Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mrs S Buck.

The notes of the meeting held on 15 March 2018 were agreed as a correct record.

There were no matters arising.

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 Members 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.

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 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.

There were no Members presented under Standing Order 34.

There was none.

The Task Group received an overview of health, etc from Rebekah Mercer, Deputy Director or Operations, a summary of which is set out below:

·         Changes within the NHS and going forward.

·         Mergers of CCG’s.

·         More collaboration of integrated care systems.

·         Care provision for ageing population.

·         Support for residential care homes.

·         Support to enable individuals to remain independent and remain in their own homes.

·         Ongoing work with the Fairstead Surgery and St James Surgery.

·         Work being undertaken with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital looking at how the site may be developed in future to meet demand.

Members were invited to ask questions, a summary of which is set out below.

Rebekah Mercer responded to questions relating to:

·         CCG being aware of the Borough Council’s Direction of Travel with the Local Plan to 2036/growth in the Borough.

·         CCG being prepared for the Borough’s ageing population.

·         Joint working with NCC Social Care Department regarding the care provision for the ageing population, particularly in the north of the Borough.

·         Difficulties experienced with recruitment of key workers and lack public transport being available after the normal working day and how the Borough Council could provide assistance.

·         Attracting health professionals to the area in the future.

·         Reliance on agency staff (who choose their working hours).

·         Support to residential care homes.

·         Centralisation of services which can be easily accessed.

·         Future joint meetings with the Borough Council and partners potentially on a quarterly basis.

·         How to attract new employees to the area.

·         How to make the best use of existing staff/resource.

·         Use of technology to support health care services.

·         Closer working with social care and the voluntary sector (example given - Community Active Norfolk).

·         Provision of housing with care schemes – importance of location emphasised to attract key workers.

·         Apprenticeships to train college students for specific roles in the health profession.

·         Work being undertaken with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital regarding discharge of patients, etc.

·         Support to enable individuals to remain safely in their own homes.

·         West Norfolk Health (representing GP practices) now recruiting management team and would be better placed to work with the CCG/Borough Council to address areas of growth and health care requirement.

·         Assistance which the Borough Council could provide to the CCG.

·         Avida healthcare being commissioned by the CCG to provide relevant service(s).

·         Residents having to travel to specialist hospitals/centres for treatments, an example was given as Addenbrookes.

·         How to reinstate concept of West Norfolk Alliance model to ensure joint working with partners.

The Chairman, Councillor Blunt thanked Rebekah Mercer for attending the meeting and emphasised that the Borough Council were keen to support the CCT and it was therefore important to maintain a constant dialogue.  It was suggested that the CCG be invited to meet with the Borough Council on a regular basis (quarterly).

AGREED:  R Mercer undertook to liaise with R Collett to identify the relevant officer to attend regular meetings with the Borough Council.

The Task Group received a verbal update from the Senior Planner and Graduate Planner as set out below:

·         Pentney – now has designated area and working group set up and working towards drafting a Neighbourhood Plan.

·         Brownfield Register Phases 1 and 2/Brownfield sites for potential development.

In response to questions, the Senior Planner explained that there was nothing major set out in the draft NPPF that would require changes to Neighbourhood Plans.  It was noted that there was no legal requirement to update a Neighbourhood Plan.

Members of the Task Group commented that complimentary comments had been received from Parish Councils regarding the attendance of Borough Council Officers at their meetings to provide information on the Neighbourhood Plan process.

AGREED:  That the update report be noted.

The Task Group received a verbal update, a summary of which is set out below:

·         Feedback from recent seminar held at Norfolk County Council.

·         Presentation received by the Task Group at the March meeting will be given to Cabinet Briefing on 18 April 2018.

·         Housing numbers – complex calculation.

·         Strategic Housing Needs assessment required to satisfy affordable housing provision.

·         Government response – Officers to draft response and circulate to the Task Group to meet the deadline of 10 May 2018.

AGREED:  That the update report be noted.

The next meeting of the Task Group will take place on Wednesday 16 May 2018 at 10 am in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Task Group would take place on Wednesday 16 May 2018 at 10 am in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.