Agenda and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded to use their microphones when speaking.

The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing.

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery”

The Committee noted that the meeting would be webcast.

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

The Committee noted that Councillor Mrs Smith was substituting for Councillor Mohindra.

(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.

(a)            Pursuant to the Code of Conduct for Members Councillors Stallan and Haigh declared a personal interest in item 8 – Review of Civic Ceremonial. The Councillors indicated that they proposed to stay in the meeting for the discussion for that item.

Decisions required:

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 5 October 2006.

            RESOLVED:

            That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2006 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Recommendation:

To receive a presentation from representatives of Waltham Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the West Essex PCT on the “Fit for the Future” review of health services.

(Joint Chief Executive (Community)). At its last meeting the Committee received a report on the public concerns about possible future changes to service levels at Whipps Cross University Hospital. They noted that Kings Georges Hospital, Ilford and Oldchurch Hospital, Romford hospital (which also serves the District) are all now subject to a programme review being led by the North East London Strategic Health Authority.

The “Fit for the Future” review is being undertaken to look at different ways of delivering better health and social care, close to home and at the best value for taxpayers. The North East London Strategic Health Authority has agreed to give a presentation on this to members. James Slater, Director of Primary Care and Deputy Chief Executive of Waltham Forest PCT and lead Director on “Fit for the Future” for Waltham Forest and Redbridge PCT, along with Dr Ken Aswani (a Waltham Forest GP) and Chairman of Waltham Forest PCTs Professional Executive Committee will attend the meeting to give the presentation and answer any questions arising from this.

Representatives from the West Essex PCT have also been invited to attend.

Members are asked to bring along their consultation report that was appended to the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee agenda and the two ‘Fit for the Future’ newsletters published in the Members Bulletins as background to the presentation.

The Chairman welcomed James Slater, Director of Primary Care and Deputy Chief Executive of Waltham Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT) to the meeting. Mr Slater was also the lead director on the ‘Fit for The Future’ review of northeast London health care currently being undertaken by the North East London Strategic Health Authority.

Also present were Mr Alan Clarke of the Barking and Dagenham PCT, Aidan Thomas, the newly appointed Chief Executive of the West Essex PCT and Ms Catherine O’Connell Locality Director, West Essex PCT.

Mr Slater gave a presentation on the proposed review. Mr Slater began by thanking members for the opportunity of discussing the review with the Council. Mr Slater stressed that the review work was still ongoing and currently at pre-consultation stages.

There was an acknowledgement by clinical leaders that services at Whipps Cross Hospital would need to change in the future. The ‘Fit for the Future’ review was a collaboration by the PCT and the SHA and other partner organisations. The four London boroughs that made up North East London: Havering, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge defined what was meant by North East London.

The aim of the programme was to improve the quality and suitability of local health services and to address the differences in Health Care across the area, to provide more services to the community, to get the best from the new Queens Hospital in Romford and to bring the local health services into financial balance in the longer term. This was a significant task as the two acute trusts were currently in a deficit position of approximately £50 million. Finance was not the only reason for the review but the authorities did have a duty to live within their means.

Why change? Technology was changing the way that patient care was provided and more investment in community based facilities meant that care could be provided outside of hospitals. Improvements in treatment meant that patients could treated more quickly and hospital stays minimised.  More increasingly patients were treated as day cases or treated in their own homes. Patients requiring specialist care had better outcomes when treated in major centres. Mr Slater gave an example of treatment of heart attack patients being treated at the London Chest Hospital in Mile End rather than local Accident and Emergency (A and E) Services as this gave them the highest possible survival rate. This was largely permitted by changes in technology and training of paramedics.

Mr Slater commented that the PCT’s were investing in diagnostic facilities in Health Services and Community based blood testing. Eight new Primary Care Centres had been built or refurbished. Work was being done to minimise the length of hospital stays.

The Committee noted that the review was considering five options. Mr Slater stressed that no decisions had been made on the review and would not until extensive public involvement and consultation was completed. Additionally, the programme was being taken in the context of a larger review of the London  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

(a)            Progress Reports

To receive verbal reports from Scrutiny Panel Chairmen on any significant issues arising from their work.

Panel Chairmen are asked to report on their work only if a significant issue has arisen not reported elsewhere.

(b)       Six Monthly Review

(1)        That the attached work programme be reviewed at this half year stage; and

(2)        That only items requiring urgent consideration be added to the programme.

In accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny procedure rules, the Committee are asked to consider their work programme at this half- year stage.

Members will note that the work programme and available officer support and resources is at full capacity. As a result, it is recommended that scrutiny should concentrate on completing its existing commitments and no new items save those considered urgent be added to the work programme.

Progress Reports

(a)            Environmental And Planning Services Standing Panel - Councillor Mrs P Smith

Councillor Smith reported that the Panel had last met on 30 October 2006.

(i)         Traffic Issues in the Roydon and Nazeing Areas – Focus day

The Panel had considered the current position regarding the focus day agreed on Traffic Issues in the Roydon and Nazeing Areas. The Panel had noted that the Head of Planning and Economic Development continued to liaise with the County to find an independent facilitator for the day. The details of the event would be reported in the Members Bulletin.

