Agenda item

(To receive a report from the Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer which enables the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to consider both its own work programme and the scrutiny committee work programmes for 2016/17)

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 noted that an update item on 'Developing a Model for the Charging of Lincolnshire County Council Services to Schools' would be considered by the Committee at its meeting on 29 September 2016.

Further to Minute 29, as detailed above, an Update on the Lincolnshire Broadband Programme would be added to the Committee's work programme.

Further to Minute 31, as detailed above, the Chairman confirmed he would invite the Leader of the Council to the meeting of the Committee scheduled to be held on 29 September 2016, for an update on the work of the joint shadow committee. Further to this, it was requested that the Committee received regular updates from the Leader until shadow scrutiny arrangements were established.

Adults Scrutiny Committee

The item on 'Adults with Learning Disabilities – Employment and Health Care' scheduled for 7 September 2016 had been deferred to a later meeting.

It was noted that there was a plan for a visit to the officers of Carers First, the new provider of carers services, on either 11 or 18 October 2016.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

There were no changes to the Committee's work programme.

Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

The item on the 'Wellbeing Services Recommissioning' would now be considered for pre-decision scrutiny on 14 December 2016.  The report would then be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 4 January 2017.

Economic Scrutiny Committee

There were no changes to the Committee's work programme.

Environmental Scrutiny Committee

An item on the 'Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Site Locations Document (Pre-Submission Draft)' had been added to the work programme for the meeting of the Committee scheduled for 14 October 2016.   It was noted that the item would seek a resolution that the Committee approve the document for public consultation and would subsequently be considered by the Executive on 1 November 2016.

Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee

An item on the 'Development Road Specification' had been added to the work programme for the meeting on 23 September 2016.

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

An item on the 'Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Response to the Care Quality Commission Inspection' had been added to the work programme for the Committee's meeting scheduled to be held on 26 October 2016.

The Vice-Chairman provided Members with an update on the following issues:-

·         Glenfield Hospital / East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre

On 20 July 2016, the Committee had considered an announcement by NHS England that it intended to decommission congenital heart surgery services from Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.  The Committee agreed to seek from NHS England as a commitment for full consultation, as required by the relevant health scrutiny regulations.  The letter to NHS England, which was sent on 22 July 2016, also advised them that the Committee was looking to invoke procedures under the regulations, should their response be negative.  Depending on NHS England's response, the Committee would allocate time on the work programme in the coming months.

·         Four GP Practices in Lincolnshire

On 21 July 2016, it was announced that new management arrangements would be introduced in four GP practices in Lincolnshire from 1 August 2016.  The four surgeries were: Arboretum, Lincoln; Burton Road, Lincoln; Metheringham Surgery; and Pottergate, Gainsborough.  Between the four surgeries there were over 11,100 registered patients.

The four surgeries operated under a special type of GP contract, referred to as an Alternative Provider of Medical Services contract.  The contracts had been awarded by NHS England to Universal Health Ltd in 2015, but Universal Health had run into financial difficulties.  The contract management had fully transferred to Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group, who had secured Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust as a caretaker manager until at least mid-December 2016.

Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group had also launched a survey of the patients registered at the surgeries, seeking their views on the services they currently received and what they would like in the future.  Patients had been asked to complete the surveys by 9 September 2016.  Should the Clinical Commissioning Group make proposals for a change in provision, the Committee would be including the item in its work programme.

Members wished it be noted that they had congratulated the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and the Committee, for all their hard work in seeking to keep the four surgeries open.

Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee

The item on the 'Preparations for Winter 2016/17' had been deferred from September to the Committee's meeting on 24 October 2016.  This change would enable the outcomes of the Winter Maintenance Working Group to be considered as part of the update.

An item on the 'Development Road Specification' had been added to the Committee's meeting on 12 September 2016.

Value for Money Scrutiny Committee

An update on the 'Localisation of Business Rates' had been added to the agenda for the meeting on 27 September 2016.

It was noted that the Committee had resolved to consider an additional meeting of the Value for Money Scrutiny Committee, as appropriate, to consider a possible input into the review by KPMG of the contract awarded to Serco.

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.