Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest from any councillor on any item on this agenda.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 3 June 2019.

It was agreed that the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 3

June 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

Dr Amanda Doyle, Chief Clinical Officer, Fylde and Wyre and Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Groups will make a presentation. There will be an opportunity for committee members to comment and ask questions.

Dr Amanda Doyle, Chief Clinical Officer Fylde and Wyre and Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and Mark Britton, CCG Communications Manager attended for this item.  Dr Doyle made a PowerPoint presentation to update the committee about the changing system architecture (structures) of the NHS.

The Fylde Coast was one of five partnership areas that made up the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS), a more mature version of the previous Sustainability and Transformation Partnership structure.  Of the five areas that made up the Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS, only West Lancashire did not have a Hospital Trust; the other four partnerships, including the Fylde Coast, provided comparable services.

Dr Doyle summarised the new arrangement of Neighbourhoods, geographical areas across which groups of GP practices (primary care networks) and other health and care services work together to ensure joined-up care tailored to the needs of their local populations.

In response to a question, Dr Doyle described the nature of the independent contractual arrangement between GPs and the NHS. There was additional national funding being devolved to primary care networks to employ a clinical pharmacist and a social prescribing lead, with a range of other new clinical professionals also being brought in, with the overall effect of increasing capacity.

Dr Doyle referred to the current funding gap and the increasing demand of older people. She highlighted the fact that people were generally made less well if they were kept in hospital for longer than necessary so the emphasis was on moving people on as quickly as possible. The new Home First programme concentrated on carrying out assessments at home and working more closely with Local Authorities.

The Chairman raised the issue of a local rehabilitation centre, which appeared to be an excellent facility, but was clearly underused. Dr Doyle said there were different models of care in different parts of the Fylde Coast, but that it was important to work more closely with care homes to make sure that this situation was recognised and dealt with.

Dr Doyle concluded by agreeing that it might be pertinent for the committee to look at how local councillors can engage more actively with the new Neighbourhoods to improve wellbeing.

The Chairman thanked Dr Doyle and Mark Britton for attending the meeting and for their very informative presentation. 

Councillor Julie Robinson, Wyre Council’s representative on Lancashire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee, will present a report about the business undertaken by the committee over the past twelve months. 

Councillor Julie Robinson presented a report to advise the committee about the work of Lancashire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee during 2018/19.

Councillor Robinson, Wyre Council’s co-opted member of the committee, gave an overview to the arrangements and the scope of the Health Scrutiny Committee. She also asked for members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to look at the current Work Programme in case they wished to ask any questions, which they could do through her.

It was agreed that the report be noted.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, has submitted the Planned Maintenance and Investment Projects Schedule - 2019/20. The committee will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions.  

The Head of Finance, Clare James, presented a report that had been submitted by the Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh.

Ms James advised the committee that this was an annual report to members, which gave a flavour of the works planned. It was an estimate that could change.

The first item on the schedule, ‘Carry out refurbishment and redecoration works to main hall’ and the item relating to Copse Road had both been carried over from 2018/19.  All other schemes had been scheduled for the 2019/20 plan.

It was agreed that the report be noted.

Head of Finance, Clare James, has submitted two draft budget consultation documents, which she will explain and update at the meeting.

The Head of Finance, Clare James, submitted a report. She reminded councillors that Wyre had not carried out a formal consultation on the budget for a number of years, although an exploratory ‘soft touch’ consultation was carried out in February, without significant response. It was evident, however, that some residents were still unsure about the division of responsibility for delivering services between Lancashire County Council and Wyre.

In response to a question Ms James clarified that the £30 fee for green bin collections was introduced to try to offset some of the loss resulting from the termination of the Cost Sharing Agreement, and she explained some of the detail behind that. The suggestion was made that the consultation document be amended to reflect this income, and perhaps to include a question about the New Homes Bonus, but Ms James said that she would prefer to try to keep the consultation as simple as possible and reflect corporate messages repeated elsewhere.

Ms James explained that the consultation would mainly be available via social media and the Council’s website, although a small number of hard copies would be available from the Civic Centre Reception. It was estimated that the total outlay for the consultation would not exceed £50.

It was agreed that the consultation be supported by the committee along the lines proposed by Ms James with a couple of minor changes to the format.  

Peter Foulsham, Scrutiny Officer, has submitted a briefing from Local Government Information Unit on the recently published statutory guidance on scrutiny.

Peter Foulsham, Scrutiny Officer, presented to the committee a briefing from Local Government Information Unit on the recently published statutory guidance on scrutiny. The main points of the briefing were highlighted and there were discussions around how the committee would like to progress with the guidance.

The guidance highlighted a number of issues including organisational culture, the selection and training of scrutiny members, and best practice. Following discussion, the committee decided to hold an additional meeting to discuss the guidance, and the possible implications for the committee, in greater detail.

It was agreed that

(i)            an additional committee meeting be scheduled for the 23^rd September 2019 at 6pm, and

(ii)          the briefing be noted.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation has submitted a report, updating councillors about the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2019/20.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation submitted a report. The Chairman updated the committee about the progress of the task groups on the Poulton to Fleetwood Link and the Resident Parking Permit Scheme respectively. He also confirmed that it had been proposed that the Full Council set up of a Working Group on climate change; the possible role of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the Working Group’s programme was yet to be defined.

The committee had previously agreed to commission a task group on the District Enforcement pilot programme. The Chairman confirmed that a report and a draft scoping document would be submitted to the September meeting, with a view to carrying out a review between October and December.  

Councillor Emma Ellison proposed that a task group review be set up to look at how the Council might do more to assist small businesses and town centres. She acknowledged that the Council already does a lot of very positive work in this area, but would like to investigate whether there were any gaps or whether there were any areas for further development.  The Council’s Business Plan 2019-2023 included a commitment to support businesses to prosper, as well as measures of (i) town centre vacancy rates and (ii) the number of businesses supported, two things that had previously been questioned by the committee when carrying out their quarterly performance review.  The committee was supportive of the proposal and asked that a report and draft scoping document be submitted to a future meeting, for the committee’s consideration.

The Chairman confirmed that, as agreed under the previous item on the agenda, an additional meeting of the committee would be held on Monday 23 September 2019 at 6pm, specifically to consider the recently published statutory guidance on overview and scrutiny. He emphasized the importance of members attending as it was likely that a specialist external advisor would be invited specifically for the purpose of generating and informing the discussion. 

It was agreed that:

(i)            A report on the District Enforcement pilot programme and a draft scoping document be submitted to the next meeting on 9 September 2019 with a view to setting up a Task Group Review

(ii)          A report on small businesses and town centre vacancies and a draft scoping document be submitted to a future meeting, with a view to setting up a Task Group Review