Agenda and minutes

To carry out the roll call and to receive any apologies for absence.

All of the above members and officers were present at the meeting.  Apologies for absence were received from Mr C Hogg and Mrs S Evans.

To report any changes to the membership of the Board.

It was noted that Mr K Hitchen had replaced Mr J Airey as a member of the Scrutiny Management 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 declarations 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.

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.

The Chair advised that there were no call-in items for the Board to consider.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 13 November 2020 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED,that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 November 2020 be agreed as a true record.

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services (report enclosed, appendices are to follow).

Members received a report and a presentation that provided an update on progression of the Organisational Development programme, following previous discussions at the Board where the importance of health, wellbeing and new ways of working were highlighted.  The presentation outlined the current and continued impact of Covid 19 and the Council’s approach to future ways of working.  The presentation also provided an update on sickness absence and a performance update on the delivery of Task and Finish recommendations for absence management, approved by Cabinet in January 2020.

The Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community introduced the Council’s newly appointed Assistant Director – Workforce and Organisational Development, Ms T Boustead who was leading on the work being undertaken.

The Senior Manager – Workforce and Organisational Development introduced the first part of the presentation, outlining the aims and objectives of the Strategic Organisational Development Board and updated members on the structural changes that had taken place since September 2020.  Members noted the positive impacts of Covid 19 on the workforce and organisation including resilience, resourcefulness, commitment and adaption to virtual working.  Members noted that a series of staff surveys had been undertaken and the key findings from those were tabled in the presentation, with a recognition of additional support being needed where necessary.  The Senior Manager outlined the proposed new working arrangements post Covid 19, with Directors having approved the guiding principles.  It was noted that a policy framework would be put in place, together with a Working Group of officers, members, trade unions and employee network groups, to take the work forward.

The Manager – Operational Delivery gave an update to members on Absence Management and actions taken on the recommendations of the Absence Management Task and Finish Group, approved by Cabinet in January 2020.  Members noted that the council had operated with an average of 12 working days lost to sickness per employee since 2015 but there had been no overall net increase in absence due to Covid in the past 12 months.  The officer outlined sickness absence performance and the top reasons for short/long term sickness absence.  In summary, the Manager – Operational Delivery informed members of the absence management approaches taken by the Council.

To conclude the presentation, the Organisational Development and Work Training Service Manager reported on measures taken to promote employee health, safety and wellbeing, outlining various campaigns and wellbeing initiatives in response to Covid 19.  The officer outlined work taking place with Hull University to look at root causes of absence focussing on directorates with long term high sickness rates.

A member raised connectivity issues with remote working.  Members were informed that ICT had, at the beginning of the pandemic, ensured VPN capacity allowing 4500-5000 people to work remotely.  The main risks in working with display screen equipment (DSE) were discussed such as musculoskeletal disorders and visual fatigue.  The Senior Manager informed the Board that the Council operated an eye care voucher scheme and had offered ergonomic chairs to staff during the pandemic. 

Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 95.

To consider a report by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group (copy enclosed).

The Chair of the Post Covid Ways of Working Scrutiny Task and Finish Group, Councillor Paul Turner, attended the meeting to present the findings and recommendations of that Group. 

Scrutiny Management Board had commissioned a Task and Finish Group to focus on the Council’s Post-Covid Ways of Working, after it was raised at the full County Council meeting in November 2020.  The report outlined the scope of the Group, the evidence gathered from witnesses and research and the Group’s main findings across three themes: Impact on Staff, Re-thinking Policy and Re-thinking the Workplace. 

The Chair of the Task and Finish Group outlined the five recommendations contained in the report, that he would present to Cabinet for their consideration on 18 March 2020.  The Chair advised the Board that this was the start of the process with the possibility of joint sessions been held with officers of the Future Ways of Working Group to share ideas.

Members welcomed the report and thanked the Chair, members and officers for their participation.  The discussion centred around future meeting formats including face to face, remote or hybrid.  The Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services advised members that, unless the Government extended the current temporary Remote Working regulations beyond 6 May 2021, no formal County Council meeting could take place remotely. 

The Chair of the Task and Finish Group concluded the item by reiterating the work was the start of the conversation and that further scrutiny involvement  and support post Covid ways of working would be needed as the pandemic and associated impacts continued to change and evolve.

