Agenda and minutes

Councillor Pert moved, and Councillor Haden seconded, and it was: 

Resolved – That Councillor Phil Hewitt be elected Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year. 

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 14 March 2024 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman. 

Councillor Peters moved, and Councillor Sutherland seconded, and it was:- 

Resolved – That Councillor Colin Greatorex be appointed Vice-Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year. 

The Chairman will mention a range of recent items of news which may be of interest to Members

Former County Councillor Nicholas Beach  

The Chairman informed Members of the recent death of Former County Councillor Nicholas Beach.  

Mr Beach represented the Needwood Forest (East Staffordshire) County Electoral Division on the County Council between 1989 and 2001.  

He served on a number of the Council’s Committees including the Highways Committee, Arts and Archives Committee, Social Services Committee and the Policy and Resources Committee.  

Councillor Philip Atkins and Councillor Ian Parry paid tribute to the contribution made by Mr Beach following which Members stood in silence in his memory.    

Retirement of Rob Salmon, Director of Finance  

The Council were informed that, after 38 years at Staffordshire County Council, Rob Salmon was retiring in June of this year.  

Rob joined the Council as a clerical assistant in accountancy in 1986 and had built his career with the Authority. After working his way up in a range of roles, Rob was currently the Council’s Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer.  

Rob had been instrumental in helping the Council to handle the pressure of local government finances and had just delivered an excellent five-year financial plan.  

Members paid tribute to the contribution Rob had made to the work of the Council and extended their best wishes to him for a long, happy and healthy retirement. 

The Leader will inform the Council about his work and his plans for the Council, and will give an overview of decisions taken by the Cabinet (and Portfolio Holders) since the previous meeting of the Council

The Leader of the Council presented a Statement outlining his recent work since the previous meeting of the Council. 

Staffordshire Means Back to Business – Oral Update  

(Paragraph 1 of the Statement) 

Councillor Smith extended his thanks to the Chairman for his recent visit to his Divisionwhere he planted a tree and met with a local business. 

Councillor Yates spoke about a range of issues including an increase in the claimant rate;the potential implications of the management buy-out at H & R Johnson;recent logistics developments; the relocation of JCB’s World Logistics Site from Chatterley Valley toa new site near East Midlands Airport; and difficulties in developing new industrial land in North Staffordshire. 

Councillor Afsar extended his congratulations to Burton and South Derbyshire College on the opening of its upgraded and revitalised facilities in Burton upon Trent’s town centre. 

Councillor Hussain spoke about the support available to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and enquired as to what more the County Council could do to assist them. 

In response to the points raised by Members, Councillor Phillip White indicated that the claimant count rate in Staffordshire continued to be one of the lowest in the West Midlands, far lower than the average for the region, and lower than the average for England.  He also spoke about employment opportunities arising from recent developments in the County including Pets at Home, at Redhill in Stafford, the Chatterley Valley site, Branston Locks and the extension of the i54 site; and the growth in the number of new business start-ups.  

Capital Programme for Schools 2024/25 

(Paragraph 2 of the Statement) 

Councillor Hudson indicated that he welcomed the Council’s Capital Programme for Schools.  He also stated that he wished to dismiss the rumours being spread on social media that there would be insufficient school places available in Uttoxeter following recent housing developments in the area. 

Councillor Charlotte Atkins indicated that the Capital Programme did not help towns like Leek where falling pupil numbers did not support the retention of two High Schools in the town.  In response, Councillor Phillip White indicated that he would ask Councillor Price to look into this matter and respond the Councillor Charlotte Atkins in due course. 

Councillor Edgeller informed Members of the opening of a Special Needs Adventure Playground (SNAP) in Cannock and extended the hope that funding could be found to support the opening of more of these facilities across the County. 

Councillor Yates stated that he welcomed the additional funding being made available through the Capital Programme to support Special Educational Needs provision and also towards improving energy efficiency.  He also enquired as to whether the assessments on the use of reinforced autoclaved aeriated concrete in school buildings had been completed.  In response, Councillor Alan White indicated that the survey of Staffordshire Schools had been completed and that there were no issues of concern.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Staffordshire Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee - The Code of Joint Working - Local Authorities 

The Council considered proposals to revise the Terms of Reference of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees.   

Resolved – That the proposed changes to Terms of Reference of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees, as set out in the report,be approved and that the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly. 

Members were informed that the County Council was required to establish and maintain an Independent Remuneration Panel to provide advice and recommendations to the Council on its Members’ Allowances Scheme. Any decision on the nature and level of allowances was a matter for the Full Council, but the Council must have regard to any recommendations submitted by the Independent Remuneration Panel before establishing or amending the Members’ Allowances Scheme. The Panel met each year to consider the recommendations to be made to the Council in respect of the level and nature of the forthcoming year’s allowances. 

Members received the Independent Remuneration Panel’s report for 2024. 

Resolved – (a) That the Independent Remuneration Panel report be received. 

(b) That the recommendations contained in the report be agreed. 

The Council considered the Annual Report of the Audit and Standards Committee 2023/24. 

Resolved – That the contents of the Annual Report of the Audit and Standards Committee for 2023/24 be approved. 

To consider the appointment of the members to Committees on the nomination of Group Leaders.

