Agenda item

(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 its own work programme and the work programmes from the scrutiny committees for 2016.

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

It was reported that the financial performance would slip into July, however, this would not affect the accounts, and they would still be signed off by the Audit Committee at its meeting in September 2016.

It was highlighted that there was an additional item for the meeting in June on the Commercial Offer for Schools.  This was for pre-decision scrutiny prior to an Executive decision on 5 July 2016.

There had also been a request for a workshop on the impact of budget cuts, and there was a possibility that something could be sorted out for July, which would provide more detail on the cuts and where they would have an impact.

Adults Scrutiny Committee

There was one potential addition to the meeting on 29 June 2016: an item on the Block Purchasing of Residential Beds.  This was prior to a decision by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services.

In response to a query it was confirmed that this would be a contract decision.

It was also clarified that the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report included clarification in relation to the 35% of care homes which were not rated as good or outstanding.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

It was reported that there were no amendments to the work programme and the next meeting of the Committee was the following day, and the agenda was as set out on page 100 of the report.

Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

It was reported that there were two changes to the published work programme which were an update to the meeting on 13 July 2016 to brief the Committee on the outcome of Exercise Barnes Wallis and an item on the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum had been added to the agenda for the meeting on 14 September 2016 to enable Ian Reed, Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Manager to brief the Committee on Exercise Grey Seal which was a major LRF exercise planned to take place in November 2016.

It was also highlighted that an item on Assuring Sustainability of the Lincolnshire Archive and Future of the Heritage Services was due to be considered at the meeting on 1 June 2016.  This was an early engagement item before pre-decision scrutiny in the autumn.

Members were also advised that an additional meeting had been scheduled for the 14 December 2016 where the Committee would hold a 'meet and greet' session with the new supplier of the Community Substance Misuse Treatment Services (Addaction) which would commence on 1 October 2016.

Economic Scrutiny Committee

It was reported that there were no amendments to the work programme and the next meeting was scheduled for 12 July 2016 and the agenda would be as set out on page 104 of the report.

It was highlighted that there may be one potential change to the agenda for the 13 September 2016 meeting, as the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone may need to be deferred to the October or December meeting due to timing issues with the report

One member commented that the big focus for the proposed devolved Greater Lincolnshire area was jobs and the economy, and at some stage there may be a need to consider this at a scrutiny committee other than Economic, such as Highways and Transport.  It was also commented that North Lincolnshire and North east Lincolnshire were very different to Lincolnshire and there would be a need to plan ahead for cross border working at an early stage.

Environmental Scrutiny Committee

It was reported that there were no changes to the published work programme and the next meeting would take place on 10 June 2016.

Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee

It was reported that there were no changes to the published work programme and the next meeting would take place on 23 September 2016.

The Chairman reported that he was very grateful to Councillor C J T H Brewis who was assisting in the arrangement of a site visit to various locations in South Holland.

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

There were no changes to the work programme for 15 June 2016.

Members were advised that on 20 July, the item on Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would comprise three parts, as the Committee had requested information on:

·         Development proposals for Stamford and Rutland Hospital

·         The Business Case for Joint Working between Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Hinchingbrooke NHS Trust in Cambridgeshire (including a possible merger between the two trusts)

·         The overall financial position of the Trust

In addition, on 20 July the Committee would receive an item from Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on their formal response to the Care Quality Commission inspection report, which was published on 21 April and found that the Trust required improvement.

It was also reported that on 10 May 2016, the Care Quality Commission published its inspection report on the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) which found the Trust 'requires improvement'.  As the EMAS region was covered by eleven health overview and scrutiny committees there would be a regional health scrutiny session on 6 July 2016, involving a representative of each of these eleven committees.  The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Christine Talbot would be attending on behalf of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire.  Following this meeting, each local committee could decide how to take the matter further.  The Health Scrutiny Committee would be considering this on 20 July 2016.

Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee

It was reported that there was one change to the published work programme which was that the Speed Limit Policy and Traffic Policy for Schools update scheduled for September would be considered after December as part of a more substantial update once the policy had been in place for a full year.

Value for Money Scrutiny Committee

Members' attention was drawn to the time of the next meeting of the Value for Money Scrutiny Committee, where it was proposed to commence at 10.30am.  This was to allow the Committee to hold an informal workshop prior to the start of the formal meeting to enable members to discuss the performance of the business support contract.  This session would commence at 9.30am.

RESOLVED

1.    That the content of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee Work Programme as set out in Appendix A of the report be noted.

2.    That the work programmes from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee set out at Appendix B of the report be noted.

3.    That the Working Group activity set out at Appendix C of the report be noted.

4.    That the work programmes, in light of the Executive Forward Plan, as set out in Appendix D of the report, be noted.