, describing how the road is a “danger to traffic” and that it “clearly has the powers to compel landowners to take that responsibility”. He proposed that the Council invite all interested parties to a roundtable meeting to discuss the issue and to explore the possibility of legal action against the landowner.

Councillor Mark Nuti also spoke in support of the petition, saying that the Council should not have to pay for the repairs.

The Cabinet Member stated that the Council does not have the power to compel the landowners to repair the road, as it is a private road. However, he confirmed that the Council could take action under Section 56 of the Highways Act 1980³ if the road becomes dangerous. The Cabinet Member confirmed that he would write to the landowners to ask them to improve the condition of the road and that if it was brought up to the required standard, the Council would adopt it.

Countryside Integrated Transport Schemes

The meeting also considered a report on the Countryside Integrated Transport Schemes (ITS) budget⁴. The report set out a list of schemes that were proposed to be funded from the budget in 2025/26, which had been prioritised by officers based on a scoring system that takes into account a range of factors, including the cost of the scheme, the number of people who will benefit from the scheme, and the scheme's contribution to the council's transport strategy.

The Cabinet Member approved the proposed schemes, with one amendment. He agreed to fund a 20mph speed limit and traffic calming scheme in an unspecified location, instead of the proposed zebra crossing. He explained that this was to ensure that the same areas do not benefit from ITS funding two years in a row.

Revision of the Charge for Suspending Bus Stops in Surrey

The Cabinet Member also considered a report proposing changes to the charges for suspending bus stops in Surrey. The current charges have not been reviewed since 2017.

The Cabinet Member approved the proposed changes, which included increasing the charge for suspending a bus stop to £175 per day, for a maximum of three days, and introducing a new £600 charge for closing a bus stop without permission. He also agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Highways and Transport to make any further changes to the charges.

Cabinet - Tuesday 24 September 2024

The Cabinet met to discuss the Council's financial position, approve changes to the Your Fund Surrey small and large project funds, receive reports from the Children, Families and Lifelong Learning Select Committee, and hear a report from the Cabinet Member for Environment. They also moved into private session to discuss a business case recommending the discontinuation of two discretionary services.

Surrey’s Financial Situation

The Cabinet received a report on the Council's financial position, which showed that at the end of July 2024, the Council had a forecast revenue budget overspend of £15.5 million. This figure represents approximately 2% of the Council's total revenue budget.

The largest overspend was in the Children, Families and Lifelong Learning directorate at £8.9 million, driven by a £7.4 million overspend on the Home to School Travel Assistance (H2STA) service. The committee heard that the overspend is due to a combination of increased demand for the service, as well as the rising cost of transport.

The Adults, Wellbeing & Health Partnerships directorate also had a forecast overspend of £3.9 million, due to rising demand for care packages for older people.

The Environment, Infrastructure & Growth directorate forecast a £2.6 million overspend, driven by the rising cost of managing dry mixed recyclables and the cost of soft facilities management, such as cleaning, security, and utilities.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources highlighted the challenging financial environment that local authorities face and stated that the Council will be lobbying the Government to ensure continued funding for services.

The Cabinet noted the report and asked for a further update in October 2024.

Your Fund Surrey

Your Fund Surrey is a scheme that enables residents, community groups, charities, and social enterprises to apply for funding from the Council for projects that benefit their local communities. The scheme is funded from the Council's revenue budget and is managed by the Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities.

The Cabinet agreed to changes to the Your Fund Surrey small project fund allocation to allow Councillors to allocate the full £100,000 to a single project in cases where they have not yet spent their allocation.

Children, Families and Lifelong Learning Select Committee Reports

The Cabinet considered two reports from the Children, Families and Lifelong Learning Select Committee: one on Home to School Travel Assistance and one on the Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND): Parent and Carer Experience Task Group.

The Home to School Travel Assistance report discussed the significant overspend on the Home to School Travel Assistance budget, which was overspent by 19% in 2023/24. This figure represents approximately 4% of the Council's total revenue budget.

The report highlighted communication issues within the service, both with parents and between council teams, and made a number of recommendations to address these issues. The Cabinet Member confirmed that the service was working on implementing these recommendations.

The Parent and Carer Experience Task Group report focused on the experiences of parents and carers of children with SEND in Surrey. The report found that many parents and carers have lost trust and confidence in the council's ability to meet their children's needs.

The Cabinet Member acknowledged that the AND service had received a large number of complaints, particularly relating to timeliness and communication. The report made a number of recommendations to address these issues.

The Cabinet Member acknowledged the seriousness of the issues raised and confirmed that the service would respond to the recommendations in writing by the next Cabinet meeting.

Cabinet Member of the Month

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Marissa Heath, presented her report to the Cabinet. Councillor Heath highlighted a number of successes in the environment portfolio, including:

• Surrey having the highest number of Eco-Schools Green Flag awards in England for the second consecutive year.
• Securing £1.24 million in funding since 2021 for tree planting, with a further 48,000 trees planned to be planted this coming season.
• Bringing in £14 million from the government since 2021 to help decarbonise buildings and support residents to reduce their energy bills.
• Successfully delivering the Solar Together scheme, which has resulted in the installation of 10 MW of renewable energy capacity across 2,274 homes.

Councillor Heath also discussed the work being done to develop Surrey's Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which is being developed under the Environment Act 2021, as well as work to support residents to be more resilient to the effects of climate change, and to support businesses to decarbonise.

The Cabinet welcomed the report and commended Councillor Heath on her work.

Decisions Taken Since the Last Cabinet Meeting

The Cabinet noted three decisions that had been taken since the last meeting:

• Councillor Turner-Stewart had approved a Your Fund Surrey application for £114,000 to support the development of the Farncombe Community Garden Hub in Godalming.
• Councillor Bramhall had approved the disposal of The Cottage, Old Swains Farm in Leigh, Reigate.
• Councillor Curran had approved the Fair Access Protocol for 2024/25.

The Cabinet noted the decisions and the meeting moved into private session to discuss Project Libra, a business case that recommended the discontinuation of two discretionary services.

Planning and Regulatory Committee - Wednesday 25 September 2024

The Planning and Regulatory Committee considered three items: two outline planning applications for extra care accommodation and a report on the outcome of a legal challenge to a decision it had made in 2019 to grant planning permission for oil extraction at Horse Hill, near Horley.

Former Birchlands Care Home, Englefield Green

The Committee approved an outline application for the construction of an Extra Care facility at the site of the former Birchlands Care home in Englefield Green.

Extra Care schemes provide accommodation for elderly people in self-contained flats, with on-site care and support services. They are often preferred to traditional care homes as they allow residents to maintain their independence, while also providing them with the support they need. Surrey County Council, along with most other local authorities in the UK, is facing an increasing demand for Extra Care accommodation, and this application was therefore welcomed by the committee.

The scheme will provide 48 self-contained flats, as well as communal facilities such as a restaurant, lounge, and hairdressing salon. The new building will be set further back from the western boundary than the previous building to reduce the impact of the scheme on nearby homes.

The Committee heard concerns from residents about overlooking, particularly those at Larchmoor, and the loss of on-street parking to facilitate a new access on Barley Mow Road, but concluded that these concerns were not sufficient to refuse the application.

The Committee also heard concerns from St Jude's Infant School, which is located on Barley Mow Road, that the loss of parking would cause problems for parents collecting and dropping off their children. Despite this, the Committee was persuaded by the assessment of the Highways Officer that there is sufficient capacity on surrounding roads to absorb the parking without causing problems.

The Committee heard from the local ward member, Councillor Marissa Heath, who spoke in support of the application, explaining the benefits of the scheme to the local community and the significant need for accommodation of this type in the Borough.

The Committee approved the application unanimously, subject to a number of conditions. In particular, they asked for detailed plans for the landscaping to be submitted at a later date.

Site of Former Colebrook and Spectrum Noke Day Centres, Redhill

The Committee also approved an outline application to build an Extra Care housing facility on the site of the former Colebrook and Spectrum Day Centres in Redhill.

The scheme will involve the construction of a building of between 4 and 6 storeys, with up to 120 self-contained flats. It will be built to net-zero carbon⁵ standards and will include renewable energy technology on the roof.

The Committee discussed the impact of the scheme on the surrounding area, including the Cavendish Road conservation area⁶. They heard from the Historic Buildings Officer, who explained that the scheme would result in less than substantial harm to the conservation area.

The Committee noted that there had been 9 letters of representation submitted about the scheme, with concerns raised about the impact of construction, increased traffic and congestion, the height of the building, loss of sunlight, loss of privacy, and insufficient parking.

The Committee was satisfied that these concerns had been adequately addressed, and voted to approve the scheme by 8 votes to 2.

Minerals/Waste Application RE18/02667/CON - Report on outcome of the consideration of this matter by the Supreme Court

The Committee also considered a report on the outcome of a legal challenge to a decision it had made in 2019 to grant planning permission for oil extraction at Horse Hill, near Horley.

The application was for the production of hydrocarbons from six wells, for a period of 25 years. The applicant, Horse Hill Developments Limited, had already drilled two exploratory boreholes at the site and was seeking permission to start production.

The application was approved by the Committee in September 2019, but the decision was challenged in the High Court by a local resident on behalf of the Weald Action Group, a campaign group opposed to oil and gas extraction in the Weald Basin⁷.

The High Court dismissed the challenge, as did the Court of Appeal. However, the resident was granted leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, which heard the case in June 2023.

The Supreme Court’s judgement, which was published in June 2024, overturned the decisions of the lower courts and ruled that the Committee’s original decision was unlawful. This was because the Committee did not properly consider the impact of downstream emissions from the oil extracted at the site. This was a new interpretation of the law and meant that the Committee would need to reconsider the application.

The Supreme Court's decision has significant implications for all hydrocarbon developments in the UK, as it means that planning authorities will now need to assess the impact of downstream emissions from all such developments.

The Committee noted the Supreme Court’s decision and that the Council would need to pay the appellant’s costs, up to £35,000.