Cllr Alan White moved, and Cllr Sutton seconded, and it was: 

Resolved – That the Members indicated on the attached schedulebe appointed to serve on the Committees listed for the period up to the Annual Council meeting in 2025. 

Cllr Alan White moved, and Cllr Thompson seconded, the nominations for the appointment of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees. 

Resolved – That the under-mentioned be appointed as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committees stated for the period up to the annual Council meeting in 2025:- 

Councillor Alan White extended his thanks to his fellow Members for the work that they do in representing the County Council on external organisations. 

Councillor Alan White moved, and CouncillorThompson seconded, and it was: 

Resolved - That the nominations of the Leader of the Council, in consultation with the Political Group Leaders, on the appointment of Members to Outside Bodies for 2024/25 be approved and that the Leader be authorised to make any changes to those appointments as may become necessary. 

Questions to be asked by Members of the County Council of the Leader of the Council, a Cabinet Member, or a Chairman of a Committee. The question will be answered by the relevant Member and the Member asking the question may then ask a follow up question which will also be answered

Councillor Charlotte Atkins asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways whose reply is set out below the question:- 

Question 

When was JCB’s Pothole Pro first used by Staffordshire County Council? Since that time, please list month by month the County Council Divisions in which it has been used and the length of time it was allocated to each of those Divisions. What is the future operational schedule for the Pothole Pro and in which Divisions will it be used over the next year?   

Reply 

SCC first took delivery of the JCB-PotholePro (JCB-PHP) in July 2023.  The timing coincided with the delivery of the A522 Beamhurst roundabout carriageway resurfacing scheme, which is where it was first used.   

Following that, between July and Sept 2023 the JCB-PHP was located at Leek highway depot, carrying out reactive pothole/patching repairs on a day-by-day and week-by-week need basis across the Staffordshire Moorlands. It would take more work to retrospectively extract the precise dates and durations of individual visits and also to map these to Member’s divisions.  This can be provided if needed, but in the first instance the following is a list of all the sites visited:  

·       Ashcombe Way, Leek  

·       Ashenhurst Way, Leek  

·       BirdsgroveLane, Okeover  

·       Blythe Close, Blythe Bridge  

·       Compton, Leek  

·       Douse Lane, Onecote  

·       DunwoodRoad, Rudyard  

·       Golling Gate, Hollinsclough  

·       Harveys Lane, Kingsley Moor  

·       Hough Hill, Brown Edge  

·       Leek Lane, Biddulph Moor  

·       MiddlecliffLane, Bradnop  

·       Park Lane, Ipstones  

·       Park Nook, Winkhill  

·       School Lane, Longsdon  

·       Shawfield Road, Newtown  

·       Shawfield Road, Shawfield  

·       StallingtonRoad, Blythe Bridge  

·       Three Pools, Heaton  

·       TittesworthEstate, Blackshaw Moor  

·       William Avenue, Biddulph  

·       Woodhouse Lane, Brown Edge  

·       YerleyHill, Okeover  

Since September 2023 the JCB-PHP has been deployed on delivering vital pre-patching works ahead of the planned 2024/25 surface treatments programme at the following locations:  

·       From 29 Sept 2023 - Kingsford Lane, Wolverley  

·       From 13 November 2023 - Battlefield Lane, Six Ashes, Bridgnorth  

·       From 26 November 2023 - Luttley Lane / Church Lane, Bobbington   

·       From 11 December 2023 - High Gate Common, Enville   

·       From 15 January 2024 - Church Lane / Six Ashes Road, Bobbington  

·       From 5 February 2024 - Leaton Lane, Gospel Ash Road, Bobbington  

·       From 2 April 2024 – Streetly, Little Aston  

·       From 8 April 2024 – A519 Newcastle Road, Hanchurch  

·       From 15 April 2024 - Wharf Road, Gnosall  

·       From 22 April 2024 - Bramshall Road, Uttoxeter  

·       From 29 April 2024 – Halls Road, Biddulph  

·       From 13 May 2024 (scheduled) – Wedgewood Lane, Biddulph  

Over the coming weeks the JCB-PHP is likely to be delivering further vital pre-patching and other highway repair works right across Staffordshire. Details will be available shortly, following ongoing post-winter analysis of current road repair needs. 

Supplementary Question 

What criteria is used on the allocation of the Pothole Pro to different Divisions and given that you said earlier that you want to involve Local Members, do Local Members have an input on the allocation of the machine to their Divisions? 

Reply 

The Pothole Pro  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

An opportunity for Members to present and speak on petitions submitted by their constituents

(i) Request for Weight Restriction Order along Craythorne Road, Stretton 

Councillor Peters presented a petition from residents of Craythorne Road, Stretton requesting a weight restriction order along the road. 

(ii) Request for a reduction in the Speed Limit along the A515 and A513 in Kings Bromley 

Councillor Cox presented a petition from residents of Kings Bromley requesting improved street lighting together with a reduction in the speed limit along the A515 and A513 in the village. 

(iii) Request for Speed and Weight Restrictions in Perton 

Councillor Abrahams presented a petition from local residents requesting a reduction in the speed limit and the introduction of weight restrictions on various roads in Perton. 

The Chairman of the Council will move the following motion so that the County Council can consider confidential business in private:

Part Two

(All reports in this section are on pink paper)

Resolved -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 

(Exemption Paragraph 1) 

Resolved - That the exempt minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 14 March 2024 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman. 

Chairman