Agenda and draft minutes

Cabinet Meeting (Special), Cabinet - Wednesday 5th March 2025 10:00am

Venue: Oak Room, County Buildings, Stafford. View directions

Contact: Mike Bradbury  Email: michael.bradbury@staffordshire.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

98.

Declarations of Interest in accordance with Standing Order 16

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Minutes:

The following Members declared an interest in accordance with Standing Order 16.5:- 

  

Member 

Minute Nos. 

Interest 

Reason 

Simon Tagg

 99

Personal/

Pre-determination 

Adamant in his opposition to the proposals in respect of North Staffordshire and as Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

Mark Deaville

99

Personal

Actively involved in a campaign opposing proposals for North Staffordshire.

Jeremy Pert

99

Personal

Involved in campaign for Stafford not to be included in proposals for North Staffordshire.

 

99.

Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation in Staffordshire pdf icon PDF 354 KB

Leader of the Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

?

 

“Two-tier local government works in Staffordshire – it strikes the right balance between countywide strategic services and local council services that meet the needs of our different communities. This isn’t just my view but has always been the shared view of all the local authorities in the county. The government are clear however, that they want to see this replaced with fewer, bigger unitary councils in the future.

 

With this in mind, and despite having just a few weeks to prepare, we’re responding proactively with an outline proposal which first and foremost, aims to unlock extra powers and funding from Westminster to further boost our local economy. We are already bucking the trend – with unemployment levels and business survival rates outperforming regional averages – but our ambition is to push further on this with the Mayoral Strategic Authority.

 

When it comes to local government reorganisation, our priority is to ensure that people across the whole county can continue to receive good quality, value for money services.

 

A new Staffordshire unitary would be set up for success, streamlining services which are built on a legacy of well-run, financially stable councils able to invest in their communities. At the same time, vital services that people depend on – such as social care – would not be dismantled, with all the risk that that could entail.

 

As much as I do not agree with the reorganisation process, I know our residents would expect us to get involved to help inform the future of local government for the area.  They would want the decisions that affect them to be shaped by the people who understand them and not by outsiders. 

 

Nothing has been agreed at this early stage and this is just the start of a significant change that will take many years before it is complete. We will keep people informed and involved as we move through the process.”

 

Alan White, Leader of the Council

 

(Note by Clerk – Councillor Tagg expressed an interest in this matter and left the room during the consideration of the report and the decision thereon).

 

Reasons for the Decision – To update Cabinet on the emerging national picture regarding devolution and local government reorganisation in England; and to approve the content of the interim plan and refer it on to the Full Council meeting of the 13th March for approval.

 

Decision – That Cabinet:

 

(a)        Notes the contents of The English Devolution White Paper of 16 December 2024 (which is reproduced in appendix A of the report).

 

(b)       Notes the content of the letter from Jim McMahon MP, Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution that includes the Local Government and Public Involvement Act 2007 Invitation for proposals for a single tier of local government and associated guidance dated 5 February 2025 (which is reproduced in appendix B of the report).

 

(c)        Approves the content of the draft Interim Plan as requested by the Minister of State (which is included as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 99.

100.

Exclusion of the Public

The Chairman to move:

 

“That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of Local Government Act 1972 indicated below”.

 

 

Part Two

(All reports in this section are exempt)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Exclusion of the Public

 

“That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 indicated below”.??

 

PART TWO

 

101.

Contract award of the Local Authority social care case management system

(Exemption paragraph 3)

 

Cabinet Member for Health and Care and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

Minutes:

(Exemption paragraph 3)

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the outcome of the procurement for the new social care case management system; and to award the contract to the preferred supplier.

 

Decision – That the recommendations contained in the report be agreed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leader of the Council