Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on 10^th September, 2014 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10^th September, 2014 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Diane Armstrong from Age UK has been invited to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed Diane Armstrong from Age UK to the meeting.

The Committee was given an update on the Dementia Friendly Community pilot that was being undertaken in Bare. A number of Dementia Friends sessions had been held with 60 local people attending over the last few months. The next step would be to visit the businesses where all employees had attended a session and with just a few simple actions they would receive a window sticker to display to show they were Dementia Friendly.

It was reported that the pilot was preparing now to move into Torrisholme which it was felt would centre around the three churches that already had a strong relationship and seemed the obvious place to start.

Members asked a number of questions relating to dementia and the Bare pilot.

Resolved:-

(1)       That Diane Armstrong be thanked for her attendance at the meeting.

(2)       That a further update be provided later in 2015 and that this be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.

Members will be given an officer presentation.

The Chairman welcomed Julian Inman, Senior Planner and Sarah Robinson, Urban Designer, to the meeting.

Members were given an update on the Morecambe Area Action Plan (MAAP) that had now completed its very extensive public consultation and had been submitted to the Planning Inspector for approval. It was noted that the MAAP was a planning policy document as well as an Action Plan for Morecambe which would be submitted to Council for approval.

The Committee was shown draft plans of improvement works that would begin in Morecambe within the next year and included Peddar Street car park and around the Arndale Centre, Morecambe. 

Members discussed the proposals at length and asked a number of questions.

It was reported that work was being undertaken using Section 215 enforcement powers in order to improve the appearance of properties within central Morecambe. This work was ongoing and was now targeting Peddar Street and Queen Street, Morecambe.

It was noted that a copy of the Inspector’s report would be circulated to Members of the Committee. 

Resolved:-

(1)       That Julian Inman, Senior Planner and Sarah Robinson, Urban Designer be thanked for their attendance at the meeting. 

(2)       That a copy of the Inspector’s report be circulated to Members of the Committee. 

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.

Councillor Whitaker provided the Committee with an update on the recent 3 Tier Forum meeting. The Forum had discussed a Transport Asset Management Plan, Domestic Abuse Commissioning Strategy and Gypsy Traveller Provision.

It was agreed that the 3 reports would be circulated to the Committee.

Resolved:-

(1)       That Councillor Whitaker be thanked for his update report. 

(2)       That the 3 reports regarding the Transport Asset Management Plan, Domestic Abuse Commissioning Strategy and Gypsy Traveller Provision be circulated to Members of the Committee. 

Report of Chief Officer (Governance). 

Members considered a report detailing the Committee’s Work Programme.

The Committee discussed the information that had been received from the Public Health team regarding hospital stays for self-harm and also emergency hospital admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. 

Members felt more work should be undertaken to understand why parts of the district were well above the national average in these two areas and also to ascertain what was being done to lower these figures.

It was agreed that an informal meeting would be arranged with members of the Committee, Councillor Gardner, the City Council’s Health Scrutiny representative, Councillor Newman-Thompson, County Councillor representative and members of the County Council’s Public Health Team invited to attend, with the outcomes from the meeting being reported back to the Committee in December 2014.

The Committee was reminded that in the previous week, a briefing had taken place on the Marmot Review. The Chief Executive, at the briefing, suggested that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could undertake a piece of work on the outcomes of the Marmot Review and how the City Council and its partners could incorporate the findings into their policies to make the district a healthier place to live.

Members went on to discuss the delivery of new Council Housing which had been considered at the last Cabinet meeting.

It was agreed that Cabinet be requested to consider the principles of the Marmot Review when appraising sites for new Council Housing.

It was reported that the Chairman and Pre-Scrutiny Champion had met with Network Rail to discuss possible areas of concern with regard to flooding on the West Coast Mainline.

It was agreed that the Committee would write to the County Council as the responsible authority for flooding and the Environment Agency to advise of the meeting and request the three organisations work together on this issue.

Councillor Jackson advised of a recent meeting of the NW Strategic Scrutiny Network arranged by NW Employers that she had recently attended.  The meeting had considered flooding, in particular the responsibility of different organisations and also the issue of young people in care.    

Members went on to discuss the recently published Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and of new duties.  Guidance on the Act was available on the Local Government Association website.

It was agreed that a copy of the guidance to the Act be circulated to Members and that an overview of the new Act would be requested for the Crime and Disorder meeting to be held in November 2014.

The Committee went on to discuss empty properties and agreed that an update be requested for the February meeting.

Resolved:-

That the actions agreed above be noted and be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.