County Councillor’s Report to Parish Councils

Coker Division

Marcus Fysh

February 2017

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Small Improvement Schemes

I am pleased to report that progress is being made with delivery of the Small Improvement Scheme for Old Road in Odcombe, with the only outstanding area for agreement being the exact design of a directional road sign. I hope this scheme will be scheduled for installation shortly.

The assessment board has by contrastI am sorry to say not approved the Small Improvement Scheme that I submitted for Montacute. I am saddened by this news as I know the strength of feeling of some local residents on this issue. The board found that the recent speed indicator evidence showed there was not a speeding problem. I have asked to review this evidence however if there is not evidence of a speeding problem it will be difficult to get the decision changed. The presence of parked cars has been perceived to have increased substantially since the scheme was first mooted many years ago, and this according to the traffic analysts slows the traffic naturally, making the spending of money on a scheme to slow traffic unnecessary.

This highlights how important it is to have hard and demonstrable evidence of speeding or other safety problems, and a viable solution being offered by a potential Small Improvement Scheme that would not be knocked out by national design and other guidance, before applying for one, and it is why I have been cautious about recommending schemes for Barwick and Stoford and West Chinnock in advance of having that hard evidence or reassurance on the guidance, since if they are applied for and denied, a further application cannot be made. Similarly with schemes proposed by East Coker and West Coker previously we have had to look at the realistic prospect of something being able to be done and conclude that as things stand that is not the case. With Montacute there had been the assumption that the assessment that had been undertaken some 6 or 7 years ago, but not pursued under the previous County Councillor, would hold good, but sadly this has not been the case.

I am pleased to say that most of the feedback received on the improvements that we made to the A356 between Crewkerne and the A303 has been positive about their operation.

The County Council does not intend to open another window for Small Imporvement Schemes until after the County elections in May.

Ministerial praise for progress in Children's Services

Key Somerset County Councillors heard of Ministerial praise of ‘significant’ and ‘tangible’ improvements in its Children’s Services this month. Cabinet members were updated on progress,including a letter from Edward Timpson, the Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and Families, to Leader of the council, John Osman.

The letter follows four reviews by a team from Essex County Council and refers to significant improvements, more manageable caseloads, a more stable workforce and better partnership working. These changes have led to tangible improvements in social work practice, resulting in children and families receiving a considerably better service. The feedback has been very welcome.

Much has changed in the world of children: legislation as well as practices. It was entirely right of central government four years agoto raise the bar for what is an acceptable standard in children’s services, and this is what has driven Somerset’s need to improve. The letter is official confirmation that SCC has rebuilt the service and is firmly on an improving path. There is a still much work to do, but this confirms that we are moving forward as result of the hard work of our staff and partners.

There is a vital role played by the County in child protection but we cannot do it on our own. Health and police services in particular are crucial partners. Safeguarding vulnerable children is everyone’s responsibility and it’s pleasing to see that the Minister’s letter includes reference to better partnership working. The latest review took place in November 2016. In May 2015, the Council committed an extra £6m over three years to its Children’s Services to drive forward improvements.

New road deal pledges fewer potholes and more local jobs

Fewer potholes, more work for local businesses and more satisfied communities are among the goals of a new multi-million pound highways contract for Somerset signed in January. Somerset County Council and Skanska have agreed a deal for highways maintenance in the county which will run from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2024, with the option to extend for a further three years based on performance.

Highways maintenance covers everything from resurfacing and filling potholes to responding to emergencies and gritting roads. As part of the winning bid, Skanska will be working with the County Council to deliver a number of benefits, ranging from visiting local schools to helping the County Council secure maximum funding from the Government. Skanska is committed to reducing the number of potholes through preventative work such as drainage improvements and resurfacing; making sure supply chain spend remains in local communities by supporting suitable local businesses wherever possible; and boosting customer satisfaction by providing a more responsive service.

The contractor will also identify further savings and apply industry best-practice to ensure the contract offers the best possible deal for taxpayers.

A new Productivity Plan that puts Somerset at the heart of the nation’s industrial strategy has been launched.

