Decisions

In June 2018 the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills gave authority to commence a procurement to replace the modular teaching accommodation at Southwater Infant and Junior Schools to ensure the schools can continue to accommodate the demand for pupil places in the locality (decision reference ES03 (18/19).

Following full design which included submission and receipt of planning permission, detailed costings have now been sought which exceed the budget available.

Following a detailed review of options, the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills will be asked to approve an increase in budget, funded from received Section 106 contributions, to allow the project to progress.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills has:

(1)     Approved an additional £800,000 from Section 106 funds to enable the replacement of the modular teaching accommodation at Southwater Infant School and Southwater Junior School.

(2)     Authorised the commencement of a procurement for the supply and construction of the modular teaching accommodation for the schools to be available for use by September 2020 within the budget set out in the report.

(3)     Delegated authority to award the contract for carrying out the works detailed in the report to the Director of Property and Assets

The Community Initiative Fund is a County Local Committee (CLC) administered fund that provides assistance to local community projects.

The Director of Law and Assurance, in consultation with the Chairman of North Horsham County Local Committee and the Chairman of the Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee, has used his delegated powers under Standing Order 3.45 to approve the following CIF Applications:

•413/NH – The Phoenix Stroke Club, ‘Virtual reality sessions’, £600.00 – towards delivering virtual reality-themed group sessions to club members.

The County Council has a statutory duty to provide sufficient primary and secondary school places for all children who need a place. As part of the secondary school curriculum, Physical Education is a core subject and suitable provision is required to ensure a wide range of sport can be offered to ensure children are given the Best Start in Life.

The Weald School in Billingshurst accommodates 1700 pupils aged 11-18 and has a mix of indoor PE provision (sports hall, activity hall) and external provision (grass pitches, multi-use games area and All Weather Pitch (AWP)).

The existing sand dressed AWP has reached the end of its life and requires replacement. The pitch regularly floods and drainage has failed and is inadequate. The pitch is currently used by both the school and community groups.

Section 106 funds in excess of the budget sought have been received. The condition of the associated agreements is such that the funds can only be used on projects at The Weald Community School in Billingshurst.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills:

(1)     Approves the allocation of £750,000 from Section 106 funds to fund the replacement of the AWP and the completion of a procurement process for the delivery of works at The Weald Community School in Billingshurst as detailed in paragraphs 2.2, 4.2 and 4.3.

(2)     Delegates authority to award the contract for carrying out the works detailed in the report to the Director of Property and Assets.

In September 2019 the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills took a decision (decision reference ES02(19/20)) to approve the commencement of a consultation in relation to proposals for change at the at all, none or any of the following schools:-

·       Clapham and Patching CE Primary School, Clapham, Worthing

·       Compton and Up Marden CE School, Compton, Chichester

·       Rumboldswhyke CE Infants’ School, Chichester

·       Stedham Primary School, Stedham, Midhurst

·       Warninglid Primary School, Warninglid, Haywards Heath

The consultation is due to end in late November 2019.  Following assessment of the outcome of the consultation, should specific proposals for any of the schools listed emerge, Cabinet will be asked to agree to launch a consultation seeking views on these specific proposals.

Following consideration of the report, Cabinet resolved:

To support the proposals outlined in section 2 of the report going forward to:

1.    Consult on:

a)   Closure of Clapham and Patching C of E Primary School by September 2020 whilst continuing to discuss academisation proposals which the County Council will encourage and support. 

b)   Closure of Rumboldswhyke C of E Infant School effective September 2020.

c)    Relocation of Warninglid Primary School and the federation of the school by September 2021 (subject to developers progress).

d)   Closure of Stedham Primary School by September 2020, whilst continuing to encourage and assist the school in its discussion on federation, which if agreed by the end of the consultation period (16 March 2020), will result in the consultation ceasing. 

2.   Progress the Federation proposals for:

·         Compton and Up Marden C of E Primary School.

The call-in deadline is 23 January 2020.

The County Council reviews its fees and charges at least annually to ensure statutory fees meet current guidelines and discretionary fees reflect market conditions and achieve the required service outcomes.  Any changes to fees and charges are proposed to be implemented from 01 January 2020 where possible.   The Cabinet Member will be asked to endorse the report.   Parking charges will be considered separately by the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport.   

Following consideration of the report, Cabinet resolved that:

1.   The discretionary fees and charges as set out at Appendix A are approved, to take effect from 1 April 2020 or as otherwise stated within the report.

2.   Directors, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Support Services and the relevant Cabinet Member/s are delegated authority to vary fees and charges in-year within their respective portfolios in support of achieving their income budgets, taking account of changes in service costs, the market environment, demand and/or service levels and any statutory constraints. 

The call-in deadline is 23 January 2020. 

Transport for the South East (TfSE) is the sub-national transport body, currently operating in shadow form, which covers Berkshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex.  It has the twin purpose of facilitating the delivery of a regional transport strategy and promoting economic growth in the South East.  With regard to the first purpose, TfSE is consulting on a draft Transport Strategy, which aims to shape the South East as a region economically, technologically and environmentally over the next 30 years, and change the way that investment is made in transport.  It addresses issues such as connectivity, reliability, collaboration, ‘smart’ technology, health and well-being, air quality, accessibility, safety, carbon and climate change, and other environmental impacts. 