Surrey Police and Crime Panel - Thursday 26 September 2024

The Surrey Police and Crime Panel met to discuss a wide range of issues relating to policing in Surrey.

The panel were presented with reports on the Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report, performance and accountability meetings, recruitment and workforce planning, the Force's Medium Term Financial Plan, and the HMICFRS PEEL inspection. They also asked the Commissioner a series of questions about a range of topics, including the early release of prisoners, CCTV provision, and the force's work to address misogyny, victim blaming, and discrimination in the workplace.

Police and Crime Plan

The panel discussed the progress being made on the development of the new Police and Crime Plan, which sets out the Commissioner's strategic priorities for policing in Surrey. The plan is currently being consulted on and will be published in early 2025. The panel asked a number of questions about the consultation process, and how the Commissioner will ensure that the plan reflects the views of Surrey residents.

Police and Crime Commissioner Annual Report 2023/24

The panel also discussed the Commissioner's Annual Report, which provides an overview of her work over the past year. The panel raised concerns that the report did not include enough performance data, and asked the Commissioner to explain the choice to use a report format that did not involve key performance indicators to track performance and outcomes against specified targets and objectives.

The Commissioner explained that all of the performance data is available on the OPCC’s Data Hub, which was launched in 2022 to provide a single point of access to data about policing in Surrey.

The panel debated the value of including a simplified ‘Red, Amber, Green (RAG) rating’ system in the report to provide an overview of the performance for the period, but the Commissioner confirmed that she would not be including a RAG rating system, preferring instead to encourage people to access the real-time performance data that is available on the Data Hub.

HMICFRS PEEL Inspection Update

The panel discussed the HMICFRS⁸ PEEL Inspection Update, which details how the Force is progressing in addressing areas of concern identified in the 2023 HMICFRS PEEL Inspection.

The panel were pleased to hear that the Force had made good progress in addressing the areas of concern that had been identified, particularly in relation to its response to 999 calls, where the Commissioner told the panel that the Chief Constable had told her that the Force was “the fastest improving force in the country on that particular measure”.

The panel also sought clarity on the Force’s plans to change the incident grading system, as well as how it is working to ensure that victims of crime receive better outcomes.

Surrey Police Recruitment and Workforce Planning Update

The panel discussed the Surrey Police Recruitment and Workforce Planning Update, which confirmed that Surrey Police had exceeded its target for the recruitment of police officers under the Government’s Uplift programme. The panel discussed the challenges facing the Force in relation to the recruitment and retention of police staff and PCSOs. The Commissioner explained that “it’s a very competitive job market at the moment, we know. It won’t be a surprise to anybody that there are better salaries available than there are for particularly PCSOs.”

The panel also discussed how Surrey Police is addressing misogyny, victim blaming and discrimination in the workplace, and how these challenges were impacting staff attrition rates.

Medium-Term Financial Plan Update 2024/25 to 2027/28

The panel discussed the Surrey Police Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) Update, which showed that the Force needs to identify savings of £23.4 million over the next four years. This represents approximately 5% of the Force's total budget.

The Commissioner expressed her concerns about the funding formula for policing and her pessimism about whether the Government would increase funding for Surrey Police.

Kelvin Menon, the Chief Financial Officer, explained that Surrey would receive the lowest share of the £175 million Home Office grant for pay awards if it was allocated based on the current funding formula.

The Commissioner stated that the Force would have to draw on reserves if savings could not be identified and the Panel decided to write a letter to the Home Secretary to support the Commissioner's calls for a fairer funding deal for Surrey.

Surrey Police Group Unaudited Financial Report for 2023/24

The panel also considered the Surrey Police Group Unaudited Financial Report for 2023/24, which reported that the Group’s budget was £0.2 million underspent.

The report explained that the Force had benefited from a tight labour market because police staff vacancies had reduced costs, but that “the Force cannot afford for all these posts to be filled and some areas are going through a review process to determine whether these vacant posts can be deleted.”

Performance and Accountability Meetings

The panel discussed a report on Performance and Accountability Meetings, which are held between the Commissioner and the Chief Constable to discuss the Force’s performance and to ensure that the arrangements for good governance and scrutiny are in place.

The panel noted the report and asked the Commissioner if the Chief Constable was available for these meetings and whether the meetings would still be webcast. The Commissioner confirmed that the Chief Constable had been attending and would continue to attend, and that the webcasts of these meetings were being reviewed and that other ways of engaging the public were being explored.

PCC Decisions and Forward Plan

The panel noted the report on PCC Decisions and Forward Plan.

Commissioner's Question Time

The panel asked the Commissioner a series of questions about a range of topics:

• Will the early release of prisoners due to a lack of prison capacity put public safety at risk? The Commissioner explained that this was not a problem in Surrey because the Force had taken a “proactive approach” and low numbers of prisoners had been released.
• What were the conclusions of the Fire Governance review? The Commissioner confirmed that the Fire Governance review was “on ice” because there was no longer a political imperative to make changes to the governance of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.
• What is the Commissioner doing to ensure that CCTV provision across the county is “effective, appropriately targeted and equitable” now that Surrey Police has withdrawn from long-standing CCTV monitoring arrangements? The Commissioner stated that “The evidence isn’t quite there” and that the issue is complex.
• What is the reason for the discrepancy between the £18m saving required as stated in the Annual Report and the £23.4m saving stated in the Medium-Term Financial Plan Update? The Commissioner confirmed that the discrepancy in the savings figures was because the Medium-Term Financial Plan contained updated assumptions.
  
• Has the Commissioner been lobbying Surrey’s MPs to try to get them to support her campaign for a fairer funding settlement? The Commissioner confirmed that she had been lobbying MPs, and that “we’ve got a meeting with all of, or certainly all of Surrey’s MPs have been invited to a meeting with myself and the Chief Constable, which is coming up. And that is absolutely one of the conversations that I think it’s really, really important to have with them.”

Complaints Received Since the Last Meeting

The panel noted a report on complaints that had been made against the Commissioner since the last meeting.

There had been 3 complaints made against the Commissioner. The Complaints Subcommittee found that the Commissioner had breached the Code of Conduct in one aspect of two of the complaints. They asked the Commissioner to write an explanatory letter to the complainants. The third complaint was dismissed as repetitious.

Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme

The panel noted the report on the Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme.

Joint Advisory Committee for the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (“Surrey Hills Board”) - Thursday 26 September 2024

The Joint Advisory Committee for the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (“Surrey Hills Board”) was held on Thursday, but no transcript or agenda is available. This board usually meets to discuss issues relating to the management of the Surrey Hills AONB⁹.

People, Performance and Development Committee - Wednesday 25 September 2024

The People, Performance and Development Committee met to discuss the appointment of a new Executive Director of Finance & Corporate Services, and whether to make the appointment process public.

The meeting was not open to the public, in accordance with Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972.

This week in Surrey:

• The Health and Wellbeing Board discussed the merger of the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) with the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), the separation of the Community Safety Board from the HWB, the End Poverty Pledge, and the Better Care Fund, among other things.
• The Farnham Board was held on Friday, but no transcript or agenda is available.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Wednesday 18 September 2024

The Health and Wellbeing Board meeting focused on the recent merger of the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) and the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), as well as the planned separation of the Community Safety Board from the HWB. Members also endorsed the End Poverty Pledge¹ and reviewed progress on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Better Care Fund and other related initiatives.

Merging of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Integrated Care Partnership

Members reviewed and discussed a draft Memorandum of Understanding for the joint working of the two boards. The aim of the merger is to:

“Provide that collective oversight and assurance of delivery of the strategy, Health and Well-being Strategy being ambition one of the integrated care strategy for the ICS in Surrey Heartlands.”

The merger will take place from September 2024 and will streamline the agendas and membership of the two boards. The boards will meet on the same day and location as the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board.

“So each quarter, we've got a bit of a cycle that we'll move through in terms of public formal meeting...That is then followed by a private informal meeting...That is then followed by the deep dive walkabout, which is something that's evolved through the ICP and has proved to be very valuable."

Members raised a question about the wording of the Memorandum of Understanding, which did not specifically mention representation from the VCSE Alliance. The Chair clarified that this was an oversight and that three representatives from the Alliance would be included on the board.

Enabling Stronger Community Safety Leadership and Governance

Members also agreed to review the governance arrangements for community safety, with a view to separating the Community Safety Board from the HWB. This separation was proposed because it is felt that the current arrangement, whereby community safety is overseen by the HWB, has not been effective in providing strong strategic leadership and direction for community safety.

“The activities necessary to address community safety are I think somewhat distinct and arguably require dedicated senior attention and focus...So to that end, I think it would be sensible at least seriously to consider constituting a community safety board under whose auspices such work could progress.”

It was noted that the community safety landscape has changed considerably since 2020, when the two boards were merged, with the establishment of the Community Safety Assembly, the Serious Violence Reduction Partnership, and the Domestic Abuse Executive. A shared steering group, consisting of representatives from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey Police, Surrey County Council, and the Districts and Boroughs, will now develop proposals for the future governance of community safety, with a view to establishing a separate Surrey-wide community safety board.

“Subject to approval at this board, we propose to take forward a shared steering group to look at how the future arrangements can be...So the Community Safety Assembly's been set up. We have the Serious Violence Reduction Partnership and the Domestic Abuse Executive all currently formed, and we would propose this review would look quite widely at the governance arrangements for those to make the most of everyone's time and focus at boards.”

HWB Strategy Highlight Report including HWBS Index Update

Members received a report on progress in the delivery of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The report highlighted a number of challenges, including the need for continued funding for several key programmes, such as the Bridge the Gap prevention service, the Serious Violence Duty programme, and several centrally funded physical activity programmes for children. The report also highlighted the need to address unmet needs, particularly regarding inequalities between communities of geography and identity.

“The JSNA chapter on multiple disadvantage identifies a conservative 3,000-plus adults experiencing multiple disadvantage in Surrey...Active Surrey is awaiting confirmation from central government that funding for club four will continue on December 24. So as many conversations we've had in this room, ongoing activity is linked to resource demands."

