Agenda and minutes

The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out under Note 6.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Sharon Ball and Bryan Organ.  Councillor Tim Ball was a substitute for Councillor Sharon Ball.

Members who have an interest to declare are asked to:

a)  State the Item Number in which they have the interest

b)  The nature of the interest

c)  Whether the interest is personal, or personal and prejudicial

Any Member who is unsure about the above should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer prior to the meeting in order to expedite matters at the meeting itself.

There were none.

There was none.

At the time of publication no notifications had been received.

Pamela Galloway (Secretary of the Warm Water Inclusive Swimming & Exercise Network) read out the statement in which she urged the Panel to support the request that any plans for a new Sports & Leisure Centre in Bath should include a warm water pool which meets the needs, as identified by the Warm Water Inclusive Swimming & Exercise Network, of disabled people and those with both long & short term health conditions currently unable to access a suitable warm water pool to exercise & swim in order to help them lead active healthier lives and maintain their health & fitness and ask the Safer & Stronger Communities O&S Panel to agree with the same resolution at their meeting on 24th March.

A full copy of the statement is available on the minute book in Democratic Services.

The Panel debated the issues raised by Pamela Galloway in her statement and unanimously AGREED with the following:

1)  The Panel supported the request that any plans for a new Sports & Leisure Centre in Bath should include a warm water pool which meets the needs, as identified by the Warm Water Inclusive Swimming & Exercise Network, of disabled people and those with both long & short term health conditions currently unable to access a suitable warm water pool to exercise & swim in order to help them lead active healthier lives and maintain their health & fitness and ask the Safer & Stronger Communities O&S Panel to agree with the same resolution at their meeting on 24th March.

2)  The recommendations made by this Panel, and also by the Safer and Stronger Communities O&S Panel be forwarded to the appropriate Cabinet Members for consideration.

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

RESOLVED that minutes of the above meeting be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Panel will have an opportunity to ask questions to the Cabinet Member and to receive an update on any current issues.

The Chairman invited Councillor Vic Pritchard (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Housing) to update the Panel on current issues within his portfolio (attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes).  In addition to his statement Councillor Pritchard said that there would be a Carers Project event organised soon at the Bath Racecourse.

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

Councillor Jackson asked for more clarification about the rent levels in terms of the homelessness prevention.

Councillor Pritchard replied that there were 2 rent levels in the area – one for Keynsham district and the other one for the rest of area.  He presumed that there would be a cap on rents levels.

Councillor Sandry commented that there were still some funds in the capital budget to use for homelessness and asked Councillor Pritchard where those funds were placed.

Councillor Pritchard replied that there were £3m of funds in the authority allocated to combat homelessness.  Although there was an opportunity to get some projects started, there might be a restriction on certain projects due to the funds amount.

The Chairman said that he was pleased with an update on the planning transition from Childhood to Adulthood yet he felt that this Panel could get more involved in this matter along with the Children and Young People O&S Panel.

Councillor Jackson asked which new service would be tendered to enable people to access the private rented sector through loans for deposits and rent in advance.

Councillor Pritchard said that he did not have the right answer now and he would provide a written answer to the Panel.

The Panel will receive an update from the BANES NHS on current issues.

The Chairman invited Janet Rowse to update the Panel on current issues in the NHS BANES (attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes).

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

The Chairman informed the Panel that Councillor Anthony Clarke had been elected as the Chairman of the Great Western Ambulance Joint Scrutiny Committee.  The Panel congratulated Councillor Clarke on this honour.

Councillor Clarke asked about the Urology Reconfiguration Project and why the Panel was not involved in the discussion on it.

Derek Thorne replied that the NHS BANES had been following this matter.  The current understanding was that the reconfiguration project would not have an impact on the RUH and Bath and North East Somerset area.  However, if there are any changes the Panel would be informed.

Councillor Ball asked about the impact that the setup of the Social Enterprise would have on frontline staff.

Janet Rowse responded that the staff had been engaged in the Social Enterprise consultation and there were mixed views amongst staff – some of the staff were excited with the new direction whilst the others were concerned.

Councillor Brinkhurst said that a full report on Swine Flu should be presented to the future Health Scrutiny Panel.  She also congratulated to all officers who were involved in Transforming Community Services and done excellent job considering the short timescale.

Councillor Jackson expressed her concerns that the funding had been withdrawn for the Somer Wheels project.

Pamela Akerman responded that the project had been financed by the Council Leisure Services.

The Panel are asked to consider an update from the BANES Local Involvement Network.

