This meeting includes a wide range of topics that impact all parts of the Surrey County Council's work, as well as detailed discussion on how the Council will respond to the challenges of managing waste. This meeting also sees a significant change to the rules governing how the Council procures goods, works and services, with the Procurement and Contract Standing Orders set to be updated to reflect the Procurement Act 2023.

Surrey Materials Recycling Facility, Trumps Farm

The most significant item on the agenda is the development of a new Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) for the Council at Trumps Farm in Runnymede. The report pack says that the MRF will cost less than the Council's current strategy, and that by being built on land the Council already owns, will increase the Council's resilience in the face of significant policy changes set out in the Environment Act 2021.

The report pack says that the Council are not planning to change how residents recycle at the kerbside, and that the new MRF will be capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of dry mixed recycling a year. Of this, approximately 90,000 tonnes a year would come from the nine District and Borough Councils that currently use the Council's dry mixed recycling service: Epsom & Ewell, Elmbridge, Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley and Woking.

The report pack says that there will be a full procurement for the facility once planning approval has been obtained, and that legal advice will be sought to ensure compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, as well as the Procurement Act 2023.

The Council’s Economic Growth Leadership Role and Refreshing Surrey's Economic Strategy

The report pack seeks approval for an updated economic growth strategy, which would help ensure that Surrey continues to retain its position as one of the country's leading high-value and innovative regional economies. In particular, the report pack says that the strategy should be designed to increase productivity (GVA) and deliver wider socio-economic benefits to ensure no one is left behind.

The report pack says that the updated strategy should contain three interconnected strategic priorities:

Priority 1: Supporting skills and workforce development by ensuring Surrey’s residents can support the workforce and skills demands of Surrey’s businesses.

Priority 2: Supporting business growth by creating the right conditions for Surrey businesses to start, grow and thrive.

Priority 3: Supporting economic infrastructure by unlocking growth through place-based approaches.

The report pack also seeks approval for a new Surrey Economic Growth Funding Framework, which would govern how the Council would allocate funding for local growth. The report pack says that the Framework would be governed by several decision-making principles:

Strategic alignment – Contribute to long-term sustainable economic growth with clear links to the vision (i.e. increased productivity and no one left behind) and at least one of the three strategic priorities.

Innovation – Demonstrate innovation and be future-oriented to help foster Surrey’s competitive advantages. Enhance and complement existing provision/offers and avoid duplication.

Scalability – Have the potential to support significant growth and be scaled regionally and/or across sectoral clusters.

Partnership and collaboration – Encourage collaboration between businesses, universities, schools, public sector, and other stakeholders.

Impact and legacy – Focus on long-term value creation, favouring initiatives that will create a lasting economic impact.

Place-based impact – Consider geographic spread of investment decisions and take a more targeted approach where necessary.

Deliverability and financial viability – Robust business cases that demonstrate sound financial planning, risk management strategies and appropriate experience.

The report pack says that as well as supporting the delivery of the strategy, the Framework would also oversee how the Council allocates funds received under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is set to be devolved to local authorities in the 2025/26 financial year.

The report pack also says that Councillor Matt Furniss will ask the Cabinet to delegate authority to approve investments to the Interim Executive Director for Environment, Property and Growth, who would be expected to act in consultation with Councillor Furniss and the Section 151 Officer. The report pack says that investments of up to £100,000 would be approved by the Interim Executive Director alone, investments of between £100,000 and £500,000 would be approved by the Interim Executive Director in consultation with Councillor Furniss, and investments over £500,000 would need to be approved by the Cabinet.

The report pack also says that the Council has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Hampshire County Council which describes how the two Councils will govern legacy funds that were previously controlled by Enterprise M3 LEP. The report pack says that Enterprise M3 LEP was one of two Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) that previously delivered economic growth services in Surrey and Hampshire, and that the two Councils are dividing the legacy funding based on the working age population in the areas of Hampshire and Surrey that were previously covered by the LEP. The report pack says that 51% of that funding will be allocated to Surrey County Council.

The report pack says that the Council is planning to sign a similar agreement with Brighton & Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council to govern the division of legacy funding from Coast to Capital LEP, the second LEP that previously operated in Surrey. The report pack says that the agreement is not yet finalised.

Proposed Amendments to Procurement and Contract Standing Orders

The report pack says that the Council will be asked to approve an updated version of the Procurement and Contract Standing Orders (PCSOs). The report pack says that PCSOs set out the rules that govern how the Council procures goods, works and services, and that the updates are necessary to reflect changes to the law set out in the Procurement Act 2023.

The report pack also says that as well as ensuring compliance with legislation, the PCSOs have also been updated to improve the overall effectiveness and provide further clarity. In particular, the report pack says that:

• Minimise the requirements for future updates to go through Full Council approval in respect of legislative changes, threshold changes, job roles and title, i.e. elements where Council is not empowered to refuse such changes;

• Reflect current local policies and procedures;

• Removal of details of specific legislative requirements in the main body, instead referring to prevailing procurement legislation (moving any relevant specifics to a separate appendix) to account for a range of applicable legislation;

• Provide flow charts to identify which piece of procurement legislation applies depending on nature of activity;

• Simple reference to Procurement, not different teams within Procurement; 

• Refinement to the forward planning process to satisfy the new legal requirement to publish a pipeline;

• Simplification of thresholds and approvals; and

• Reflect current policies, procedures, job titles etc.

