Agenda and minutes

Decisions required:

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 8 December 2005.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 8 December 2005 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to the addition of the words “ Chairman of the Housing Scrutiny Panel” after the words ‘Councillor Murray’ in paragraph 67 (a)(i).

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The meeting noted that Councillor Angold-Stephens was substituting for Councillor Faulkner, and Councillor Mrs P Smith was substituting for Councillor M Colling.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillor Mrs D Collins declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 (Commissioning a Patient - led NHS - Consultation exercise) by virtue of being the Chairman of the Epping Forest Primary Care Trust. She declared that her interest was not prejudicial but nevertheless she would vacate her position as Chairman for the meeting during the consideration and voting on the item so that she could address the meeting in her capacity as the Chairman of the Epping Forest PCT.

(Joint Chief Executive – Community). To consider the attached report.

Councillor Mrs J Whitehouse in the Chair

The Chairman introduced Terry Hanafin, the Chief Executive of the Essex Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and his colleague Jenny Fisher who was present to give a presentation on the new arrangements proposed by the Government in relation to the future arrangements for Primary Care Trusts (PCT’s). Mr Hanafin took the meeting through the rational for the proposed changes and the four options available to the District. He went through the basics of what the public wanted, e.g. local services and when they needed them; emergency care when needed; no waiting; having a good patient experience; to have a say and to have a choice; putting the emphasis on prevention and having the Health and Social care services working together. He then outlined the 8 national criteria:

1. Improve Commissioning;
2. Improve the engagement of GP’s;
3. Improve co-ordination with Social Services;
4. Secure high quality safe services;
5. Improve health, reduce inequalities;
6. Improve public involvement;
7. Manage financial balance and risk;
8. At least 15% reduction in management costs.

It was hoped to get a stronger PCT commissioning structure from the new arrangements, improve the engagement of GPs, improve public involvement and manage financial balance and risk.

The government was also looking for management cost savings of at least 15%. The target for Essex is £7.5m (£2m from SHA and £5.5 from PCTs).

He outlined arguments for each of the 4 options given and for the streamlining of SHAs.

Option 1  - 2 PCTs (North Essex and South Essex) –

• £3.3m saving over and above the £5.5m that has to be saved;
• Resources for locality Director and team;
• Resources for locality public health budget;
• Could have in-house functions or share the ‘back office functions’;
• Economies of scale and devolved structure;
• The HQ would be remote from local practices; and
• Deprived areas risk losing out if finances merge.

Option 2 - 3 PCTs (Essex County, Southend and Thurrock)

• Coterminous with social care and education – benefits for joint commissioning;
• £2.5m (over and above the £5.5) more available than currently to strengthen commissioning;
• Southend and Thurrock will only be only £0.7m and £0.6m in total;
• So Southend and Thurrock are likely to need £1m more each – with a potential of £2m away from frontline services and the other PCTs would need to make good savings shortfall; and
• Larger PCTs would have economies of scale, but only with over 1.3 million population.

Option 3 – 4 PCT (North, South, Southend and Thurrock):

• North Essex would have similar pros and cons as option 1;
• The 3 south PCTs could consider shared services;
• Southend and Thurrock PCTs have benefits of coterminosity, but have the same problems with resources as option 2; and
• South Essex PCT does not match local communities or health arrangements.

Option 4 – 5 PCTs (Mid, North East, S.East, S.West and West:

• This built on existing arrangements (currently the 13 PCTs work together in groupings anyway);
• Potentially £0.9m saving above current level – there could be further savings from shared services;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.

(a)       Standing Panels

Recommendation:

To receive progress reports on the work carried out by the Standing Panels since the last meeting of the Committee on 8 December 2005.

The following Standing Panels have met since the last meeting of the Committee on 8 December 2005. The Chairmen of each Panel have been invited to report on the work carried out at these meetings and any matters arising.

The Chairmen to report and their respective Panels are set out below.

Constitutional Affairs (5 January 2006)                                    Councillor R Morgan

Environmental and Planning Services (12 January 2006)            Councillor D Stallan

Finance and Performance Management

(16/30 January 2006)                                                              Councillor J Whitehouse

E-Government and ICT (23 January 2006)                          Councillor F Maclaine

Housing (30 January 2006)                                                              Councillor S Murray

(b)              Task and Finish Panels

Recommendation:

To receive reports from the Chairman of the Task and Finish Panels on any matters requiring consideration by the Committee.

The OSC has recently resolved that the Chairmen of these Panels need only attend the meeting to report on matters for consideration or urgent issues. Any Chairmen with such matters to report are invited to attend this meeting to present the issues.

(c)               Updated Work Programme

The Chairmen’s reports will refer to the progress made against the items for their Panel in the current OS work plan. The full updated programme is attached for noting.

Standing Panels.

(i)            Environmental & Planning Services

Councillor Stallan (Chairman) reported that:

·        The last meeting had made no comments and agreed the West Essex Waste Management Joint Committee’s Memorandum of Understanding;

·        That the Panel has learned that the Government was seeking consultation on the use of incinerators. The panel agreed that they would like to take part in this programme. He asked if this parent committee had any view on the way they should go about this? The Committee agreed that the Environmental & Planning Services Scrutiny Panel should plan their own strategy on this proposal.

(ii)            Finance & Performance Management

Councillor J Whitehouse (Chairman) reported that the next meeting was due to be held on 27 February and was due to look at the Performance Figures.

(iii)       E Government and ICT

Councillor Maclaine (Chairman) reported that the panel had completed their return on the governments’ implementation of E-Government and had submitted it to the ODPM.