(ii)        East of England Plan

The recommendations of the Examination in Public for the East of England Plan were now with the Minister. It was anticipated that the proposed changes would be issued in December 2006 and would take some time to consider. It had been agreed that, to allow the Panel sufficient time to ‘digest’ the information, the next meeting of the Panel programmed for 19 December 2006 would be moved back to 16 January 2007 at 7.30 pm in order to consider the issue.

(iii)            Community Wardens      

The Panel had received feedback on the recent Member Site visit to the Community Warden Schemes operating in Colchester Borough Council and Braintree Borough Council.

The schemes observed focused more on community engagement initiatives rather than tackling environmental crime. These type of scheme were quite costly. On balance, the Panel recommended that at this point in time, a Community Warden scheme should not be pursued to deliver the relevant powers in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environmental Act (ie Fixed Penalty Notices). Instead the Panel had asked that further consideration be given to alternative methods for delivering the legislation. A full report on this matter would be submitted a future panel meeting.

(iv)            Planning Enforcement Statistics

The Panel had supported a report recommending that for a trial period planning enforcement statistics should be reported in the Members Bulletin giving details of: enforcement investigations started, processed and “ in hand “ each month; and a brief progress report on cases where an enforcement notice had not been complied with.

It had also been agreed that the cases listed in the ‘Planning Enforcement Action section’ in the Members bulletin should state the date action commenced.  The Panel had asked for a further report in six months on the trial.

(b)       Older People and Disabled People Task and Finish Panel – Budget Proposals 2007/08 – Councillor S Perry

The Older People and Disabled People Task and Finish Panel had been meeting to discuss matters contained within its terms of reference. The Panel were now in the report preparation stages and hoped to place their report before the Committee in the New Year.

Two issues had arisen which members of the panel wished to bring to the attention of the Cabinet before the finalisation of next years budget.

Firstly the Panel had been asked by the Housing Portfolio Holder to undertake a review of the Council’s Handy Person  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

(Chairman of Constitutional and Members Services Scrutiny Panel). To consider the report of the Sub – Group (attached). 

The Chairman of the Subgroup, Councillor R Morgan reported that the Panel on Constitutional Affairs had set up a subgroup to undertake a review of the Civic Ceremonial function.

Normally such reports would be considered by the Panel prior to consideration by the main Committee. As the report contained bids for growth for next years budget, the Chairman of the Panel had agreed to its consideration at this meeting as no meeting of the Panel would be held before the date of final budget bid considerations.

The report of the Subgroup brought forward a number of recommendations in relation to the service including officer support to the chairman, use of civic transport, civic hospitality, guidelines for the safe custody of civic regalia, and long service gifts for Councillors.

The Committee endorsed the proposals for onward consideration by the Cabinet subject to the inclusion of an intermediate long service award based upon 15 years service.

RESOLVED:

That the following recommendations of the Civic Ceremonial Review Subgroup of the Constitutional Affairs Standing Scrutiny Panel be forwarded to the Cabinet for adoption:

(a)            That the following revenue CSB growth bids for 2007/8 be approved subject to consideration of the Council’s budgets later in the municipal year:

(i)            An increase of £2,500 per annum in the budget provision for hiring of civic transport (Vehicle Leasing budget) for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council; and

(ii)            An additional sum of £5,000 (including on-costs) to provide one further day of officer support per week to the Chairman of Council;

(b)            That, with effect from 2007/08 municipal year, £2,500 be retained by the Council out of the Chairman’s Allowance and transferred to the Councils existing budget for Civic Hospitality;

(c)            That the new Safe Custody Guidelines for the Civic Regalia attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes be adopted and issued each year to the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Council and their spouses/partners;

(d)            That the current policy for awards based upon length of service or positions held by Councillors be discontinued and replaced by the following revised awards policy:

“(i)            Those serving as a Councillor for ten years or more – a presentation gift to the value of £50;

(ii)            Those serving as a Councillor for fifteen years or more – a presentation gift to the value of £75; and

(iii)            Those serving as a Councillor for twenty years or more – a presentation gift to the value of £100; and

(e)            That a range of gifts be selected by the Head of Research and Democratic Services from time to time in consultation with the Chairman of the Council”.

Recommendation:

To consider any items to be raised by the Chairman at the Cabinet meeting on 13 November 2006.

Members are reminded to bring to the meeting their copy of the 13 November 2006 Cabinet agenda.

Any comments raised during this item which the Committee agrees should be considered by the Cabinet will be reported direct to them by the Chairman of this Committee at its next meeting on 13 November 2006.

The Committee noted that the agreed recommendations of the Older Peoples Task and Finish Panel would be reported to the Cabinet for consideration at their next meeting. Additionally, the Chairman of the Town Centres and Car Parks Panel, Councillor Colling, would also report the view of his Panel on the free car parking report being considered at that meeting.

The Cabinet would be made aware of the recommendations for representation on the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee suggested by the North East London Borough’s prior to its consideration at the next full Council meeting.