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BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY
(COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2005
PRESENT: Mr C J Hunt – Chairman
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Mr D G Grutchfield |
Mr J W Roberts |
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Mr B D Hurren |
Mr D C Rose |
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Mr J A B Long |
Mr D L Wood
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Mr K Grimsey, Mr R E Kemp and Mr J R A Sayers were unable to be present.
Mrs S P Clarke, Babergh’s representative on the Central Suffolk Primary Care Trust Board, attended the meeting for the discussion referred to in Minute No 34 below.
Dr M R Miller, Babergh’s representative on the Suffolk County Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, attended the meeting to make a presentation (see Minute No 34 below).
Mr R W Thake, Chairman of the Development Committee, attended the meeting to present the annual report of the Development Committee (Minute No 36 below refers).
The following attended the meeting for the discussions referred to in Minute No 34 below:
Mr M Stonard, Chief Executive, Suffolk West Primary Care Trust
Mr J Williams, Director of Clinical Services, Suffolk West Primary Care Trust
Ms C Taylor-Brown, Chief Executive, Suffolk East Primary Care Trusts
Mr M Royal, Project Leader, Suffolk East Primary Care Trusts
Mr P Clifford, representing Walnuttree Hospital Action Committee and Sudbury Health and Social Care Centre Steering Group Lay Members
Mr A Shelton, Chair of Public Safety, Policy Development Group, Braintree District Council
Ms L Morgan, Policy Review and Scrutiny Officer, Braintree District Council
29 SUBSTITUTE
It was noted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No 5 that a substitute was in attendance as follows:-
Mr D C Rose (substituting for Mr R E Kemp)
30 DECLARATION OF INTEREST
Mr D G Grutchfield declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 10, Future Use and Occupation of East House (see Minute 38 below), by virtue of his membership of Suffolk County Council.
31 MINUTES
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 August 2005 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
32 PETITIONS
None received.
33 QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS
None received.
34 FORMAL CONSULTATION ON THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH SERVICES IN SUFFOLK
The Chairman drew Members’ attention to Minute No 33 of the Council meeting held on 26 July 2005, when a resolution had been passed expressing grave concern about the proposals by the Suffolk West Primary Care NHS Trust to withdraw all current patient services from Sudbury’s existing hospitals and to exclude in-patient bed provision from the proposed new Health and Social Care Centre due to open in 2007. The Council had called upon the Suffolk West Primary Care Trust (PCT) to reconsider these proposals as a matter of urgency.
The Head of Environmental Services presented a report (Paper E162) setting out key information relating to the consultation exercise. Attached to the report as Appendix 2 was a draft response to the PCT consultation documents.
Mr M Stonard on behalf of Suffolk West PCT made a presentation to the Committee. (A copy of the presentation was circulated to Members and subsequently numbered Paper E162A.) He drew attention to the fact that the consultation period had been extended to 12 December 2005. Further information would be made available to the public in the week commencing 10 October 2005. Final decisions would be made by the PCT Board on 25 January 2006.
Dr M R Miller, Babergh’s representative on the County Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, made a powerpoint presentation to the meeting. (A copy of the presentation was circulated to Members and subsequently numbered Paper E162B.) He also referred Members to his Report attached as Appendix 3 to Paper E162.
Mr P Clifford addressed the meeting on behalf of the Walnuttree Hospital Action Committee. In doing so he referred to his comments set out in Appendix 4 to Paper E162.
Mr T Shelton addressed the meeting in his capacity as Chair of Public Safety, Policy Development Group, Braintree District Council. He drew attention to the fact that a substantial number of Essex residents were cared for by GPs based in Suffolk, and he was concerned that residents he represented would have even greater difficulties than at present in accessing health services. He fully supported the actions taken by community groups to retain health services in Sudbury.
Mr J Williams, Director of Clinical Services, addressed the meeting on behalf of the Suffolk West PCT and outlined the new model of community care being proposed. Mr M Stonard responded to points raised by the other speakers.
Mr P Clifford addressed the meeting on behalf of the Sudbury Health and Social Care Steering Group Lay members. He believed that a great deal of goodwill within the community had been lost because of the decision to exclude in-patient bed provision from the proposed new Health and Social Care Centre due to open in Sudbury in 2007.
Ms C Taylor-Brown made a powerpoint presentation to the meeting on behalf of the Suffolk East PCTs. (A copy of the presentation was circulated to Members and subsequently numbered Paper E162C.) The PCTs had produced a consultation document entitled “Changing for the Better”. The consultation period would end on 30 November 2005. She invited Members to visit Stow Lodge Hospital, Stowmarket.
There then followed a session during which Members were able to ask questions and make comments on what they had heard.
Mr M Hammond, Corporate Director, summed up the main concerns of Members as expressed at the meeting as follows:-
· Concern at the speed of change and impact on patient care. The first phase of any change should be the provision of modern healthcare facilities in Babergh.
· Concern that the capacity and expertise of the PCTs is insufficient to deliver the Financial Recovery Plan whilst planning and delivering modern patient-led services.
· The objective of transforming services from community hospitals to care in the community are largely misunderstood and not accepted by the local community.
· Concern that the proposals are not cost-effective and will not deliver increased access to services.