The Chairman invited Diana Hall Hall to update the Panel on current issues involving BANES LINk as per the report.

The Chairman commented that the Local Involvement Network should be funded and resourced in the right way in future in order to do the effective job.

Dianna Hall Hall and Mike Vousden thanked the Panel for the way how Bath and North East Somerset Local Involvement Network was engaged with the Panel.

The Overview and Scrutiny Panel is asked to note the information contained in this report for information purposes to understand the Independent Living Service and the opportunities it provides for older and vulnerable people living in B&NES to remain living in their own homes.

The Chairman invited Julie Evans and Harriet Bosnell from Somer Community Housing Trust (SCHT) to introduce the report.

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

Councillor Brinkhurst congratulated the SCHT on the opportunity to provide the independent living service and on the general service provided from the SCHT over the years.

Councillor Sandry asked about the minimum contract period for the independent living services.

Harriet Bosnell replied that the contracts would be flexible and the service user would be able to change them any time.

Councillor Whittock said that he was pleased that the service would be also available to private residents and asked about the price/cost per week justification.

Julie Evans replied that the independent living service is a 2 year pilot mainly funded by the Council and it was not profit making service.

Councillor Sandry asked about the future competitive market and in particular tendering of service against Social Enterprise.

Julie Evans and Harriet Bosnell replied that the SCHT would see that as working in a partnership with the Council.

The Chairman commented that from the equality issue people in the sheltered housing should receive the same level of service as people in the independent living services.  The Chairman asked about the future of the Sheltered Housing.

Julie Evans responded that the Sheltered Housing label would be gone soon and the SCHT would be pushing to move from sheltered to independent living scheme.

The Chairman asked if any extra work had been added to the existing sheltered housing officers.

Harriet Bosnell replied that the existing sheltered housing officer usually work with 45-80 clients.  On average it would be 67 clients and no more than that.

The Chairman commented that the issue for him would be the quality of the service delivery and enough people to deliver the service.

It was RESOLVED to note the report.

Alcohol misuse and its associated harm are very common among people in B&NES. The Strategy sets the proposed direction with identified issues, gaps in services and organisation, suggested priority areas with initial actions, and a recommendation for a more detailed action plan and business case.

The Healthier Communities and Older People Overview & Scrutiny Panel is asked to note and comment on the Draft Refreshed Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for B&NES.

The Chairman invited Dr Pamela Akerman (Acting Joint Director of Public Health) to introduce the report.

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

Councillor Ball said that the strategy would not resolve alcohol related problems.  Alcohol related problems were generated due to its availability at shops and supermarkets.  Councillor Ball welcomed the multi-agency working party approach to tackle alcohol-related harm but he felt that strategy was not ready to be taken forward.  He suggested that the officers should involve people who went through the system.

Councillor Sandry agreed with Councillor Ball and added that he couldn’t see anything in the report that was related to licensing of alcohol.  Councillor Sandry also said that the accessibility to alcohol increased in recent years.  He felt that the comment on pg 43 of the report (Vision, 5^th Paragraph – There will be no presumption in favour of a ‘right to drink’) was not the right comment as it is people’s choice to drink.

Councillor Ball added that there is a need for stronger policies on control of selling alcohol.

Councillor Brinkhurst suggested that the officers communicate with Members before the next Partnership Board meeting and take on board their personal comments and experience as Ward Members.  Councillor Brinkhurst added that the officers did a great job putting all these issues in the report.

Councillor Clarke agreed with some of the comments made by some of the Panel Members.  However, he stressed out that alcohol is classified as a legal substance in this country and most of the people enjoy it in moderate quantities.  Councillor Clarke felt that the most important thing to do would be to educate young people on this matter.  The authority would need to ensure that the licensing of alcohol had been followed.

Councillor Willcox said that the biggest alcohol related problems were in the city that has a range of shops and other licensing premises offering cheap alcoholic drinks.

The Chairman said that the report identified key points from the stakeholder event made in December 2005 and the status for most of those key points was ‘Progress: not done’.  The Chairman asked why these key points were not done and who would drive those in the future. 

The Chairman also said that a number of people in Bath and North East Somerset work in bar industry and questioned whether the area has too many bars opened.

The Chairman concluded the debate by suggesting to the officers to invite the Members for the next stakeholder event.  He also said that the strategy should identify who would be accountable on this issue.

It was RESOLVED to note the report and for officers to take on board comments made by the Panel.

