Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest at this point in the meeting.

The Leader of the Council advised that he had attended the LGA Conference the previous week and reported that the Secretary of State for Local Government had confirmed there would be a two-year financial settlement.  There was also a commitment to reduce the number of different funding streams that councils had to bid for.

RESOLVED

          That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 7 June 2022 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Adult Care and Community Wellbeing which provides details of the approach Lincolnshire County Council will take regarding the requirement for Lincolnshire County Council to jointly establish an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) with the Lincolnshire NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) as part of the new landscape within the Integrated Care System (ICS) to be known locally as “Better Lives Lincolnshire”)

1.    That the formal establishment by the County Council of Lincolnshire Integrated Care Partnership as a joint committee with the Lincolnshire NHS Integrated Care Board in accordance with section 116ZA of the Local government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 as inserted by section 26 of the Health and Care Act 2022 be approved.

2.    That Councillor Mrs Sue Woolley, Executive Councillor for NHS Liaison, Community Engagement, Registration and Coroners be appointed as Lincolnshire County Council’s representative on the joint committee.

The Executive Councillor for NHS Liaison, Community Engagement, Registration and Coroners introduced the report and advised that the Health and Care Act, which introduces the requirement for Integrated Care Systems (ICS) became law on 1 July 2022, and the first meeting of the Integrated Care Board was held on 1 July 2022.

The Assistant Director – ICS, guided the Executive through the report which provided details of the approach Lincolnshire would take regarding the requirement for Lincolnshire County Council to jointly establish an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) with the Lincolnshire NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) as part of the Integrated Care System (ICS) to be known locally as “Better Lives Lincolnshire”.

The Executive was advised that it was the intention to align the ICP as much as possible with the roles and responsibilities of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board presented the comments of the Board following its consideration of this item at its meeting on 30 June 2022.  The Executive was advised that the Board supported the key aims of the report, particularly around closer working.  It was hoped that better outcomes would be seen, and it would be important to monitor these outcomes, whether through the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board or the Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

During discussion by the Executive, the following was noted:

·       It was queried what it was hoped would be better with the new system, and it was commented that residents should have a better understanding of what their health and care entails and offer is available to them.

·       It was noted that following these legislative changes, the health system should work much more collaboratively together, as the action of one organisation could often have unintended consequences for another.  The aim was that the health system would work much closer together with better decisions being made in the best interests of Lincollnshire’s communities.

·       The restructure of Public Health for Greater Lincolnshire was highlighted, and it was queried there were any opportunities for the collaboration to be extended, if the pilot was successful.

·       The ICB must have regard to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

RESOLVED

1.    That the formal establishment by the County Council of Lincolnshire Integrated Care Partnership as a joint committee with the Lincolnshire NHS Integrated Care Board in accordance with section 116ZA of the Local government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 as inserted by section 26 of the Health and Care Act 2022 be approved.

2.    That Councillor Mrs Sue Woolley, Executive Councillor for NHS Liaison, Community Engagement, Registration and Coroners be appointed as Lincolnshire County Council’s representative on the joint committee.

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Children’s Services, which invites the Executive to consider recommendations for the re-commissioning of the Best Start Lincolnshire Services from 1 April 2023)

1.    That the re-commissioning of the Best Start Lincolnshire Services: Early Years and Family Service and Inclusion Service, via an open competitive tender process with two lots, to commence 1 April 2023 for three years initially, with an option to extend for up to two years for 31 March 2028, be approved.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Children’s Services, Community Safety and Procurement, to take all decisions necessary to conduct the procurement process up to and including the award and entering into of the contract.

The Executive Councillor for Children’s Services, Community Safety and Procurement introduced the report and advised that the Best Start Lincolnshire service performed very well and there was now a need to re-procure the contract.

The Head of Service – Children’s Strategic Commissioning presented the report which set out that Lincolnshire County Council’s Children’s Services currently commissioned the Best Start Lincolnshire Services: Early Years and Family Service and Inclusion Service via two separate contracts which commenced in July 2017 and were extended to 31 March 2023.  It was reported that these services were procured through a single open competitive tender process with two lots.  The combined annual value of the current contracts was £1,936,712.