The review of the County Council’s Local Transport Plan will need to be consistent with the Transport Strategy.  It will also be the starting point for bids by TfSE to Government and other bodies for funding to deliver new and improved strategic transport infrastructure, including schemes in West Sussex.

The Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure approved the County Council’s Consultation Response (Appendix B) for submission to Transport for the South East.

Worthing Borough Council (WBC) has recently purchased the Liverpool Gardens Off Street car park in Worthing.  To operate the car park, WBC must formally designate it as a public car park under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 by amending their Off-Street Parking Order.  This involves a similar statutory process to that required for making a TRO.

Before this process can be started, WBC must first obtain consent from West Sussex County Council under Section 59 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act. Power to grant such consent is delegated to the County Local Committee, 

(1)     That the Worthing County Local Committee grants Worthing Borough Council permission to include the Liverpool Gardens Car Park in their off-street parking Order.

(2)     That the Worthing County Local Committee grants permission to continue to charge for the use of the car park at the rates set out in section 2.1 of this report.

A vacancy has arisen on the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE), an outside body which the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills is responsible for making Member appointments to.  The Cabinet Member will be asked to appoint a Member to fill this vacancy

That the Cabinet Member appoints Mrs Brenda Burgess to SACRE until the end of the Council term (May 2021)

The County Councilprovides soft Facilities Management services throughoutthecorporate estate.  It also makes these contracts accessible to schools to buy in to at their discretion. The current contracts for cleaning, security and grounds maintenance will expire in October 2020.

The scope of the new contracts, in addition to the core services listed above will include the provision of washroom consumables and associated services relating to cleaning, hygiene and confidential waste disposal in the Council’s office buildings. 

The Cabinet Member has endorsed:

1.   The commencement of an OJEU compliant procurement process to appoint contractor(s) under a new contract (or suite of contracts) for the provision of Cleaning, Security and Grounds maintenance (Soft Services) in County Council Buildings is approved.

2.   The contract (or contracts) will incorporate clauses to allow the opportunity of schools and other public bodies to utilise the contract(s) in accordance with the County Council's Corporate Procurement Strategy. 

3.   That the contract(s) commence on 01 October 2020 for a period of 4 years (“initial period”) with options to extend the contract with 3 x 1 year extensions, subject to satisfactory performance, therefore a maximum contract term of 7 years; and that

4.   Authority is delegated to the Director for Property and Assetsto award the contracts to the bidder or bidders submitting the most economically advantageous tenders.  A further decision report will be published as appropriate.

The County Council currently provides a service to support children, young people and adults affected by alcohol and other drug use, and their families and carers in West Sussex. 

The service is an all age, county wide service working with people who misuse alcohol and drugs and provides:

-        Harm reduction and needle syringe provision

-        Engagement and early interventions

-        Structured treatment including specialist prescribing

-        Assessment for onward referral to detox and residential   rehabilitation*

-        Blood Borne Virus testing and vaccination

-        Education, training and employment support

-        Peer mentoring

-        Support to families and carers

The current contract expires in May 2021, with an option to extend for a further two years. The Director for Public Health will be asked to approve an extension to the current contract to May 2023.

The Director of Public Health approves the extension of the contract for a further two years from 10th May 2021 to 9th May 2023.

Improvement works have been planned at Henfield Library using around £30,000 of Section 106 Developer Contributions which expire at the end of the 2019/20 financial year.

The work includes the relocation of books to allow removal of old fixed shelving, new flexible shelving being fitted some internal rearrangement, including some electrical work and redecoration. These works will improve the customer experience for residents and allow more effective use of space.

It would not be possible to do this level of work safely whilst open to the public therefore the proposal is to close from Monday 27th January 2020 to Wednesday 5th February 2020 inclusive.

The Director of Law and Assurance, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member for Fire & Rescue and Communities and the Chairman of the Environment, Communities and Fire Scrutiny Committee, has used his delegated powers under Standing Order 5.23 to close Henfield Library from Monday 27 January 2020 to Wednesday 05 February 2020 inclusive. 

That Henfield library is closed from Monday 27 January 2020 to Wednesday 05 February 2020 inclusive to enable renovation works to fit new flexible shelving, undertaken some internal rearrangement, electrical work and redecoration.

Enabling residents to remain independent in later life is one of the key objectives of the West Sussex Plan. To this end, the Council has indicated a willingness to invest in social care infrastructure projects which help to make this possible.

Extra care housing has been identified as a particularly effective means of enabling people with care needs to remain independent, living in purpose-built homes within a residential setting with some communal amenities and an on-site care service.  The proposal being put forward is to support the development of new extra care housing scheme comprising 48 flats on the site of a former supported housing scheme in East Grinstead.

The site is owned by Eldon Housing Association which has obtained planning permission and a commitment to grant funding from Homes England, however additional funding from WSCC will also be required if the scheme is to proceed.   

The Cabinet Member for Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, has approved a capital contribution of £0.96m to Eldon Housing Association to provide a scheme comprising of 48 units of extra care housing at the Lingfield Lodge site in East Grinstead.