Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 30^th April, 2014 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 30^th April, 2014 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Report of Chief Officer (Governance). 

The Chairman advised that the Appointments report would be considered later in the meeting with the exception of the appointment of Vice-Chairman.

Nominations were requested for Vice-Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Ian Pattison, seconded by Pam Pickles and unanimously agreed :

“That Councillor Caroline Jackson be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the Municipal Year.”

Resolved :-

That Councillor Caroline Jackson be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the Municipal Year.

Representatives of the Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group have been invited to attend the meeting to discuss the above. 

All Members have been invited to attend the meeting to hear this item.

The Chairman welcomed Dr Alex Gaw, Clinical Chairman for Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group, Andrew Bennett, Chief Officer for Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group and Phil Woodford, Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

The Committee heard a presentation giving details of the progress of the ‘Better Care Together’ programme. It was reported that further development of service models had been undertaken including testing of the feasibility of the options, which had taken into account the feedback from the engagement activity.

The baseline assessment work had been undertaken in February this year which fed into care design group sessions that took place in March. A Clinical Summit took place with over 150 attendees and further smaller group discussions had taken place to discuss the proposed models. This tested the models of ‘out of hospital care’ focusing on GP practices enabling care to become more localised.

Further work was being undertaken on the future options which would result in a Clinical Strategy for Health Services in Morecambe Bay which would be submitted to NHS England and Monitor this month. This would then be assessed by NHS England.

Members of the Committee asked a number of questions relating to recent engagement activities that had taken place which had influenced the content of the Strategy that was being produced.

The importance of engagement of staff was reiterated as well as taking into account the perspective of carers which should factor in the ‘Better Care Together’ initiative.

Resolved :-

(1)          That Dr Alex Gaw, Clinical Chairman for Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group, Andrew Bennett, Chief Officer for Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group and Phil Woodford, Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust be thanked for their attendance at the meeting.

(2)          That the Clinical Strategy for Health Services in Morecambe Bay be circulated to the Committee once it is agreed.

(3)          That a further update be provided for the Committee in Autumn 2014.

The meeting was adjourned at 7.05pm

The meeting was reconvened at 7.10pm

David Russel, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, has been invited to attend to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed David Russel, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Michael Barke, Area Manager and Tony Crook, Group Manager, from Lancashire Fire and Rescue to the meeting.

David Russel gave a presentation detailing the outcome of the Emergency Cover Review that had recently taken place aiming to save the Fire Service £4 million over 3 years. The Lancashire-wide review would not see any Fire Station closures and would retain 58 out of 60 fire engines.  It was noted that further savings were required, £3 million by 2016/17 and £6 million by 2017/18.

Members were reminded that, currently there were 2 wholetime fire engines at Lancaster that were manned 24/7. Lancaster Fire Authority in its review had agreed to reduce this to 1 wholetime and 1 retained engine in Lancaster from April 2016.

It was reported that risk and activity had significantly declined in recent years. Over the last decade fires had dropped by two thirds - down from 14,500 in 2002 to just over 5,000 in 2012, casualties in house fires reduced by 68% and since 2007 duty days lost from staff accidents down 76%.

The Committee was advised that currently 3 delivery options were being considered for Lancaster :

·         A Wholetime and Retained Duty System pump operating from the existing fire station.

·         A Wholetime pump operating from the existing fire station and the Retained Duty System pump from a new ‘satellite’ fire station.

·         A Wholetime and Retained Duty System pump moving to a new fire station (vacating Cable Street).

Concern was raised over the data used to influence the decision which was from 2009-12 which did not take into account the current or future situation of the city. It was noted that in Lancashire, Lancaster and Preston were highlighted as the 2 cities expected to expand the most in future years. With the construction of the M6 link, the expansion of Heysham port, the nuclear power station’s lifetime expected to be increased, new housing estimated at 5,000 homes in the area all of which had not been taken into consideration with this decision.