· Concern that, taking into account the increased travel faced by some patients, the proposals are not environmentally sustainable.
· Concern that the skilled workforce to deliver Care in the Community is not immediately available.
· Concern that the proposals will have an adverse impact on Babergh’s disabled adaptations budget. Costs will be transferred from the PCT to the District Council.
· Concern over the future provision of mental health services to the residents of Babergh.
Mr Shelton, Mr Clifford, Ms Taylor-Brown, Mr Stonard and Dr Miller were given an opportunity to make any final comments.
RESOLVED
(1) That Mike Hammond, Corporate Director, in consultation with the Chairman of Council, Chairman of Strategy Committee and the Political Leaders Group submit a response to the Suffolk West PCT’s and Suffolk East PCTs’ proposals fully reflecting the concerns of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee.
(2) That, in accordance with the resolution of Council (Minute No 33 of the meeting of Council held on 26 July 2005), a copy of the response to the PCTs also be submitted to the Secretary of State for Health, the Strategic Health Authority and Tim Yeo MP.
The meeting adjourned for lunch at 1.25 pm and resumed at 2.00 pm when the following Members were present –
Mr C J Hunt - Chairman
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Mr D G Grutchfield |
Mr D C Rose |
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Mr B D Hurren |
Mr D L Wood |
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Mr J W Roberts |
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35 WORK PLAN
The Acting Head of Legal and Administrative Services submitted a report (Paper E163) which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for the remainder of 2005/06, including the items that may be the subject of call-in procedures.
It was hoped that at the meeting of the Committee to be held on 29 November 2005 reports would be submitted from representatives of the Council on the two Local Strategic Partnership Boards and the Haven Gateway Board. It was also requested that information relating to Waste Management be reported to the Committee at its meeting on 29 November 2005. At a previous meeting it had been suggested that a site visit be arranged for Members to the MRF facility at Great Blakenham. It was now agreed that the Head of Environmental Services should arrange a date for such a visit.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan submitted as Paper E163 be noted.
36 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR 2004/05
Mr D C Rose left the meeting whilst the discussion of the Annual Report of the Development Committee took place.
Mr R W Thake, Chairman of the Development Committee, presented the Annual Report of the Development Committee for 2004/05 (Paper E161). In the discussion which followed the following were among the points noted:-
· There was concern that although 521 complaints of possible breaches of Planning Control had been received for investigation, these had only resulted in the service of 34 Enforcement Notices and 6 Breach of Condition Notices.
· There appeared to be a problem in retaining staff in Planning Control because staff were being trained by Babergh and then achieving promotions outside the District Council.
· Officers were congratulated on the training session held on 30 September 2005 entitled “Material considerations in Development Control”. This had been open to Members from other authorities and everyone who had attended had found the training very helpful. However, a number of Babergh Members had withdrawn from the training at short notice.
· It was considered that all Members of the Development Committee should undertake on-going training during their period of office, and it was suggested that a policy be introduced requiring Members of the Development Committee to attend a certain number of training sessions each year.
· Members expressed concern at the number of times the Development Committee Members had reached decisions contrary to agreed policies. They suggested that future training sessions for Members should focus on the existing policies relating to Holiday Homes, Pub Closures and the retention of Employment Sites. It was agreed that if a new policy on training were introduced, the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee should review the situation after 6 months to see whether the additional training had had any impact on the number of decisions made contrary to policy.
· Members agreed that it was no longer necessary for the Annual Report of the Development Committee to include a list of Site Inspections by Ward.
RESOLVED
(1) That the Annual Report of the Development Committee for 2004/05 submitted as Paper E161 be noted.
(2) That the Committee fully endorses the benefit of the Members’ training held on 30 September 2005.
RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL
That Members of the Development Committee should be required to undertake a minimum of 4 half-day training sessions per year (such training to be open to non-Members of the Development Committee).
37 BABERGH LEISURE TRUST
The Head of Leisure and Community Services presented a report (Paper E157), setting out progress on the establishment of a trust to be responsible for the future management of the Kingfisher Leisure Centre, Sudbury and Hadleigh Swimming Pool.
Members were pleased to note that an open evening on 29 September 2005 had attracted over 30 people who might be interested in becoming trustees.
It was noted that the Trust would require a higher level of grant support than originally envisaged. Officers were currently working on the Business Plan for the Trust and would report as soon as possible to the Procurement Group.
RESOLVED
That the report on the Babergh Leisure Trust submitted as Paper E157 be noted.
38 FUTURE USE AND OCCUPATION OF EAST HOUSE
The Acting Head of Legal and Administrative Services reported that Suffolk County Council had now advised that at the expiry of their Lease in January 2006 they would not be looking to enter into a new Lease for the occupation of East House. It was understood that they would be approaching the District Council to request that the current Lease be extended to March 2006.
Members noted that Babergh Communities Trust had indicated that they would be interested in looking into the possibility of leasing the building after the existing lease with the County Council had expired. Further discussions were being held with all interested parties and a report outlining all alternative options would be submitted to the meeting of the Committee to be held on 29 November 2005.
RESOLVED
That the latest position be noted.
Note:- The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 11.05 a.m. and 11.20 a.m.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 3.15 p.m.
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