RESOLVED,that the report, set out in Appendix 1 for presentation to Cabinet on 18 March 2021 be approved.

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

The Board had before it the draft Scrutiny Annual Report which detailed their work over the past 12 months. 

In discussion, a member raised concerns on the distance people were being asked to travel for their Covid vaccination, the inconsistency in some areas of offered locations and the anxiety it was causing to residents.  The Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee agreed to raise this with the Director of Public Health and informed members to take advice from their Public Health Locality Team in the first instance.

RESOLVED, that

(1)  the draft report be agreed;

(2)  the Chair and Vice Chair agree the final version of the draft report, before submission to Council.

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

Members received a report providing an update from Scrutiny Performance Working Group.

Members noted that the Working Group had met on 14 January 2021 and had received a Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service Performance Overview, the Corporate Performance Monitoring Report (Quarter 2) 2020/21 and discussed future agenda items.  It was noted that the next meeting of the Group would be held on 25 March 2021.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

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

Scrutiny Panel - Children and Young People                       Mrs V Tarbitt

Scrutiny Panel - Communities and Place                              Mr S Collins

Scrutiny Panel - Adults                                                             Mr M Wilson

Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee                                      Ms C Driver

Cumbria Police and Crime Panel                                           Mr W McEwan

Cumbria LEP Scrutiny                                                              Mr W Wearing

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

(1)`Scrutiny Advisory Board – Children and Young People

The Chair updated members on the work, issues and developments of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Advisory Board since the last meeting of the Scrutiny Management Board.  The last meeting of the Advisory Board took place on 9 February 2021 and had included on the agenda a Child Exploitation update, Schools and Inclusion, SEND progress and Covid 19.

The Chair advised members that today children in England were returning to school following the lockdown and thanked the Assistant Director for Education and Skills and his team for all the work undertaken and keeping members informed throughout the pandemic. 

The Chair outlined future planned activity and informed members that the Board would continue to focus on developments in the Children and Young People’s agenda over the coming few months.

Following a suggestion it was agreed that work around providing books for children be investigated.

(2)       Scrutiny Advisory Board – Communities and Place

Members received an update on the work of the Advisory Board – Communities and Place following their last meeting on 17 November 2020.  Various highway issues had been discussed at the meeting and the Chair reported on follow up work that was being undertaken on Environmental, Financial and Waste impacts of Plastic Roads. 

Members noted that the Infrastructure Task and Finish Group had concluded and produced a report to be presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 18 March 2021. 

(3)       Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults

Members heard that the Advisory Board – Adults had met in January 2021 and had been provided with the latest position regarding the pandemic, examined the status of day opportunities and had been briefed on the testing that had been put in place.  It was noted that the next meeting of the Board would be held on 26 March 2021.

The Chair of the Advisory Board – Adults gave a brief summary of the Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee which had considered mental health services in the region.

Members noted that one visitor, following new safety guidelines, was now allowed to visit residents in care homes.

(4)       Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee

The Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee advised members on specific items included on the agenda for their meeting in December 2020.  These had included a Covid 19 update, the Ramsey Unit at Furness General Hospital and Healthcare for the Future Update – Community.

Discussions took place around the Government’s White Paper on The Future of Health and Care and Integrated Care Systems. 

(5)       Cumbria Police and Crime Panel

The Chair of the Cumbria Police and Crime Panel informed members on the decision taken at the Panel’s last meeting with regards to Council Tax precept.  The Chair reported that it had been announced that Police and Crime Commissioners could increase the Council Tax precept by up to £15 per year for Band  ...  view the full minutes text for item 99.

To receive a report from the Senior Manager – Policy and Scrutiny (copy enclosed).

Members received a report that provided the Board with an update on issues and developments that had occurred since their meeting in November 2020.  The appendices to the report also provided Board Members with the Scrutiny Work Programme and the current Forward Plan of Key Decisions. 

In discussion of the work programme, the Strategic Policy and Scrutiny Advisor drew members’ attention to the proposal for the establishment of a Task and Finish Scrutiny Review in respect of fluoridation of water supplies. .

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the range of activity report be noted;

(2)  the work programme presented in Appendix 1 be agreed;

(3)  the Forward Plan of Key Decisions be noted.

To note that the date of the next meeting is 25 June 2021 at 10.00 am.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Board would be held on 25 June 2021 at 10.00 am.