Agenda item

(To receive a report by Tracy Johnson (Senior Scrutiny Officer), which enables the Committee to consider both its own work programme and the scrutiny committee work programmes for 2017)

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 2017.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.

 

Members were reminded that the Brexit Working Group would be holding its next meeting during the afternoon of 26 January 2017. 

 

Members supported the suggestion to cancel the meeting scheduled to be held on 27 April 2017.  It was agreed that this would be removed from the calendar closer to the date.

 

Adults Scrutiny Committee

 

The item on Extra Care Developments would be deferred to a later meeting of the Committee, a date was yet to be confirmed.  It was noted that there would be an additional item on 22 February 2017 on the Council's Graduation Pilot Submission.  In November 2015, it had been announced that all local health and care systems in the country would be required to have integration plans.  The new term for integration was 'graduation' and the Government was seeking a small number of local health and care systems to pilot 'graduation plans'.  The Executive had approved a submission to become a pilot on 4 January 2017.

 

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

 

There was one change to the work programme.  At the meeting on 20 January 2017, the Committee had received the outcomes from the Joint Targeted Area Inspection of the multi-agency response to abuse and neglect in Lincolnshire.  This inspection took place in October 2016 and had a particular focus on children living with domestic abuse. 

 

Concerns were raised by the Committee in relation to multi-agency working and the timeliness of information sharing, particularly in relation to the police.  An action plan in response to the Inspection's finding was being finalised ready for submission to Ofsted by the 7 March 2017 deadline.  The Committee had required that this action plan was considered at its next meeting on 10 March 2017.

 

Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

 

There was one change to the work programme.  An item on The Director of Public Health's Annual Report 2016 had been added to the meeting scheduled to be held on 9 March 2017.  It was also noted that this meeting would be held at Fire and Rescue Training Facility, Waddington.

 

It was also noted that items on the Wellbeing Service re-procurement project (pre-decision)and on the Assisting Rehabilitation through Collaboration (ARK) project would be added to the work programme for future meetings.

 

Economic Scrutiny Committee

 

There was one amendment to the work programme.  A report summarising the work and outcomes of the Economic Scrutiny Committee over the last four years would be brought to the meeting on 21 February 2017.

 

In addition, the meeting on 21 February 2017 would be held at the Think Tank in Lincoln and would be followed by a visit to the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park.  The Committee had received a report on the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park at its meeting in November 2016 and requested a tour of the facility.  The visit was being held after the February meeting as the Committee was considering a report on medical sector training, which links into the work being undertaken at the Park.

 

Reference was made to the Community Pharmacy 2016-17 and Beyond: The Final Package issued by the Department of Health in October 2016 and the risk that as a result, up to 25% of the community pharmacies in Lincolnshire could close.  This was contrasted with the provision of pharmacy training at the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park.

 

Environmental Scrutiny Committee / Flood and Drainage Management Committee

 

There were two changes to the work programme.  An Emergency Planning item on East Coast Severe Weather Event would be programmed for the meeting on 3 March 2017 of the Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee.  An item on the Lincoln Eastern Bypass Archaeology Update had been scheduled for the meeting of the Environmental Scrutiny Committee on 3 March 2017.

 

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

 

i)           15 February 2017

 

The Chairman advised that she was awaiting confirmation of whether the consultation on Transforming Care – Community Learning Disabilities Support – Long Leys Court, which was referenced in the Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan would be brought to the Committee on 15 February 2017.

 

The Care Quality Commission was not expected to have published its inspection report on United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust by 15 February 2017, so this item would need to be deferred to a later meeting.

 

ii)          15 March 2017

 

An item concerning The Director of Public Health's Annual Report 2016 would be added to the work programme for the meeting on 15 March 2017.

 

iii)        Initial Response of the Committee to the Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan

 

On 18 January 2017, the Committee had approved its initial response to the Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP).  The response had been circulated to all members of the County Council.

 

It was noted that an STP Options Event had been held on 25 January 2017, which explored some of the details for change within the STP.  Clinicians and NHS managers had been in attendance.  The Chairman advised that she had attended this Event, along with a small number of other councillors from district councils.

 

iv)                 Congenital Heart Disease Services

 

The Chairman advised the Committee of an issue relating to the imminent consultation by NHS England on Congenital Heart Disease Services.  In September 2016, NHS England had indicated that the consultation would begin by mid-December 2016.  Subsequently, in November 2016, NHS England had announced that the consultation would begin early in 2017.  It was reported that NHS England had still not confirmed the consultation date, but had advised the Committee on 18 January 2017 that clearance had been provided by the Department of Health to run consultation during local government purdah.  The Chairman had written to the Secretary of State for Health to request that this decision was reconsidered.

 

v)                  Working Group Activity

 

The Working Group on the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Five Year Strategy had met on 24 January 2017.  The Working Group had passed on comments to the Trust to develop its Five Year Strategy, which was aligned to the Lincolnshire STP.

 

In response to a question, the Committee was advised that a report on the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre, on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council,was scheduled to be considered by the East Midlands Councils General Meeting on 15 February 2017.

 

NOTE: At this point in the proceedings, Councillor R B Parker left for the remainder of the meeting.

 

In response to a further question, the Chairman confirmed that she had not yet received a response to the Committee's referral to the Secretary of State in relation to the changes at Accident and Emergency at Grantham District Hospital.  The Chairman confirmed she would send a further letter.

 

NOTE: At this point in the proceedings, Councillors M Brookes and C L Strange left for the remainder of the meeting.

 

Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the work programme.

 

Value for Money Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the work programme.

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)              That the content of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee Work programme, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved.

 

(2)              That the work programmes from overview and scrutiny committees, as set out at Appendix B to the report, be approved.

 

(3)              That the Working Group activity, set out at Appendix C to the report, be noted.

 

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