Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: A Bridges, R L Foulkes, C E H Marfleet, Mrs A M Newton, Mrs C A Talbot and Added Members: Mrs P J Barnett and Mr P Thompson.

An apology for absence was also received from Richard Wills (Executive Director of Environment and Economy).

No interests were declared.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Chairman was pleased to report that the defibrillator for County Offices, which was requested by the Committee, had now been fitted in the Reception area.

The Chairman advised that he had attended the meeting of the Executive on 5 April 2016, when the item on the 'Review of the Council's Home to School Transport Policy in relation to Discretionary Grammar School Transport – Final Report' was discussed.  It was noted that the Chairman of the Task and Finish Group, alongside the Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, presented the report to the Executive.  Two Members of the Task and Finish Group who had alternative views were also invited to speak on the item.  

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

The Committee was advised that no Call-Ins had been received.

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

The Committee was advised that no proposals for Scrutiny Reviews had been received.

(To consider Councillor Calls for Action, should any be received)

The Committee was advised that no Councillor Calls for Action had been received.

(To receive a report from Nigel West, Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer which provides the Committee with an opportunity to consider and comment on the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report, prior to approval by the County Council on 20 May 2016)

The Committee considered a report by the Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer, which provided Members with the opportunity to discuss the contents of the draft Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2015/2016.

It was reported that an Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report was prepared every year for consideration at the County Council’s Annual General Meeting.  This year’s report followed the format of the previous year in highlighting the key aspects of overview and scrutiny work undertaken during 2015/2016.  A copy of the draft document was appended to the report.

Members were provided with the opportunity to discuss the report, and some of the points highlighted included the following:

·       It was confirmed that the draft report had been emailed to all Members on the Committee on 22 April 2016.  It was suggested that the relevant sections were finalised with the relevant scrutiny chairmen and then the final draft of the report be emailed to the Committee for final comments;

·       Officers agreed to explore whether scrutiny committees could refer directly to meetings of the County Council;

·        More emphasis should be placed on 'looking ahead' for each scrutiny committee and therefore the relevant scrutiny chairmen were asked to make the necessary amendments;

·        A Member commented that the County Council should set its priorities through its Annual Report/Council Business Plan, prior to setting the County Council Budget;

·        It was suggested that reference should be made within each section to the relevant performance indicators;

·        It was also suggested that reference should be made within each section to the current, and future, financial challenges.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the comments made in relation to the Draft Overview and Scrutiny Annual report for 2015-16 be noted.

(2)  That the relevant scrutiny chairmen be requested to finalise their respective sections, prior to the final draft being emailed to Members of the Scrutiny Committee for final comments.

(3)  That the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2015-16, as amended  and in accordance with any comments made, be submitted to the meeting of the County Council on 20 May 2016 for final approval.

(To receive a verbal update on the work of the Review of Scrutiny Working Group)

The Committee received a verbal update from the Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Committee on the Review of Scrutiny Working Group.

Members were advised that the focus of the Working Group was still on the relationship between Executive and Scrutiny, and in particular what a good relationship should look like.

It was noted that a visit to Boston Borough Council had been carried out by two Members of the Working Group and the notes from the visit would be considered by the Working Group at the meeting during the afternoon of 28 April 2016.  A visit would also be arranged for City of Lincoln Council following its Elections in May 2016.

It was also noted that two Members of the Executive were scheduled to attend and to contribute to the afternoon's meeting of the Working Group.

RESOLVED

That the verbal update on the Review of Scrutiny Working Group be noted.

(To consider a report by Nigel West, (Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer), which invites the Committee to consider the content of its 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 work programmes from the scrutiny committees for 2016.

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

It was suggested that the Committee received an update on the progress with the County Council's Budget for 2016/17, in particular the impact of the budget reductions on each service area.  Further to this, it was suggested that a workshop was arranged for the Committee covering this matter.

Concerns were raised over the possibility of the item on the Review of Financial Performance 2015/16 not being ready for June 2016. It was suggested that the Chairman be requested to send an email to the Executive Director of Finance and Public Protection expressing the Committee's concerns and ask what the implications would be of not producing the budget outturn in June 2016.

 Adults Scrutiny Committee

There was one change to the work programme:

The item on the Outcomes from the Care Quality Commission Inspection of Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust would now not be considered by the Adults Scrutiny Committee on 25 May 2016.  However, it was noted that this matter would be considered by the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire on 18 May 2016.

A Member referred to the section on the Adults Scrutiny Committee in the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report, specifically where it referred to the Committee being reassured that 65% of residential and nursing homes in Lincolnshire had been rated as good. Following a discussion, it was agreed that this section would be re-drafted as it implied that the Committee was content with 35% of Lincolnshire's residential and nursing homes not being rated as 'good' and this was not the case.

 Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

Members were advised that at the meeting scheduled to be held on 27 May 2016 the Committee would be considering a report to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care and Health Services, Children's Services, which would invite her to make a decision on the Grammar School Transport Scrutiny Review recommendation.  The Executive Councillor was scheduled to take her decision on which option to accept on 3 June 2016.

In response to a question on the Committee's interest on enforced academisation, Members were advised that the Vice-Chairman would raise this issue at its next scheduled agenda planning meeting. The Committee expressed its dissatisfaction in this Government proposal and suggested that all Councillors received a briefing on it. Further to this, it was suggested that an officer from the Communications Team should be present at the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, as they could publicise the proactive work of the Committee.  The Chief Information and Commissioning Officer agreed to take this forward.

Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

There was one change to the work programme.

The 'Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Integrated Risk Management Plan' would now be considered by the Committee at its meeting on 13 July 2016.  It was noted that this was owing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88.

In accordance with Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, agenda item 12 has not been circulated to the press and public on the grounds that it is considered to contain exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.  The press and public may be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of this item of business.

RESOLVED

That under Section 100 (A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item, on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended.

(To receive a report from Judith Hetherington Smith, Chief Information and Commissioning Officer which captures the early understanding and lessons learned following the incident on 26 January 2016)

Consideration was given to an exempt report and presentation by the Chief Information and Commissioning Officer, which invited the Committee to consider information on the Malicious Software (Malware Attack) on Lincolnshire County Council.

The Chief Information Officer and the Head of Emergency Planning presented the exempt report to the Committee, and in doing so provided information on the incident; the County Council's response; and lessons learned, and responded to questions raised by Members. 

Members sought information on the security of the County Council's data; the Council's response to the incident; media handling; and how this could be avoided in future.

It was requested that officers produced a suitable summary of the exempt report, which would exclude sensitive information, for publication in the public domain.

The Chairman thanked officers for their detailed report and presentation.

RESOLVED

That the content of the exempt report, presentation and comments made be noted.