Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J Collop, Mrs S Collop and C Joyce.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 June 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

There was no urgent business.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chair.

There were no Members present pursuant to Standing Order 34.

The Chair reported that he had received an email from Councillor Joyce asking the Committee to urgently consider the King’s Lynn Transport Study.  He advised the Committee that there was a Stakeholder event taking place on Tuesday 24 September 2019 at 4pm at the Town Hall and urged the Committee to attend.  The Chair advised that a Special Meeting would be held to consider the item, details of which would be forwarded.

A representative from the CCG will be present at the meeting to update the Committee about healthcare provision in King’s Lynn.

The Chair welcomed Melanie Craig, Chief Officer, the NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups for Norfolk and Waveney Executive Lead, Norfolk and Waveney STP and Paul Williams, Chair West Norfolk CCG.

Melanie Craig explained that the Governing Bodies and Member Practices of the five NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups in Norfolk and Waveney had been asked if they wished to merge and create one single CCG on 1 April 2020.

The presentation covered the following:

·       The benefits of the proposed merger for patients, partners and practices;

·       Safeguarding local focus and clinical leadership;

·       Support from key partners;

·       Timeline;

·       Queen Elizabeth Hospital update;

·       Fairstead – consultation update and reflections so far

·       Norfolk & Waveney Primary Care Networks;

·       Primary Care Network Projects;

·       Community Update.

The Chief Officer and Chair of the CCG then responded to questions/comments from the Committee, as follows:

·        The team were trying to eradicate comments that the County were ‘not doing enough’ and wanted to offer improvements to the standard of care.  The CCG wanted to retain and recruit staff, and articles about this for nursing had recently been in the press.

·        In relation to GP practices, it was considered that the quality was better than average in the area.  Staff were qualified but at different levels.  GPs were qualified as a general practitioner not a specialist and there would be situations where patients were referred to consultants at the hospital for specialist advice.

·        The procedure for dealing with complaints was outlined, and assurances given that they would be answered appropriately.

·        Patients would only be asked to change practice if the relationship had broken down with their own GP.

·        There was no specific intention to have fewer practices in the area, and the CCG were currently in discussions around the Fairstead practice.  They were mindful of plans of the new housing development, and had been in discussions with the Leader and Chief Executive around the plans for West Winch.  It was hoped that closer working relationships would be set up with the Planning Department.  It was acknowledged that there was still an issue around the recruitment of GPs.

·        Reference was made to the Samphire Ward, which would reduce the inappropriate use of out of area placements.

·        The process around publishing the results of the Healthwatch consultation was explained.

·        With regards to the situation at Fairstead, it was explained that concerns still remained over the telephone access, and this would continue to be monitored.  The intention was to find a better solution for the people of Fairstead.

The Chair thanked Melanie Craig, Chief Officer and Dr Paul Williams, Chair of the CCG for attending the meeting.

To receive the 6 monthly date from the Police.

PC Lee Anderton attended the meeting and provided the Committee with 6 monthly update figures and comparison figures from 2018.

In response to a question from the Chair, PC Anderton explained that the Police would often target specific crimes, which could result in a drop in crime figures, and also that intelligence was improved.  Increases in crime could often be linked to trends.

With regards to assault and IT crime, PC Anderton explained that the figures presented to the Committee, was what the system provided.  There was a growth in IT crime and the team was getting larger to combat cybercrime.  The more complex fraud cases would be referred to and dealt with by the National Crime Agency.

In response to a comment from Councillor Kemp, PC Anderton explained that he did not know the details of the incident, but it might have been passed to another agency to deal with.  He also gave an example of where the Chief Constable admitted that the Police had got it wrong in that instance.  PC Anderton also explained the procedure for investigating crimes and that if a crime could not be progressed for whatever reason, it would remain unresolved and could be resurrected at any time.

Councillor Jones referred to a recent incident regarding attempted bicycle theft and that there were two CCTV cameras but was told there was nothing that the Police could do.  PC Anderton explained that it might have been the quality of the recording on the cameras.  He explained that there was a Sergeant who looked at every single crime and questions could also be asked under the Victims Charter.

In relation to burglaries, Councillor Dickinson asked whether it was common practice to ask the offender when caught to admit to other crimes.  PC Anderton explained that offenders would always be given the opportunity to admit to other crimes and often took the opportunity to do so.

PC Anderton also advised that circulating details of stolem bicycles on social media often helped to trace stolen bicycles or return them to their owners.

The Chair thanked PC Anderton for attending the meeting.

To consider the attached report.

The Public Open Space Manager provided the Committee with an update report on budget monitoring and outturn position for Public Open Space Special Expense areas (Allotments, Play Areas and Open Spaces).

Councillor Howman referred to Kings Reach play areas and commented that these had not yet been adopted.  The Public Open Space Manager undertook to provide Councillor Howman with the timescales for adopting the whole public open space.

Councillor Kemp asked whether more equipment could be provided on the Poppyfields play area.  She also asked whether there would be an opportunity for another play area for smaller children in Hillen Road, South Lynn.  The Public Open Space Manager advised that the Council did not have the funding available, but suggested that Councillor Kemp could look for match funding for these schemes, as there might be access to funding that the Council was not eligible for.