The report pack says that Councillor David Lewis will ask the Cabinet to note the updates, and to recommend them to Full Council for approval.

A Land Management Framework and Policy for Surrey County Council Owned Land

The report pack says that Councillor Marisa Heath will ask the Cabinet to approve a new Land Management Framework and Policy for all land that is owned or managed by Surrey County Council. The report pack says that SCC owns approximately 2% of the land in Surrey and that:

The Council’s land-based assets have significant capital value, but they also provide:

• Livelihoods, including 17 farms and a range of rural business tenancies, visitor economy licences and land for learning and communities • A high-quality environment with over 7,000 acres designated for wildlife and 3,000 km of public rights of way. • Extensive environmental services such as potential flood storage, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, pollination and air filtration. • Nature recovery and biodiversity net gain contributions towards the Council’s planning applications for capital programmes.

The report pack says that the purpose of the new Framework and Policy is to help the Council make better use of its land assets and to take advantage of Government funding that is increasingly focused on environmental outcomes. The report pack says that the Framework and Policy:

...will provide a mechanism, alongside others, to support evidence-based decision-making on how SCC use and manage land assets to support all strategic outcomes, environmental, social and economic as well as commercial and financial.

The report pack says that the framework is based on three key principles:

1. Harness the natural environment to deliver wider outcomes: The Council recognises the wider value of the land it owns and will maximise the services it can provide for all of Surrey
2. Lead by example: The Council will work towards becoming an exemplar landowner, positively managing its land to achieve the best outcomes for its tenant farmers and rural businesses as well as the environment.
3. Deliver responsible and effective management: The Council is committed to putting in place management practices and monitoring those to ensure the successful delivery of the Policy

The report pack sets out ten new policies that will guide the management of the land owned by the Council:

Policy 1: Protecting Nature: We will enhance biodiversity by protecting natural habitats and creating connections between them that benefits residents, farmers and rural business

Policy 2: Health and Wellbeing: Open spaces will be accessible to all, promoting physical and mental health.

Policy 3: Education and Employment: We will use our land to provide learning opportunities and to support local employment.

Policy 4: Income Generation: We will support our farmers and rural businesses and work with them to explore ways to generate suitable income streams from our land

Policy 5: Sustainable Farming: We will support farmers and drive farming practices that improve soil health, produce local food, and contribute to the environment.

Policy 6: Circular Economy: Our approach to land management will include sustainable practices that reduce waste and promote recycling.

Policy 7: Build Resilience: We will build resilience to climate change impacts, invasive species, and diseases.

Policy 8: Water Management: We will prioritize land management activities which improve water quality and reduce the risk of floods and droughts.

Policy 9: Net Zero Carbon: We support activities that contribute to achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

Policy 10: Community Engagement: We will create opportunities for the community to engage with and volunteer in the natural environment.

Cabinet Member of the Month

The report pack says that Councillor Denise Turner-Stewart, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities, will provide an update on her portfolio.

The report pack says that Councillor Turner-Stewart will discuss:

• The Your Fund Surrey initiative, including the Small Community Projects fund and the Your Councillor Community Fund.
• The Surrey Social Value Marketplace.
• Progress on the transformation of the Library service, including the opening of new Library Hubs in Epsom, Redhill, Staines and Weybridge.
• The success of the Surrey Heritage service.
• Progress on the Arts & Culture initiative, including the Surrey Youth Arts and Culture Festival.
• Progress on the Active Surrey initiative, including the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, and the Be Your Best 5-17 programme.
• Progress on the Registration & Nationality Service.
• The progress made on the Customer Transformation Programme.

Alternative Provision (AP) Report (Children, Families, Lifelong Learning And Culture Select Committee)

The report pack says that the Cabinet will consider the recommendations of the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee following their meeting on 3 December 2024, where they discussed the Alternative Provision (AP) offered to children and young people in Surrey. AP is designed to provide education to children and young people who are unable to attend school.

The Select Committee noted the improvement in the number of children and young people who were able to access at least 15 hours of AP each week, but said that they were still concerned about the service, recommending that the Council should:

I. Prioritises achieving the target of 15 hours a week for all Children and Young People, except those who have complex medical or mental health needs that mean they can cope only with fewer hours.

II. Delivers a strategy and plan to assess the quality of Alternative Provision provided based on whether the provision is meeting the needs of the CYP receiving it and enabling the CYP to return to full-time education or appropriate alternative employment/training.

III. Considers – with safeguarding partners – how children not in school (and not just those who are electively home educated) could be better safeguarded. The Committee remains concerned that this sizeable cohort of children are particularly vulnerable and the issue warrants increased attention.

IV. Works with schools to understand why 2,303 children and young people are missing more than half of the school year, and how this number can be reduced - particularly the 514 severely absent pupils with an EHCP in mainstream, given the SCC strategy of ensuring more children with EHCPs are educated in mainstream environments.