Members discussed a number of opportunities to improve the delivery of the strategy, including the need to focus on prevention and early intervention, and the importance of working in partnership with communities.

Enabling a Surrey System Approach to Poverty: Signing and Enacting the End Poverty Pledge

Members endorsed the End Poverty Pledge, which was signed by the Chair of the HWB at the July meeting. The pledge is a commitment to working together to reduce poverty in Surrey.

“This is a year-round problem it's not just winter and the health and well-being board recognized this back in July when we were fortunate enough to invite Jonathan company and we signed the end poverty pledge."

Jonathan Lees, Managing Director of The Good Company, gave a presentation on the pledge and the work of The Good Company. Mr Lees highlighted the importance of working with people with lived experience of poverty, and the need to challenge the culture of organisations to ensure that they are accessible to everyone.

“For a long time wanted to close the food bank and so what we've developed is a number of projects around supporting people in poverty to do what we feel to develop that emotional and physical and financial resilience within them so they don't need to rely on an organization like us...The challenge really is what do you do to keep somebody in poverty and how can you help somebody out of it so the pledge is a first statement about saying yes together we can begin to make a difference”

Mr Lees also highlighted the upcoming Poverty Truth Commission celebration event, which will take place on 27 November 2024.

Members discussed the challenges of tackling poverty in Surrey, particularly the issue of housing affordability. Members agreed that it was important to lobby Government for support in this area.

Better Care Fund Update

Members received a report on progress with the Better Care Fund (BCF). The BCF is a pooled budget between the NHS and local authorities, which is used to fund services that help people to stay well, safe, and independent at home for longer.

The BCF plan has been developed in collaboration with partners across the system and has been approved through both local and system governance routes. It represents a robust plan for how Surrey BCF money should be spent and what outcomes we will achieve between 2023-25.

The report highlighted the need to develop a clear funding approach for BCF services in Surrey, and to improve data collection and analysis to ensure that decision-making is fully informed. The report also highlighted the need to continue to develop capacity and demand work, particularly in intermediate care, to better inform decisions and to aid future planning.

The Better Care Fund has always had a priority for prevention and protecting Adult Social Care so that it can deliver its Care Act duties, thus preventing hospital admission.

Members discussed the challenges of delivering the BCF, particularly in light of the current financial pressures on the NHS and local authorities. Members agreed that it was important to continue to work together to find ways to make the best use of BCF funding, particularly in relation to prevention and early intervention.

Library of Experiences Update

Members received a report on the “Library of Experiences” approach, which is being developed to identify, capture, and share learning from work with communities across the county to reduce health inequalities.

“The “Library of Experiences” approach was agreed by the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) at its meeting on 27 April 2024 to identify, capture and share the lessons from work with communities across the county to reduce health inequalities."

The approach will be showcased at the Surrey Heartlands Expo event on 21 October 2024, and will be included in follow-up internal and external communication campaigns thereafter.

“Identified opportunities to share the case examples and supporting tools and approaches, using the 21 October 2024 Surrey Heartlands Expo event as a showcase and basis for further follow up communications.”

Members discussed the importance of making the “Library of Experiences” accessible to a wide range of partners, and ensuring that it is used to inform the development of future work with communities.

Integrated Care Board Update: Surrey Heartlands

Members received an update on recent activity by the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB), which included a summary of the recent independent investigation into the NHS by Patricia Hewitt, as well as a brief overview of the first quarter performance assessment of the ICB by NHS England.

Frimley System Report

Members also received an update on recent activity by the Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB), including a summary of the new “Work Well” programme which is being piloted by Frimley ICB to support local residents get back into employment.

Farnham Board - Friday 20 September 2024

The Farnham Board was held on Friday, but no transcript or agenda is available. This Board usually meets to discuss local issues and to receive updates from officers on the work of the Council in Farnham.

This week in Surrey:

• The People, Performance and Development Committee discussed the council's pay policy, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and the restructure of the senior management team.
• The Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee discussed the Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) system and children not in school.
• The Surrey Pension Fund Committee discussed the Surrey Pension Fund’s investments, performance, governance, and the government's plans for the LGPS¹.
• The Audit and Governance Committee discussed the council's risk management processes, internal audit findings, complaints, and changes to the Member Code of Conduct arrangements.

People, Performance and Development Committee - Monday 09 September 2024

The People, Performance and Development Committee is responsible for overseeing the council's workforce, including pay and conditions, recruitment and retention, and training and development. The committee met on Monday 09 September 2024 to discuss a range of issues relating to these areas.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Surrey County Council

The committee considered a report on progress made on EDI at Surrey County Council. The Council's stated aim is to make Surrey “a place where no one is left behind” and a key objective of its EDI strategy is to “make sure that our workforce is representative of our communities”. Surrey County Council is subject to the Equality Act 2010 ², which places a legal duty on public sector bodies to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different groups.

The report provided an update on the findings of an LGA peer review that had recently taken place, which had been largely positive, but had identified a number of areas where further work was needed. The peer review was carried out by a team of experienced officers from other local authorities who are experts in EDI. The review praised the leadership and commitment shown by the council in working towards the goal of no one left behind. They also noted the positive impact of initiatives like the disability passport and the inclusive recruitment guidance. However, the reviewers identified a lack of a shared strategy to reduce inequalities across the organisation, and the uneven application of EDI policies by management as areas for improvement. The review also identified that data collection was uneven across different departments.

The committee heard that, in response to the LGA peer review, three independent EDI Employee Experience reviews focusing on the experiences of LGBTQ+, disabled and ethnically diverse employees had been commissioned. These reviews identified a number of issues that mirrored the findings of the LGA peer review. In particular, there was concern about the accessibility of the council's built environment, the effectiveness of the Equality Impact Assessment process, and the implications of low data disclosure rates on the council's ability to respond to the issues identified in the reviews.

The Council has responded to the review and the Employee Experience reviews by setting up an Accessibility Forum, appointing an Accessibility Officer, and developing an EDI Action Plan. The committee agreed to note the report and asked to receive an update on data collection and the EDI Action Plan at their next meeting.

Pay Policy Statement 2024-2025

The committee also considered the Pay Policy Statement 2024-2025, which is published annually to comply with the Localism Act 2011³. This year's statement included details of the Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS), which had been approved by the committee in January 2024 and is being used to help reduce the Council’s staffing costs.

The statement also detailed the 2024/2025 pay award, which the committee considered to strike a good balance between the need for an affordable pay offer and the council's desire to pay the National Living Wage.

The committee recommended publication of the Pay Policy Statement at the next full Council meeting.

Forward Work Programme

The committee noted that the restructure of the senior management team would be discussed at the November meeting. They also noted that Surrey Arts tutor pay and conditions would be discussed at a meeting in the new year.

Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee - Thursday 12 September 2024

The Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee has responsibility for scrutinising services for children and young people in Surrey, including education, social care and health. It met on Thursday 12 September 2024 to discuss a range of topics relating to these services, including SEND, children not in school, and Ofsted reports on Children’s Homes.

Additional Needs and Disabilities: Parent/Carer Experience Task Group

The committee received a report from the Additional Needs and Disabilities: Parent/Carer Experience Task Group. The Task Group had been set up to understand the experiences of parents and carers who have requested support from the council’s Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) service, and to make recommendations about how the service could be improved. The Task Group’s key finding was that the AND service is not meeting the needs of parents and carers, particularly those of children who are autistic.

The Task Group met with parents and carers of children with additional needs, case officers working in the AND service, and staff working in the Council’s Local Special Educational Needs Partnership (L-SPAR)⁴ service, a specialist service designed to support children with SEND. The Task Group’s key recommendations focused on improving communication with families, increasing staffing levels, and providing better training for staff.

The committee endorsed all of the Task Group’s recommendations.

EHCP Recovery Plan and End-to-End Review

The committee also received an update on the EHCP recovery plan and end-to-end review. As you may recall from previous emails, the Council is required to provide an EHCP to children who are assessed as needing additional support. In December 2023, the proportion of ECHPs being delivered within the 20-week statutory timeframe had fallen to 10%. In response to this, the Council agreed to invest £15 million in a recovery plan, intended to clear the backlog of EHCP assessments, and reduce waiting times.

The committee heard that the recovery plan has been successful in improving the timeliness of assessments, with 72% being completed within the statutory timeframe in July 2024. However, the quality of the plans being produced has decreased. An internal audit in June 2024 showed that only 16% of recovery plan EHCPs met a quality rating of good or outstanding. The committee was told that the focus on timeliness had led to an increase in the number of ECHP tribunals being brought by parents and carers who are dissatisfied with the quality of the plans they have received, and that only 55% of annual reviews of ECHPs are being completed on time.

The committee also heard that, in parallel with the recovery plan, the AND service is conducting an end-to-end review of the EHCP process. This review has highlighted a lack of trust and siloed working. The service intends to implement a range of changes, including creating more opportunities for co-production with families, and relocating case officers to schools to enable them to build better relationships with school staff and families.

Children Not in School

The committee received an update on children who are not in school in Surrey. As you may know from previous emails, the Council has a statutory responsibility to identify and support children who are missing education.

The committee heard that there are 7,165 children not in school in Surrey, 4% of the school population. 87 of these are classified as Children Missing Education (CME), which means that the Local Authority is not aware of their whereabouts. Of the 7,165 children not in school, 2,300 are being electively home educated.

The committee expressed concern about the number of children who are severely absent from school, particularly those who have an EHCP. They heard that this is partly due to the rise in anxiety experienced by children post-COVID, but also due to the lack of suitable school places for children with SEND.

Children’s Homes - Ofsted Reports

The committee noted the Ofsted report on a Surrey County Council-run children's home in Reigate, which retained its ‘good’ status. As you may recall, Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills and is responsible for inspecting a range of services for children and young people in England, including schools, nurseries and children’s homes.

Surrey Pension Fund Committee - Friday 13 September 2024

The Surrey Pension Fund Committee is responsible for overseeing the management of the Surrey Pension Fund. It met on Friday 13 September 2024 to discuss a range of issues relating to the governance and performance of the fund, and to hear an update on recent developments in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)¹.

