Agenda and minutes

Mr. B. Pain CC, Deputy Leader of the Council 

Mr. T. Pendleton CC, Lead Member for Highways and Transportation 

Mr. O. O’Shea JP CC Cabinet Support Member. 

Mr B. Rhodes CC Lead Member for Finance  

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 November 2020 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.  

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 34.

The Chief Executive reported that questions had been received from Mr Hunt CC under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5). 

Mr Hunt asked the following questions of the Chairman:-   

1.              “Public Transport has taken quite a knock during the last year.  What do we know about the use of the County’s contribution (including Concessionary Fares) to local bus services, the support provided by central government and the ability of existing services to survive the coronavirus public health crisis?”  

The Chairman replied as follows:-   

Leicestershire County Council is continuing to pay operators concessionary travel reimbursements at 2019/20 (pre-covid-19) levels during 2020/21, in line with government guidance. Total spend in 2019/20 was £5.03m. Expenditure in 2020/21 is therefore expected to be at that level. 

The funding support for operators from central government is in the form of the Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG). This funding is designed to ensure bus operators can maintain necessary services at a level which is enough to meet reduced demand, but also to allow adequate space between passengers on board, in line with social distancing guidance.  

The authority has claimed the following amounts from the Government’s CBSSG funding: 

·        17 March - 8 June 2020 - Amount claimed: £170,121 

·        9 June - 3 August 2020 - Amount claimed: £99,241 

·        4 August - 28 September 2020 - Amount claimed: £247,412.20 

The CBSSG fund is expected to run until at least 18th January 2021. Further claims will be made for the remainder of this period as appropriate.  

Additionally, Government has enabled local authorities (LAs) to use Supported Bus Services Funding (SBSF) allocated to them last year pre-Covid-19 to subsequently provide additional support to subsidised services during the Covid-19 period; the authority was awarded £556,000 of SBSF. This funding was originally intended to enable LAs to improve some current supported services and to restore some lost bus services where most needed. It is now expected that all of this funding will be required to support subsidised services affected by Covid-19. 

Further information on these funds can be found on the County Council public website which is updated periodically as part of our commitment to transparency and compliance with the funding terms and conditions.  This can be accessed at: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/buses-and-public-transport/covid-19-support-for-passenger-transport  

The impacts on the current bus market and service provisions have been, and continue to be, significant. It is not currently known whether the government will extend the CBSSG funding past 18^th January, or if so for what period.

Therefore, it is difficult to foresee the true impact on service provision in the future, however the County Council remains committed at present to supporting existing service provision to enable our communities to access essential services in line with our Passenger Transport Policy and Strategy (PTPS) during this difficult time. We continue to engage with operators on an on-going basis, which informs our on-going approach to service provision.  

2.              “Our current Local Transport Plan places a significant emphasis on Quality Bus Partnerships to offer more accessible public transport including a joint approach between local authorities and bus operators to improve services. It states that the local authority will invest in transport infrastructure, passenger facilities and/or information and the bus operator invests in higher quality services and/ or newer vehicles aimed at increasing bus patronage and improving customer satisfaction. What are the Quality Bus Partnerships delivering in this regard and what areas do they cover?”  

The Chairman replied as follows:-   

During the life of the LTP3, working relationships with operators have transitioned away from formal Quality Bus Partnerships, a concept largely founded on traditional fixed routes operated by conventional buses; however, the authority  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

There were no urgent items for consideration.

The Chairman invited members who wished to do so to declare any interest in respect of items on the agenda for the meeting. 

Mr L. Phillimore CC declared a personal interest in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Transport issues referred to in Agenda Item 8 on the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2021/22-2024/25. 

There were no declarations of the party whip.

The Chief Executive reported that no petitions had been received under Standing Order 35.

The Chairman agreed to vary the order of the business from that set out on in the agenda, taking Agenda Item 9: Environmental Performance Report 2019-20 and Greenhouse Gas Report 2019-20 ahead of Item 8: Medium Term Financial Strategy 2021/22 – 2024/25. 

