Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillors A Bridges, P M Dilks, C E H Marfleet, Mrs C A Talbot, R Wootten;

Added Members: Mr P Thompson, Dr E van der Zee.

No interests were declared.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to an amendment to include Added Member, Mr Steve Rudman in the attendance.

The Chairman stated that at its last meeting on 7 June 2016, the Executive had considered the Blue Light Collaboration Project which had been previously considered by the Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee on 1 June.  Copies of the comments raised by the Scrutiny Committee were circulated to members of the Executive at the meeting for their consideration.  The Scrutiny Committee had been praised for the work carried out in relation to this item and the positive outcomes reached as a result of good scrutiny.

(To consider call-ins, should any be received)

No Call-Ins had been received.

(To consider scrutiny reviews, should any be received)

No Scrutiny Reviews had been proposed.

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

No Councillor Calls for Action had been received.

(To receive a report by James Sharples (Change Manager, Performance and Programmes), which invites the Committee to consider a report on Developing a Model for the Charging of LCC Services to Schools which is due to be considered by the Executive on 5 July 2016. The views of the Committee will be reported to the Executive as part of its consideration of this item)

A report was considered which invited the Committee to consider a report on Developing a Model for the Charging of Lincolnshire County Council Services to Schools which was due to be considered by the Executive on 5 July 2016.  The views of the Committee would be reported to the Executive as part of its consideration of the item.

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee wished to record its qualified support for the proposals, on the basis that the Committee would have wanted more information in the decision report on the financial support for small schools, especially those in rural areas; which services might be discontinued as a result of the introduction of charges; and the overall costs and the charges for individual services.   The Committee would like to see a further report, in particular covering the charges for individual services.  

The Committee concluded that it supported recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.  In relation to recommendations 6, 7 and 8 the Committee wished the Executive to note the following comments:

(1)          The Committee believed that the report should be seen as dealing with the principles of charging, but the Executive should ensure that there is a business plan before services are finally offered.  Any business plan should be based on the following principle:

·                     Prices should be based on market rate and affordability with costs adjusted to match; it could not be based on the existing cost divided by an unknown number of users. 

(2)          The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee also wished the following concerns to be evaluated by the Executive:

·                     There should be risk assessments of viability of services for schools that wish to buy services, if other schools do not purchase those services.

·                     Monitoring should take place of the effect of the new policy on children (including safeguarding and equality of opportunity).

Individual members of the Committee also raised the following additional comments. 

·         Everyone involved in the process should bear in mind there should not be any detrimental effect on pupils as a result of the implementation of the charging arrangements;

·         It was important that the information available on services to schools be of high quality, particularly as other local authorities and providers issued brochures of the services offered;

·         It was also important to prioritise the proposed e-commerce arrangements, so that schools could easily opt into the services;

·         In the case of very small schools or other appropriate instances, the model could include the waiver of charges in specially defined circumstances;

·         Some services, such as the advice service on energy efficiency, were of high quality and were likely to thrive;

·         It was quite likely that some of the services offered, which were non-essential, would not be bought by schools, and these services would as a result be discontinued;

·         Where a school opts for an alternative provider, and the alternative provider fails or offers poor service provision, the County Council would not be exposed to additional risk beyond its statutory obligations.        The context for introducing charges at this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

(To receive a verbal report from Nigel West (Head of Democratic Services & Statutory Scrutiny Officer), which will update the Committee on the work of the Review of Scrutiny Working Group)

The Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer reported that the Review of Scrutiny Working Group was continuing to look at the culture of scrutiny within the authority.  A delegation had visited City of Lincoln Council, which had won an award for a piece of scrutiny work around poverty in Lincoln.  Also being undertaken was research on cultures at other authorities and the Working Group would continue on this theme going forward.

RESOLVED

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

(To consider an report by Nigel West (Head of Democratic Services & Statutory Scrutiny Officer), which enables the Committee to consider both its own work programme and the scrutiny committee work programmes for 2016. The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the content of the work programmes)

Consideration was given to a report which enabled the Committee to consider its own work programme and the work programmes from the scrutiny committees for 2016.

With reference to Minute 10 from the minutes of the meeting on 26 May 2016, issues were raised regarding the shadow Combined Authority, which had emerged from the Devolution proposals, and the lack of scrutiny in place to hold the shadow combined authority to account.  The Chairman agreed to raise this issue with the Leader. 

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

An informal budget workshop had been organised for the Committee on 27 July and it was suggested that this be open to all Members of the Council to attend.

Discussions took place regarding the effects that the recent vote to leave the EU would have on the authority and it was agreed that briefing notes be provided for Members on how current EU law affected the authority and how the long term effects of leaving the EU could be planned for.

It was agreed the East Lindsey Local Plan be added to the work programme for 28 July meeting.

Adults Scrutiny Committee

There were no amendments to the published work programme.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

There were two amendments to the published work programme;

The report on Post 16 Strategic Priorities and Area Based Review had been removed from the agenda for 15 July.  There would now be a small working group set up instead to meet with officers in July to discuss and inform this work prior to the Executive Councillor Decision report coming to the September meeting.

The report on Children's Health Services had been deferred from the 9 September meeting to the 21 October meeting.

Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

There were no changes to the published work programme.  It was noted that the Blue Light Collaboration Project and the Integrated Risk Management Plan were linked.

The Integrated Risk Management Plan would be considered at a special meeting of the Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee on 26 July, 2016 at 2.30pm.

Economic Scrutiny Committee

There were no changes to the published work programme.

Environmental Scrutiny Committee

There were no changes to the published work programme.

Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee

There were no changes to the published work programme.

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

There were no changes to the published work programme.

The members of the Quality Accounts Working Group were thanked for their work.

In relation to the item on 20 July 2016 on the Response of the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) to their Care and Quality Commissioning Inspection, the Health Scrutiny Committee was required to bear in mind the contribution of LIVES (Lincolnshire Voluntary Emergency Services) and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Co-Responders to the EMAS response time information.

Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee

There was no change to the published work programme.

Value for Money Scrutiny Committee

There was no change to the published work programme.

RESOLVED

1.    That the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.