In addition to the work being done by MPs with business and industry on industrial strategy in the 5 Somerset constituencies, the County Council’s Productivity Plan aims to make sure the Heart of the South West area makes a significant contribution to the UK’s future productivity growth – with all the improvements to living standards and economic benefits that come with that. This is central to the national industrial strategy and to the local aim to deliver rewarding careers, investing in science, research and innovation and highlighting the nuclear and aerospace industries and related supply chains for investment.

The plan has been put together by the Devolution Partnership made up of the Heart of the South West’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and 20 local authorities across Somerset and Devon, led by Somerset County Council and the five Somerset district councils.

Its launch comes a week after the start of the government consultation “Building our Industrial Strategy” which aims to increase productivity and drive growth across the whole country. At this stage the Devolution Partnership is seeking views from interested groups and the public on whether it is considering the right challenges. A final plan will be launched in the autumn with further opportunities to feedback, either through that or directly with MPs.

“This is an opportunity to put this region at heart of the Government’s economic strategy. With the right investment and strategic lead from the Devolution Partnership, we believe it has the potential to become an internationally important business location. This is the first stage of an important process in which public and private sector partners are working together to shape the economic prosperity of our area.”

The national strategy includes themes linking directly to the Heart of the South West plan, including helping young people to develop the skills they need to do the high-paid, high-skilled jobs of the future.

Despite success in increasing employment, the LEP area ranks towards the lower end of productivity levels. Productivity also varies greatly across the area. Lower productivity means it takes longer to produce the same goods and services this translates to lower wages and longer hours worked.

The Productivity Plan sets out how the partnership intends to address this challenge and will be its contribution to the UK’s Industrial Strategy. It will form the basis of negotiations with Government for investment and devolved powers and will act as a focal point to consolidate local resources and work with our MPs.

Grant awarded to LGBT youth group

Somerset County Council has awarded a one-year grant to youth group 2BU. Their contract with the council ends at the end of March and is being replaced with a grant, reviewed annually, bringing it into line with other youth groups. 2BU provides advice and support for Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) young people. “We have always recognised the value of support of this kind,” said Councillor Frances Nicholson, Somerset County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families.

Business Leader served up a breakfast briefing by top figures at Somerset County Council.

Chief Executive, Pat Flaherty, and Deputy Leader, Councillor David Hall, spoke at the first Somerset Chamber of Commerce business breakfast of the year, held in the Canalside Business Centre in Bridgwater. “A vibrant economy is critical to the county”, said Cllr Hall after the event. “It means jobs and it means prosperity and prosperity pays for everything. This is a very exciting time and it’s not just about Hinkley Point. We are involved in lots of work to stimulate business start-ups and growth and there are major infrastructure projects taking big steps forward.

The event was organised by the chamber as part of its work to help local businesses network, lobby and promote the county as a place to do business.

The County Council is committed to playing its part in developing Somerset’s economy. This role has been consistently rated by residents as one of their key priorities for the authority. Councillor Hall, who is Cabinet Member for Business, Inward Investment and Policy, gave an update on the state of businesses growth and important infrastructure developments. As well as highlighting the opportunities brought by the Hinkley Point development, he spoke about bringing superfast broadband to the county, forthcoming improvements to the A303/A358 and the exciting iAero project in Yeovil. Mr Flaherty gave a summary of the council’s responsibilities and an insight into its financial challenges which more than ever need close working relationships with the County’s MPs. He also urged local businesses to compete for the £400m worth of contracts tendered by the authority each year.

The issues surrounding infrastructure, connectivity and bridging the skills gap are fundamental to the future growth of the county, and it is reassuring for businesses to know that the Somerset Chamber, the County Council, other key organisations,and the County’s MPs,are all working together to address these areas, giving our county the best possible chance of success.

Finance

I continue to work closely with Ministers in Westminster on behalf of the County, to secure the best and most timely possible deal on devolution of business rates, so as to provide the basis along with growth of council tax base other than by means of the council tax rate itself rising, for growing revenue streams to be available in the future to finance the County’s services.

Marcus Fysh MP