Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G Baxendale, I Faseyi and A Moran.

To approve the Minutes of the meetings held on 8 November and 22 November, 2018.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the previous meetings held on 8 November and 22 November 2018, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To provide an opportunity for Members to declare the existence of a party whip in relation to any item on the Agenda

There were no declarations of a party whip.

A total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned, where there are a number of speakers.

Note: in order for officers to undertake and background research, it would be helpful if members of the public notified the Scrutiny Officer listed at the foot of the Agenda at least one working day before the meeting with brief details of the matter to be covered.

There were no members of the public present.

To consider a report from NHS England on the provision of NHS dental services in Cheshire East.

The committee considered a report by NHS England that outlined the NHS dental services it commissioned in Cheshire East. The report encompassed a number of areas including: service delivery and access to services, performance, public health, and oral health improvement priorities.

Members put questions to the attending officers in relation to;

·         why the number of 0-4 year olds that accessed NHS dental services in 2017/18 was lower than other age groups;

·         what work had been undertaken to address the link between deprivation and poor oral health;

·         how NHS dental practices have been held accountable for maintaining an adequate number of places for NHS patients;

·         why 30 of the total 59 commissioned NHS dental practices had failed to meet “contract value” in 2017/18;

·         how dental services in Cheshire East compared with other councils both regionally and nationally; and

·         whether a wider review of the monitoring and targets for commissions would improve service delivery and practice performance against key targets and ensure maximum contract value.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

The committee to discuss the outcome from the meeting of the CCGs governing bodies on 22 November 2018, and the next steps for scrutiny involvement.

The committee received a verbal update from the NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG Associate Director for Commissioning and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership Associate Director of Communications, who advised the committee of the decision made by the combined governing bodies of the CCGs to undertake the recommended four-week consultation on Option 2 Plus (Minute No. 68, Health and Adult Social Care and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.)

Members were informed that the consultation, which would conclude on 21 December 2018, would entail three public drop-in consultation sessions held across the borough area, in addition to the publication of information to the bodies’ public websites, and continued bespoke engagement with the patients that would be directly affected by the implementation of Option 2 Plus.

The feedback and results of the consultation would be collated into a single report to be considered on 28 December 2018, when a final decision on the agreed option for the redesign of adult’s and older peoples’ mental health services in Cheshire East would be made.

Following questions from members, the Associate Director for Commissioning advised that the commitment remained to establish the six crisis beds in the borough by July 2019, prior to changes being made to the inpatient service provision.

Members also asked for clarity on the future for the Millbrook Unit building, and were advised that, aside from the CARS Ward which would be renovated and used as part of the Option 2 Plus redesign, it would be the responsibility of NHS East Cheshire Trust to determine the future use for the remaining Millbrook Unit estate.

RESOLVED

1          That representatives from the NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG, NHS South Cheshire and Vale Royal CCG, and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership, be asked to provide the committee with a further update on this matter at its next meeting on 17 January 2019.

2          That NHS East Cheshire Trust be requested to provide the committee with information on their estates strategy in relation to the Millbrook Unit building.

To consider the Pre-Consultation Budget 2019-22 and submit feedback and comments to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee before its meeting on 10 December, 2018.

Consideration was given to matters in the council’s Pre-Consultation Budget 2019-22 that fell within the committee’s remit. Members put questions and made comments on;

·         whether the council is doing enough to engage with residents about, and make it easier for them to use, direct payments;

·         how the council intended to increase the use of direct payments if the proposed budget would reduce funding for it;

·         how effectively and efficiently the council recycles and reuses returned community-based equipment; and

·         whether the council could ensure that the provision and use of school nursing would not be affected by the proposed budget.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Acting Executive Director of People advised that clarification on the proposed revenue investment figures for the growth in demand for adult social care in 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22, would be sought from the council’s section 151 Officer and circulated to the committee after the meeting.

RESOLVED

1          That the Acting Executive Director of People ensure that a clarified response regarding the planned revenue investment in adult social care be circulated to the committee.

2          That the questions and comments raised by members be submitted to the meeting of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10 December 2018, to be incorporated within the wider budget consultation feedback on behalf of the council’s overview and scrutiny committees.

To consider the final report of the Anti-social Behaviour Task and Finish Group for adoption.

Consideration was given to the report findings and recommendations of the Anti-social Behaviour Task and Finish Group.

Following comments made members, it was proposed that the committee use this report as a benchmark to undertake, in conjunction with the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee on matters within its remit, further in-depth scrutiny of anti-social behaviour across all areas of the borough that engaged with a range of commissioning and operational partners.

This was seconded and agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED

1          That the report of the Anti-social Behaviour Task and Finish Group be agreed, circulated to partners and stakeholders involved in the review, and published to the council’s website.

2          That the recommendations made to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee be submitted to it for consideration.

3          That the committee’s unanimous proposal regarding the undertaking of further scrutiny on anti-social behaviour be submitted to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee – the overview and scrutiny committee responsible for all community safety matters – to consider whether it would add this to its work programme and how it would carry out the work.

To consider the council’s Forward Plan and determine whether any items within the committee’s remit require further scrutiny, and how this should be undertaken.

The forward plan for the four month period ending 28 February 2019 was considered.

Councillor J Rhodes referred the Everybody Sport and Recreation Performance Report 2017/18 for inclusion on the agenda of the committee’s next meeting.

The committee also discussed methods of prioritising its work programme and ensuring that the most effective scrutiny be undertaken at its meetings.

RESOLVED

1          That, subject to the committee not duplicating the work of another body, the Everybody Sport and Recreation Performance Report 2017/18 be added to the work programme to be considered at the next possible committee meeting.

2          That the Scrutiny Officer liaise with officers to improve the range of content included within the committee’s quarterly performance reports.

To review the current work programme.

Consideration was given to the committee’s work programme.

RESOLVED

That, subject to the resolutions made in Minute No. 78, the work programme be approved.