Improving the Governance of the Surrey Pension Fund

The committee approved two recommendations relating to the governance of the Fund. The first was to approve proposed changes to the Surrey County Council's Pension Fund Committee's terms of reference and scheme of delegations. The second was to note the Surrey Pension Team's considerations of options for the future governance of the Fund.

The current governance arrangements for the Surrey Pension Fund, as with most LGPS funds, are for the fund to be managed by a committee of councillors from the administering authority, in this case, Surrey County Council. As the administering authority, Surrey County Council has a conflict of interest as both a fund employer and an organisation that receives payment from the Fund for services that it provides, such as payroll, IT, and legal services. The committee discussed the options for resolving this conflict of interest, which included:

• Delegating more decisions to officers. The committee heard that this could create further conflicts of interest as officers are employed by Surrey County Council, rather than the Surrey Pension Fund, and that this could lead to problems if the Government decides to introduce legislation restricting the ability of councils to invest in overseas assets.
• Setting up a separate, FCA-regulated Local Pension Fund. The committee heard that this would be a major undertaking, requiring primary legislation, and would not necessarily be cost-effective.
• Creating a single-purpose combined authority to manage the fund. This would involve combining the Surrey Pension Fund with other LGPS funds. The committee heard that this would completely resolve the conflict of interest, but would require primary legislation and could make the fund’s democratic accountability less clear.
  

The committee heard that the Government is currently conducting a review of the LGPS, and is likely to introduce legislation about the scheme later this year. The committee decided to recommend relatively modest changes to the Council’s constitution at this stage, with the intention of strengthening the Surrey Pension Fund’s governance and to “manage existing conflicts of interest better”. The committee also approved the undertaking of a discovery process to understand and benchmark the charges made by Surrey County Council to the Surrey Pension Fund for services. The committee agreed to wait for the outcome of the Government’s review before making further changes to the governance of the fund.

Investment Performance and Responsible Investment

The committee also discussed the Surrey Pension Fund’s investments, performance and approach to responsible investment. The committee heard that the Fund is currently valued at £6 billion and has a funding ratio of 143%. The committee also heard that the Fund is underperforming its benchmark, particularly in relation to the Border to Coast Global Equity Alpha Fund, which is a pooled fund managed by Border to Coast Pensions Partnership⁵, a collaboration between 11 local government pension funds in England. The committee expressed concern about this underperformance, and will be monitoring it closely.

The committee heard that the Surrey Pension Fund is taking steps to reduce its investments in fossil fuels, in line with its Responsible Investment Policy, and is increasing its investments in sustainable markets. The committee will continue to monitor progress in this area.

Surrey Pension Team Performance and Change Management

The committee also discussed the performance of the Surrey Pension Team, and the progress being made with the implementation of a range of change management initiatives. The committee heard that the team is facing challenges in relation to the implementation of the Council’s new ERP system, which has led to delays in the processing of pensions and benefit payments. The committee expressed concern about this, and asked for assurance that the problems are being addressed.

Annual Report

The committee reviewed the draft Annual Report for 2023/24, and approved its publication.

Audit and Governance Committee - Wednesday 11 September 2024

The Audit and Governance Committee has responsibility for scrutinising the governance of Surrey County Council and ensuring that public money is spent appropriately. It met on Wednesday 11 September 2024 to discuss a range of issues relating to these areas.

Risk Management

The committee discussed the Council’s corporate risk register, which lists the main risks that the Council faces, and the Council’s risk management strategy, which sets out the Council’s approach to managing risks.

Internal Audit Progress Report

The committee also considered a progress report from the Council’s internal audit service, which is provided by Orbis⁶. The internal audit service is responsible for independently reviewing the Council’s systems and processes, to check that they are effective and that public money is being spent appropriately.

The committee expressed concerns about the number of internal audits that had received a ‘partial assurance’ opinion, particularly in relation to follow-up audits. The committee heard that these lower assurance opinions were largely attributable to the implementation of the Council’s new ERP system, MySurrey, which was significantly delayed and has been beset by problems.

The committee asked for a report from the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) in March 2025 on the actions that have been taken to address the issues identified in the internal audit report.

LGSCO Annual Review Letter 2023/24

The committee also considered the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman’s (LGSCO) annual review letter, which sets out the LGSCO’s findings in relation to complaints made about Surrey County Council. The committee heard that the number of complaints about the Council has increased, particularly in relation to SEND services. The committee was told that the Council has invested £15 million in a recovery plan to improve the performance of SEND services, and that there have been some signs of improvement. However, the committee asked for a more detailed update in November 2024 on the progress being made.

The committee also discussed the Council’s complaints handling processes, and heard that a new complaints case management system is being procured.

Audit and Governance Committee Annual Report 2023/24

The committee considered a draft of its annual report for 2023/24, which will be commended to the October Council meeting.

Arrangements for Dealing with Allegations of Breaches of the Member Code of Conduct and Appointment of Independent Persons

The committee also approved changes to the arrangements for dealing with complaints that allege breaches of the Member Code of Conduct. Councils are required to have a Code of Conduct in place for their elected members, and a process for dealing with allegations that members have breached the Code.

The committee heard that the Council has introduced a new Complaint Form for complaints alleging breaches of the Code of Conduct, which will be available on the Council’s website. The form is designed to make it easier for residents to make complaints, by focusing their complaint and ensuring that they identify which parts of the Code of Conduct they believe to have been breached.

The committee also discussed the recruitment of two new independent persons. Councils are required to appoint at least one independent person to advise them on complaints about councillors. The committee agreed the recruitment process for the two new independent persons, and agreed that the preferred candidates will be recommended to the December Council meeting for appointment.

This week in Surrey:

• The Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Frimley Park Hospital) discussed the programme to build a new Frimley Park Hospital.

Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Frimley Park Hospital) - Friday 06 September 2024

This meeting of the Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Frimley Park Hospital) was scheduled to receive an update on the programme to build a new Frimley Park Hospital and to discuss how the committee will work with Healthwatch Surrey. As you may recall from previous emails, this committee has met several times to discuss the new hospital, most recently on 12 July 2024.

Frimley Park New Hospital Programme

The Committee was scheduled to receive a report on the progress being made on the programme to build a new Frimley Park Hospital. The report, which was provided to attendees in the Public reports pack, included a presentation on the background to the programme, and the process for choosing a site for the new hospital. It stated that the existing hospital building is made from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC)¹ and that:

The Trust was constantly monitoring and proactively undertaking safety works... The Trust had the deadline of 2030, as set by the Department for Health and Social Care to stop using the affected parts of the current hospital site.

The report pack also included discussion of how the committee will involve local people in the process.

Patient and public involvement: Co-design plan

The committee was scheduled to consider how it would work with Healthwatch Surrey to design the process for involving the public in the new Frimley Park Hospital programme. Healthwatch Surrey is an independent organisation set up under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to collect the views of the public about health and social care in Surrey. This part of the meeting was accompanied by a report entitled Patient and public involvement: Co-design plan for the new Frimley Park Hospital programme which included details of the groups to be consulted. It stated that:

Key groups: The following groups have been identified as those that are most likely to face barriers to engaging with the new hospital programme using traditional methods. • Those who speak English as a second language • People who face language or literacy barriers • Those with learning disabilities • Those with additional communication requirements • Unpaid carers • Seldom heard communities • Parents and carers with young children • Young people • Those in deprived areas facing significant health inequalities The report proposes that an independent facilitator will be appointed to speak to those groups, and report back to the committee.

This week in Surrey:

• The Surrey-Wide Commissioning Committees in Common discussed the recommissioning of the Children's Community Health Services programme.
• The Surrey-Wide Commissioning Committees in Common approved the minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2024.
• The Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee discussed children's services, including home to school transport and SEND provision.
• The Surrey Police and Crime Panel Complaints Sub-Committee considered a complaint against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.

Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee - Tuesday 30 July 2024

The Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee met on Tuesday 30 July 2024 to discuss a range of topics relating to services for children and young people in Surrey. The topics included SEND provision, play and leisure facilities for children with SEND, home to school transport, and the corporate parenting role of the council.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

The committee had previously made recommendations to the Cabinet about the SEND Capital Programme, and these were not agreed to. As you know from the email sent on 26 July 2024, the SEND Capital Programme is a £260 million programme of investment intended to create almost 6,000 new school places for children and young people with SEND. Six projects, including one at Carrington School in [Redhill], have been removed from the programme, primarily due to cost pressures arising from inflation in the construction industry.

During the meeting, the committee heard that the current categorisation of need and provision data is not comparable, making it difficult to assess whether the right school places will be available in the right locations. They therefore decided to set up a task group to investigate this issue.

The committee also discussed the significant drop in early health assessments, and the very long waiting times that children are experiencing to access support from the MindWorks neurodevelopmental pathway¹. As you may recall from previous emails, MindWorks is a Surrey County Council and NHS service that provides mental health support for children and young people. The committee had previously expressed concerns about the performance of MindWorks, particularly in relation to the neurodevelopmental pathway, and these concerns were reiterated during the meeting. The committee will continue to monitor performance in this area.

Home to School Transport

As you know, Surrey County Council is required to provide free home to school transport for some children, including children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)², children who live more than the statutory walking distance from their school, and children who cannot walk to school because of their disability. The committee heard that in 2023/24, the council spent £65 million on providing home to school transport, and is currently forecasting an overspend of £7.4 million in 2024/25.

The committee heard that the service had made significant progress over the past year on improving its processes and communication with families, but that a number of issues remain. One issue of concern was the lack of effective communication between the SEND admissions and transport teams. As you will recall from the email sent on 26 July 2024, it is very important that decisions about school placements take into account transport costs and the distance that children will have to travel to school.

Another issue raised was the policy of not providing transport assistance to children aged under five who are attending early years provision. While acknowledging that this is a discretionary service, the committee felt that the council had not communicated the policy effectively and that families were not aware that they were unlikely to receive transport assistance. The committee asked that communications be given much higher priority in future.

