PRESENT: Councillor Barker in the chair.
Councillors Appleyard, Clark, Eckhardt, Ishaq, Simpson and Whiteley.
The panel met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.
37 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND DECLARATIONS OF WHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS – There were no declarations of personal or personal and prejudicial interests.
No whip was declared.
38 PUBLIC REQUESTS TO SPEAK – There were no requests received.
39 COMMUNITY HUB – FORWARD PLAN ITEM - The chair referred the panel to minute 35 of the Healthier Communities and Older People Scrutiny panel, and advised that Lesley Potts, Head of Resources, Strategic Investment and Funding had been invited to attend the meeting to provide information on the feasibility study that had been undertaken for the potential development of a Community Hub for the local voluntary and community sector.
Members were advised that the Community Hub had been removed from the Forward Plan since the last meeting, and would not be considered by Cabinet on 27 February 2008 as previously reported. It had been deemed necessary to delay the report until a further feasibility study had been undertaken, to ensure all details were included and all concerns addressed. It was explained that the Community Hub was a good idea and had to be available for all the residents of North Lincolnshire, not just one sector.
Resolved – (a) That a copy of the first feasibility report be sent to each of the group offices, (b) that the panel be kept informed of future development following the second feasibility study, and (c) that Lesley Potts, Head of Resources, Strategic Investment and Funding be thanked for attending the meeting.
40 OBESITY STRATEGY FOR NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – The Service Director Legal and Democratic explained that a request had been received, to reschedule the discussion on family and education settings, from Karen Fanthorpe, Primary Care Trust. The request had been submitted to ensure that all relevant information could be obtained and presented to a future meeting of the panel.
The panel was then advised that a sub group meeting would be arranged for members to meet Karen. This meeting would also be attended by members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny panel as previously agreed.
Resolved – That the position be noted.
41 CARING FOR CARERS – The chair advised members that Karen Pavey and Kathleen Egan, from Adult Social Services and Ian McDonald and Graham Jacques from the Acute Trust were in attendance to provide an oral update on the ‘caring for carers’ review completed in May 2005 by the former Health Scrutiny Committee.
Members were referred to a copy of the report and its 47 recommendations.
Since the publication of the report, it was confirmed that the awareness of service provision for carers had increased throughout North Lincolnshire, new initiatives had been introduced, extra funding had been made available to provide emergency services to carers, a carers pack had been devised to provide greater awareness of services and help that was available, and schemes such as the Life Long learning project had provided carers with the much needed ‘me time’ with varying activities available.
The panel was advised that the Adult Social Services team along with the Primary Care Trust and Acute Trust had come a long way in improving services for the carers. The needs of carers had been placed high on the agenda and given full recognition.
The panel engaged in further discussion, and were advised that current figures showed that there were approximately 16000 carers within North Lincolnshire. It was felt that this may be lower than the true number, as not all carers were known to Social Services.
The chair expressed his thanks and satisfaction that the work of the Scrutiny Panel had brought about positive action to assist residents within North Lincolnshire and that the work had been deemed worthwhile. The panel was satisfied that the recommendations had been implemented, where possible other recommendations had been expanded on and a small number were now outdated.
Resolved – (a) That no further review be conducted at present, and (b) that Karen Pavey, Katharine Egan, Ian McDonald and Graham Jacques be thanked for their attendance.
42 (1) PROTOCOL FOR THE YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER COUNCIL’S JOINT HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – The Service Director Legal and Democratic referred members to a proposed protocol produced by the Yorkshire and Humber Health Scrutiny Officers Network for local councils within the Yorkshire and Humber region.
It had been developed as a framework for carrying out joint scrutiny of regional and specialist health services that impact upon residents across Yorkshire and theHumber under powers for local councils to scrutinise the NHS contained in the Health and Social Care Act 2001 and subsequent guidance. The basis of joint health scrutiny would be co-operation and partnership with a mutual understanding of the following aims:
- To improve the health of local people and to tackle health inequalities
- Ensuring that people’s views and wishes about health and health services were identified and integrated into plans, services and commissioning that achieve local health improvement.
- Scrutinising whether all parts of the community were able to access health services and whether the outcomes of health services were equally good for all sections of the community.
Recommended to Council – (a) That the protocol for the Yorkshire and the Humber Councils Joint Health Scrutiny Committee be approved and adopted, (b) that with reference to paragraph 7 of the protocol, the representatives of this council on the above joint committee be from the Healthier Communities and Older People Scrutiny Panel, and they also reflect the political proportionality of the council, and (c) that reference to this protocol be made in the appropriate paragraphs of the council's Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.
43 LOCAL INVOLVEMENT NETWORKS (LINks) – Members received an oral update on progress of implementing LINks from the Services Director Legal and Democratic. It was noted that six tenders had been received and were to be evaluated later in February, with a view to going live as from 1 April 2008.
It was explained that funding was available for three years.
Resolved – That the report be noted.
44 LEADER OF THE COUNCIL’S FORWARD PLAN – The Service Director Legal and Democratic circulated the Leader of North Lincolnshire Council's Forward Plan for February to May 2008.
The plan contained details of all matters and issues likely to be the subject of key decisions for a period of the next four months, updated on a monthly basis. Members discussed various items on the Forward Plan.
Members agreed that further insight was needed into the Private Sector Home Improvement Policy.
Resolved – (a) That the chair speak to the Service Director, Adult Social Care and also the Environmental Health Manager to obtain further information and (b) that the Service Director Legal and Democratic contact Warmfront andinvite a representative to attend a future scheduled meeting of the panel, as an added item.