Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs S Evans, Mr C Hogg, Mr J Airey, Mrs V Tarbitt and Mr M Hawkins.

To report any changes to the membership of the Board.

There were no changes in membership of the Board.

Members are invited to disclose any disclosable pecuniary interest they have in any item on the agenda which comprises

1          Details of any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

2          Details of any payment or provision of any other financial benefit (other than from the authority) made or provided within the relevant period in respect of any expenses incurred by you in carrying out duties as a member, or towards your election expenses.  (This includes any payment or financial benefit from a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

3          Details of any contract which is made between you (or a body in which you have a beneficial interest) and the authority

(a)     Under which goods or services are to be provided or works are to be executed; and

(b)     Which has not been fully discharged.

4          Details of any beneficial interest in land which is within the area of the authority. 

5          Details of any licence (alone or jointly with others) to occupy land in the area of the authority for a month or longer. 

6          Details of any tenancy where (to your knowledge)

(a)     The landlord is the authority; and

(b)     The tenant is a body in which you have a beneficial interest.

7          Details of any beneficial interest in securities of a body where

(a)     That body (to your knowledge) has a place of business or land in the area of the authority; and

(b)     Either –

(i)        The total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body; or

(ii)          If that share capital of that body is of more than one class, the total nominal value of the shares of any one class in which the relevant person has a beneficial interest exceeds one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that class.

In addition, you must also disclose other non-pecuniary interests set out in the Code of Conduct where these have not already been registered.

Note

A “disclosable pecuniary interest” is an interest of a councillor or their partner (which means spouse or civil partner, a person with whom they are living as husband or wife, or a person with whom they are living as if they are civil partners).

There were no disclosures of interest for this meeting.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

RESOLVED,that the press and public be not excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings of the Board held on 27 November 2019 and 18 December 2019 (copies enclosed).

With an amendment to Minute 24 of the minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2019, to include apologies for absence from Mr K Hamilton and Mr W McEwan, it was

RESOLVED,that the minutes of the meetings held on 27 November 2019 and 18 December 2019 be agreed and signed by the Chair.

For members to be informed of any call-in items received by the County Council and to consider whether any further action needs to be taken by the Board.

Members noted that the Board had considered a valid Call In on the decision of Cabinet to 18 December in respect of Cumbria Care Reshaping of Services.  The Board had agreed to refer the matter back to Cabinet.  Cabinet had considered the Board’s referral on 30^th January and agreed that the original decision would still stand.

To receive a report and a presentation from the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services (copy enclosed).

Members received a report and presentation from the Assistant Director – Customer and Community Services providing an update on delivery of the Customer Programme.

Members were informed that significant progress had been made in the last 2 years to deliver on the aspirations in the strategy.  The Assistant Director – Customer and Community Services outlined the deliberate focus over the past 19 months on delivering improvements to the customer experience through an increased use of digital technology and the service centre.  The presentation focussed on the integration of the Highways Hotline and Registration Service into the service centre, the completion of Purchase to Pay Automation and work being carried out in various directorates to move parts of the customer journey into the service centre.  Members had visited the service centre and were impressed with the service operation and the enthusiasm of staff.

A slide demonstrating the complexity of the mapping process to achieve a tailor made “end to end” system was demonstrated to Members.  The Assistant Director – Customer and Community Services explained the various stages in the work stream process.  Members were informed of the work taking place with Senior Managers in various directorates to work on practice and culture.  In answer to a question on customers not having access to computers, the Assistant Director – Customer and Community Services Officers confirmed future work would include improved access on mobile phones and through the use of social media - facebook, twitter.  A member asked about the development of a business specification for IT systems and that members should have sight and input in to this.  Officers welcomed this.  It was agreed that a larger copy of slides 30 and 32 be circulated to members.

The discussion then focussed on the People directorate and the work taking place in relation to the Customer Programme.  The Assistant Director – (Deputy DAS) reported on the reshaping of Adult Social Care and the timeline for implementation.  The successful piloting of the redesigned “front door” approach at the Kendal office, staff retention, placement and recruitment was discussed.  The correct triaging of calls was imperative to streamlining the process and members highlighted the aspiration to incorporate Single Points of Access (SPAs) into the service centre.

Members were assured of officers’ commitment to continue to drive the customer programme work forward, not only to achieve savings, but to ensure the best outcome for residents.  Officers acknowledged that, in some instances, a cultural change was needed and engagement with staff was key to achieve this. 

Members stressed the importance of having IT systems in place, not only for internal use, but to deliver pathways to outside organisations such as the NHS.  Officers confirmed joint working with NHS colleagues was currently taking place to enable this.  Receiving and inputting the correct data from outside organisations was also discussed by members.

To conclude, the Assistant Director – Customer and Community acknowledged that work was necessary to update the County Council’s website and more resource would be needed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services (copy enclosed).