In response to a query from Councillor Rust, the Public Open Space Manager advised that the Council did have a Tree Strategy and a tree maintenance budget.  He added that work was being carried out with another group to plant more trees.

The Operations Manager explained that 7 trees had been cut down in the Walks. 

In relation to unkempt land by a third party, the Assistant Director explained that a Section 215 Notice could be served to require the land to be tidied, but each case would be considered on its own merits.

The Public Open Space Manager explained that the Council would cut back hedges, etc when the nesting season had finished.

The Operations Manager explained that the allotments in North Lynn were owned by the North Lynn Allotments Association, who leased the land from the Borough Council.

In response to a query from Councillor Mrs Wilkinson about the standard of cut at the bollards in Winston Churchill Drive, the Public Open Space Manager advised Councillor Wilkinson to send a request via clean-up.  He acknowledged that there had been a staffing issue in that area.

The Chair thanked the Public Open Space Manager, Operations Manager and Admin Assistant for attending the meeting.

AGREED:       That the Committee considered the monitoring position and projected outturn of Public Open Space Special Expenses areas for 2019 / 2020 as detailed in the report.

The Chair introduced Neil Gromett, Chief Operating Officer and Lucy Mellish, Operational Manager to the meeting.

The Committee was informed that as of 1 July 2019, Alive West Norfolk took over the management of both South Lynn and Fairstead Community Centres.  It was explained that by having the additional resources available to assist with Marketing and Development should enable an increase in attendances from people in the local communities.  This should also assist in increasing income.  Both community centres could be hired by internal and external customers and offered a range of activities for the local community.

The Committee also considered the Business Plan for 2019/2020 which had been attached to the report.

It was explained that with regards to South Lynn community centre, work would be carried out with various community groups and internal departments of Alive West Norfolk to run more activities for the local community to assist with their fitness and wellbeing. 

The Committee was informed that the income at South Lynn Community Centre would be down, due to a vacant room at the centre.  Work was being carried out with Property Services to advertise the area to the general public for a tenancy lease. 

With regards to Fairstead Community Centre, the Committee was informed that Surestart and the midwifery groups would be leaving the centre.  However there had been interest from other groups to use the building.

The Chair then invited questions / comments from the Committee as follows:

Councillor Howman asked whether the interested parties looking at using Fairstead Community Centre were aware of the planning application, which if passed, would result in a loss of car parking spaces.

The Operating Manager explained that one of the interested groups were aware of the situation, but it was something that she would need to make other interested groups aware of.

The Chair asked if the situation of the building in St Edmundsbury Road was known.  In response, the Assistant Director explained that the building was not in the Borough Council ownership and had been sold several years ago.

The Chief Operating Officer explained that it was hoped to have the YMCA using Fairstead Community Centre.

Councillor Kemp informed the Committee that she was trying to set up a Youth Centre in West Lynn.  She also asked whether South Lynn Community Centre was a Community Centre or a Conference Centre.

The Chief Operating Officer agreed that some people saw it more of a business centre, although there was a need to have some business bookings, it also required bookings from the community. 

The Operating Manager explained that various activities had been provided at the Community Centre free of charge, including in the school holidays, but only one person attended, but this would be looked at again as there was now a resource for community engagement.

The Chair thanked the Chief Operating Officer and Operating Manager for the report and attending the meeting.

AGREED:       That, the Committee noted the report and Business Plan.

The Committee received an update on the budget monitoring and outturn position on King’s Lynn Special Expenses for the year 2019/2020.

The Assistant Director explained that the 2019/2020 estimates had been reviewed for the period as at the end of July and there was currently no variances to report for 2019/2020 for special expenses within King’s Lynn.  The position will continue to be monitored and a further update will be provided to the KLACC meeting on 16 January 2020.  The special expenses for the financial year 2020/21 would be considered at the KLACC meeting on 31 October 2019.

AGREED:       That the Committee noted the monitoring position and projected outturn for 2019/2020, as detailed in the report.

The Committee is asked to consider items for a future Work Programme for

The Committee is also asked to consider the Cabinet’s Forward Decision List.

The Committee noted the Work Programme and the Cabinet’s Forward Decision List.

Councillor Kemp asked for an item on the bus lane at Hardings Way to be added to the work programme for consideration.   It was advised that this would be included as part of the King’s Lynn Transport Study to be considered at the Special Meeting, as previously advised.

Councillor Kemp informed the Committee that she had organised a rally on Saturday at 11.30 am as the integrity of the bus lane was very important.

Councillor Howman asked whether an update could be given on Nelson Quay and also the Cinema tender.

AGREED:       That, the Cabinet’s Forward Decision List and Committee’s Work Programme be noted and amended as necessary.

The next meeting of the Committee was scheduled for Thursday 31 October 2019 at 6pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall.

The next meeting of the Committee would be held on Thursday 31 October 2019 at 6pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, King’s Lynn.