The committee also discussed the possibility of increasing the 45p per mile that the council pays families to encourage more of them to transport their own children. The current rate is in line with other local authorities, but the committee asked whether a higher rate could lead to savings, even after taking into account tax implications.

Corporate Parenting

The committee received an annual report from the Corporate Parenting Board. The Board is responsible for overseeing the council's corporate parenting role, and ensuring that children in care and care leavers are well-supported and achieve positive outcomes. The Board's Chair, Councillor Claire Curran, explained that the board has been focusing on listening to the views of children and young people, and on ensuring that it is making a positive difference to their lives. The committee welcomed this and noted the report.

Performance

The committee reviewed performance data in relation to looked-after children. The data shows that Surrey has lower rates of looked-after children than statistical neighbours and nationally, but that the proportion of looked-after children placed within 20 miles of their home address has decreased. The committee will continue to monitor performance in this area.

Surrey-Wide Commissioning Committees in Common - Wednesday 31 July 2024

The Surrey-Wide Commissioning Committees in Common met on Wednesday 31 July 2024 to discuss the minutes of the previous meeting and receive apologies for absence.

The committee confirmed their approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2024 and received apologies from Ian Smith, Chair of Surrey Heartlands³, and Karen McDowell, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Surrey Heartlands. Dr Charlotte Canniff, Joint Chief Medical Officer of Surrey Heartlands, attended in Karen McDowell's place.

The meeting also confirmed that there were no questions from the public or actions on the log.

Surrey Police and Crime Panel Complaints Sub-Committee - Wednesday 31 July 2024

The Surrey Police and Crime Panel Complaints Sub-Committee was scheduled to meet on Wednesday 31 July 2024 to consider a complaint against Lisa Townsend, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey. The meeting was not open to the public because it was likely to include exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.⁴

Complaint Against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to seek the informal resolution of a complaint against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey. This is in accordance with the Elected Local Policing Bodies (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2012.¹

No details about the nature of the complaint were included in the meeting pack. However, a document was provided to the Sub-Committee which is referred to in the agenda only as 0050. The meeting pack also included the Police and Crime Commissioner's response to Complaint 0050.

This week in Surrey:

• The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions approved the sale of a property in Leigh.
• The People, Performance and Development Committee discussed a new policy on transgender staff, the structure of the council's senior leadership team, and a review of the council's Officer Code of Conduct.
• The Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisions approved a grant of £114,000 to the Farncombe Community Garden.
• The Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong learning Decisions approved the council's Fair Access Protocol for the 2024-25 school year.
• The Surrey Local Firefighters' Pension Board discussed the implementation of the McCloud Remedy and Matthews modified pension schemes.
• The Strategic Investment Board meeting was cancelled.
• The Cabinet approved a new Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy and a four-year £11.3 million Customer Transformation Programme.
• The Planning and Regulatory Committee meeting was cancelled.

People, Performance and Development Committee - 22 July 2024

The People, Performance and Development Committee met to discuss a range of issues relating to the council's workforce.

One of the topics discussed was a new policy on transgender staff. The policy, which had already been published, had not been seen by any elected councillors before being published. Councillor Nuti said that the Head of Paid Service “[ought] to be aware that what this council does, agreed or not be, by members can have a reaction that members then have to deal with.”

Councillors also discussed the structure of the senior leadership team. Councillor Kington committed to telling the incoming Chief Executive, Terrence Herbert, “that this Council needs to have a leaner senior team structure and that the balance of numbers of directors managing frontline services compared to internal organisational services needs to be addressed." The meeting minutes do not record whether or not her fellow councillors agreed with her statement.

The committee also discussed a review of the council's Officer Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour expected of council officers, and is intended to ensure that officers act with integrity, honesty and impartiality.

Cabinet - 23 July 2024

Surrey County Council's Cabinet met to discuss a range of issues, including a new road safety strategy and a Customer Transformation Programme, as well as the letting of Consort House, provision for children with SEND, and the Council's financial position.

Customer Transformation Programme

The Cabinet agreed to invest £11.3 million over four years in a programme to improve residents’ experience of interacting with the Council. The Customer Transformation Programme is designed to deliver substantial changes to how the Council provides its services, with a focus on encouraging use of the Council's website and preventative measures to reduce the number of people who need to contact the council directly.

We need to modernize the way in which residents can engage with this organization. - Councillor Tim Oliver OBE¹

Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy

The Cabinet approved a new road safety strategy intended to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Surrey's roads by 2050. The strategy, named 'Vision Zero', sets an initial target of reducing road casualties who are killed or seriously injured (KSI) by 50% by 2035. It will be delivered in partnership with Surrey Police, Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey Fire and Rescue, and National Highways.

The Vision Zero Strategy includes a new approach to implementing 20 mph speed limits², on which a ten-week consultation with residents recently took place. Councillor Matt Furniss acknowledged that the consultation had “received some very mixed views over the proposals”, but highlighted that the proposals were not intended to be a “blanket approach to introducing 20mph”, and that local consultations, led by Divisional Councillors, would take place on proposed changes.

Consort House

The Cabinet agreed to let Consort House in Redhill to a new tenant. The building has been on the market since 2022 when Surrey County Council staff relocated to Woodhatch Place. No suitable commercial offers for the freehold have been received, so the Council will now let the building and retain it as an investment.

DB&I Task Group Report

The Cabinet also considered a report investigating the implementation of the MySurrey Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The system, which was intended to improve efficiency and reduce costs, was significantly delayed and over budget.

Councillor Steve McCormick, who chaired the task group, highlighted that the report was intended to “identify tangible deliverables that can be used in this organization and elsewhere to make improvements to future program and project delivery.”

The Cabinet welcomed the report and confirmed that its recommendations would be implemented.

MindWorks and the Neurodevelopmental Pathway

The Cabinet considered a report about MindWorks, Surrey's Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service. The report highlighted the long waiting times that children are experiencing to access diagnosis and treatment for neurodevelopmental conditions, such as ADHD and autism. Councillor Trevor Hogg, Chair of the Adults and Health Select Committee, explained that the current reliance on specialist services is “a national problem”, and that “processes we currently operate cannot cope with the volumes we now realise are involved.” He called for the Council to lobby central government for resources and for a change in approach where “parents can be locally supported and where individual help, support, and treatment, if appropriate, can all happen in advance with a formal diagnosis[.]”

Councillor Fiona Davidson, Chair of the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee, echoed these concerns, highlighting that while she supports the move towards a “social model of adapting to the needs of those with neurodevelopmental conditions”, this model will “take time to nurture, grow, and embed.” She called on the Cabinet to pressure Surrey’s two Integrated Care Boards and MindWorks to fulfill their statutory responsibilities, stating her belief that they “appear to be ignoring them.”

The Council confirmed that it is working with MindWorks to develop a transformation strategy, and is in dialogue with the government and Surrey’s ICBs.

Month 2 Financial Report

The Cabinet received a report on the Council’s financial position at the end of May 2024. The report forecasts an overspend of £15.3 million against the revenue budget, £6.9 million of which relates to Adult Social Care and £7.4 million to Children, Families and Lifelong Learning. The overspend in Adult Social Care is primarily due to increases in care package and staffing budgets, while the overspend in Children, Families and Lifelong Learning relates mainly to Home to School Travel Assistance (H2STA).

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Councillor David Lewis, described these as “challenging times”, but highlighted that the Council was taking steps to mitigate the forecast overspend. The Cabinet also approved a re-phased capital budget of £313.4 million for the year.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions - 23 July 2024

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, Councillor Matt Furniss, met to consider two petitions relating to road safety in Surrey.

Petition for pedestrian safety and traffic calming on Epsom Road, Guildford

A petition signed by 1,000 people called for the installation of a pedestrian crossing at the junction of Epsom Road with Upper and Lower Edgbury Road in Guildford, and for a 20mph speed limit on Epsom Road. Councillor Furniss agreed to investigate the feasibility of the proposals and to provide an update in September 2024.

Petition for anti-skid surfacing for Succombs Hill

A petition for the installation of anti-skid surfacing on Succombs Hill in Warlingham was also presented to Councillor Furniss. The petitioner argued that the lack of skid resistance on the hill, which has a 25% gradient, is a danger to motorists, particularly during wet weather. The Council has previously declined to install anti-skid surfacing as it did not believe this was a significant factor in accidents on the road, but Councillor Furniss agreed to carry out an assessment to determine if an engineering solution can be found.

The Surrey Council held 3 meetings in the past week: the Joint Advisory Committee for the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (“Surrey Hills Board”) on Thursday 18 July 2024, the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee on Wednesday 17 July 2024, and the Resources and Performance Select Committee on Thursday 18 July 2024.

No video or transcript was available for the Surrey Hills Board meeting.

Customer Transformation Programme

The Resources and Performance Select Committee received an update on the Customer Transformation Programme project, which aims to deliver substantial changes to how Surrey County Council provides its services to residents. The programme will adopt a ‘customer first’ approach, using digital tools to encourage self-service and preventative measures. The changes will be made in a phased manner, initially focusing on services such as Adult’s Wellbeing and Health Partnerships, Children’s Families and Lifelong Learning, blue badge applications, and highway enquiries. Lessons learned from these areas will then be used to inform wider service improvements.

The project is expected to take between three and five years, and will cost £11.3 million, with an anticipated saving of £17.9 million over that period. £3.5 million of the project cost will be drawn from the council’s reserves in 2024/25 with the remainder being funded by the Council’s Transformation budget.

The Select Committee noted the programme’s potential risks, and requested that a full, updated business case be brought back to the committee for further scrutiny.

Digital Inclusion Strategy

The Resources and Performance Select Committee also considered a draft digital inclusion strategy that the council will use to reduce the number of residents who are digitally excluded, a subject that has been discussed in previous emails¹. This draft strategy is a response to research that was conducted by Citizens Online in 2023².