Members were advised that the Emergency Cover Review would take place every 3 years with the next being in 2016/17 just after Lancaster was expected to lose a wholetime engine.

Members went on to ask a number of questions relating to the growth of Lancaster, the M6 link road, retained cover, hazard assessments, rising student figures, the ageing population, areas of poverty, the siting of the retained system, increased response times and increasing traffic problems in the city due to the construction of Booths, Lancaster Science Park and new housing developments.

After consideration of all the information provided it was agreed :

Resolved :-

(1)          That David Russel, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Michael Barke, Area Manager and Tony Crook, Group Manager, from Lancashire Fire and Rescue be thanked for their attendance at the meeting.

(2)          That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee express its concern and dismay over the decision to remove the second wholetime fire appliance from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Principal Democratic Support Officer presented a report which set out a number of appointments the Committee were required to make.

The following appointments were agreed.

Resolved:-

(1)   That Councillor June Ashworth be appointed Scrutiny Champion for the             Municipal Year.

(2)        That Councillor Roger Dennison be appointed Pre-Scrutiny Champion for the             Municipal Year.

 (3)      The following were agreed as Cabinet Liaison Members:

·         Councillor Eileen Blamire             -           Councillor June Ashworth

·         Councillor Janice Hanson             -           Councillor Caroline Jackson

·         Councillor Abbott Bryning             -           Councillor Roger Dennison

·         Councillor Ron Sands                   -           Councillor Roger Mace

·         Councillor Karen Leytham            -           Councillor Emma Smith

·         Councillor David Smith                 -           Councillor Tony Johnson

·         Councillor Jon Barry                     -           Councillor Pam Pickles

·         Councillor Tim Hamilton-Cox        -           Councillor Ian Pattison

(4)      The following appointments were agreed to Outside Bodies:

·         Homelessness Forum – Councillor Caroline Jackson

·         Lancaster and Morecambe Fairtrade District Steering Group – Councillor David             Whitaker

·         Museums Advisory Panel – Councillor Roger Dennison

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 the accordance with the Consideration of Petitions process.

No update was provided.

Report of Chief Officer (Governance). 

The Democratic Support Officer presented details of the Committee’s Work Programme.

Members were advised that the City Council had received a request from Network Rail to work with them to evaluate the most effective way to provide protection from flooding to the West Coast Main line. It was agreed that this issue would be placed on the Committee’s Work Programme for the new Municipal year.

It was reported that the Leader had recently heard a presentation on the Marmot Review and suggested that it would be useful for the Committee to hear its content and invite all Members to attend.

It was agreed that the Marmot Review presentation would be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.

With regard to the Update on Property Repairs, it was suggested that unless there was a specific issue relating to this, this issue would be removed from the Committee’s Work Programme as Budget and Performance Panel was monitoring the repairs programme.

Members were reminded that each year suggestions for the Committee’s Work Programme were requested. This would be reported into the July meeting.

It was agreed that the Chief Executive be requested to provide a list of issues that the City Council will be consulting upon in the forthcoming year for the July 2014 meeting of the Committee for possible inclusion in the Committee’s Work Programme.

It was further agreed that, in accordance with Part 4 Section 5, Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive be requested to consult with theCity Council’s Management Team for issues that should be included in this Committee’s and Budget and Performance Panel’s Work Programmes for the new Municipal year. 

Resolved :-

(1)          That the following are added to the Committee’s Work Programme for the new Municipal year :

§   Network Rail – flooding issues

§   Marmot Review

§   Consultation process

(2)          That the Chief Executive be requested to provide a list of issues that the City Council will be consulting upon in the forthcoming year for the July 2014 meeting of the Committee for possible inclusion in the Committee’s Work Programme.

(3)          That, in accordance with Part 4 Section 5, Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive be requested to consult with the City Council’s Management Team for issues that should be included in this Committee’s and Budget and Performance Panel’s Work Programmes for the new Municipal year.