Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:  That Councillor A Tyler be appointed Chair for the Municipal Year 2019/2020.

RESOLVED:  Councillor J Rust be appointed Vice-Chair for the Municipal Year 2019/2020.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors C Joyce and M Wilkinson.

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

The minutes of the KLACC meeting held on 25 March 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 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 present under Standing Order 34.

There was no Chairman’s correspondence.

The Chairman will give an introduction to the Committee and explain its terms of reference.  He will also provide the Committee with an update, following the Cabinet meeting held on 18 June 2019, when the attached report was considered.

The Chair provided an overview of the work undertaken by the Committee and outlined the Committee’s Terms of Reference.

The Chair thanked Councillors and officers for their support which was very much appreciated.

The Committee will receive an update from Professor Steve Barnett, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn.

The Chair welcomed Professor Barnett to the meeting.

The Committee received an update from Professor Steve Barnett, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which included background information and an overview of the work undertaken to address the key priorities since he had joined the Trust in December 2018.

Professor Barnett, responded to questions from the Committee relating to:

·         The importance of robust management and leadership.

·         Patient experiences.

·         Length of waiting lists.

·         Financial challenges.

·         CQC report/findings which was available to view on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital website.

·         Improvements required to address actions arising from the CQC report.

·         Improvements to recruitment process to encourage local people to work and remain at the hospital, particularly nurses.

·         Improvements to the provision of agency staff when required.

·         Call centre and outsourcing of calls.

·         25% of patients being treated at the QE from surrounding counties.

·         Complaints received by Ward Councillors from residents regarding parking on estates/roads near the hospital.

·         Cost of improvement targets.

·         Primary Care networks

The Chairman thanked Professor Barnett for attending and giving an informative and interesting update to the Committee.

To receive a presentation from the Performance and Information Officer on bus shelters in King’s Lynn.

The Committee received a presentation from the Performance and Information Officer and Database and Projects Officer.

The Committee was invited to provide input on the following areas outlined by the Performance and Information Officer, details of which had been given in the presentation:

·        Advertising.

·        Improvements.

·        Requests for a New Shelter.

The Committee was invited to ask questions/comment.

Councillor Bambridge commented that it was a good idea to consider solar power lighting and asked if there were any plans to install cameras on Bus Shelters.  Councillor Bambridge also asked the amount of officer resource which was allocated to recruiting advertisers.

In response to questions with regard to advertising, the Performance and Information Officer undertook to discuss the issues raised with the Business Development Manager.  However, it was highlighted that the Borough Council did not have a marketing department.

With regard to locations of the two new bus shelters that had previously been requested, the Performance and Information Officer provided the Committee with details.  The Performance and Information Officer explained the process which was being developed to request a new bus shelter and undertook to bring back a report to a future KLACC meeting.

Councillor Hudson stated that she was surprised that business rates were payable on bus shelters.  In response, the Performance and Information Officer explained that the business rates were set by Central Government.  Councillor Hudson added that it was worth asking the question as to whether business rates were payable, as bus shelters were not a place of business nor did they offer a facility.  The Performance and Information Officer undertook to look further into the issues raised regarding business rates, although did confirm that the Non Domestic Rates Officer had already confirmed that the shelters were subject to rates due to the advertising panels.

Councillor J Collop referred to a previous meeting in 2018 when he had supported the proposal to transfer two bus shelters to South Wootton Parish Council  and asked it the Borough Council was able to able to recover any money from the Parish Council.  The Performance and Information Officer undertook to look into the matter raised and respond to Councillor Collop.

Councillor Kemp commented that consideration be given to contacting local employers to maximise the niche of local audiences for recruitment in relation to advertising.  The Performance and Information Officer undertook to discuss this issue with the Business Development Manager, but added that she felt advertising on bus shelters wasn’t the way that the majority of local employers would wish to recruit.

Following questions on lighting in bus shelters and street lights being in close proximity, the Database and Projects Officer explained that in general terms there were street lights close to bus stops which would provide a form of lighting.  The Committee was informed that there would be a cost implication to provide improved lighting. 

The general consensus of the Committee was for officers to investigate the proposal for solar lighting.

Councillor Rust highlighted the importance of adequate lighting in bus shelters for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To receive a presentation from the Assistant Director on the Parish Partnership Scheme 2019/20 and the background to it.

The Committee received a presentation from the Assistant Director.

Councillor Mrs Dickinson provided an example of a small scale highway improvement scheme being the road markings outside schools and asked whether these were County functions.  In response, the Assistant Director confirmed that this was a Norfolk County Council function.

Councillor Rust commented that there were several schools within the Borough who experienced parking issues.  Councillor Rust added that residents could contact their County Councillor who had been allocated a modest budget from Norfolk County Council to spend within their ward.

Following questions on potential schemes, the Assistant Director advised that an approach would need to be made to the relevant County Councillor for the area to discuss any potential ideas for small scale highway improvement schemes, as their support would be needed.

Councillor Bambridge commented that the corner of the Woolpack Inn, Tennyson Avenue, King’s Lynn was dangerous and had a narrow pavement and suggested that a barrier should be erected for safety purposes.  The Assistant Director invited Councillor Bambridge to email him the details direct.

The Chair, Councillor A Tyler thanked the Assistant Director for the update presentation.

AGREED: 1) A copy of the presentation be circulated to the Committee.

2) The Committee to forward ideas for potential Parish Partnerships schemes which have the support of the relevant County Councillor to the Assistant Director.

To appoint Members to sit on the KLACC Planning Sub-Group.

RESOLVED:  Councillors Miss L Bambridge, Mrs S Collop, B Jones and A Kemp be appointed to the KLACC Planning Sub-Group.

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 Howman made reference to the current consultation with the GP surgery on Fairstead.  Vida, the Healthcare provider were currently carrying out a consultation exercise on the closure the GP surgery on Fairstead.  Councillor Howman added that a representative from the West Norfolk CCG should be invited to the September meeting.  In response, the Assistant Director advised that an invite would be made to the CCG to attend a future KLACC meeting but in the interim Ward Members could of course submit comments on the proposed closure of the GP’s surgery.

AGREED:  The CCG be formally invited to attend the September meeting to give an update on primary health care in King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to take place on Thursday 19 September 2019 at 6pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Committee was scheduled to take place on 19 September 2019 at 6.00 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.