The Best Start Lincolnshire Services provide support for children aged 0 to 5 years and their families and were primarily delivered in Lincolnshire’s 48 children’s centres.  A commissioning review commenced in August 2020 in anticipation of the contract end date. 

The Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee presented the comments of the Committee following the consideration of this item at its meeting on 17 June 2022.  It was reported that the Committee unanimously agreed to support the recommendations, however, some of the key points raised during discussion included reference to the market engagement undertaken; that within the tender a maximum contract price was to be included; the feasibility of bringing the service in-house; the need for improved promotion of children’s centres; the effect of the pandemic on young children’s development in communication and language skills and social skills; and the availability of progress data for young children starting school.

During discussion by the Executive, the following was noted:

·       The important role of children’s centres for children and families.  It was also noted that they were very useful for promoting cohesion.  It was queried whether there was more that could be done to promote them, and one member commented that they would like to see the outreach work that had been done continue.

·       It was queried whether more could be done to set aspirations in the contract process.

·       It was agreed that this was a very important service.

·       It was queried whether the contract encouraged innovation within the service, and what could be done to reach those families that needed the service the most but may not be engaging with the service.

·       It was highlighted that it was important that this service sat within children’s centres.  It was also noted that there were a number of other services that were delivered through children’s centres and within communities.

·       It was reported that there were some very clear KPI’s for the provider.

·       In terms of targets and ambitions, it was reported that 95% of children born in Lincolnshire were registered with a children’s centre, and of that number over 50% would then come through the door.  An important factor was also establishing consistent attendance, and the new contract would have a specific target around encouraging consistent attendance. 

·       Officers also advised, that in terms of the current specification  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Adult Care and Community Wellbeing which seeks authorisation from the Executive for an exception to the Council’s Contract and Procurement Procedure Rules to enable delivery of initiatives for which additional funding has been allocated by Government to Lincolnshire to support delivery of the 2021 National Drug Strategy)

1.    That the modification of the Substance Misuse Treatment Service contract to a maximum value of £1,161,489 to incorporate delivery of activity in support of the National Drug Strategy for a nine-month period between 1 July 2022 and 31 March 2023, be approved.

2.    That the modification of the Substance Misuse Recovery Service contract to a maximum value of £97,000 to incorporate delivery of activity in support of the National Drug Strategy for a nine-month period be 1 July 2022 and 31 March 2023, be approved.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director – Adult Care and Community Wellbeing, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Adult Care and Public Health, to determine the final form of the modifications referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 above.

The Executive Councillor for Adult Care and Public Health introduced the report and advised that additional funding had been allocated to Lincolnshire to support delivery of the 2021 National Drug Strategy.

The Director of Public Health presented the report and outlined the application process for the two funding streams, as well as the conditions attached to it.  It was highlighted that Lincolnshire had been encouraged to apply for two separate funding streams to support delivery of the national strategy. These were:

-       The Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant (SSMTR)

-       The Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG)

It was highlighted that Lincolnshire did have a successful substance misuse programme, and one of the conditions of the funding was that Lincolnshire continued to spend the funds it already received, and that this was additional funding.  It was also noted that the application process had been very quick.  This funding would help to increase the offer to people with substance misuse issues.

During discussion by the Executive, the following was noted:

·       It was queried whether there were any guarantees that this funding would continue in the future, and also what proportion of the funding would be spent on staffing.  The Executive was advised that due to the nature of the service, the majority of the funding would be spent on staffing.  The vast majority of the costs would be with the provider, however, there would be a need for the Council to employ a couple of staff.  There would also be a very detailed performance reporting criteria that would need to be reported to government.

·       It had been confirmed that this funding would continue for three years.  What funding would be available for the remainder of the 10 year strategy was unclear at this time.

·       It was noted that some Executive members did have concerns around this, particularly around liability and risk.  It was highlighted that the risks would fall with the providers, as they would have a set amount of funding, and the Council would set out what needed to be delivered, and it was up to the provider to take on the appropriate staff to deliver those aims.