Members received the draft Scrutiny Annual Report before submission to full Council in April.  The draft Report had been circulated to all the Chairs of the Scrutiny Advisory Boards for comment.

RESOLVED, that the Draft Scrutiny Annual report be agreed.

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services (copy enclosed).

Members received a report from the Senior Manager, Customer, Policy and Scrutiny providing an update from the Scrutiny Performance Working Group.  The draft minutes from the Working Group’s meeting in January 2020 were appended to the report.

It was noted that the monthly DTOC figures would be looked at by both the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults and the Joint Advisory Group for Adults and Health Scrutiny to understand why performance had declined.

The Chair of Health Scrutiny Committee was aware of a CAMHS Improvement Plan, produced by Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust and would seek clarity on engagement in the process. 

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

To receive updates from the Chair of each of the following:-

Cumbria Police and Crime Panel                                           Mr W McEwan

Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee                                      Ms C Driver

Scrutiny Panel - Adults                                                             Mr M Wilson

Cumbria LEP Scrutiny                                                              Mr W Wearing

Scrutiny Panel - Communities and Place                              Mr S Collins

Scrutiny Panel - Children and Young People                       Mrs V Tarbitt

The Board received an update on the work of the Scrutiny Advisory Boards, Panels and Committees from each of the Chairs.

(1)  Cumbria Police and Crime Panel

The Board received an update on the work of the Cumbria Police and Crime Panel.  Members heard that the Panel had met on 7 February 2020 and had agreed the proposed precept of 3.47%.  The Panel had made representations to the Commissioner that the establishment provision of 95 PCSOs be maintained.  Members heard that 51 new police officers would be recruited this year, with a total of 170 over a three year period.  The next meeting in May would be immediately after the Police and Crime Commissioner election.  The main focus of that meeting would be to discuss the broad direction and priorities for the emerging new Police and Crime plan.

(2)  Members received an update on the work of Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee.  The Committee had met on 10 December and 25 February and considered a number of topics.  The next meeting in May would consider innovative staffing models, sustainability of rural and remote hospitals, the impact of ICC on Acute Settings in South Cumbria and review of Winter Pressures.

The Joint Health and Adults Scrutiny Advisory Group were holding a series of joint meetings to look at areas covering the closer integration of Health and Care Services and, at their February meeting, had focused on the County’s Dementia profile.  The Joint Cumbria and Lancashire Health Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet to scrutinise services across the Morecambe Bay footprint.  A new Joint Committee for the whole of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System had been established with the first meeting planned for early April 2020.

(3)  The Chair of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults submitted a report updating members of the work of the Board.  The Board had met in January 2020 and had considered the new Adult Social Care Staffing Structure and Safeguarding Adults at risk from abuse and neglect.  The next meeting would take place on 30 March and would consider DTOCs, Cumbria Care, All Ages Charter and Safeguarding Adults.

(4)  The Chair of the LEP Scrutiny Partnership Board updated members on the work of the Board.  The last meeting of the LEP Scrutiny Board had considered numerous issues.  The next meeting would take place on 3 March and would consider progress on delivery of the Local Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan.

(5)  Members received a report on the work of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Communities and Place.  The Board, at its meeting in November 2019, had considered progress on delivery of the Council’s Equality Plan, the Council’s involvement in the Rural Services Network, the Council’s approach to development and management of Section 38 and 278 agreements and the evaluation report of the pilot scheme of the use of Rapid Response Vehicles.  Members were informed that a Task and Finish Group would be established to scrutinise the Council’s approach to development and management of Section Agreements.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

To receive a report from the Senior Manager – Policy and Scrutiny (copy enclosed).  PLEASE NOTE Appendix 2 of the report is to follow.

The Board considered a report which provided an update on issues and developments that had occurred since the meeting of the Board in November 2019.

The Senior Manager, Customer, Policy and Customer Services advised that Cabinet on 19 December had agreed the three recommendations made by the Scrutiny Management Board to the Strategic Planning proposals.  A number of recommendations had been made to Cabinet from the Absence Task and Finish Group.

Members noted that the work programme, which was appended to the report, continued to be kept under review and updated.  It was agreed that future agenda items include a review of the Council Plan Delivery Plan, oversight of the Organisational Development Programme and an exploration of lessons learnt relating to the Family Support Contract.  Member were asked to submit further items for the work programme to the Senior Manager Customer, Policy and Scrutiny.

In discussion of the Council’s Forward Plan it was suggested that the Scrutiny and Advisory Board - Children and Young People place an item on their agenda on the Award of Framework for the Provision of Payroll and HR Administration Services to Non-Cheque Book Maintained Schools.

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the range of activity report be noted;

(2)  the work programme presented in Appendix 1 be refreshed to include decisions made at the meeting.

To note that the next meeting of the Board will take place on 15 June 2020 at 10.00 am at County Offices, Kendal.

It was noted that the next meeting will take place on 15 June 2020 at 10.00 am at County Offices, Kendal.