Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs Westrop.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED: The Minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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.

Those 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 proposed to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

There was none.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman 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 Chairman.

Councillor Pope – all agenda items.

If any.

There was none.

Representatives from the CCG will be presenting the update

John Webster, Accountable Officer from the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was present at the meeting and provided the Panel with an update on the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership.  A copy of his presentation is attached.

The Chairman thanked John Webster for his presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

In response to a question John Webster explained that consultation on projects and plans would be carried out as required with other organisations or the public.  He explained that all constituent organisations made contributions to the upkeep of the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership and budgets were looked at locally for engagement work.

Councillor Mrs Fraser referred to a recent article in a Parish Magazine which stated that the local GP would no longer treat minor injuries such as scalds and burns and suggested that people go to A&E.  John Webster explained that he was aware of the article and this approach was not supported by the CCG.  It was explained that the CCG worked with practices to try and reduce unnecessary admissions to hospital and there was services available such as advice from GP’s or Pharmacists and 111. 

John Webster responded to questions about Fairstead and St James Surgery and explained that expansion of the area and population growth would have an impact on the services and facilities provided in the future.  He explained that the CCG needed to ensure that there was sufficient care for the population and would work with individual surgeries and GP’s as required.

Councillor Mrs Nockolds, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health explained that the Sustainability Transformation Partnership also dealt with social isolation and social prescribing.  She explained that Lily played an active part in this and had been awarded social isolation.  She also explained that investigations were ongoing as to if there could be a Member of Staff placed in the hospital to look at the discharge service and ways that people could receive care at home.  John Webster explained that the CCG would be looking at ways to increase capacity at the hospital, occupancy levels and the discharge service.

In response to a question from Councillor Bubb, regarding attracting Doctors to Norfolk, John Webster felt that there was not a problem in this area and a group of local organisations did meet to promote West Norfolk an attractive place to live and work.  He explained that it was often the case that people moved out of the area for training and then returned for work.

In response to a question from Councillor Mrs Wilkinson, John Webster explained that some care homes did not accept weekend discharges and there were also cases where people came into A&E and did not need to be admitted, but they did not have the right support available out of Hospital, so they had to be admitted.  The Sustainability Transformation Partnership would look at ways to expand access to services as part of the integration work.

The Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage  ...  view the full minutes text for item EC92:

The Senior Policy and Performance Officer presented the report which monitored progress against agreed performance indicators for the year.  The Panel was reminded that in January 2018, following recommendations from the Scrutiny Structures Task Group, Cabinet had agreed that Panels should consider their own indicators.  The Senior Policy and Performance Officer explained that thirteen performance indicators were within the remit of the Environment and Community panel and these were included in the report.  There were three indicators which had not met target as follows, and a mitigation plan was in place to address issues:

-        CC6 - % of Careline alarms installed within 10 days from date of enquiry.

-        CC7 – time take (in weeks) from first visit to completion of work on Disabled Facility Grants.

-        CC8 – Time taken (in weeks) from first visit to completion of work on adapt passported cases with a value under £6,000.

The Chairman thanked the Senior Policy and Performance Officer for his report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

In response to a question from Councillor Bubb, the Senior Policy and Performance Officer explained that reasons why the targets had not been met had included the recent bad weather.

The Chairman explained that the Panel would regularly receive Performance Monitoring information and next time could look at if improvements had been made.

Councillor Smith suggested that information be provided in future reports on what action was being taken to improve the target and timescales for improvement.  The Senior Policy and Performance Officer agreed to add this into the next report.

RESOLVED: The Panel agreed the actions outlined in the Action Report.

Councillor Smith presented the report as included in the agenda.

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

Councillor Smith presented his report, as included in the agenda.  He reminded the Panel that the free entry period for the Lynn Museums ran until the end of March.  He commented that there were lots of new exhibitions in the museum and work to conserve paintings had been carried out.  He commented that Hardwick Cemetery paintings had been brought over from America.  Ways to engage children now that pre-history was part of the curriculum was also being looked at.

Councillor Bubb commented that the Museum was open on Sundays, but shut on Mondays. 

The Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Health, Councillor Nockolds commented that there was a good working relationship with Norfolk Museums Service and there were Service Level Agreements in place.  She explained that as part of ‘Norfolk Day’ they were looking into joint tickets which could be purchased for Stories of Lynn, Trues Yard and the Museum.

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

Councillor Mrs Westrop had sent her apologies for the meeting.  Members were invited to submit questions to her in advance, which could be responded to at the next meeting.

RESOLVED: The update on the King’s Lynn Football Club be considered at the Environment and Community Panel Meeting on 1^st May 2018.

Councillor Mrs Westrop had sent her apologies for the meeting.  Members were invited to submit questions to her in advance, which could be responded to at the next meeting.

RESOLVED: The update on the Norfolk Countywide Community Safety Partnership Scrutiny Sub Panel be considered at the Environment and Community Panel Meeting on 1^st May 2018.

Councillor Fraser presented her report, as included in the agenda.  She commented that she had enjoyed participating in this Committee and had learnt a lot.

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

Councillor Fraser presented her report, as included in the agenda.  She referred to the routes which were being taken over by West Norfolk Community Transport from Stagecoach.  Councillor Fraser and the Chairman congratulated West Norfolk Community Transport on their ability to take over some of the strategic routes.

Councillor Fraser commented that Trustees were very willing and helpful and representatives from West Norfolk Community Transport would be attending an event that Councillor Fraser, as Disabilities Champion, would be hosting later on in the year.

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

Members of the Panel were reminded that an eform was available on the Intranet which could be completed and submitted if Members had items which they would like to be considered for addition to the Work Programme.

The following items were suggested for addition to the Work Programme:

-        Markets – an update had been scheduled for October.

-        Homelessness Reduction Act – update to be scheduled for June.

-        Surface Water Management

-        Single use plastics.

RESOLVED: The Panel’s Work Programme was noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 1^st May 2018 at 6.00pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel would be held on Tuesday 1^st May 2018 at 6.00pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.