Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations made at this point of the meeting.  

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Langhorn to his first meeting of the Panel. 

Minutes of the Meetings held on 15^th and 29^th July 2008 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meetings held on 15^th and 29^th July 2008 were signed by the Chairman as correct records. 

Presentation by the North Lancashire Teaching PCT

Tom Pickering, representing the North Lancashire Teaching Primary Care Trust (NLTPCT) delivered a presentation regarding the Trust’s Five Year Strategic Plan.  The presentation covered the following topics:

·                     Designing Healthcare for the Future

·                     Commissioning Principles

·                     Twelve Commissioning Standards

·                     Strategic Planning Processes

·                     Child Health

·                     Cancer

·                     Vascular Disease

·                     Mental Health

·                     End of Life Care

Statistical data showing detailed information on various topics covered within the presentation were provided. 

In conclusion Members were advised that the Plan had been based on a systematic/consistent national approach, based upon improving health outcomes.  The PCT would be judged upon improving health outcomes and reducing health inequalities, linked strongly to Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and Local Area Agreements. 

Members of the Panel then raised a number of queries with regard to the presentation.  Discussions arose with regard to bowel cancer, issues regarding predict/prevent, air quality, physical activity, road safety, vascular disease, issues relating to the differing areas covered by the ACUTE Trust and the PCT, literature that could be provided in GP surgeries, obesity issues relating to children, aftercare and recovery rates and issues relating to smoking. 

The Chairman, on behalf of the Panel, thanked Mr Pickering for his informative presentation and advised the meeting that the PCT would be formally consulting on the Five Year Strategic Plan when the City Council would have the opportunity to respond. 

Resolved: -

(1)     That Tom Pickering be thanked for his informative presentation to the Panel. 

(2)     That the Panel note that the PCT will be consulting the Council formally regarding the Five Year Strategic Plan. 

Presentation by Richard Dunlop, Director, Butlers Treasury Advisers

Richard Dunlop, Director, Butlers Treasury Advisers, provided Treasury Management Training to Members attending the meeting.  The presentation covered a number of topics, including: 

·                     What is Treasury Management

·                     Legal Framework and other issues

·                     Member Minimum Annual Reporting Framework

·                     Prudential Indicators

·                     Capital Expenditure and the CFR

·                     CFR – Borrowing Need

·                     Affordable Borrowing Limit/Operational Boundary

·                     Treasury Management – Member/Officer, Basics, Investments, Borrowing, Repayment, Rescheduling, Future Position, Accounting

·                     Outlook for Interest Rates/Forecast Tables

·                     Implications for Lancaster City Council

Questions were then invited and responded to from those Members attending. 

Resolved: -

(1)     That Richard Dunlop be thanked for his informative training presentation. 

Councillors Blamire, Clifford, Thomas and John Whitelegg and Richard Dunlop left the meeting. 

Report of Cabinet Member with Portfolio Responsibility for Performance Management Efficiency

Councillor Charles was in attendance at the meeting, in her capacity as Cabinet Member with Portfolio Responsibility for Performance Management and Efficiency. 

The Corporate Director (Finance and Performance) updated the Panel on the 1^st Quarterly Corporate Performance Monitoring.  The report detailed ‘red traffic light’ areas where the Council was not performing to its targets.  Members were advised that as the report only reflected the 1^st Quarter measures were already in place to tackle many factors resulting in targets not being met.  Where it was not clear if individual Cabinet Members had not already effected corrective action, Councillor Charles had requested further information to satisfy herself that actions were in place to resolve areas of concern.  

In respect of the financial monitoring aspect of the report, Members were advised that better investment rates had resulted in an increase of £65,000, however negative fuel costs of £126,000 and additional costs were estimated with regard to Lancaster Market rents.  Significant savings in respect of salary management did however mean that there was a current £212,000 net underspend against the original budget at the end of June 2008, but it was anticipated that this would reduce to £80,000 by the end of the year.  Members were also advised of an underspend with regard to the Housing Revenue Account which had resulted from 5 unfilled vacancies in the Repairs and Maintenance Section.  It was noted that queries regarding this and other issues could be raised at the special meeting of the Panel to be held on 16^th September 2008, with Service Heads being invited to the meeting. 

The Panel noted that following her consideration of the financial position at the end of June 2008, Councillor Charles had asked for 5 issues to be clarified to satisfy her that action was being taken.  These were set out in the papers within the report. 

Resolved: -

(1)        That the report be noted. 

Report of Head of Democratic Services

The Senior Democratic Support Officer introduced a report to update Members with regard to the Work Programme.  The Panel was requested to note that an additional meeting had now been set for Tuesday, 16^th September 2008.  This meeting had been established for appropriate Officer representation from a number of Services, to present and answer questions, detail the reasons and circumstances that had resulted in the various over and underspends highlighted in the Outturn Report 2007/08, and explain why, in some circumstances, they had not been reported into the quarterly Performance Review Team meetings. 

Resolved:-

(1)        That the report be noted.