Cabinet Member Announcements
To invite Cabinet Members to provide a brief update on matters concerning their portfolio.
Minutes:
The Cabinet Member for Planning and Community Engagement reported that, following a motion agreed previously at Full Council a letter had been sent and a response received from the Rt Hon Stuart Andrew, which had been circulated to Cabinet members this afternoon. The next day the first briefing relating to the Island Plan would be delivered to all members of the council with a further briefing on 25 March which would include representatives from IWALC. Following this, a report would be prepared and the plan shared with the Corporate Scrutiny Committee before Cabinet would make recommendations to Full Council. Following this, there would be further consultation by the Planning Inspectorate. The council would ensure that residents were made aware of the further consultation.
The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills reported that there had been an excellent response to the consultation on term times for the year 2023/24, which was due to end on 18 March. A report would be prepared for Cabinet on 12 May 2022.
The Cabinet Member for Highways PFI, Transport and Infrastructure reported that despite what had been written in the press and on social media, the council had not walked away from mediation in relation to the floating bridge, it was continuing via the mediator.
The Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance, Corporate Resources and Transformational Change reported that a letter had been received from Secretary of State Gove regarding the situation in Ukraine. It was confirmed that the council was ahead of the game and reassurance was given that none of the council’s pension investments were with Russia.
A streaming service had been established at the crematorium, which tied in with the Commercial Strategy. When the strategy was considered by Cabinet within the next few months this would be examined more fully. Public praise had been received for the direct cremation service at £450, which it was believed would help many people with the current financial challenges.
The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health reported that it was World Social Workers’ Day on 15 March and on 17th a day of remembrance was to be held to remember the social care workers who died during the pandemic.
All care homes run by the local authority had received a CQC rating of ‘good’.
A meeting had been held with Integrated Care Systems (ICS) which was progressing well, with a strategy being developed and moving forward. Thanks were expressed to the council’s Scrutiny Officer for his work at a national level with scrutiny and how it would work within the new ICS.
The Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Digital Transformation, Housing Provision and Housing Needs reported that the council’s Beta website was up and running in some areas. There would be a ‘soft’ launch for councillors in the near future. The installation of new Teams software and equipment was being rolled out across County Hall meeting rooms. The council’s current telephony contract was coming to an end and replacement systems ... view the full minutes text for item 110