V. Presents to the Select Committee the findings of the Surrey Virtual School review into ‘suitable education’, which was due to go to the education subgroup of the Corporate Parenting Board in November 2024.

In their response to these recommendations, the Council note that the target of 15 hours a week is set out by the Department for Education, and that the legislation does not explicitly require Councils to ensure that children who are receiving one-to-one tuition are able to access 15 hours a week. In their response, they say that:

The law does not define 'full-time education' but children should have provision, where possible, which is equivalent to the education they would receive in a mainstream (or special) school. This may not mean the same number of hours. If, for example, a child receives one-to-one tuition, the hours of face-to-face provision could be fewer as the education may be more intensive.

The Council’s response also describes the range of activity underway to improve the quality of AP in Surrey, including the recent implementation of the Independent AP Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). The report pack says that this system is designed to improve the consistency of provision by ensuring that:

...all successful providers meet a benchmarked standard, allowing providers to join at set periods provided they meet the necessary qualitative evaluation criteria.

The report pack says that the Council are moving towards an ‘in-house first’ approach to commissioning AP, and that in the future, they will only commission places with providers who are either registered with the DfE or meet the standards set out by the DPS.

The Council also describe the actions being taken to better safeguard children who are not in school, including the:

...creation of practice guidance by Surrey Virtual School all children with a Social Worker not in school to ensure clarity around LA responsibilities and policies.

The Council also say that they are planning to create a new, multi-agency CNiS group in response to the DfE thematic review.

The Council's response also says that they are planning to publish a key findings summary of the Surrey Virtual School review into ‘suitable education’ by the end of February 2025. A draft of the summary is included in the report pack, and describes the results of a review of the education received by children who are in care. The report pack says that the review focussed on children who:

• are missing from education.
• are receiving unregistered education provision.
• are enrolled at a school but are not attending.

The report pack describes how Surrey Virtual School are working with children’s social care teams to try to ensure that all children who are looked after are able to attend school.

2024/25 Month 9 (December) Financial Report

The report pack says that Councillor David Lewis will ask the Cabinet to note the Council’s financial position as of the end of December 2024. The report pack says that the Council is forecasting an overall overspend of £19.4 million.

The largest areas of overspend are forecast to be in the Children, Families & Lifelong Learning directorate, the Place directorate and Adults, Wellbeing & Health Partnerships, at £8.6 million, £9.4 million and £3.2 million respectively.

The report pack also says that the Council is forecasting an £18 million overspend in the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which is used to fund education for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The report pack says that the Council is currently working with the Department for Education to secure an extension to the Safety Valve programme, which was introduced by the DfE in 2022 to help local authorities to manage DSG deficits.

Leader / Deputy Leader / Cabinet Member/ Strategic Investment Board Decisions Taken Since The Last Cabinet Meeting

The report pack says that the Cabinet will be asked to note the decisions made by Councillor Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning, Councillor Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue, and Resilience, and Councillor Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure under delegated authority since the last meeting of the Cabinet.

The report pack says that Councillor Curran determined that a statutory notice be published for the proposal to create a SEN unit at Thames Ditton Infant School. Councillor Furniss approved the annual Surrey Fire & Rescue Service statement of assurance. Councillor Bramhall agreed to sell a plot of land on Abinger Lane, Abinger Common that was formerly the playing field of All Saints C of E Primary School. She also formally declared the asset surplus to operational requirements.

Customer Transformation Programme Update (Resources and Performance Select Committee)

The report pack says that the Cabinet will consider the recommendations of the Resources and Performance Select Committee following their meeting on 5 February 2025, where they reviewed the progress that has been made on the Customer Transformation Programme. The report pack says that:

The goal for Customer Transformation is to ensure that everyone who contacts and interacts with the Council has the best possible experience every time.

The report pack says that the Committee welcomed the progress made on the programme, but voiced caution about the “Test and Learn” approach and the lack of clear end targets. The report pack says that the Committee recommends that:

Cabinet revisit the funding Customer Transformation Programme in light of the uncertainties of Local Government Reform to ensure that any future spending and investment continues to benefit Surrey residents and/or any new future Authorities, and that any new or revised proposal comes before this select committee for scrutiny before a Cabinet decision is made.

Unit4/MySurrey Stabilisation Board Report (Resources and Performance Select Committee)

The report pack says that the Cabinet will also consider the recommendations of the Resources and Performance Select Committee following their review of the Unit4/MySurrey Stabilisation Board Report on 5 February 2025. The report pack says that the Select Committee welcomed the prioritisation of resolving issues with Unit4, the enterprise resource planning system used by the Council, but remain concerned about:

...the number and nature of outstanding issues, the cost and impacts to the council and its staff, and the nature of the original specification used when procuring the system.

The report pack says that the Committee recommends that officers update them in three months time on the progress being made to fix the system, and that the Cabinet should:

...consider undertaking a review to understand and evaluate the likely impacts of any Local Government Reform (LGR) on the use of the Unit4 system to deliver the core financial functions of any future Authorities, as part of its planned wider work on how IT infrastructure would change due to LGR, and that the results of any review are shared with this select committee.