Agenda item

Paper number: COU/WS/22/014 TO FOLLOW

Council Procedure Rules 8.1 to 8.3. The Leader will submit a report (the Leader’s Statement) summarising important developments and activities since the preceding meeting of the council.

Members may ask the Leader questions on the content of both his introductory remarks and the written statement itself.

A total of 30 minutes will be allowed for questions and responses. There will be a limit of five minutes for each question to be asked and answered. A supplementary question arising from the reply may be asked so long as the five minute limit is not exceeded.

Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of the Council, presented his Leader’s Statement as outlined in paper number: COU/WS/22/014.

Members confirmed that they had received copies of the statement, which had been circulated following the distribution of the agenda for the meeting.

In his introductory remarks, Councillor Griffiths:

a.       Personal remarks: thanked all members for attending the extraordinary meeting so that principally, debate could be held on agenda item 6, which if approved, would help unlock £1.9 million of new Government funding for the Council. 

b.       Heatwave: paid tribute to staff working in difficult conditions and to local communities that had supported fellow residents and Council staff during the challenging temperatures.

c.       Green Flags: was delighted to report that all six of West Suffolk parks had been awarded with national Green Flag status.

d.       Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award: was also pleased to announce that the Council had had its 2017 Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award revalidated. This scheme encouraged employers nationally to support defence and inspire others to do the same.

e.       Cabinet: reported on the discussions held at the Cabinet meeting held on 19 July 2022, which included approval being given to the West Suffolk Annual Report 2021 to 2022; progress made on the Environment and Climate Change Action Plans; and the recommendations put forward by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following its review of the West Suffolk Council markets.

f.       Barley Homes: reported that Barley Homes (Group) Limited had earlier that day held its Annual Meeting. Despite challenges faced by other developers such as COVID-19, the company had achieved great success in the past year.  

The Leader responded to a range of questions relating to:

a.       Environmental update: alternative products to using glyphosate herbicides for the control of unwanted vegetation had been explored. Recognition was given to achieving a balance between using a product that was cost effective, performed results and was kinder to the environment.  Using less glyphosate was also an option and it was acknowledged that education was key to promoting the environmental benefits where areas may be left untreated or weeded less frequently than in previous years.

In respect of improving air quality in certain areas, various solutions were being explored in partnership with others, particularly around educating drivers to avoid idling, especially adjacent to schools and nurseries.

b.       Support for those in need during the cost of living crisis: the Council recognised the burden placed on communities and businesses during these challenging times. For those in particular need, the Council was promoting various support packages and grant schemes that were currently available. These included grant schemes, which not only improved peoples’ lives but also promoted green initiatives such as helping people to better insulate their homes, for example. Whilst politics sometimes differed, and particular reference was given by Councillor Max Clarke to asking councillors to encourage greater resident take up of membership to trade unions, the sentiment regarding the desire to help and support people in West Suffolk was shared.

c.       Referral from Cabinet: UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF): investment plan allocations: Reference was given to paragraph 6.4 of Report number: COU/WS/22/015 (Referral from Cabinet: UK Shared Prosperity Fund: investment plan allocations), which referred to ‘….working in partnership with others to support initiatives that focussed on prevention and early intervention, particularly on issues such as health, crime and social isolation. It was considered that innovative new models should be developed to support residents and businesses to access public services, for example through the Mildenhall Hub and Western Way Development (WWD)’. In recognising the aforementioned, it was suggested to potentially use the former Debenhams building in the Arc, Bury St Edmunds as a public service hub as an alternative to progressing with the WWD project. This was not however, within the Council’s gift as it did not own the building.

Reference was also given to paragraph 2.1(6) of the same report, regarding the ‘….encouragement of projects that supported net zero objectives as a cross cutting theme…’, and whether, given the traditionally longer term payback associated with installing many alternative greener energy sources within homes, subsidies could be allocated by the Council from its share of the UKSPF to pensioners to help fund such projects. As was the case in response to part of the aforementioned question, the detail regarding specific interventions outlined in the proposed UKSPF investment plan would come forward during autumn 2022. It was envisaged that a range of initiatives would be explored, including those which supported environmental actions; however, it was acknowledged that not all pensioners were in need of financial support to install greener initiatives within their homes.

d.       Taxi fares: In the context of the recent decision taken by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee regarding the proposed increases in West Suffolk hackney carriage fares, Councillor Don Waldron asked whether the process for introducing the new fares could be accelerated. Like many others feeling the impact of the relatively significant rise in the cost of living, he felt the hackney carriage drivers should have the new fares implemented at the earliest opportunity to help mitigate some of their current financial challenges.

The Service Manager (Legal and Governance) / Monitoring Officer was invited by the Chair to provide a response regarding the statutory process that needed to be followed before any changes could be made to the fares; however, it was agreed that a more detailed written response would be provided following the meeting by Councillor Griffiths and Councillor Andy Drummond, Portfolio Holder for Regulatory and Environment. This response would be circulated to Councillor Waldron and all members.

e.       West Suffolk Local Plan: that some progress was being made in respect of working with Matt Hancock MP, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Natural England to try and reach an amenable solution to overcome the environmental challenges placed on Brandon which were adversely affecting its ability to bring forward development sites.

f.       Integrated care system: that once the regime was further embedded, a briefing on the relatively complex new integrated care system would be welcomed to assist members with effectively communicating pertinent issues to residents in their wards.