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment and Transport on the Environmental Performance Report and Greenhouse Gas Report 2019-20. A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 9’ is filed with these minutes. 

The Director informed the Committee that 12 of the key performance indicators (KPI) had been met or were ahead of target, including carbon reduction, renewable energy and energy consumption. While there was plenty for the Authority to celebrate regarding progress made it was also important to look at the three amber and three red indicators. Members were assured that continued development and implementation of the Environment Strategy and the planned Strategic Approach to Biodiversity as well  opportunities arising from the Government’s Environment Bill and Agriculture Bill would further aid the Authority reach and exceed set targets. 

Arising from the discussion the following points were noted:- 

i.There were five outstanding environmental risks, three of which linked to drainage at Recycling and Household Waste sites. The Director assured Members that dialogue was continuing with the Environment Agency regarding improvements and that planned works had been scheduled. Members noted that such works would take time to implement due to the nature of excavation works and capital financing required. 

ii.Total CO2 under the Authorities influence while rated amber was improving. Members were assured that the County Council was looking to address the indicator as part of its wider approach to carbon reduction via the Tranche 2 Roadmap that would be developed over the year and focus on the Council’s unmeasured emissions and the wider Leicestershire emissions. Members requested that consideration be given to the monitoring of travel plans for industrial developments, as well as school travel plans. 

iii.Members noted that non-County Hall sites performed worse than County Hall in relation to percentage recycled. This was as a result of the sites being in multi occupancy which presented different challenges as it was harder to educate and enforce the matter. Officers would continue to train staff and provide direct signage to mitigate the challenge.  

iv.Non compliance relating to the air conditioning units was as a result of the filing not being up to date with maintenance plans, Members were assured that this was being addressed by Property Services.  

In concluding the discussion Mr Pain CC thanked Officers for the work undertaken to reduce carbon emissions to date and the further commitment following the joint pledge with the UK100 coalition to achieve ‘net-zero’ across the County faster than Government’s 2050 goal. It was anticipated that as technology advanced and became more affordable there would be more opportunities to build on progress with innovations such as hydrogen power and electric vehicles. 

RESOLVED: 

That the Environmental Performance Report 2019-20 and Greenhouse Gas Report 2019-20 be noted. 

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Environment and Transport and the Director of Corporate Resources which provided information on the proposed 2021/22 to 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) as it related to the Environment and Transport Department. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 8’ is filed with these minutes.  

The Chairman welcomed the Deputy Leader, Mr B Pain CC, the Cabinet Lead Member for Resources, Mr J B Rhodes CC, the Cabinet Lead Member for Highways, Transport and Waste Mr T Pendleton CC and the Cabinet Support Member Mr O O’Shea CC to the meeting for this item. 

In introducing the report, the Director of Environment and Transport advised members of the continuing financial challenges facing the Council and that further savings were required to address future challenges, notably Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) transport and continued waste tonnage increases.  

Arising from the discussion the following points were noted:- 

Growth 

       i.G13 - SEN Transport – Growth reflected the increased client numbers and costs arising from increasingly complex needs presented by some service users. Figures forecast expected 10% growth in the service (as per data provided by the Children and Families Department). as well as a 3% increase in transport costs. The Department continued to look at how growth may be contained over the duration of the MTFS and were aware that colleagues nationally were raising concerns about the overall cost of SEN provision and transport with Government. 

     ii.Data on previous growth in pupils identified with SEN and predicted growth would be circulated to Members. A briefing would further be organised to help Members understand the process of preparing Education, Health and Care plans for those children with SEN needs.   

    iii.G14 – Developing External Funding Bids – The report presented the removal of the one-off growth for temporary capacity to support the development of external funding bids in 2020/21. Members were advised the Department would continue to have some capacity to prepare bids for funding and was covered elsewhere in the budget. However, it was recognised that there was a wider conversation that needed to be had with Government regarding efficiency of the bidding process for authorities and the resource that it required. 

