Richard Tear

Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee - Thursday, 5 December 2024 10.00 am

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee met to discuss four key topics: the draft budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy, the Community Risk Management Plan for 2025-2030, Economic Growth in Surrey, and a review of the forward work programme. The committee made a total of nine recommendations to the Cabinet.

Planning and Regulatory Committee - Wednesday, 27 November 2024 10.30 am

At this meeting of the Planning and Regulatory Committee, the Committee considered two planning applications for schools: the first for a new AP school on the site of a former care home, and the second for the extension of an infant school. The committee also considered an application to register some land as a Town & Village Green and a referral of a public footpath. The committee accepted the withdrawal of the application for village green status. The committee agreed to take a neutral stance in regard to the public footpath. The applications for the two schools were discussed at length, with arguments being made both for and against them. Ultimately, the committee agreed to permit the application for the infant school, but decided to refer the application for the AP school back to Surrey County Council for reconsideration.

the Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Frimley Park Hospital) of Surrey Council

This meeting was scheduled to include updates on the New Hospital Programme, as well as discussions on contingency planning for Frimley Park Hospital. The committee was also scheduled to approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

the Audit and Governance Committee of Surrey Council

The Committee concluded the action plan created in response to the 2022 Centre for Governance and Scrutiny's review of Council Governance, subject to an external review to take place after the May 2025 election. The Committee also received the six month complaints update report for 2024-25 and, following a lengthy discussion, asked the Chairman to write to the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) to express its concern about the lack of progress in reducing complaints and particularly communication complaints. It also asked him to invite a member of the CLT to a future meeting to discuss what they were doing to improve complaints handling. During its consideration of the Annual Governance Statement half year update the Committee asked for a more detailed update report on the progress being made by the MySurrey Stabilisation Board to be provided in January. During its consideration of the Internal Audit Progress Report, the Committee asked for a report on the actions taken in response to the follow up audits on Tree Management and Social Value In Procurement.

the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee of Surrey Council

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee voted by 7 to 4 to refer the decision not to proceed with the A3100 Burpham to Boxgrove Roundabout Active Travel Scheme back to the Cabinet for reconsideration. The Select Committee felt that the decision should be reconsidered because the original decision was not fully supported by the evidence presented and because it did not take into account alternative options, active travel's contribution to health and well-being, and the council's commitment to achieving net zero by 2050.