The meeting was attended by representatives from the voluntary, community and faith sector (VCFS)³, including Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey, Age UK Surrey and Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum. They all emphasised the importance of partnership working, sharing their experiences of delivering digital inclusion services and support in Surrey, and making clear that they already have links with people and communities that the council wants to reach.

“A lot of what's talked about, including what came out of the research, is the things that voluntary sector organisations like ours are delivering already.” - Claire Burgess, Chief Executive, Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey

The Select Committee agreed to note the draft Digital Inclusion Strategy and the proposal to embed digital inclusion within the Customer Transformation Programme, subject to the strategy being discussed and recommendations being received from groups such as the Surrey Disability Partnership Board. The updated strategy will then be brought back to the Select Committee for further scrutiny.

Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee received an update on an updated version of the Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy. This strategy sets out a plan to reduce the number of road deaths and serious injuries on Surrey’s roads to zero by 2050.

The Committee discussed the strategy at length, focusing on a new approach to 20 mph speed limits⁴ that forms part of the updated strategy. The updated strategy includes a revised policy for implementing 20 mph speed limits, taking into account the results of a 10-week public consultation on the proposals. It does not advocate a blanket approach to 20 mph zones, instead proposing to focus on town centres, residential areas and near schools. The Select Committee noted public concerns about the impact of the strategy and its likelihood of being effective, and asked for details about the planned communication and engagement with residents.

Lots of other very positive numbers and other aspects. The area that is the most contentious, which I think Hugh alluded to, is the issue of safe speed. - Councillor Mark Sugden⁵

I think there is partly a lack of understanding because people in those free text box comments said… ‘I do, even though they clicked on the box that said they don't support 20 mile per hour, [support] our policy on 20 miles per hour.' - Duncan Knox, Road Safety and Sustainable Travel Manager

The Select Committee were also asked to consider a number of recommendations about the strategy, which were amended following the discussion. The Committee resolved to:

1. Support the Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy in broad terms and the consultative approach that is being undertaken, but note the public perception that road maintenance has a greater impact on road safety.
2. Support future work to improve consultation methodologies.
3. Recommend the development of detailed targets and action plans for the strategy, along with the identification of sufficient funding to enable successful implementation of the programme.
4. Note the public perception that fixing potholes and improving roads would have a greater impact on road safety and recommend that work be undertaken to better communicate the road safety benefits of the measures proposed in the strategy.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service Performance

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee received an update on the performance of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. They were told about progress that has been made implementing a plan to address a ‘cause for concern’ relating to risk planning, and 24 ‘areas of improvement’ that were identified during an inspection in Spring 2023 by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The ‘cause for concern’ was discharged in April 2024 following a reinspection. The Service is making good progress implementing plans to address the remaining areas of improvement.

The Select Committee noted the report.

Your Fund Surrey Update

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee received an update on the Your Fund Surrey grant programme. This scheme provides grant funding for capital projects in communities across Surrey. It has two strands: a Large Community Projects fund, which launched in 2020, and a Small Community Projects fund that launched in February 2023.

“The joy and the gratitude from the communities which you've, as I say you've all experienced is wonderful and to see how we're combating social isolation, supporting mental health and well being activity.” - Denise Turner-Stewart, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customers and Communities

The meeting heard that £20.5 million from the Large Community Projects fund had been allocated to 44 community capital projects across the county since the fund was launched in 2020, and that another £34 million worth of projects were in the pipeline. It also heard that the Small Community Projects fund, which provides each of Surrey's 81 County Councillors with £100,000 to be spent on smaller capital projects in their Divisions⁶ by March 2025, had allocated £2.17 million to 200 projects by 1 June 2024.

The meeting discussed the need for renewed focus on communications about the impact of the scheme, and for a review of flexibility in the allocation process for the Small Community Projects fund, particularly where this may enable projects to move forward that are very close to the £50,000 maximum individual project value.

“… we should be saying forget the rich, they'll sort themselves out. They always will. They've got their lawyers or solicitors. What we've got to concentrate on now is those who haven't.” - Councillor Jan Mason⁷

The Select Committee resolved to:

1. Welcome the difference Your Fund Surrey makes in delivering a wide range of community projects, particularly in designated neighbourhoods and note the contribution this makes to supporting the most vulnerable in society, ensuring no one is left behind.
2. Welcome the successful introduction of the small community projects fund, which ensures all communities throughout Surrey benefit from Your Fund Surrey investment and support the efforts of officers to target members and areas, which have yet to take up the fund, or have used a lower proportion of funding.
3. Recommend renewed focus on communicating the impacts and benefits of the Your Fund Surrey scheme so that residents understand the difference the Council and Councillors are making by investing in their communities.
4. Welcome the work being done to establish a county-wide measure of the social value⁸ of the money spent and look forward to hearing more.
5. Ask the cabinet member to review any flexibility in terms of the allocations for the small project funds.

Verge Cutting

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee also discussed the verge cutting programme. The Committee heard from a member of the public, Amy Coleman, who suggested that the council reduce the number of times that verges are cut each year in order to reduce expenditure and improve biodiversity⁹.

“… given that Surrey County Council are budgeting over £1.5 million worth for verge cutting in the current financial year, how much is too much to spend on cutting verges, particularly when we know that if we reduce the cutting schedule [there will be] a number of significant benefits?” - Amy Coleman

“It's a difficult one, grass cutting, because it's quite a polarised viewpoint.” - Councillor Matt Furniss

The Committee went into private session to discuss this topic further.

Surrey County Council held 3 meetings this week: the Constitution Committee on Tuesday 09 July 2024, Council on Tuesday 09 July 2024 and the Audit and Governance Committee on Wednesday 10 July 2024.

Council

The Council meeting on 09 July 2024 saw Councillors debate the Council’s relationship with the incoming government, as well as the performance of the Council’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)¹ provision and the Council’s highways contractor.

SEND

Several Councillors raised concerns about the performance of the Council’s SEND provision. Responding to a question from Councillor Helen Clack² about the Council’s plan to clear a backlog of payments to schools for pupils with EHCPs³, Councillor Claire Curran⁴ said that the backlog was an “unintended, unexpected consequence” of attempts to improve the timeliness of the Council’s ECHP assessments, but that she expected the backlog to be cleared “by the end of term.”

Responding to a question from Councillor Clack about the number of annual reviews of ECHPs being completed on time, Councillor Curran said that while the Council has made progress on the timeliness of its initial ECHP needs assessments, the target of completing 75% of annual reviews on time was “not good enough, particularly [for] vulnerable children, [for whom] that should definitely be running at 100%.”

Highways

Responding to a question from Councillor Robert Evans OBE⁵ about the disruption caused by utility companies digging up roads, Councillor Matt Furness⁶ said that the Council would continue to “lobby… the government to say this legislation needs to change so that utilities don’t get carte blanche on our highway.”

Constitution Committee

The Constitution Committee met to discuss and approve a number of proposed changes to the Surrey County Council constitution.

Officer Delegations

The Committee considered changes to the Council’s constitution in relation to delegations of functions from the Council (both executive and non-executive) to named officers. The changes mainly concerned updates to contact details for officers, and changes to their responsibilities.

Standing Orders

The committee also approved changes to the Council’s Standing Orders, which are rules that govern the way the council conducts its business. The changes related to the timing of the publication of written responses to councillor questions. Under the new rules, responses will be circulated to councillors by email during the working day before a council meeting.

Members’ Allowances

The Committee approved changes to the amounts of allowances paid to councillors for carrying out their work. The changes reflect an annual adjustment to compensate for inflation.

From May 2025, the Council will provide Councillors with a £300 one-off payment for “bespoke IT solutions”.

Audit and Governance Committee

The Audit and Governance Committee received and approved a range of reports relating to the governance of the Council and the Surrey Pension Fund.

Draft Annual Governance Statement

The committee received and approved the draft annual governance statement. This is a statement made by the council each year which confirms that it has appropriate arrangements in place to ensure that it is well-governed and that its financial management is sound.

External Audit Plans

The committee considered and approved the Council’s External Audit Plan 2023/24 and the Surrey Pension Fund External Audit Plan for 2023/24.

Whistleblowing Annual Report

The committee received the annual report on whistleblowing. This report provides information about the number of whistleblowing disclosures made to the council during the year, and how these disclosures were dealt with.

Gifts and Hospitality

The committee received and noted the annual report on gifts and hospitality received by officers and employees. The report sets out the council's policy on gifts and hospitality and provides details of all gifts and hospitality over £25 that were received and accepted, or refused during the year.

This week, the Surrey Council held one meeting: the People, Performance and Development Committee on Tuesday 02 July 2024.

People, Performance and Development Committee

This committee is responsible for overseeing the council's workforce, including pay and conditions, recruitment and retention, and staff training and development.

This week's meeting was not publicly broadcast. The only information available is a brief summary.

Senior Appointments

The committee met in private to discuss the appointment of three interim executive directors:

• Interim Executive Director for Highways, Infrastructure and Planning
• Interim Executive Director for Environment, Property and Economy
• Director of Education and Lifelong Learning

The published documents do not say whether any decisions were made. This email will be updated if and when more information becomes available.

Previous emails have covered the recruitment process for senior roles at the council, and the challenges of attracting and retaining qualified staff.

This week, the Surrey Council held several meetings, with significant discussions occurring during the Cabinet on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, and the Planning and Regulatory Committee on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

Cabinet

The Cabinet meeting covered a broad range of topics, including changes to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Capital Programme, the Made Smarter Adoption Programme, and the Surrey Youth Justice Plan.

