Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 7^th June 2011.

2 Minutes.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 7^th June 2011 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda Item. Please see Notes 1 and 2 overleaf.

2 Minutes.

Councillor K M Baker declared a personal interest in Minute No. 24 by virtue of being a Member of Shopmobility Trust.

Councillor J J Dutton declared a personal interest in Minute No. 24 as a Director of the Citizens Advice Bureau and a member of the Hunts Forum of Voluntary Organisations.

Councillor I C Bates declared a personal interest in Minute No. 29 by virtue of his membership of Cambridgeshire County Council.

A copy of the current Forward Plan, which was published on 17^th June 2011 is attached. Members are invited to note the Plan and to comment as appropriate on any items contained therein.

10 Minutes.

The Panel considered and noted the current Forward Plan of Key Decisions (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which had been prepared by the Executive Leader of the Council for the period 1^st July to 31^st October 2011.

In response to a question by Councillor I C Bates on whether the business plan for One Leisure St Ives – Proposals for Development would be submitted to the Panel, Members were informed that a report on the proposals had been considered at the last meeting. Officers undertook to re-circulate the report together with the Panel’s comments on the proposals.

To consider a report by the Head of Housing Services on shared Home Improvement Agency Services.

20 Minutes.

(Councillor T V Rogers, Executive Councillor for Resources and Customer Services, was in attendance for consideration of this item).

With the aid of a report by the Head of Housing Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel gave consideration to a proposal to establish a shared Home Improvement Agency Service with Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

By way of background, the Executive Councillor for Resources and Customer Services reported on the terms of the proposal for the Home Improvement Agency Service to be managed by Cambridge City Council from South Cambridgeshire District Council’s offices.

The Panel asked questions about a number of matters relating to the proposals including the adoption of best practice methods and the need to ensure that appropriate standards were maintained by other providers who contributed towards the delivery of the service. However, in the absence of an Officer to respond to their questions, Members requested that this item was placed on the Agenda for their next meeting to enable them to give further consideration to this matter.

Having been informed that the Cabinet had already agreed in principle to the establishment of a shared Home Improvement Agency Service and authorised the Managing Director (Communities, Partnerships and Projects), following consultation with the Executive Councillor for Resources and Customer Services and the Managing Director (Resources), to establish a shared service, the Panel

RESOLVED

  that the Managing Director (Communities, Partnerships and Projects), together with the Head of Housing Services and the Executive Councillor for Resources and Customer Services, be requested to attend the September 2011 meeting of the Panel to respond to the questions raised by Members in respect of the establishment of a shared Home Improvement Agency Service with Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

To receive a report from the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services on organisations supported by grants via service level agreements.

20 Minutes.

The Panel considered a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) containing details of the performance of voluntary organisations in Huntingdonshire who received funding from the Council via service level agreements.

The Council’s Community Health Manager, Mr D Smith, outlined the background to the current performance framework and apprised Members of details of how the agreements were managed by the Council. In so doing, he reported that all organisations were monitored against a set of agreed performance indicators and other organisational criteria on a quarterly basis. Members’ attention was drawn to the two indicators where the performance targets had not been achieved in the previous year and the reasons for the performance reported. Comment was made by a Member that the abolition by the Government of requirements to produce performance data meant there was an opportunity to reduce the burden on voluntary organisations of providing such information to the Council. In response, the Community Health Manager reported that this was a matter that would be reviewed with the Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities.

In noting that the outcome of a review of the funding arrangements for the voluntary sector was currently being undertaken and having expressed their satisfaction with the content of the report, the Panel

RESOLVED

that the contents of the report be noted.

To receive a report from the Cabinet outlining their deliberations on the Panel’s study into One Leisure Finance and the Council’s consultation processes.

10 Minutes.

The Panel received and noted a report from the Cabinet (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) outlining their deliberations on the Panel’s studies into the financial performance of One Leisure and the Council’s consultation and engagement policies, procedures and practices. With regard to the former, it was noted that the Executive Councillor for Organisational Development had been tasked with reviewing the Council’s IT costs, including the basis upon which the IT network service was re-charged to users. Having regard to the latter, it was reported that the recommendations relating to the Working Group’s involvement in the wider review of the Consultation and Engagement Strategy and associated Guidance and the effective utilisation of the Council’s Consultation Calendar and Database had been endorsed by the Cabinet. The Managing Director (Resources) had been requested to consider how the current process could be improved and to report on his findings at a future meeting of the Panel.

To receive a report from the One Leisure Working Group.

10 Minutes.

With the aid of a report (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel were acquainted with the outcome of a recent meeting of the One Leisure Finance Working Group which had been held on 23^rd June 2011. Matters that were discussed included the profitability of individual activities, return on capital investments and admission levels to each of the Centres before and after improvements had been made. A further meeting of the Working Group would be held on 1^st September 2011.

To consider and comment upon the draft Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2009/10.

15 Minutes.

The Panel reviewed the draft Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2010/11 (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). In so doing, Members were reminded of the constitutional requirement to produce a Report each year. They welcomed the progress which had been made in respect of the Monitoring of Section 106 Agreements.

To receive an update on the outcome of recent meetings of the Cambridgeshire Adults, Well-Being and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

5 Minutes.

The Panel received and noted the Minutes of the meeting of the Cambridgeshire Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24^th May 2011 (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). A further meeting of the Committee would be held on 7^th July 2011 where consideration would be given to GP led commissioning.

To consider, with the aid of a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, the current programme of Overview and Scrutiny studies.

15 Minutes.

The Panel received and noted a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) containing details of studies being undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

The Scrutiny and Review Manager reported on an opportunity for joint working with the Environmental Well-Being Panel in respect of the study into Gypsy and Traveller Welfare. Councillor I C Bates informed the Panel that a meeting had recently been held at the County Council to consider the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment. Having been advised that a report on this subject was available, Members requested that a copy of the report was circulated to them for information purposes. 

With regard to the studies relating to CCTV provision within the District and the financial implications of the Council’s future housing responsibilities, the Panel expressed the view that these matters fell within the responsibility of the Social Well-Being Panel.

Councillor R J West reported that Councillor S J Criswell would be attending a meeting of the Hunts Health Board, the pilot GP commissioning consortia in Huntingdonshire. A seminar on this subject was currently being arranged for Members.

To consider a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services on the Panel’s programme of studies.

15 Minutes.

The Panel received and noted a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which contained details of actions taken in response to recent discussions and decisions. It was reported that, as the Government had not signed off the terms of the management contract, Circle had not yet assumed responsibility for the management of Hinchingbrooke Hospital. Additionally, it was reported that a meeting of the Voluntary Sector Working Group had been arranged to take place at the end of the month and that the Huntingdonshire Strategic Partnership (HSP) Executive and Board would be considering the future of the HSP at their meetings in July. 

To scrutinise decisions as set out in the Decision Digest and to raise any other matters for scrutiny that fall within the remit of the Panel.

5 Minutes.

The 115^th Edition of the Decision Digest was received and noted.