Before the meeting started the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Regulatory Services took the opportunity to thank Shropshire Council staff who had worked extremely hard to minimise the impact of recent flooding and assisting in a speedy clean up during a very testing period.  He also thanked BBC Radio Shropshire for its helpful coverage.

There were no apologies for absence

Members are reminded that they must declare their disclosable pecuniary interests and other registrable or non-registrable interests in any matter being considered at the meeting as set out in Appendix B of the Members’ Code of Conduct and consider if they should leave the room prior to the item being considered. Further advice can be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

None were declared.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th December 2022.

To Follow

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2022 be confirmed as a correct record. 

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2022 be confirmed as a correct record. 

To receive any questions from members of the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14. Deadline for notification is not later than 5.00 pm on Thursday 12^th January 2023.

A public question was received from John Farrelly regarding reliability of Arriva bus services. 

The full question and the response provided by the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder Climate Change, Environment and Transport  are attached to the webpage for the meeting:  Cabinet 18 Jan 2023

To receive any questions from Members of the Council. Deadline for notification is not later than 5.00 pm on Thursday 12^th January 2023.

Questions were received from the following Members. The full question and responses provided are attached to the webpage for the meeting. Cabinet 18 Jan 2023

Councillor Peter Broomhall – in relation to a request for a traffic impact assessment in Wem

Responding to a supplementary question, the Portfolio Holder Highways and Regulatory Services said he would commit to holding open discussions later in the financial year to see if this was something that could be included for the following financial year.

Councillor Julia Buckley – in relation to energy consumption in council owned or leased buildings.

Councillor Rosemary Dartnall – in relation to defective street lighting and delays in repair

In response to a supplementary question, the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Regulatory Services confirmed he was aware of a backlog in street lighting repairs and that extra resources provided by Kier should improve the situation.  He endeavoured to provide figures county wide.

Councillor Kate Halliday – in relation to sweeping of roads and pavements following the autumn leaf fall.  In response to a supplementary question the Portfolio Holder said he would ask officers to provide full details of additional gully clearance plans.

Councillor Edward Towers – in relation to proposed charges for road closures for events for non-profit making events

The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport referred to recommendations made following a piece of work by the Place Overview Scrutiny Committee on the cost of road closures.  The committee had recommended that the costs should be recovered from commercial organisations but not from not for profit organisations.  He reported that Cabinet would be deferring the report later on the agenda regarding Introduction of a charge for events on the highway involving temporary traffic regulation orders 

Lead Member – Councillor Gwilym Butler – Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources

Report of James Walton – Executive Director of Resources

Report to Follow

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

1.1.     Notes that this is the first year in which a new alternative budget process has been used and considers if changes to the process should be considered by PMSC with recommendations to cabinet and ‘proposed to Council

1.2      Considers whether to include any of the Opposition Groups’ proposals presented to Performance Management Scrutiny Committee, should be included in the Leader’s budget proposal to Council for 2023/24 or later years

Cabinet agreed to merge agenda items 6 and 7 – Scrutiny Items - report from Performance Management Scrutiny Committee and Alternative Budget Proposals 2023-2024.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Support said there were two key elements to the report, one being process, the other the alternatives discussed at length at the Performance Management Scrutiny Committee (PMSC) meeting on 11 January 2023 which the Chair of that Committee would report on.   He welcomed the significant amount of dialogue with the opposition groups in considering alternative proposals and thanked officers for the time they had made available to enable this to happen. 

He explained that it was intended in future that greater opportunities would be available for scrutiny to contribute to the budget process with a more medium term view rather than the reactionary process seen to date and he asked that PMSC review the process undertaken.  He also suggested that scrutiny have the opportunity to consider whether the capital programme and alternatives should be discussed mid-year and a modified alternative budget form created to assist in understanding whether an item was a statutory service and whether it was funded or not.

He proposed that for clarity, recommendation 1 of the report be amended so that after ‘should be considered by PMSC’ the following be added ‘with recommendations to cabinet and proposed to Council’.  Cabinet members agreed this amendment. 