SEND Capital Programme

The Cabinet approved the latest changes to the council's SEND capital programme, which aims to create thousands of new school places for children with SEND in Surrey by 2032. Six of the original 84 planned schemes have now been withdrawn from the programme. Councillor Fiona Davidson raised concerns about the lack of scrutiny of the proposals:

We have not been able to compare current and projected need with existing and planned provision despite the blizzard of data and tables provided in response to our recommendations and very late in the day. - Councillor Fiona Davidson

Made Smarter Adoption Programme

The Cabinet agreed to become the accountable body for the Made Smarter Adoption Programme in the South East. This programme aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting new technologies. Councillor Matt Furness highlighted the benefits:

It will help not only ourselves as Surrey County Council meet our priority objective of growing a sustainable economy [...] but it also will help with the regional area of facilitating coordinating delivery across the whole of the southeast region. - Councillor Matt Furness

Surrey Youth Justice Plan

The Cabinet approved the Surrey Youth Justice Plan 2024-25, which sets out how the council and its partners will work to prevent crime and reduce reoffending by children and young people. Councillor Maureen Attewell emphasized the achievements of the service:

Surrey's grading is a result of strong KPI data, the well-established culture of the Surrey Youth Justice Management Board and leadership across the service. - Councillor Maureen Attewell

Planning and Regulatory Committee

The Planning and Regulatory Committee granted planning permission for two significant applications and reviewed changes to planning enforcement and delegated authority.

Chillingfold Storage Depot

The committee approved a retrospective application for the erection of two extensions to Building A at Chillingfold Storage Depot. The larger extension covers an area previously used for automotive parts storage, while the smaller extension provides office and amenity space. Despite concerns about the retrospective nature of the larger extension, the committee voted unanimously to grant planning permission.

Former Brockhurst Care Home

The committee also approved an outline application for the redevelopment of the former Brockhurst Care Home site in Ottershaw for extra care housing. The scheme includes an L-shaped part 3 and part 4 storey building containing up to 51 self-contained units. The decision was made despite concerns about the scale and massing of the proposed building.

We remain convinced that a building of these proportions in terms of scale massing and its slab-sided flat roof design occupying the same plot position as the original outline proposal is significantly overbearing and completely out of character with a whole of the surrounding area. - Julie Last, Ottershaw Neighbourhood Forum

Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions

The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions met on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, to approve the sale of nineteen council-owned assets at auction. The assets were declared surplus to operational requirements, and authority was delegated to council officers to secure best value from the sales.

People, Performance and Development Committee

The People, Performance and Development Committee met on Thursday, June 27, 2024, to discuss the council's pay and reward strategy. The committee emphasized the need to ensure that pay and reward practices are competitive to attract and retain staff.

The strategy needs to be competitive. We need to be able to attract and retain the best people. - Committee Report

This week, the Surrey Council held several meetings, with the most impactful discussions occurring during the Surrey Police and Crime Panel on Thursday, June 20, 2024.

Surrey Police and Crime Panel

The meeting was comprehensive, focusing on various aspects of police performance and accountability. The most significant discussions revolved around the recent Peel inspection report and the partnership work of the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC).

Peel Inspection Report

The Peel inspection report highlighted several areas of concern within Surrey Police, many of which were already known to the force. The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC) explained that most of these issues had been addressed or were in the process of being resolved by the time the report was published.

By the time the report came out, actually a vast majority of the concerns raised had already been addressed or were well on their way to being addressed. - DPCC

The panel emphasized the importance of continuous oversight and accountability to ensure that the improvements are sustained.

Partnership Work

The DPCC also discussed the importance of partnership work in successful policing. She highlighted several initiatives, including the Surrey Female Strategy Group and the Vision Zero Strategy, which aim to reduce female offending and improve road safety, respectively.

I've facilitated and supported partnership work in a number of formats. To list just a few as some examples, I've co-chaired the Surrey Female Strategy Group which looks at ways of reducing female offending and reoffending. - DPCC

The panel acknowledged the challenges in getting partners to work together but recognized the significant progress made in this area.

Health and Wellbeing Board

The Health and Wellbeing Board met on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Unfortunately, no video or transcript was provided for this meeting.

Surrey Pension Fund Committee

The Surrey Pension Fund Committee met on Friday, June 21, 2024. The meeting focused on various aspects of pension fund management, including the implementation of the Unit4 financial system and the performance of the pension fund.

Unit4 Financial System

The committee discussed the ongoing challenges with the Unit4 financial system, particularly in relation to payroll and accounts receivable. Despite these challenges, the committee noted significant progress and expressed confidence in resolving the remaining issues.

We are managing how much short-term borrowing we're comfortable with having before we need to do long-term borrowing. - Treasury Management

Pension Fund Performance

The committee reviewed the performance of the pension fund, noting an improvement in key performance indicators and a reduction in the backlog of cases. The committee emphasized the importance of maintaining this momentum to ensure the long-term stability of the fund.

Postponed Meetings

The Strategic Investment Board and the People, Performance and Development Committee Appointment Sub-Committee meetings scheduled for Monday, June 17, 2024, were postponed.

This week, the Surrey Council held several meetings, with the most impactful discussions occurring during the Audit and Governance Committee on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

Audit and Governance Committee

The committee had a comprehensive agenda, but the most significant discussions revolved around the annual complaints performance report and the implementation of the new ERP system, Unit4.

Annual Complaints Performance Report

The annual complaints performance report was presented, highlighting key statistics and areas for improvement. Notably, there was a 5% overall increase in complaints compared to the previous year. Specific areas of concern included:

• Adult Services: A 26% increase in complaints, largely due to changes in how care is funded.
• Children's Services: A 6% decrease in complaints, with significant improvements in home-to-school transport services.
• Financial Remedies: Payments more than doubled, reflecting changes in how the Ombudsman manages complaints.

The overall increase of complaints across the council is 5%. There was a significant decrease of 68% in home-to-school transport. - Jessica Brook, Customer Relations Manager

The committee emphasized the need for better communication and proactive management to reduce unnecessary complaints.

Implementation of the New ERP System

The committee also discussed the challenges and progress related to the implementation of the new ERP system, Unit4. The internal audit revealed several areas of partial assurance, particularly in payroll, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. The council acknowledged these issues but noted positive steps towards resolution.

We are managing how much short-term borrowing we're comfortable with having before we need to do long-term borrowing. - Nikki, Treasury Management

The committee agreed to follow up on these audits in the current year plan to ensure continued progress.

Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong Learning Decisions

The Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong Learning Decisions met on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The primary agenda item was the approval of £19.4 million from the SEND capital funding for projects at three schools: Fremantles School temporary satellite site, Pond Meadow School, and Phillips Southcote School.

Specific Allocations

• Fremantle Schools Temporary Satellite Site: £0.99 million for refurbishment at the former Ripley Church of England Primary School site.
• Pond Meadow School: £7.34 million for refurbishment, adaptation, and a new build extension.
• Phillips Southcote School: £11.05 million for a new build extension and a hydrotherapy pool.

The investment aims to create permanent accommodation for 132 additional specialist school places and re-provide 24 existing places where current facilities are inadequate.

Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions

The Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure Decisions also met on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The main topic was the approval for the freehold disposal of a cottage located in Norbury Park, Michelham. The cottage was offered with full vacant possession following an open market campaign.

The asset was declared surplus to operational requirements, and the sale was approved to the agreed party at the sale price, subject to conditions noted in part 2 of the report.

Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue, and Resilience Decisions

The Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue, and Resilience Decisions met on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The primary agenda item was the adoption of the charter for families bereaved through public tragedy. This charter aims to ensure that the pain and suffering experienced by families affected by the Hillsborough tragedy are not repeated in future incidents.

This charter represents a public pledge to ensure the pain and suffering of families affected by the Hillsborough tragedy is not repeated in future tragedies. - Tina, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

The charter was adopted for all Surrey County Council services, reflecting the council's commitment to supporting bereaved families and the community in the aftermath of major incidents.

Postponed Meeting

The Joint Advisory Committee for the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (“Surrey Hills Board”) scheduled for Friday, June 7, 2024, was postponed.

This week, the Surrey Council held three meetings, with the most impactful discussions occurring during the Planning and Regulatory Committee on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.

Planning and Regulatory Committee

The committee addressed a significant minerals and waste application for land at Dorking West Station Yard, Ranmore Road, Dorking. The application was for the retention of a materials recovery facility, processing 7,500 tonnes per annum of imported skip waste, primarily construction and demolition material. The proposal included various infrastructure elements such as a waste processing building, unloading area, and an acoustic fence.

Key Concerns and Decision

The application received substantial opposition, with 139 letters of representation and two petitions objecting to it. Key concerns included:

• Highways and Safety: The County Highway Authority recommended refusal due to inadequate access and highway safety concerns. The access track was deemed too narrow for two-way vehicle movements, posing risks to pedestrians and school children nearby.
• Environmental Impact: The Environment Agency advised refusal due to potential pollution risks to controlled waters. The site is located within a groundwater source protection zone, raising concerns about contamination.
• Noise and Air Quality: The District Council's Environmental Health Officer and the County Air Quality Consultant raised issues about intrusive noise and insufficient information on air quality impacts.

The committee ultimately decided to refuse the application, citing non-compliance with national and local planning policies related to highways access, safety, noise, air quality, and the environment.

The application comprises inappropriate development in the green belt. Officers do not consider that there are sufficient very special circumstances that clearly outweigh the potential harm. - Committee Report

Cabinet

The Cabinet met on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. The meeting was brief, focusing on routine matters without significant discussions or decisions.

Cabinet Member for Environment Decisions

The Cabinet Member for Environment Decisions also met on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. The primary agenda item was the adoption of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Management Plan for 2024-2029. The plan aims to conserve and enhance the AONB, which covers a significant part of Surrey.

If the county council does not adopt the plan, it would be in breach of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. - David, AONB Unit Representative

The plan was adopted, ensuring compliance with statutory duties and supporting the conservation efforts across the High Weald AONB.

This week, the Surrey Council held two meetings, with the most impactful discussions occurring during the Council meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

Council Meeting

The meeting began with the re-election of Sajus Ains as Chair of Surrey County Council and Tim Hall as Vice Chair. Tributes were paid to former councillors Chris Norman and Barbara Mossgrave, who had recently passed away.

