Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hipperson and Rochford. 

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.

There was none.

If any.

The Chairman had received the following correspondence:

An email had been received from Councillor Gourlay regarding the Advice Services item on the agenda.  The Chairman explained that the contents of the email should be covered during presentation of the agenda item and he would respond to Councillor Gourlay’s email after the meeting.

The second correspondence had been received from Councillor Rochford and related to public toilets.  The Chairman explained that the email would be passed onto the Public Toilets Informal Working Group for consideration in the future.

Dr Ian Mack and Rebecca Mercer were present at the meeting and provided the Panel with a presentation on the Sustainability Transformation Plan (as attached).

Dr Mack explained that the Sustainability Transformation Plan was a work in progress and consultation on individual projects would be carried out at the appropriate times with the relevant stakeholders.

The following was highlighted during the presentation:

·         The Sustainability Transformation Plan covered Norfolk and Waveney.

·         Population growth and changes would have an effect on the services provided and how they were delivered.

·         Financial assumptions were included in the presentation and what would happen if the CCG was to do nothing.

·         The challenge was growth in population and demand for services and there was a need for transformation.  It was not about cuts, it was about looking for efficiencies in the existing systems and services.

·         Key work streams and priority projects were highlighted in the presentation.

·         The CCG would work with other public bodies, including the Borough Council.

·         The CCG’s vision, which was “for the people of West Norfolk to have high quality care, delivered locally, within our available resources”.

·         The CCG’s vision for the future (2021) which was “a thriving local hospital, a strong united network of GP’s, and a group of Out-of-Hospital providers of physical, mental health and social care services, all of whom behave as one integrated ‘whole system’ delivering high quality care by staff who are proud to work and live in West Norfolk”.

The Chairman thanked Dr Mack and Rebecca Mercer for their presentation and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

Councillor Tyler asked if the plan was achievable and asked how confident the CCG was that the problems could be solved.  Dr Mack explained that if the CCG did not look at how to overcome problems there was a success regime which would come in and sort the problems out for them; however this was not the route that they wanted to take.  He explained that it was important to get governance right and do what was best for Norfolk.  He hoped that sufficient resources would be available for changing over services and any double running costs during changeover periods. 

Councillor Moriarty asked if there were common problems throughout the Country and if there was a way to share best practice and good ideas.  Dr Mack explained that services were run in different ways across the country.  He felt that services should be locally owned, however he accepted that there were common themes.  Rebecca Mercer commented that learning and best practice was shared and the CCG had matched themselves to other areas with a similar population and was able to look at the services they provided and any problems they had encountered.

The Vice Chairman, Councillor Bambridge referred to a programme she had heard on the radio regarding a hospital in Birmingham and how they had moved to an electronic computer system.  Rebecca Mercer informed those present that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital currently used a paper  ...  view the full minutes text for item EC65:

The Assistant Director introduced the report which provided Members with an update on the new Information and Advice Services contract.  She referred to the report, which had been circulated with the agenda and provided detail of the tender process and services provided.  The Assistant Director confirmed that Shelter had been awarded the contract to provide debt advice and Community Action Norfolk for housing advice.  The Citizens Advice Bureaux were still contracted by Norfolk County Council to provide a general advice services across the County. 

Michael Deakin from Shelter provided the Panel with an overview of the services provided.  A copy of his presentation is attached.

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

Councillor Moriarty asked how Shelter was being promoted, now that it had been awarded the contract and he asked if people continued, out of habit, to contact the Citizens Advice Bureaux in the first instance.  Michael Deakin explained that Shelter and the Citizens Advice Bureaux worked together and referred individuals on as appropriate.  There was also lots of promotional work ongoing.  In response to a further question from Councillor Moriarty, Michael Deakin explained that publicity had been focussed on the general public, but in the future the services provided would be promoted to Parish Councils and the wider Borough.  Michael Deakin informed those present that a ‘pop up’ would be carried out in the town centre and officers from Shelter would be handing out leaflets to the general public.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community, Councillor Lawrence explained that now the service was up and running, communication would go out to Parish Councils to promote the service further and officers from the Council would work with Shelter as appropriate.  The Chairman, Councillor Sampson suggested providing information to the Norfolk Association of Local Councils who could then disseminate the information to Parish Councils.

The Panel then received a presentation from Jo Maule from Community Action Norfolk (CAN) on the services provided.  A copy of the presentation is attached.

The Chairman thanked Jo Maule and the representatives from Purfleet and Stonham, who had accompanied her to the meeting for their presentation and he invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

Councillor Mrs Bower referred to the potential to hold drop in sessions in Hunstanton.  Jo Maule explained that proposals were still in the early stages, but she was positive that something could be achieved.

Councillor Moriarty referred to the amount of service users and asked if the level was as was expected.  It was confirmed that levels were lower than expected, but sometimes individuals would go direct to the Housing Associations rather than be referred by CAN.  Comments were made that the introduction of Universal Credit could increase the amount of individuals using the service.

The Panel was informed that promotion of the service was continuing and a communications plan had been produced.  CAN would also promote their service to Parish Councils.

The Portfolio  ...  view the full minutes text for item EC66:

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 Vice Chairman, Councillor Bambridge requested that an update on the West Norfolk Strategy Group be presented to a future meeting of the Panel.  The West Norfolk Strategy Group had taken over from the West Norfolk Partnership.

Councillor Bubb asked if it would be possible for the Panel to receive a report on performance of the Port.  The Chairman, Councillor Sampson explained that he would be attending a meeting of the King’s Lynn Conservancy Board and would invite the Harbour Master to a future meeting.

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 Wednesday 8^th February 2017 at 6.00pm in the Committee Suite, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn, PE30 1EX.

The next meeting of the Environment and Community Panel would be held on Wednesday 8^th February 2017 at 6.00pm in the Committee Suite, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 1EX.