(iv)            Housing

In the absence of Councillor Murray, John Scott reported that:

·        The Housing Scrutiny Panel had considered a number of initiatives that could form part of the emerging Empty House Strategy, and agreed to make some recommendations to the Cabinet on initiatives that the Panel supported but would require funding;

·        They had agreed a Consultation Draft Homelessness Strategy, for consultation with interested organisations; and

·        The next meeting has been arranged for early March.

(v)            Constitutional Affairs

In the absence of Councillor Morgan, Simon Hill reported that the next meeting was scheduled for 23 February when they would be considering the pack for electoral candidates.

Task and Finish Panels

(i)            Externally Funded Leisure and Youth Provision

Councillor Mrs Grigg (Chairman) reported that the Panel had met in January. They had visited a number of youth organisations and had considered their findings. The Panel had decided to recommend the appointment of a Young Persons Officer responsible to the Head of Leisure Services. They had considered the job description and wanted it to include an audit of violence in the area.

(ii)            Members Training

Councillor Mrs Sartin (Chairman) reported that they had met to appoint a Scrutiny trainer and agreed dates for the training which would advised to members through the Bulletin.

(iii)            Register of Development Proposals

Councillor Angold-Stephens (Vice Chairman) reported that they had now completed their work programme.

(c)            Updated Work Programme

(i)            Environment and Planning

Councillor Stallan reported that they would be looking at:

·        An outline business case for the ‘Essex Waste Project’;

·        The re-use of buildings in the Green Belt and to this end will be meeting Essex County officer in March; and

·        The next meeting will be held at the end of February.

(ii)            Finance and Performance Management

Councillor Whitehouse reported that they had agreed the Council’s constitution strategy and will consider the ‘tool kit’ of practical advice.

(d)       New Item to Consider:

Councillor Mrs Collins reported that Area Planning Sub-Committee ‘C’ had asked that one of the standing Panels look at how members are allocated to the planning panels. Currently Planning Sub Committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.

(Head of Finance). Please find attached the latest version of the Council Budgets for 2006/07. This information replaces the report attached to the main agenda which is now out of date.

The Committee considered the updated Council Budgets 2006/07 report that replaced the report attached to the agenda.

Councillor Mrs Whitehouse asked if it was possible to request that the Cabinet consider additional funding for the Youth Grant Aid budget. Additionally, Councillor Mrs Whitehouse also pointed out that the Handyperson scheme’s budget had not been increased since it had been set up and would like the budget for the scheme to b reviewed. The Head of Finance replied that at this stage of budget setting it was difficult to add to the budget but the portfolio holder could be asked if they would consider putting forward appropriate supplementary estimates for next year.

Councillor Jon Whitehouse commented that the Finance and Performance Standing Panel had considered the report and were satisfied with it. They were content that the council tax raise made sense but that the Panel considered that the grant aid budget needed to be reviewed; they noted that the council were not achieving the expected income levels within land charges as a result of the increase in private searches. The Panel had also suggested the extension of the street cleansing teams scheme and had expressed their view that North Weald Airfield was reliant on a single source of income. It was thought the relevant portfolio holders could look at these items with further reports as necessary.

Councillor Angold-Stephens also requested that the Portfolio Holder for Civil Engineering and Maintenance be asked to consider the funding of the remaining phases of the Loughton Town Centre enhancement Scheme, which were not currently in the Capital Programme.

            Recommended to Cabinet:

(1)            That the views of the Finance and Performance Management Panel be noted;

(2)            That the Portfolio Holder for Community Wellbeing be asked to consider increased support to the Grant Aid Budget in light of the provisional settlement;

(3)            That the Portfolio Holder for ICT and Corporate Support Services be asked to report to the Finance Panel on the impact of personal searches on the Local Land Charges budget;

(4)            That following the success of the Paternoster Street Cleaning Team, consideration be given by the Portfolio Holder to extending the use of such teams into other areas;

(5)            That the Cabinets attention be drawn to the need to consider the future income from North Weald Airfield given the high levels of subsidy and reliance on a single source of income; and

(6)            That the Civil Engineering and Maintenance Portfolio Holder be asked to consider the funding of the final phases of the Loughton Town Centre Enhancement Scheme.

(Head of Human Resources and Performance Management). To consider the separately circulated draft plan.

The Committee noted and agreed the minutes from the Finance and Performance Management Scrutiny Panel held on 30 January 2006 that had considered the Draft Council Plan for 2006-2010. The Committee endorsed the prosed changes suggested by the Panel.

The Plan would now be subject to consultation. The results of the consultation undertaken in respect of the text of the draft Council Plan would then be reported directly to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 6 April 2006, with the document then being referred to the Cabinet on 10 April 2006 and the Council meeting on 24 April 2006 for adoption.

            Recommended to Cabinet:

That the proposed changes to the draft Council Plan 2006-2010 made by the Finance and Performance Management Scrutiny Panel on 30 January 2006 be supported and incorporated for consultation purposes.

Recommendation:

To consider any items to be raised by the Chairman at the Cabinet meeting on 6 February 2006.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). Under the Overview and Scrutiny rules the Committee is enabled to scrutinise proposed decisions of the Executive. The arrangements  enable the Chairman to report on such discussions to the Cabinet at the next appropriate meeting.

Accordingly, the Committee is asked to consider the 6 February 2006 Cabinet agenda (previously circulated) to see whether there are any items that they wished to be raised at that Cabinet meeting.

The committee did not wish to query any items from the Cabinet meeting to be held on 6 February 2006.

The Committee was asked to give consideration for any new topics for the Task and Finish panels to look at and to report back to the next meeting.