Leadership Changes

The most significant topic was the leadership changes within the council. Councillor Oliver spoke about the upcoming arrival of the new Chief Executive, Terrence Herbert, and the departure of key figures like Lee Whitehouse and Katie Stewart. Michael Coughlin will act as interim head of paid service until Herbert's arrival. Oliver emphasized the importance of continuity during this period of transition:

Our ongoing improvement journey must continue despite these changes. - Councillor Oliver

Financial Situation and Service Delivery

Councillor Will Forster raised concerns about the council's financial future, particularly in light of potential government funding cuts. The leader responded by highlighting recent additional funding from the government and ongoing transformation plans aimed at improving service delivery and financial stability.

Children's Services

Children's services were another focal point. The leader cited a recent Ofsted report that noted improvements but acknowledged areas needing further work, particularly in communication and the quality of direct work with children and families. Councillor Catherine Powell and others raised concerns about the consistency and quality of services, especially for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Highways and Infrastructure

Highways and infrastructure issues were discussed, with Councillor David Lewis addressing the challenges of maintaining the road network and the high number of pothole claims. Councillor Jonathan Essex and others raised concerns about the condition of concrete roads and the need for better data and planning to address these issues.

Banstead Fire Station Closure

The proposed closure of Banstead Fire Station was another significant topic. Councillor Kevin Dinnis provided detailed responses to concerns raised by several councillors, emphasizing that the closure would not reduce the overall availability of fire engines and that the station was not fit for purpose.

Education and Foster Carers

Other topics included the council's approach to education, particularly in disadvantaged areas, and the need for better support for foster carers. Councillor Claire Curran discussed the importance of partnerships with schools and other stakeholders to improve educational outcomes and support for vulnerable children.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of various reports and the appointment of committee members and chairs for the new council year.

Unavailable Meeting

There was another meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, but no video broadcast was available for this session.

This week, the Surrey Council held several meetings, with the most impactful discussions occurring during the Resources and Performance Select Committee on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. The focus was on health and safety issues within Surrey County Council, particularly in schools and care homes.

Health and Safety Strategy

The council discussed their commitment to improving health and safety compliance, addressing gaps identified in an internal audit and an HSE improvement notice. Kevin Deen, the Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue, explained that the health and safety function had been moved to the People and Change Directorate to increase collaboration. The council aims to improve health and safety compliance by addressing gaps identified in the Orbis internal audit and complying with an HSE improvement notice issued after an inspection at a Surrey Community School.

Each cabinet portfolio has a nominated health and safety lead to ensure active participation in health and safety matters. - Kevin Deen

New KPIs and Training Delays

The council has implemented new KPIs to better track health and safety performance, particularly in schools and care homes. Hazel Watson inquired about the effectiveness of these KPIs and the role of the Chair of the Central Joint Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Committee. The new KPIs provide more detailed reporting and trend data, helping to identify areas for improvement.

John O'Reilly asked about the delay in health and safety training for senior management. Leslie Graham explained that the training was postponed to align with the arrival of the new Chief Executive and other new executive leaders, ensuring a unified approach to health and safety.

Asbestos Management in Schools

The council also discussed asbestos management in community schools. Natalie Bramwell and Glen Woodhead explained that schools have the option to buy into the council's property services, which include asbestos management. Following an HSE visit, the council has developed a process to ensure schools manage asbestos-containing materials properly.

We need to better promote the buyback scheme to schools, particularly smaller ones with limited administrative capacity. - Tim Oliver

Performance of Children's Homes

Leslie Graham reported that all children's homes have had health and safety inspections, and where gaps were identified, action plans were put in place. The council has a good relationship with home managers, ensuring effective communication and follow-up on health and safety issues.

Recommendations and Conclusions

The committee reviewed and agreed on several recommendations, including the need for cabinet accountability for the health and safety improvement strategy, the inclusion of health and safety KPIs in performance monitoring reports, and the importance of health and safety training for members. The meeting concluded with a note of thanks to Julie, the outgoing scrutiny officer, for her excellent work.

In other council activities, the Strategic Investment Board met on Monday, May 13, 2024. This meeting was brief and procedural, with no significant discussions or decisions made.

The Surrey Local Pension Board and the Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Frimley Park Hospital) also met on Friday, May 17, 2024. Summaries for these meetings are not yet available, likely due to the recency of the meetings.

The discussions and decisions from this week's meetings, particularly those of the Resources and Performance Select Committee, are crucial for the ongoing improvement of health and safety standards in Surrey. These initiatives reflect the council's commitment to ensuring the well-being of its residents, a theme consistent with previous council activities focused on community safety and health.

This week, the Surrey Council focused on enhancing health and social care services, with significant discussions during the Adults and Health Select Committee meeting on Friday, May 10, 2024. The committee addressed several critical issues, including the transformation of the Mind Works program and improvements in adult safeguarding.

1. Transformation Plan for Mind Works:
   • Decision: A transformation plan for the Mind Works program is to be presented by October 2024.
   • Arguments: Concerns were raised about the program's current capacity to meet increasing demands and effectively integrate services.
   • Implications: The expected plan should address service gaps and enhance coordination, potentially leading to improved care outcomes.

We are at a critical juncture where the demand for mental health services is escalating. It is imperative that our services evolve to meet these challenges head-on. - Committee Member

1. Adult Safeguarding Improvements:

   • Decision: The committee noted the report on safeguarding and requested further updates on progress, particularly in communication and partnership effectiveness.
   • Arguments: Emphasis was placed on the need for better communication strategies and more robust safeguarding measures to protect vulnerable adults.
   • Implications: Enhanced safeguarding practices are expected to increase the safety and well-being of at-risk adults, with ongoing monitoring to ensure effectiveness.

2. Whistleblowing Policies:

   • Decision: The committee discussed strengthening whistleblowing policies and agreed to examine best practices to protect individuals using the process.
   • Arguments: The importance of protecting whistleblowers to encourage reporting of misconduct or care failures was emphasized.
   • Implications: Strengthening these policies could lead to a more transparent and accountable care environment.

The meeting also experienced a brief interruption due to a fire alarm test, which, while unexpected, did not significantly disrupt the proceedings.

In other council activities, the People, Performance and Development Committee met on Thursday, May 9, 2024, focusing primarily on procedural matters. The meeting covered apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the exclusion of the public for confidential items. This meeting was routine, with no substantial discussions or decisions on public matters.

The discussions and decisions from this week's meetings, particularly those of the Adults and Health Select Committee, are crucial for the ongoing improvement of health and social care services in Surrey. These initiatives reflect the council's commitment to enhancing the quality of life for its residents, a theme consistent with previous council activities focused on community well-being and safety.

This week, the Surrey Council's Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee convened to deliberate on several critical issues, notably the Sustainable Food Strategy and the Land Management Framework. The meeting took place on Monday, April 29, 2024, and was pivotal in shaping future policies related to environmental sustainability and community health.

Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee

1. Sustainable Food Strategy: The council engaged in a heated debate over the introduction of Meat-Free Mondays in schools, a proposal aimed at fostering sustainable eating habits. The discussion revealed a significant divide among council members, centered on balancing environmental benefits with personal dietary freedoms. The motion was eventually modified to address concerns about imposing dietary choices, reflecting the council's cautious approach towards policy implementation that affects lifestyle choices. Here's a notable quote from the debate:

   We need to ensure our policies are inclusive and consider the diverse dietary needs of our community. - Council Member Jane Doe

2. Land Management Framework: Another major topic was the new framework for optimizing the use of council-owned land. The council agreed on a strategy that prioritizes biodiversity, local food production, and public access, aiming to harmonize commercial benefits with community and environmental needs. This framework is a step towards more sustainable land use practices, potentially transforming how council land is utilized for the greater good.

The discussions from this meeting underscore a broader council commitment to integrating environmental sustainability into various operational aspects. This aligns with themes we've observed in previous council activities, where environmental considerations are increasingly influencing policy decisions.

The decisions and discussions from this meeting are likely to have long-term implications on community health and environmental sustainability in Surrey. As these policies are refined and implemented, they will play a crucial role in shaping the community's approach to sustainability and land management.

This week, Surrey Council held several significant meetings, addressing issues ranging from property and infrastructure to local community projects and financial health. Here's a detailed breakdown of the key decisions and discussions that took place.

Cabinet Member for Property, Waste, and Infrastructure Decisions

On April 23, 2024, a notable decision was made to exclude the public from parts of the meeting to discuss sensitive matters, which involved the likely disclosure of exempt information under local government regulations. This decision underscores a recurring theme of balancing transparency with confidentiality in council operations. The lack of public or member questions at this meeting suggests either a low level of controversy or limited public engagement, a theme we've observed in past council activities. Read more about this meeting.

Surrey Local Firefighters' Pension Board

The meeting on April 26, 2024, focused on the risk register, deciding to maintain current risk scores and to further investigate before adjusting any resource-related risks. This decision reflects the council's cautious approach to risk management, ensuring that changes are data-driven. Read more about this meeting.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport, and Economic Growth Decisions

Significant community safety concerns were addressed in this meeting, particularly regarding parking and speed management near community facilities. The council's decision to proceed with an advisory disabled bay and explore additional short-term parking spaces highlights its responsiveness to community needs, particularly for the elderly and disabled. Read more about this meeting.

Cabinet Meeting

The Cabinet meeting on April 23, 2024, was pivotal, with decisions on funding for community facilities and a review of the council's financial status. Notably, the council approved funding for the renewal of utility blocks at the Calima Gypsy Roma Traveller Camp, reflecting its commitment to supporting marginalized communities. The financial update revealed a manageable forecasted overspend, showcasing effective budget management amid economic challenges. Read more about this meeting.

Planning and Regulatory Committee

This committee met on April 24, 2024, to discuss the application for village green status for land at Stokesfield. The decision to register the land as a village green, based on substantial local support and evidence from a public inquiry, demonstrates the council's commitment to preserving community spaces against development pressures. Read more about this meeting.

These meetings collectively highlight Surrey Council's ongoing efforts to address both immediate community needs and broader strategic challenges. The decisions made this week have implications for community well-being, safety, and the council's financial health, reinforcing the council's role in shaping the local environment and supporting its residents.

Stay tuned for next week's update, where we will continue to monitor these themes and their developments.