·       Executive members were reassured that staff employed for these projects were employed on one or two year projects or for the length of time the funding was expected to last.  It was confirmed that the risk did lie with the provider, and there would need to be a specific clause within the contract to pass that liability onto the council.

·       The Director of Public Health sought to give the Executive assurance that the delivery of commissioned public health services was within the Public Health grant.  The funding being discussed at this meeting, was additional funding, and the contracts would make it clear to the providers that the funding was available for 12 months.

·       It was noted that this had been a very fast application process, and the risk had been that Lincolnshire would not receive the additional £1.4m.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Resources, which invites the Executive to consider recommendations for the replacement of the Avaya telephony system for LCC and the Customer Service Centre)

1.    That the replacement of the Avaya telephony system for LCC and its Customer Service Centre be approved.

2.    That continued engagement with Symity for the implementation of the Anywhere 365 cloud contact centre solution as a replacement of the Council’s existing Avaya telephony system be approved.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director – Resources, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT, to award a contract for five years to Symity for the Anywhere 365 cloud contact centre solution in light of the engagement referred to in paragraph two above.

The Assistant Director - Corporate presented a report which detailed the current arrangements for the Customer Service Centre telephony platform and outlined the need for a new platform to be procured.  The report also detailed the preferred supplier and why they would be more able to meet the needs of the Council.  It was noted that keeping the current system would not enable the Council to meet the expectations of its customers.

The Executive was advised that the proposed solution would allow the Council to more effectively manage the different communication channels.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board presented the comments of the Board following its consideration of this item at its meeting on 30 June 2022.  The Executive was advised that the Board unanimously supported the recommendations however concerns were raised regarding the consequences of the “stabilisation upgrade” to the telephony system and also the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) “bots” as part of the automatic interface.  The Board was pleased to note that testing was to be carried out on the new software solutions.

During discussion by the Executive, the following was noted:

·       In terms of the upgrade for the current system, it was noted that the patches had been very successful, but these would only be effective on a temporary basis.

·       In relation to the AI technology, it was queried how the new system would encourage this.  It was highlighted that there was a concern about not using bots to the detriment of the Service.   It was recognised that the Council provided a wide range of services, and some of these were very transactional in nature, and could be supported by AI, for example, the renewing of library books.  It was acknowledged that for some of the work carried out by Adults or Children’s Services there was a need to speak to someone in person.   Officers would also seek options within the system where users could help themselves.

·       It was noted that the AI technology would also be able to assist in providing information to the call handlers.

RESOLVED

1.    That the replacement of the Avaya telephony system for LCC and its Customer Service Centre be approved.

2.    That continued engagement with Symity for the implementation of the Anywhere 365 cloud contact centre solution as a replacement of the Council’s existing Avaya telephony system be approved.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director – Resources, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT, to award a contract for five years to Symity for the Anywhere 365 cloud contact centre solution in light of the engagement referred to in paragraph two above.

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Resources, which describes the Council’s financial performance in 2021/22 and reports on underspends on budgets and makes proposals on the carry forward of over and under spends into the current financial year 2022/23)

1.    That the carry forwards set out in paragraphs 1.56 to 1.61 and the transfers to reserves set out in paragraphs 1.62 and 1.63 of the report, which are made in line with the Council’s Financial Regulations be noted.

2.    That the proposals in paragraphs 1.65 to 1.67 and Table E, relating to the treatment of the underspend remaining after the carry forwards referred to in paragraph 1 above, be recommended to the County Council for approval.

3.    That the transfers to and from reserves carried out in 2021/22 as set out in Table C of the report, be noted.

4.    That the financial performance in 2021/22 as set out in Table B (Key Financial Performance Measures), Table C (Revenue Budget Final Outturn), Table D (Net Capital Programme Summary Options) and Appendix M (Prudential Indicators), be noted.

Consideration was given to a report, which was presented by the Executive Director – Resources and Assistant Director – Finance, on the Council’s financial performance in 2021/22, which included an overall underspend of £13.582m on Council Budgets and £17.214m on Schools budgets.  The report also identified and explained variances from the Council’s revenue and capital budgets.  Prudential and financial performance indicators for 2021/22 were also included.

