Policy and Intelligence Newsletter - 1 June, 2021

Welcome to the new format Policy and Intelligence Newsletter, which explores a different theme each fortnight, giving you data insights and policy analysis. There are also regular sections providing a news roundup and Parliamentary stories of interest. As the incoming administration reorganises the Cabinet’s portfolios, moving from twelve to ten, we introduce the new portfolios and their areas of responsibility. 

News roundup

• As of 28 May a total of 14,307 people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have tested positive for Covid-19. A total of 470 people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have died within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19. 
• Step 3 of England’s Covid-19 roadmap is now in effect, with indoor hospitality and entertainment venues reopening. People can socialise indoors in a group of up to 6 people or 2 households, including overnight stays. Up to 30 people can meet outside. Government guidance is still to work from home if you can.
• International travel restrictions have been lifted, but Government advice is not to travel to any countries on the red or amber list. 12 countries are on the green list, including Portugal, Israel and New Zealand. Covid-19 testing and quarantine on arrival in England are not required for travel to and from Ireland, the Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
• Face coverings in the classroom or communal areas of schools are no longer recommended for pupils, but are still advised for staff everywhere physical distancing is not possible, with the exception of classrooms.
• 4-month notice periods for renters will be in place until the end of September. For much of the pandemic, 6-month notice period were in force.
• Cornwall has been ranked 203rd of 379 local authorities in the Legatum Institute's UK Prosperity Index, an improvement on the Duchy's ranking of 252nd in 2011. However, Cornwall is near the bottom in assessments of personal freedom (343rd), infrastructure (327th) and economic quality (313rd).
• Rural crime rates are reportedly rising 3 times faster than in the rest of the country, with The Rural Services Network estimating that in 2018/19 rural areas received £167 per person in police funding compared to £206 in urban areas.
• Analysis from the Office for National Statistics shows that the proportion of young people (aged 16-24) in full-time education reached a new high of 46.8% in July-September 2020. Young people are the most likely age group to be on zero hours contracts, and are the group who saw their employment rate decline the sharpest at the start of the pandemic.
• Food bank charity The Trussell Trust has published a State of Hunger report, showing 95% of people using food banks in 2020 were destitute. 62% of working-age people referred to food banks were disabled and 18% of households were single parents (twice the rate of the general population).

View from Westminster

The Queen’s Speech on 11 May set out the Government’s agenda for the current session of Parliament. Highlights include: 

• Reforms to the planning system to meet house-building goals. Councils will designate all areas as “growth”, “protection” or “renewal”, with planning permission granted automatically in growth zones.
• A commitment to bring forward proposals to reform social care.
• Closer integration of health and care services, as set out in the Health and Care White Paper earlier this year.
• A requirement for voter ID for future elections, provided free by councils for people who do not have existing identification such as drivers’ licences.
• Guarantee of a lifelong loan entitlement for adults to use on higher education or training at any point. Free A-level equivalents for 11 million adults.
• Delivery of a national recovery from the pandemic via the Levelling Up agenda, supporting jobs and public services through a tailored regional approach.
• Setting of legally binding environmental targets, including Net Zero Emissions by 2050, and investing in green industries through the Environment Bill.
• Introducing a consistent recycling approach across all English councils, including powers to introduce charges for single-use plastic.

As England moves into step 3 of the Covid-19 roadmap, the Government is launching a new scheme for businesses to show they are regularly testing their staff. The “We Offer Testing to Our Staff” initiative will let businesses download free posters and stickers to publicise that they are staff and the public safe. Although formal restrictions are gradually coming to an end in the UK, the Government is planning for possible further disruption next year, launching a consultation on non-exam assessment for some GCSE, AS and A-level subjects for 2022. It has been announced that an independent public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic will take place in spring 2022, with powers to call witnesses and compel them to give evidence. 

Councils are to receive more Government funding to help rough sleepers into safe accommodation, with targeted support including mental health and addiction services, as well as money for extra bed spaces. Cornwall Council has been allocated over £3.5 million. Cornwall is also due to benefit from the Future High Streets fund, with Penzance named as one of 57 additional towns in a second tranche of funding announcements. Penzance will receive over £10 million to assist with projects such as improving transport links, building new homes and transforming underused spaces.

Cornwall Council’s new portfolios.

Leader - Cllr Linda Taylor

• The Leadership of the Council.
• Specific individual responsibilities:

1. Strategy and place leader for Cornwall
2. Regional policy and external relations 
3. Relationship with HM Government
4. Civic functions 
5. Partnerships
6. Levelling up and Equalities
7. Communications and resident engagement

• To lead on strategy formulation for the Council through Cabinet. 
• To chair the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Leadership Board.

