Agenda item

(To receive a report by Nigel West (Head of Democratic Services and Statutory 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 supported cancelling the meeting scheduled to be held on 27 April 2017.

 

Adults Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.

 

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.

 

The Committee noted that the next meeting scheduled to be held on 10 March 2017 was a full agenda.  It was further noted that the agenda included an item on the Government's consultation regarding the national funding formula for schools.  It was reported that a couple of Head Teachers were being invited to attend for the Sector Led Model for School Improvement item so that the Committee was able to find out how the peer review model was working for schools.

 

Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.  It was noted that an additional meeting had been scheduled for 1 March 2017, to consider two pre-decision scrutiny items.

 

Economic Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme. 

 

It was highlighted that as there were no items on the agenda for the meeting scheduled on 28 March 2017, it was the intention to cancel the meeting unless any urgent business came forward.

 

The Chairman advised that a very successful meeting had taken place on 21 February 2017 at the Think Tank.

 

Environmental Scrutiny Committee and Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee

 

There were no changes to the published work programme.

 

 

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

 

The Chairman advised the Committee of two issues, which had considered by the Health Scrutiny Committee:-

 

            Grantham Accident and Emergency – Overnight Closure

 

The Committee noted that the Secretary of State for Health had passed the Health Scrutiny Committee's referral on the overnight closure of Grantham Accident and Emergency Department to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP).  The IRP would be carrying out an initial assessment by 22 March 2017, the results from which would be submitted to the Secretary of State with advice on whether the referral was suitable for a full IRP review. 

 

            Community Pharmacy

 

It was reported that a letter had been sent to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health advising him of the Health Scrutiny Committee's concerns in relation to the Government's policy and funding settlement entitled Community Pharmacy 2016/17 and Beyond.  The response received referred to the scheme devised to assist rural pharmacies, but did not address the issues of consultation.  It was noted that a further response was being considered.

 

            Work Programme

 

The Committee noted that for the 15 March 2017 meeting there would be additional items to those listed, these were an update report from Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; and the NHS England's Congenital Heart Disease Consultation.

 

            Working Group Activity

 

It was highlighted that the Health Scrutiny Committee had established a working group, who would be meeting on 1 March 2017 to consider its response to the NHS England's Congenital Heart Disease Consultation.

 

The Committee was also advised that a patient and public consultation event would be taking place at the lecture theatre at Lincoln County Hospital on Monday 8 May from 4pm – 6pm.

 

During discussion, the following matters were raised:-

 

·         Thanks were extended to Simon Evans, Health Scrutiny Officer for his report on the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council, which had been considered by the East Midlands Council at its meeting on 15 February 2017;

·         The Committee was advised that the East Midlands Health Scrutiny Network, comprising of the Chairmen of the Health Scrutiny Committees in the region met regularly.  The Committee was informed that a meeting was scheduled for 9 March 2017, concerning the East Midlands Ambulance Service.  Some members felt that an overall collective voice was a stronger voice;

·         Some concern was expressed relating to the NHS Sustainability & Transformation Plans (STPs) and the implications for Lincolnshire.  The Committee was advised that no decision regarding the items proposed for consultation in the STPs had been made yet.  It was also confirmed that consultations on the STP would take place later in the year.

 

Some members extended their thanks to Councillor Mrs C A Talbot for her work concerning Glenfield Hospital and the STP.

 

Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee

 

There was one change to the published work programme; the Committee noted that the Future Service Delivery Progress Report had been removed from the work programme for the 27 February meeting as there had been limited change since the report had been presented to the November 2016 meeting.

 

During discussion, the Committee raised the following issues:-

 

·         Concerns were raised with regard to the council's decision to focus on the Street Lighting Transformation Project in the first instance to the detriment of dealing with reported street lighting faults.  It was felt that that more information should have been made available to members of the public to make them aware that their faults would not be fixed until the project was completed;

·         Some clarification was sought regarding the Street Lighting appeals process.  It was highlighted further that some appeal decisions had not taken into account equality legislation compared to other areas where lights had been kept on.  It was highlighted further that it was important to maintain consistency when making decisions;

·         Several members expressed concerns of being unable to speak to Highways Officers due to the recent Future Operating Model changes.  Officers advised the Committee that the changes would identify and capture the issues of concern and provide an overall picture of calls received by the Directorate.  Some of the Committee also highlighted that when issues were reported through the Customer Service Centre (CSC), a response was not always forthcoming from Highways Officers.  It was noted that the lack of service/response was having an impact on Councillors undertaking their community role.  A request was made for further information on what service Councillors could expect to receive.  A suggestion was made for generic information received from Highways Officers to be collated into a glossary of information available to all Councillors, this would then reduce the need for duplicate requests for information;

·         A further concern was raised regarding the level of knowledge of call handlers at the CSC.  It was acknowledged that the new Operating Model was still relatively new, but it was felt that some monitoring of the system needed to be done to ensure that a quality service was being received.  A further issue raised was that members of the public had reported some very long waiting times, and a request was made that this should also be monitored going forward; and

·         A request was also made for better integration between the LCC reporting system and www.fixmystreet.com, this would then ensure that notifications were sent to individuals who had registered through fixmystreet.

 

It was highlighted that there were two changes to the published work programme.  For the 28 February 2017 meeting, the inclusion of a report on the possible options for Unitary Local Government in Lincolnshire and that the scheduled Housing Company Business Case Update would now be considered at a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    That the content of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee work programme, as set out at Appendix A be approved.

 

2.    That the work programmes from overview and scrutiny committees set out at Appendix B, be approved.

 

3.    That the Working Group activity as 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.