Agenda item

To receive such reports as the Leader of the Council may wish to bring before the Council.

The Leader opened his report by referring to the distressing events in the Israel-Gaza conflict.  His thoughts were with all victims, their families and loved ones including those in Hampshire who may have family and friends in the region.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum declared a major incident last week in response to Storm Ciarán.  The Leader thanked the emergency services, local authorities and partner agencies for their collaborative response together with the County Council’s Highways Team; Education and Inclusion Officers supporting schools to ensure safety of pupils; communications officers providing crucial warning and information messages including travel and safety advice, and to frontline team supporting communities across Hampshire.

Last month the County Council renewed its pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant demonstrating the Council’s continuing support and gratitude to all members of Hampshire’s Armed Forces community.  The Leader thanked everyone involved in organising the Covenant renewal ceremony and paid tribute to Councillor Andrew Joy, the County Council’s Member Champion for the Armed Forces, and to Kate Steels, Senior Armed Forces Programme Manager.  The Leader was also looking forward to attending the Remembrance Service at Winchester Cathedral over the coming weekend.

The Leader reported on the consultation regarding important changes to nursing and specialist care accommodation for older adults against the backdrop of difficult choices the County Council faced as a result of exceptional cost pressures in adult social care services.  The Leader emphasised the importance of the Council continuing to deliver the right services in the longer term and to prepare for growing demand from an ageing population.  The consultation is open until 11.59pm on Sunday 12 November.

The Leader also reported on the consultations regarding proposed changes to the Council’s school and post-16 transport policies to provide more flexible transport arrangements to better respond to children and young people’s needs, demand and to external market pressures, whilst responding to the latest statutory guidance from the Department for Education.  The Leader confirmed the proposals were not part of a savings programme and do not include changes to the eligibility criteria.  Anyone wishing to respond should do so by Wednesday 6 December.  Analysis of the consultation feedback and final recommendations for both policies will be considered by the Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services at a Decision Day in 2024.

On World Mental Health Day last month, the Leader was pleased to announce Councillor Zoe Huggins as the new Member Champion for Mental Health who will be raising awareness across Hampshire and within the Council as well as actively supporting various initiatives such as the Council’s “Chat About” scheme launched last November.  Sessions have been held in 28 libraries welcoming over 5,700 people to chat over a hot drink, connecting with others in their local community and finding out about additional support if it was needed.

The Leader referred to the resolution of Council in July on underage vaping and welcomed the Government’s recent announcement creating a smokefree generation with additional funding for local Smoking Cessation Services.  This would see the County Council receiving in the region of £1.5m per year additional funding until 2028/29 to expand the Hampshire Stop Smoking Service.  The Council has been at the forefront in responding to the concerning trend of youth vaping, with officers in Public Health, Schools and Trading Standards’ teams working collaboratively to support schools and crack down on underage sales.  The County Council would be responding to the Government’s consultation.

The Council had resolved two further Motions: in July on Gurkha veterans’ pensions and welfare, and in September on ‘Boys Need Bins’.  The Leader had received a reply from the Minister for Veterans and Service Families confirming that discussions were ongoing with the Gurkha Veteran Welfare Committee over the Ministry of Defence’s proposed uplift to a range of support services in the UK and Nepal.  In respect of the second Motion, the Leader had written to Hampshire MPs requesting that they support Prostate Cancer UK’s ‘Boys Need Bins’ campaign and their call for legislation for the provision of sanitary bins in men’s toilets.  Some responses had been received, r

The Leader concluded by reporting on the following awards and events:

·         Attendance at the 25 Year and 40 year Long Service Celebrations.

·         Attendance at the annual Children and Families Award Ceremony recognising the outstanding contributions of foster carers and staff in the County Council’s Children and Families service.

·         A visit to SMR Automotive Mirrors UK Limited located in Portchester, in the company of the Lord Lieutenant for Hampshire and His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester.  SMR Automotive had received a prestigious Innovation Award as one of the South East winners of the 2023 King’s Award for Enterprise.

·         The first Hampshire Business Awards Ceremony will take place at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre on 30 November.  The Leader thanked the 166 businesses across Hampshire who had submitted 260 nominations for the 14 award categories, including 26 in the ‘Made in Hampshire’ category sponsored by the County Council.  The Leader also thanked The Business Magazine for working with the County Council to organise the Awards.