Deputy Leader - Cllr David Harris

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to:

1. Resources (including billing, collection and recovery of local taxation)
2. Financial forward planning and budgeting
3. The effective use of resources and value for money
4. Treasury Management 
5. Investment Programme 
6. Risk management and insurance
7. Human Resources
8. Performance Management framework
9. Fees and charges
10. Property and Estate transformation 

Customers - Cllr Richard Pears

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to: 

1. Customer Services and Customer Experience
2. Business Systems and digital strategy
3. Social inclusion, digital inclusion, employability and welfare 
4. Leisure Services
5. Relationship with the voluntary and third sector
6. Relationship with suppliers
7. Corporate procurement and commercial services
8. Facilities Management
9. Governance and Assurance 

• To act as the lead Executive Member with responsibility for the shareholder oversight of the Council’s Companies 

Adults and Public Health - Cllr Andy Virr

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to adult social care and public health and wellbeing service in line with the Care Act 2014 and public health responsibilities as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. This includes: 

1. Adult Social Care Services for adults of working age
2. Adult social care services for older adults
3. Services for carers
4. Vulnerable adult safeguarding functions
5. Public Health and Health Protection (including drug and alcohol services)
6. Health and Well-Being Strategy

• Promoting the best possible adult social services and seamless care in the community by working with and optimising all opportunities offered by other providers to further these aims.
• Working in partnership through the Health and Well Being Board to promote early intervention and prevention and integrated care.  
• To act as the lead Executive Member for the Health and Well-Being Board. 
• To provide executive member leadership on Health and Social Care integration.

Children and Families - Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek

• To undertake the responsibilities of the Lead Member for Children’s Services as set out in statutory guidance. 
• To enhance the Council's corporate parenting role; to protect and champion children’s rights and to promote opportunity for all children in Cornwall.
• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to:

1. Children’s Rights and involvement of young people in decision making
2. Children’s Social Care
3. Children’s Safeguarding
4. Early Intervention Services for vulnerable children
5. Early Years provision including Health Visiting
6. Schools
7. Special Educational Needs Provision
8. Transitions for disabled young people
9. Youth Offending
10. Universal Youth provision and post 16 employment and training
11. Adult Education 
12. Skills Agenda and relationships with FE and Universities.

• Work in Partnership with the One Vision Board and Health and Well-Being Board to achieve better outcomes for children and families.
• To lead on budget and policy development and implementation in relation to capital investment in educational infrastructure in schools.

Planning and Housing - Cllr Olly Monk

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to planning and transport including: 

1. The Local Plan and associated local planning guidance
2. Neighbourhood Plans
3. Development Control Service and Planning Enforcement 
4. Land registry and street naming
5. Housing Strategy 
6. Housing delivery pipeline to deliver Local Plan housing targets
7. Regeneration
8. Direct Housing Development and investment
9. Social Housing and Private Rented standards
10. Homelessness Prevention and Housing Advice and Options Service 
11. Housing Adaptations for disabled people. 
12. Housing related support for vulnerable people

• To act as the lead Executive Member with responsibility for working with the Strategic Housing Group. 

Transport - Cllr Philip Desmonde

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to planning and transport including: 

1. Highways 
2. Street Lighting
3. The Local Transport Strategy
4. School Transport
5. Public Transport 
6. Ferries
7. Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry 
8. Parking Strategy 

• To act as the lead Executive Member with responsibility for working with the Peninsula Subnational Transport Body. 

Economy - Cllr Stephen Rushworth

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to:

1. Economic development and economic strategy
2. Relationships with business community 
3. Town Vitality and Place Shaping
4. Spaceport 
5. Energy Policy
6. Anti-poverty strategy
7. Social inclusion, digital inclusion employability and welfare
8. Cultural Services and Cornish Language 

• To act as the lead Executive Member with responsibility for working with the Local Enterprise Partnership and The Great South West. 

Neighbourhoods - Cllr Carol Mould

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to: 

1. Waste – collection, disposal and waste minimisation. 
2. Street cleaning
3. Community safety 
4. Registrars 
5. Library and cultural services
6. Community Networks and relationships with Town and Parish Councils
7. Events and Licensing
8. Parks and Open Spaces
9. Public Rights of Way 

Environment and Climate Change - Cllr Martyn Alvey

• To lead on budget and policy formulation and implementation in relation to the environment. This includes: 

1. Waterways, beaches and flood resilience
2. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Site
3. Cemeteries and Crematoria. 
4. Archaeology Service
5. Fisheries and Agricultural Policy
6. Maritime Services (Ports and Harbours) 
7. Climate Change
8. Public Protection and Enforcement Services (Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Port Health, Parking Enforcement)
9. Fire and Rescue Service
10. Emergency Planning and business resilience
11. Council Farms

• To provide executive member leadership for the Environmental Growth Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan and to deliver better environmental outcomes through the Local Nature Partnership. 
• To provide overall liaison with Devon and Cornwall Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner and to promote effective blue light collaboration within Cornwall. 

Information in the newsletter is correct at time of writing, 11am on Friday 28 May.