In response to recent policy developments and the subsequent legislative change arising from the Health and Social care Bill there is a substantial structural change agenda currently facing the Health and Wellbeing Partnership. For clarity and to enable effective management of these changes the change programme has been broken down into four main work streams:

1.  Transforming Community Services (TCS)

2.  Transforming commissioning

3.  Transforming Public Health

4.  New statutory duties for Local Authorities.

Each work stream has a project management lead and reporting arrangements in place. A commitment has been made to report progress against the change objectives to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel. These four separate reports are included within this paper.

The Chairman invited Janet Rowse to introduce the report.

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

Transforming Community Services

Councillor Sandry asked if there were any indications from the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) on how they would monitor appointments in the Social Enterprise for Bath and North East Somerset.

Janet Rowse responded that her best guess was that the SHA were not concerned about the transforming community services in Bath and North East Somerset.  She also said that the setup of the Social Enterprise would be Community Interest Company limited by guarantee and the management structure would be organised after the Chair of the Board and Chief Executive are appointed.

Councillor Ball asked about the safeguards that would be in place to protect frontline services.

Janet Rowse replied that there would be a strategy developed to protect frontline services in the new structure.

Councillor Brinkhurst said that the NHS and Council were way ahead of the other authorities with transitional stages and that everyone deserved a pat on the back.

Transforming Commissioning

The Chairman asked about the clustering arrangements between the Council and the NHS.

Janet Rowse responded that the clustering would commence in June this year the commissioning of the adult social care would continue within the integrated arrangements.

Councillor Ball expressed his concerns about the access to information.  He asked who has access to what and what safeguards are in place.

Janet Rowse replied that there are safeguards in place for the exchange of information in terms of need to know basis.

Transforming Public Health

Janet Rowse informed the Panel that Dr Pamela Akerman would be interim Joint Director of Public Health.

New statutory duties for Local Authorities

Janet Rowse and David Trethewey (Divisional Director for Policy and Partnerships) explained to the Panel what would be the next steps in terms of the statutory duties arrangements.

Councillor Ball asked where people would go to complain once new statutory duties arrangements are in place.

Janet Rowse replied that the system, which would enable people to express their view on services that did not meet their expectations, would be set up.

Councillor Jackson asked if the NHS's Patient Advice and Liaison Services had been abolished.

Janet Rowse replied that she wasn’t aware of that they had been abolished.

Councillor Brinkhurst commented that the Health Scrutiny had been successful over the years and it should continue to exist in the future.

It was RESOLVED to note the report.

The Panel are asked to consider the presentation from the RUH Bath.

The Chairman invited James Scott (The RUH Chief Executive) to give a presentation to the Panel.

James Scott highlighted the following points in his presentation:

• In which terms is the RUH successful hospital?
• How the success is measured?
• Infection rates
• Things will be done better as an NHS Foundation Trust
• What are NHS Foundation Trusts?
• Membership and the benefits of membership?
• Governance
• Key dates; and
• Keeping everyone informed

A full copy of the presentation is available on the minute book in Democratic Services.

The Panel asked the following questions and made the following points:

Councillor Sandry asked about the MRSA cases in September and November last year and how those issues had been handled.

Brian Stables (Chairman of the RUH Board of Directors) replied that the hospital would be doing everything to have no MRSA cases.

Councillor Ball welcomed the way how the Board of Governors would be set up and asked if the governance would end up there.

Brian Stables responded that the Chairman of the Board would be a non-executive and would be appointed by the Governors.

The Chairman, on behalf of the Panel, wished the RUH well in their application for the NHS Foundation Trust and offered a degree of support to move forward.

It was RESOLVED to note the presentation and to support the RUH with their application to become the NHS Foundation Trust.

The Chairman used this opportunity to summarise the work that the Panel did, or was engaged in, in the last 4 years.  He highlighted that the Panel had been involved in a number of service changes (such as Gynaecology cancer review, Out of Hours change of services, Rheumatology, and many more).  The Chairman also said that the Panel did 3 reviews.  The integration with the PCT had been successful but he felt that the Panel should be more engaged and involved in the process.  The Panel had such a wide remit to cover and because of that had quite a lot on its agenda on some occasions. 

The Chairman said that there would be a big challenge for the future Health Scrutiny.

The Chairman highlighted the successful working relationship with the PCT.

Finally, the Chairman thanked the Panel Members to their contribution and special ‘thank you’ to the people/staff who deliver health and social services to the community.

Every Panel Member praised the work of the Chairman for the past 4 years.

Councillor Tony Clarke summed up that the Panel, and the Council, would miss the Chairman a lot.  Because of the excellent chairmanship the Panel put the party politics aside and worked together.