Agenda item

(To consider verbal updates from the Chairmen of the Scrutiny Committees)

Consideration was given to verbal updates from the Chairmen of the Scrutiny Committees. This item was to enable the Board to receive verbal updates from the chairmen of the scrutiny committees on their future work programmes so that the Board was aware of the key issues being considered across the scrutiny function. The Chairman welcomed Councillor Paul Skinner, Chairman of the Flood and Water Management Scrutiny Committee, who was attending via Teams to provide his update.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

Councillor R Kendrick, reported that the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee continued to be very busy with a number of key themes on their agendas. The Building Communities of Special Provision Strategy continued to be one of the main considerations for the Committee. The Strategy had been approved by the Executive in November 2018, and implementation of the strategy commenced in January 2019 and would take place over the next five years with the final school changes being made in September 2024. The decisions for the capital appraisals and changes to the special schools were now making their way through the Committee for its consideration. Over the last 18 months, the Committee had considered the capital appraisals for Boston Endeavour Academy, which was a brand new school being built; the Willoughby Academy in Bourne; the Eresby School in Spilsby; and St Bernard's School in Louth. Over the next few months, the Committee would be considering the capital appraisals for St Christopher's School in Lincoln, Priory School in Spalding and St Lawrence's Academy in Horncastle. In addition, the Committee received an annual report every October which set out the overall progress and implementation of the Strategy and the capital build programme. Subject to Covid restrictions, it was hoped that Committee members could visit the schools once the work had been completed, with the first visit hopefully being to the Boston Endeavour Academy in September. Another matter which the Committee would be considering over the next year was in relation to the Children in Care Transformation Programme. The Committee received a report at its March meeting setting out the progress and the six workstreams for the programme. The Committee would be receiving two reports at its meeting on 19 November in relation to Children in Care Transformation - Residential Estate Expansion Programme, and Wickenby Children's Home, both of which were for pre-decision scrutiny. The Committee would also continue to scrutinise the work of the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) through six monthly updates. The Committee would receive an introductory presentation from the LSCP at its meeting on 25 June and then further updates at its November and April meetings. Representatives from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group were also invited to attend to represent the Police and Health on behalf of the Partnership and to participate for these items. In addition, the Committee would continue to monitor the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and young people, especially in relation to the effect on their education. The Committee would receive the Children Missing Out on Education Annual Report 2020/21 at its 14 January meeting, and also a report on the Lincolnshire Local Authority School Performance for 2020-21 at its meeting on 4 March.

Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee

Councillor N H Pepper reported that the Public Protection and Communities    Scrutiny Committee had held an induction on the 15^th June where Officers had introduced areas reporting to the Committee, namely Public Protection, Communities, Corporate Service and the Fire and Rescue Service. Throughout the year the Committee was expected to receive Quarterly reports on Service Performance for each area. Moreover, the Committee would consider pre-decision scrutiny reports on which the Committee would make recommendations to the Executive; these included:  Community Strategy; Coroners Service's Update on Transformation Project and Potential Merger with North and North East Lincolnshire; Outcomes from the Technical Response Unit Provision Consultation. In addition, in the 2021-22 Programme Members would review amongst others: Performance of the Library Services Contract – Year Five Review – Library and Heritage (July 2021); Integrated Risk Management Plan 2020-2024– Fire & Rescue (September 2021); Community Hub Year 5 Update - Library and Heritage (November 2021); Road Safety Partnership Annual Report – Road Safety Partnership (December 2021); Trading Standards Annual Update – Road Safety Partnership (January 2022).

The Committee also sat as the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee and as such would receive updates from areas such as Domestic Abuse (Annual Update), Stay Safe (Annual Update), Section 17 Crime & Disorder Act. 1998 (Duty Update), Prevent (Annual Update) and Modern Day Slavery (Annual Update).

      Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee

Councillor R Wootten reported that the Committee was due to hold its induction meeting on the 22^nd June. Heads of Service Areas reporting to the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee had been invited to deliver presentations on their activities. Throughout the year the Committee was expected to receive Quarterly updates on the Service Performance Reporting Against the Performance Framework 2020 – 2021; the Committee would also receive an update on the Development Fund – Drainage Investigations & Flood Repairs (flood risk team) and on Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Countryside Services); finally, topics that would be reviewed include amongst others: Impact of Covid-19 on the High Streets – Economic Infrastructure Investment (July 2021); Internationalisation Strategy - Economic Development (July 2021); Litter initiative and fly tipping Options Paper - Waste Operations (July 2021); Developing a Climate Change Partnership for Lincolnshire – Environment Sustainability (September 2021); Historic Places Team Strategy – Historic Places Management (September 2021); Green Masterplan Progress - Environment Sustainability (September 2021); Local Transport Plan – Planning & Infrastructure (October 2021); South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone – Growth, Regeneration, Economic Infrastructure (October 2021); Humber and East Coast Strategies -Environment (October 2021); Resilience Innovation Programme Progress - Flood Risk (November 2021); Carbon Reporting Tool - Environment Sustainability (January 2021). Other items that would be programmed throughout the year included: - Coastal Car Park Strategy; Review of land sales policy – regeneration; Skegness Business Park; Planning White Paper; Green Technology Grant; Updating the Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Issues and Options; Natural Flood Management.

Flood and Water Management Scrutiny Committee

Councillor P Skinner reported that the Committee was due to hold an induction meeting on 21st June,  on the service areas which report to it, as well as to introduce its core partners to members, namely the Environment Agency and Anglian Water. These partners would be providing the committee with updates at every meeting. Throughout the year the Committee was expected to receive reports on topics such as:

o   Progress Update on Development Fund – Drainage Investigations and Flood Repairs – Flood Risk (September 2021)

o   Funding for Riparian Rights and Responsibilities – Flood Risk (September 2021)

o   Emergency Planning Response and Co-ordination - Emergency Planning & Business Continuity (September 2021)

o   Coastal Adaptation Strategy - Environment (November 2021)

o   Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue New Pumping Equipment – Fire & Rescue (November 2021)

o   Property Level Resilience Trial Project – Flood Risk(February 2022)

Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire

Councillor C Macey reported that the agenda for the Health Scrutiny Committee's meeting on 23 June had five substantive items on the agenda.  Firstly, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) was consulting on a proposal for urology services.  The proposal meant that patients with urgent urological conditions requiring hospital admission would be taken to Lincoln County Hospital.   Currently patients may be admitted at both Lincoln and Pilgrim.   In turn, Lincoln would see a reduction in the number of patients seen on a planned basis, as more patients requiring planned care would be treated in Pilgrim and at Grantham.   The report on the agenda had more detail, and the Committee would be responding to the consultation.  The second item to highlight was paediatric services at Pilgrim.  In August 2018 an interim service model was introduced at Pilgrim for paediatrics, as a result of both medical and nursing staff shortages.  This model introduced a paediatric assessment unit, where children and young people would be treated and monitored for up to twelve hours.  After twelve hours, any children requiring further care would be transferred to Lincoln.  The report to the Committee indicated that over time the model had evolved so that children and young people may be treated for up to 24 hours as part of short stay paediatric assessment unit.  The Committee would be giving its view to ULHT, which was seeking to make this arrangement 'more permanent'.   

There were seven new members of the Committee and the Chairman intended to offer them scope to influence the content of the Committee's work programme.  However, the NHS at a national level was expected shortly to sign off the Lincolnshire Acute Services Review.  He had been advised that a full public consultation could begin soon, and would take a lot of time on the agenda, possibly even from July onwards. 

Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee

Councillor B Adams reported that the Committee would meet six weekly (7 meetings scheduled in 2021-22) for members to review items programmed and to consider any additional scrutiny activity that could be included on the Work Programme. The Committee would hold a formal meeting on 28^th June to receive an introduction to Service Areas reporting to it, as well as to consider two pre-decision scrutiny items for which recommendations would be made to the Executive meeting in July and also a quarterly performance report of Highways Services.  Throughout the year the Committee was expected to receive reports on topics such as:

o   Update on Gully Cleansing/Repair and Surface Water Flooding – Highways and Flood Risk (July 2021)

o   Winter Service Plan 2021/22 (pre-decision Scrutiny)– Highways (September 2021)

o   Engagement with Network Rail and Train Operating Companies - Strategic Transport (October 2021)

o   Local Transport Plan – Infrastructure, Transport and Growth (October 2021)

o   Road Safety Partnership Update – Road Safety Partnership (January 2022)

There was no update on the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee as Councillor C E H Marfleet had to leave the meeting before this item.

RESOLVED:

That the updates be noted.