He went on to report that following the PMSC meeting on 11 January, the following categories could be used - category A – already being done or agreed for consideration by Cabinet for inclusion in the following year’s budget (2023 – 2024); category B – agreed for further consideration by scrutiny perhaps utilising the Green Paper process or added to work programme  for the following year for appraisal and consideration for inclusion in the next budget round (2024 – 2025) category C – not recommended for approval

Councillor Wild commented on the new process and discussions held at the meeting. There had been some issues around understanding as alternative budget proposals were based on stopping the North West Relief Road and the amount set aside in the capital programme for the project could not be capitalised if the project was cancelled.  This would have an adverse impact on revenue budget, adding a considerable strain. 

The committee had discussed proposals and referrals would be made to the relevant overview and scrutiny Committees in relation to:   health and care issues and use of the hospital at Bishop’s Castle; proposals in relation to the retrofitting of properties with energy efficiency measures and installation of solar panel PC arrays on council sites;   provision of therapeutic services for children and renovation of properties to the highest standards when building or purchasing houses and renting them to meet housing need. 

Responding to comments from Group Leaders in relation to the funding of the North West Relief Road, Cabinet members said that implications of cancellation had been shared during budget setting for the previous year.  The Leader confirmed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 120.

Lead Member – Councillor Dean Carroll – Portfolio Holder for Growth, Regeneration and Housing

Report of Mark Barrow – Executive Director of Place

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet acknowledges the delivery of the covid-19 business grants and wider business support programme and the positive impacts made to the Shropshire business community

In presenting the report, the Portfolio Holder for Growth, Regeneration and Housing, commented on the unprecedented work involved in providing covid-19 grants and business support totalling £12.7 m.  Over 2,000 businesses and organisations and 5,000 individuals were supported through a total of 33,000 grants, some involving very innovative projects.   He thanked and complemented officers on delivering this at the same time as delivering their usual work. 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet acknowledges the delivery of the covid-19 business grants and wider business support programme and the positive impacts made to the Shropshire business community

Lead Member – Councillor Richard Marshall – Portfolio Holder for Highways and Regulatory Services

Report of Gary Parton – Traffic Manager, Highways and Transport

This item was deferred to a future meeting.

Lead Member – Cecilia Motley – Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Communities

Report of Rachel Robinson – Executive Director of Health

RESOLVED:

To note that the Shropshire Inequalities Plan has been endorsed by the Health and Wellbeing Board at its meeting in November 2022

To approve Shropshire Council’s commitment to those aspects of the Plan that are the responsibility of Shropshire Council, including the specific recommendations made in section 17 (appendix 1)

To consider how plans and policies within respective portfolio areas can be developed such that they contribute to a reduction in inequalities

The Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Communities introduced the report and explained the Plan’s objective in tackling inequalities, including rural inequalities and poverty in all its forms.  She thanked the public health team for the work to date and explained it would take the form of a living document using intelligence led, evidence-based solutions and information gathered at place based level for the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

Following discussion around data and information; work underway in Oswestry; targeting of resources; wider determinants of wellbeing and health; proactive work with people at risk; and budget availability, the Leader referred to the prevention first approach and the fit of the Health Inequalities Plan with the Shropshire Plan. 

RESOLVED:

To note that the Shropshire Inequalities Plan has been endorsed by the Health and Wellbeing Board at its meeting in November 2022

To approve Shropshire Council’s commitment to those aspects of the Plan that are the responsibility of Shropshire Council, including the specific recommendations made in section 17 (appendix 1)

To consider how plans and policies within respective portfolio areas can be developed such that they contribute to a reduction in inequalities

To resolve that, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and Paragraph 10.4 [3] of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items

RESOLVED:

that, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and Paragraph 10.4 [3] of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items

RESOLVED:

that, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and Paragraph 10.4 [3] of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items

To confirm the exempt minutes from the meeting held on 14^th December 2022.

To Follow

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2022 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2022 as a correct record.

Lead Member – Richard Marshall – Portfolio Holder for Highways and Regulatory Services

Exempt report of Mark Barrow – Executive Director of Place

Report to Follow

RESOLVED:

To approve both recommendations made in the report at 3.1 and 3.2

The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Regulatory Services introduced the report.

RESOLVED:

To approve both recommendations made in the report at 3.1 and 3.2

Lead Member – Lezley Picton – Leader and Portfolio Holder for Policy and Strategy, Improvement and Communications

Exempt report of James Walton – Executive Director of Resources

RESOLVED:

To recommend to Council approval of the option set out in 2.1.2 of the report. 

The Leader presented the report.

RESOLVED:

To recommend to Council approval of the option set out in 2.1.2 of the report.