Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors C E H Marfleet and Mrs A Reynolds and from Added Members Mr Thompson, Mr Rudman, Mrs E J Olivier-Townrow and Mrs G Wright.

No declarations were made.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 December 2014 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(To consider any Call-Ins, should any be received)

No call-ins had been received.

(To consider any proposals for Scrutiny Reviews, should any be received)

There had been no proposals for scrutiny reviews.

(To receive a report by David Forbes (County Finance Officer), which provides a discussion, as requested at the 18 December 2014 meeting of the Committee, of the issues relating to the feasibility of undertaking assessments of the financial impact of Lincolnshire County Council budget reductions on the wider public sector within the County)

At its meeting on 18 December 2014, the Committee requested that a report be produced regarding the feasibility of undertaking assessments of the financial impact of Lincolnshire County Council budget reductions on the wider public sector within the County.

The Committee discussed the report and the following points were noted:

·         The County Council had good relationships with other agencies and David Forbes met with other treasurers at district level;

·         It was suggested that officers could look at the impact that previous budget reductions had on the wider public sector;

·         It was highlighted that external organisations and charities needed to be kept aware of budget decisions as the Council had open and honest relationships with them;

·         It was highlighted that the Council was not the only source of funding that charities could apply to and if these alternative sources were not utilised, they may disappear;

·         The increase in the population of Lincolnshire would continue to be highlighted to central government as evidence for more funding.

Following discussion on the next steps, it was agreed that David Forbes would return to the Committee in six months' time (for its meeting on 20 July 2015) with a further report on how to take the issue forward on a practical basis ahead of the January 2016 scrutiny committee budget cycle.

RESOLVED

1.    That the report be noted;

2.    That a further report be brought to Committee at its meeting on 20 July 2015.

(To receive a report by Jasmine Sodhi (Performance and Equalities Manager), which invites the Committee to consider the draft Council Business Plan 2015/2016, prior to consideration by the Executive on 3 February 2015.  Any comments which have been agreed by the Scrutiny Committee will be presented to the Executive at its meeting)

Consideration was given to a report which outlined the outcomes and measures of the draft Council Business Plan 2015/2016.  The draft Plan was due to be presented to the Executive on 3 February 2015.

It was noted that the Plan did not contain everything that was measured; only certain services were elevated to the plan.

Poor communication between the Council and small parishes was raised.  It was noted that a Scrutiny Review specifically looking at the relationship between the Council and parish councils had taken place.  It was felt that if parish councils still felt there was a problem, then this should be looked into further.  Jasmine Sodhi would take this comment back to commissioners.

RESOLVED

1.    That the report be noted;

2.    That comments made on the draft Council Business Plan 2015/2016 be noted.

(To consider a report by David Hair (Team Leader – Scrutiny and Member Support), which invites the Committee to consider the content of its own work programme and the work programmes of the Council's other scrutiny committees)

Consideration was given to a report which enabled the Committee to consider both its own work programme and the scrutiny committee work programmes for 2015.

Discussion took place regarding the Audit Committee on 26 January 2015 and its consideration of the Organisational Learning – Libraries Project report.

Consideration of work programmes:

i)          Adults Scrutiny Committee

The item on the Carers Commissioning Strategy would not be coming forward at the meeting on 25 February and may be considered in May or June.

It was confirmed that there would be an item on the Arrangements for the Section 75 Agreement to support the Better Care Fund in 2015-2016 at the meeting on 25 February 2015.

There were no other changes to the work programme.

ii)         Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

There were a number of amendments to the work programme.

The report on the consultation on the future of Brocklesby Park Primary School and potential closure (Final Decision) had been deferred from 24 April to 5 June.  The Executive Councillor decision would now be taken on 22 June 2015

An exempt report on Family Support Commissioning Review had been added to the agenda for the 24 April meeting, for pre-decision scrutiny prior to an Executive decision on 5 May.

A report on a proposal to expand capacity at Spalding Parish Church of England Day School (Final Decision) had been added to the 5 June agenda for pre-decision scrutiny prior to an Executive Councillor decision on 22 June.

iii)     Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

There was a change to the work programme for the meeting on 4 March.  The item on the Director of Public Health's Annual Report would now be considered on 15 April.

iv)     Economic Scrutiny Committee

There were two amendments to the work programme. 

The report on Unlocking Rural Housing had been deferred from 24 February to the 9 June meeting.

The report on Lincoln Castle Revealed had been removed from the 24 February agenda as the Committee would be visiting the Castle that afternoon.  The visit, to which all county councillors had been invited, would give officers a chance to update on the progress of the project and would include an opportunity to go on the wall walk, see the prison, the Magna Carta Vault and the Heritage Skills Centre.  A buffet lunch would be available at the Castle from 1pm and the tour would be from 2pm to 4pm.

v)      Environmental Scrutiny Committee

There were no changes to the work programme at this time.

vi)     Health Scrutiny Committee

The Committee would not be including an item on the Health Education East Midlands – Lincolnshire Workforce Strategy.  This was because Health Education England was being restructured, but it remained an important item for the Committee.

The Chairman added to the list an item on Working Protocol Between the Health Scrutiny Committee and the NHS England Area Team, which following reorganisations going to be called NHS England Central Midlands, which covers Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes, Leicestershire,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.