    iv.G15 - Highways Maintenance – Funding for highway maintenance from the Department for Transport had effectively been reduced by £10million a year over the last decade. The County Council invested an additional £3.7million funding in the previous year in recognition of the importance of this service and underfunding it faced. As a result of Covid-19 Government had amalgamated a number of funding streams, some of which would previously have been part of a competitive bidding process, and allocated £9.5million to the County Council to be spent by the end of the current financial year. While the Authority welcomed the funding, assurance for long term funding was needed for the Authority to plan most effectively and achieve the best value for money.   

     v.There was a concern that due to Government’s continual underfunding of Council services residents were seeing a decline in the most visible services to them such as highway maintenance. This was despite increasing council tax that was required to support the financial pressures on the Council.  

    vi.Members noted that in previous years the Department had reduced full width grass cuts from six to five following an earlier budget consultation where residents had rated it as a lower priority. However, the reduction had resulted in heavy backlash, thus the six cuts were reinstated, which was welcomed by Members. Members noted that twelve parish councils  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

The Committee considered a report of the Flooding Scrutiny Review Panel. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 10’ is filed with these minutes.  

Mrs. M. Wright CC Chairman of the Scrutiny Review Panel introduced the report. She advised members that the Panel had been established following significant flooding events in October and November 2019. The purpose of review was to consider the role of the Council as Lead Local Flood Authority and its partnership working with flood risk management authorities.  

Arising from the discussion the following points were noted:- 

       i.Flooding can have devastating effects on residents’ lives which could leave them away from their home for an unspecified time in the aftermath. Flooding events often came at unpredictable times in unforeseen places, the Council needed to ensure that communications reflected this and that residents were aware and informed of potential flood risk.  It was evident that those who had never experienced a flood were often at risk of experiencing the most severe  impact. 

     ii.The Environment Agency operated a 24/7 Floodline and provided a service  that allowed residents to  find out whether they were within a flood zone, and any warnings. Members were asked to encourage their  residents  to sign up for the Service. 

    iii.Members felt it was important that the Authority looked to make partners accountable to residents in completion of actions arising from Section 19 investigations. 

    iv.The Flood Risk Management Team had experienced staffing shortages due to the high demand on the skill set required which resulted in high turnover. During the review Members had been pleased to note that recruitment was ongoing and that support from external consultants had reduced in more recent months as a result.  

     v.The Flood Risk Management Team were completing detailed Section-19 Investigations into the causes of flooding in Stoney Stanton and Cossington. Final modelling work was still to be completed before final conclusions could be reached. Local Members would be kept informed as the matters progressed. 

    vi.Local planning authorities were responsible for approving any new developments and taking any comments from Leicestershire County Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, on board. In this regard it was noted that  only planning authorities could enforce mitigating measures and ensure developments were up to the agreed standard as approved. 

  vii.The Committee was of the view that that the  Government needed to do more to require flood mitigation measures be built as standard on houses built on flood plains as LPA’s could only work to  national regulations. The County Council could not influence such measures.  

 viii.Mr Harrison CC emphasised the role Members could play as Community Champions setting out the positive experience within Appleby Magna where the community had stepped up and worked together with partners to put mitigating measures in place. 

    ix.Members further agreed it was important that parishes and residents looked at their own risk and looked to build resilience within their communities through initiatives such as the Volunteer Flood Warden scheme.  

In conclusion Mr B. Pain CC, Deputy Leader, stated that while the Water Management Act assigned the Council the role of Lead Local Flood Authority, it had no enforcement powers and current legislation did not provide the Authority with the ability to compel risk management authorities to take action, even when identified as part of Section-19 Investigations.  

Members thanked the Scrutiny Review Panel for their detailed report on the matter and looked forward to receiving a progress report in the coming months, following approval from Cabinet. 

RESOLVED: 

a.     That the report be recommended for consideration by Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to take place on 4 March 2021 at 2pm.

That the next meeting of the Committee will be held on 4 March 2021 at 2pm.