Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 29^th November, 2017 and Wednesday, 6^th December, 2017 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meetings held on 29^th November and 6^th December 2017 were signed by the Chairman as correct records.

To receive declarations by Members of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Members should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

The Chairman, Councillors Whitaker, Biddulph and Thynne declared personal interests in respect of Minute 37 being members of the board of Citizen’s Advice North Lancashire.

Prior to the consideration of the report representative(s) of organisations, who receive funding from the City Council, will be invited to either provide a presentation on the services undertaken and/or be asked to discuss these services and answer questions from the Committee. 

The Chairman of the Task Group, Councillor Oscar Thynne, to present the report. 

Note: The Draft Report has been circulated separately. 

The Chairman welcomed Yak Patel, CVS, Helen Greatorex, North Lancashire Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Alison Read, Age UK, Sue Spencer, Samaritans, Karen Morris and Joan Ford, Community Foundation for Lancashire and Merseyside to the meeting.

Members were given an overview of the work of the agencies present at the meeting who currently received funding from the City Council.

The Chairman then welcomed Councillor Oscar Thynne, Chairman of the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector Voluntary Commissioning Informal Task Group, Chief Officer (Health and Housing) and the Organisational Development Manager to the meeting.

An updated financial implications table for the report and a copy of the Informal Task Group’s scoping document were circulated at the meeting. 

Councillor Thynne presented the findings and recommendations of the Informal Task Group.

Concern was expressed over the work the Task Group had undertaken and its findings as they did not concur with the Terms of Reference of the Task Group that had been agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  It was felt the Task Group had not gathered evidence from stakeholders or service providers to make recommendations to review the commissioning framework. 

Members discussed how to move forward with this piece of work.  In terms of timescales, it was noted that additional time would be required to consider more evidence based options for the future. 

It was proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Councillor Caroline Jackson and unanimously agreed: -

Resolved: -

(1)       That the representatives from the agencies be thanked for their attendance at the meeting and their informative presentations. 

(2)       That Cabinet be recommended to retain the current status quo regarding voluntary community and faith sector commissioning grant funding for 2018/19. 

(3)       That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee look at the voluntary community and faith sector commissioning framework and other issues raised and report back to Cabinet within the next financial year. 

(4)       That Members of the Budget and Performance Panel be invited to Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings when the voluntary community and faith sector commissioning framework is being considered. 

Cabinet Member with responsibility for: -

·      Markets;

·      Voluntary Sector;

·      Older People;

·      Rural Affairs. 

Councillor Pattison has been invited to attend the meeting. 

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Margaret Pattison, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Markets, Voluntary Sector, Older People and Rural Affairs to the meeting.

Councillor Pattison gave the Committee an overview of her portfolio. It was reported that the Loneliness Summit that had taken place at Lancaster Town Hall in December had been a great success. Following the Summit, there had been many requests from the schools that had taken part for further work within schools to take place on loneliness.

Members were advised of an initiative by Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership to make the Leeds to Morecambe line Dementia Friendly.

It was noted that the City Council was hosting the North West Older People’s Champion’s AGM in March 2018.

The Committee discussed Morecambe Market and what was being done to fill the empty stalls. It was reported that a consultation was being undertaken by officers on how to improve the situation. It was agreed that the Committee would consider the consultation once it was complete.

Resolved :-

(1)  That Councillor Pattison be thanked for her attendance at the meeting.

(2)  That the Markets consultation be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee once it was completed.

It was noted that there had not been any requests for items to be considered in accordance with the Councillor Call for Action process.

It was noted that there had not been any requests for items to be considered in accordance with the Petition process.

There was no update on this issue.

Report of the Chief Executive. 

Members were requested to consider the updated Work Programme. With regard to the site visit to the Caton Road sub station, it was noted that this would take place on Thursday 25^th January 2018 commencing at 10.30am.

It was reported that the scoping meeting to consider Digital Lancaster would take place shortly.

The Committee was informed that an additional meeting would need to be arranged for the Major Flooding item on the Work Programme as debriefs were still underway from the November  2017 floodings.

Resolved :

That the updated Work Programme be noted.