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

 

Following a discussion on broadband provision in various parts of the county, it was agreed that the issue of broadband, focussing on BT be brought to a future committee.

 

It was suggested a further report on devolution be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

 

Adults Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.

 

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

 

There was one amendment to the work programme which was the report on the Government's white paper "Educational Excellence Everywhere"  had been deferred from the meeting on 21 October 2016 due to a lack of movement nationally on it.  In place of this, the Committee would be receiving a report on the new Government consultation "Schools that work for Everyone" to provide input into the Council's response to the consultation which closed on 12 December 2016.

 

Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.

 

The next meeting on 2 November 2016 would be a site visit to Sleaford Library and Heckington Community Hub and would include a session with Greenwich Leisure Limited.

 

The Committee had also highlighted some possible changes to the way the performance information was collated.  This was something which the Committee would be looking at over the coming weeks to see how the infographics could better indicate which service area and officers were responsible for each measure.

 

To be included on the work programme for 2017 was a visit to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, a visit to Fire and Rescue Training Facility at Waddington and an update on HMP Lincoln.

 

Economic Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.

 

The next meeting would be on 18 October 2016 and would be held off site at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing in Holbeach to allow the Committee to have a tour of the facility after the meeting.

 

In addition, before the meeting, there would be a site visit to Peppermint Junction which would then be discussed as part of the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone report.

 

Environmental Scrutiny Committee

 

The Household Waste Recycling Centres Update scheduled for the meeting on the 14 October 2016 would be moved to the 2 December meeting to allow a more comprehensive update from Sean Kent, Group Manager – Environmental Services, to the Committee.

 

It had also been suggested that the 'Implementation of the Public Rights of Way sections of the Deregulation Act 2015' would be better being considered by the Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee.

 

Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee

 

An additional item from Severn Trent Water had been added to the Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee on 9 December 2016.  Severn Trent had now arranged to send a representative to Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee which was the reason the update had been requested, to allow the Committee to better understand the work undertaken by Severn Trent in Lincolnshire.

 

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

 

There were two additional items to add to the list of items for 23 November: -

 

(1) Temporary Overnight Closure of A&E at Grantham and District Hospital

 

On 10 August 2016, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust had announced that the A&E Department at Grantham and District Hospital would be closing overnight on a temporary basis.   This issue had been explored by the Health Scrutiny Committee on 21 September. The Committee was not reassured that the overnight closure would be temporary, and the Trust was asked to return on 23 November to report on progress with the recruitment of staff. 

 

(2) Four GP Practices in Lincolnshire West CCG Area

 

As recorded on pages 13-14 of the minutes, new management arrangements had been introduced on 1 August 2016 at four GP practices in Lincolnshire, which operated under APMS [Alternative Provider of Medical Services] contracts.  The Health Scrutiny Committee had been advised on 21 September 2016 that Lincolnshire West CCG was undertaking a procurement exercise, with interested providers required to return bids to run any or all the surgeries by 14 October 2016.   Where bids were received, there would be a decision made on whether to award a contract.  However, if no bids were received, Lincolnshire West CCG had stated that it would need to look at dispersing the patient lists of these surgeries to alternative GP surgeries, as the interim management arrangements could not continue on a permanent basis. 

 

There were five GP surgeries in Lincolnshire which for historical reasons operated under APMS contracts, which were in effect fixed term contracts.  APMS contracts were unlike the contracts which applied to most GP surgeries in Lincolnshire.  Most GPs had 'in?perpetuity' contracts. 

 

Other Items

 

Bracebridge Heath and South Park Surgeries

 

It had been announced on 28 September 2016 that NHS England and NHS Lincolnshire West Clinical Commissioning Group had agreed to allow the Heath Surgery (Bracebridge Heath) to consult on a proposal to close its branch surgery at South Park in Lincoln. The branch surgery in South Park was currently open Monday to Friday each week.  Patients had been asked to respond to the proposal by 28 October.

 

East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) and Lincolnshire Police

 

There had been recent reports in the media that members of Lincolnshire Police had been involved in transporting patients to hospital.  EMAS issued a statement on 26 September 2016, which stated that it was seeking further details from the Police so that it could undertake a full review. 

 

Working Groups

 

The Committee had established a working group to draft response to the full business case for the merger of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust.  The date of the meeting at this point, was still to be advised. 

 

Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee

 

Further to the above, the Chairman confirmed that the item on the 'Implementation of the Public Rights of Way sections of the Deregulation Act 2015' would be added to the work programme.

 

Value for Money Scrutiny Committee

 

There was one change to the published work programme. In addition to the performance of the Corporate Support Services Contract, the Committee would also receive an update on the KPI review at the next meeting on 22 November 2016.

 

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.