Proposals for the use of underspends which were in excess of the 1% approved budget from 2021/22, in the current financial year were set out in paragraphs 1.65 – 1.67 of the report and would go forward to Council in September for approval.

The Assistant Director – Finance summarised the report and highlighted a number of points to the Executive.  She advised that Table C of the report set out information in relation to the Revenue Budget and gave a breakdown by service area.  She reported that during 2021 the Council continued to receive Covid-19 grants, and it was noted that all of the general grant had been used during 2021-22, and the Council had been advised that this would not continue into 2022-23 even though the impacts of the pandemic would continue to filter through.

It was reported that the majority of variances were due to timing slippages on projects rather than underspends.  It was noted that all capital budgets were due to be reviewed again in light of the issues around supply chains and inflation.

In terms of any underspends, it was reported that following carry forwards, and transfers to reserves, there was a balance for consideration of £7.392m.  it was proposed to set aside £5m for local highways needs, and the remaining £2.392m to be allocated to the corporate contingency to enable the council to respond to issues such as increases in inflation, and other cost pressures.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board presented the comments from the Board and highlighted that some of the issues raised during consideration of the report included the significant impact of the loss of £24m of government funding over the last two years from the Highways budget, the Green Masterplan project, the considerable financial volatility faced by the Council due to inflation, on-going pay negotiations, and energy costs.  It was also reported that the Board had made some suggestions including the use of ring-fenced funding for civil parking enforcement to be used to recruit additional parking attendants, and that some of the underspend proposed for the contingency budget to be allocated to the Green Masterplan to fund energy saving schemes.

During discussion by the Executive, the following was noted:

·       The Council was entering very challenging times, moving forward in the coming 12 months would be very difficult in terms of setting budgets for future years.  There would be a need for the Council to manage its energy costs, and there would be a need to do things differently in the future.

·       In relation to the civil parking enforcement, it was noted that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Resources, which presents an overview of performance for Quarter 4 (January – March 2022) against the Corporate Plan)

1.    That the performance for 2021/22 as at 31 March 2022, be noted.

2.    That the success framework in Appendix B to the report, which sets out the key performance indicators and targets/ambitions, along with all of the activities which will underpin the delivery of the Corporate Plan and will be reported on in 2022/23, be agreed.

An overview of the performance against the Corporate Plan as at 31 March 2022 was introduced by the Head of Corporate Performance, and she reported that of the 39 activities, 34 (87%) of them were progressing as planned.  There were four activities where a milestone had been amber rated, and one activity had been rated as red (A23 - improvement to utility infrastructure).  The full list of activities was set out on page 251 of the report.

In terms of Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), there were nine measures which were able to be reported in Quarter 4, and of these eight were either meeting or exceeding ambition (target).  It was noted that the one which did not meet the ambition was PI 44 – days lost to sickness absence per FTE.  It was noted that this was measured on a rolling 12 month period, with the average sickness being 8.01 days per FTE, also as there was a time lag, this would also be affected by the number of Covid-19 cases during the summer, when absences from colds, flu and other viruses would normally be low.  It was also noted that the level of mental health absences was higher than normal.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board presented the comments of the Board following its consideration of this item at its meeting on 30 June 2022, and unanimously agreed to support the recommendations.  However, during discussion, the days lost to sickness did cause the Board some concern, but it was pleased to see a number of measures had been put in place to support staff, and looked forward to seeing the figures for the next quarter.  Concerns were also raised regarding the waste and recycling indicator, as there was an indication that recycling was falling, although this was a reflection of changing habits during the pandemic.  It was noted that the separate paper and card collections had been rolled out to three districts and it was queried when the remaining districts would follow, as the separate collections were already showing benefits.

RESOLVED

1.    That the performance for 2021/22 as at 31 March 2022, be noted.

2.    That the success framework in Appendix B to the report, which sets out the key performance indicators and targets/ambitions, along with all of the activities which will underpin the delivery of the Corporate Plan and will be reported on in 2022/23, be agreed.