Agenda and minutes

None.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2020 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

The Leader noted that rates of COVID-19 infections had significantly increased in the Borough over the last few weeks, although the Borough was still below the national and regional averages. The Leader advised that the implementation of a new traffic light system for local interventions had been delayed by Government and he urged the government to work with all Local Authorities. The Leader thanked residents for playing their part in keeping the infection rates in the Borough lower than the national average.

The Leader welcomed the new Leader of the Conservative Group, Cllr Nigel Dugmore, to Cabinet.

The Leader presented the report which outlined the Council’s commitment to ‘Protect, Care & Invest to Create a Better Borough’. As part of its election manifesto, the administration had identified a number of commitments, of which over 90% had so far been delivered including:

·         Investment of £80m per year to protect the most vulnerable adults and children, which included the achievement of Outstanding OFSTED judgments for safeguarding children services and the Shared Lives service.

·         Investment of £50m in roads and footpaths

·         Work to address health inequalities.

It was noted that a cross cutting theme was to continue to support businesses and the community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cabinet Members commended the plan, noting the significant impact the pandemic had had on the economy and community. Members welcomed the partnership working that had taken place and the investment that had occurred.

The Leader of the Conservative Group noted the achievements but stated there needed to be a focus on where the plan was going rather than where it had been. The Leader of the Liberal Democrat / Independent Group welcomed the plan.

RESOLVED that the new Council Plan ‘Protect, Care & Invest to Create a Better Borough 2020 and onwards’ be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Visitor Economy, Historic & Natural Environment and Climate Change presented the report which provided an update on the progress that had been made towards fulfilling the Council’s commitment to phase out single use plastics by 2023. Many of the actions from the plan had been completed, however, some had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report highlighted the achievements that had been made. There had been an increase in litter related to PPE during the pandemic and other single use plastics, such as those used in restaurants, had increased, however, when the time was right, the progress that had been made previously could be brought back.

Cabinet Members welcomed the report and stated that work with partners, including schools and parish and town councils, was vital to reduce plastic use across the Borough as a whole.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat / Independent Group asked for clarification if all waste in the Borough was sent to be incinerated rather than to landfill and recycling was dealt with in the UK, which was confirmed to be the case. The Leader of the Conservative Group stated that he was fully supportive of the strategy.

RESOLVED that:

a)    The progress to date with removing single-use plastics from the Council’s operations and activities and replacing them with sustainable alternatives as identified in Appendix 1 of the report be noted and the new actions focussing on the leadership and engagement with the Community to work towards Telford and Wrekin’s Plastic Free Borough Status be approved;

b)   The reporting of single-use plastics in Telford & Wrekin as part of the Climate Change Becoming Carbon Neutral Action Plan which will be reported to Cabinet in February 2022 be approved.

To consider the following motion referred from the meeting of Full Council on 16 July 2020:-

‘This Council resolves for all political groups to join together to develop a community “Think Green Think Local” strategy for the Borough’

The Leader invited Cllr T J Nelson, as proposer of a motion that had been referred from the Full Council Meeting on 16 July 2020 to speak on that motion. The motion had been referred to Cabinet as it was a policy issue.

Cllr Nelson stated that the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown had shown many people a new way of living and that many had rediscovered their own locality. There had been green benefits, emissions had plummeted and there had been an increase in homeworking. He stated that the new normal should be for the Borough to be more self-contained, and for residents to live more sustainable, green lives.

Cllr Nelson stated that existing policy did not have a wide enough scope, for example, the transport policy should make use of the private, fossil fuel car redundant. Cllr Nelson urged Cabinet to widen the ambition.

The Cabinet Member for Visitor Economy, Historic & Natural Environment and Climate Change agreed that, as well as helping residents to stay safe, many of the measures introduced during the pandemic had had a positive green impact.

Boards had been set up with partners to take the Borough into a post-COVID world, these boards were looking at issues such as sustainable transport, investment in local high streets and enhancing green spaces. The carbon neutral plan was Council focused as it was a Council plan, however, a partnership group had been established to develop a plan for the Borough as a whole.

The Cabinet Member stated that she did not feel a separate policy was needed as the Council was already engaged in similar work under existing policies.

RESOLVED that the motion not be approved. 

The Cabinet Member for Council Finance and Governance presented the procurement update report. The report highlighted the work of officers in relation to the Procurement Policy Notice and supplier relief throughout the COVID pandemic. The Cabinet Member expressed her thanks to the procurement team for their work with the health and safety team to ensure the procurement of the right PPE for staff and those who the Council supports in the Borough throughout the pandemic. The Council was now working to find local suppliers of PPE to reduce the environmental impact.

In response to a question from the Leader of the Conservative Group, the Cabinet Member advised that electric vehicles would be considered in any future procurment. The Leader of the Liberal Democrat/ Independent Group expressed his thanks to the procurement team.

The Leader noted that the Council had secured a large amount of PPE and, without this, other local partners would have run out of PPE.

RESOLVED that:

a)      The procurement updates in this report be noted

b)     The Procurement Intentions Document (Attached as Appendix A to the report) be noted and where indicated, delegation to the appropriate officers (as per the Contract Procedure Rules) to progress new procurements through the tender process to contract award be approved.