Approval was given today (Thursday 13 July) for work, including the completion of a governance review and consideration of a draft scheme to explore the opportunity for Warwickshire County Council (WCC), as a two-tier authority, to become a constituent member of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and other options and for a report to be brought back to Cabinet.
Full details here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/4353/wcc-cabinet-considers-wmca-paper.
In other issues, the Medium Term Financial Strategy Refresh which will shape the council’s spending up to the end of the year 2026-27 was approved. This aligned the Council’s finances, and the need to achieve over £67.7m savings over the lifespan of the strategy, with how key areas of focus will be resourced. Varous scenarios considering the economic position of the County were considered, with adaptations to the strategy in line should they occur.
Cabinet endorsed the refresh and, in order that it continues to have a five year life span, approved it for use through to the end of financial year 2027-28.
One area of focus that Cabinet considered reports around was the education of the County’s children. Cabinet supported a recommendation to add funding to building work to complete a nursery and kitchen at Kingsway Community Primary School. Because that funding totalled over £2m, however, the decision will go to full council later in the month for final approval as per council protocol.
Another decision, to allocate a special Education Capital Development Fund, gave approval for funding to be moved so that early parts of schemes have access to money at earlier stages, giving greater certainty to overall costs, protecting against inflation, and also giving greater surety around deadlines for completion of projects, clearly critical when school places have to be provided.
Early years education in Rugby will have greater flexibility in its offer as three primary and infant schools changed their age range so that they can increase the hours available to parent and carers. This is in response to feedback from parents who have been finding that work commitments are increasing demand for quality childcare.
Adult social care and looking after the county’s most vulnerable residents was under the spotlight as Cabinet agreed how it would pool the Better Care Fund, ensuring that that money goes further in helping those most in need.
Another vulnerable group, refugees who have come to Warwickshire for safety and asylum, were the subject of the change of the modern Slavery statement. Working conditions and trafficking were among the main points revised to better protect refugees living and working in the County.
With the County committed to tackling climate change, the Council's Energy Strategy and associated Delivery Plan were approved. Key to this this will be improvements in the management of water, gas, electricity and waste.
Active travel will also play a big role in reducing the County’s Carbon footprint, and Cabinet approved nearly £2.5m of funding, from the Government’s Active Travel programme, to make the eastern section of the Lias line, connecting Rugby to Leamington through a series of country paths, suitable for walking, cycling and wheeling.
It will provide a boost for businesses like pubs and cafes along the route and will offer an alternative means of travelling short distances in some of the rural communities along the way. Again, as this was over £2m it will require further approval, from Full Council, later in the month.
Finally, Cabinet also approved a motion tabled by the portfolio holder for transport and planning to introduce companion passes for people travelling on buses with disabled users. This was in response to a survey where it was identified by residents as the key change that they wished to see and will enable more people with disabilities to feel able to use public transport.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Cabinet, today, was a microcosm of what we do. As well as considering the county’s future and how we will finance its services over the next five years, we also considered various reports around our key areas of focus such as tackling climate change, creating opportunities through education, improving transport infrastructure and supporting people to lead healthier, independent lives.
“I was particularly delighted that two items – the change of age range in Rugby schools and the provision of companion bus passes – were brought to Cabinet in response to feedback from our residents and ended with a positive outcome following our debate.”