Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence had been received.

Members are asked to consider any Personal/Prejudicial Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

None were disclosed.

Resolved:  That, the minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2011 be confirmed and signed by the chair.

The Chair welcomed Tim Seamans, Head of Communications, and Louise Wood, Deputy Head of Communications, to the meeting.

The Committee had received a six month progress report on the newly established communications service.

Mr Seamans explained the background to the significant re-structuring of the County Council's Corporate Communications and Marketing functions.  In January 2009 the County Council had initiated a review of its marketing functions which was then later widened into a full restructure of all communications activities carried out centrally and within component Directorates of the County Council. The new structure was launched in August 2010 with:

·  The formation of a newly centralised communications service;

·  Establishing a council-wide approach to communications; and

·  A 35% reduction in communications staff.

It was reported that the new single communications service was responsible for advertising, design, e-communications, internal communications, marketing, media relations and print production.

The Committee was informed that whilst it was too early to provide a detailed analysis of progress and performance since the inception of the new single communications service, the report nevertheless gave an overview of their performance over the first six months. An additional briefing note on the approach to communications was handed out at the meeting, a copy of which is set out in the Minute Book. The current structure chart for the service was also handed out at the meeting.

Mr Seamans recognised that assessment of performance for internal communications lacked year-on-year data. It was anticipated that by year two of the re-structured service a comparative measure performance could be drawn.

Examples of initiatives and campaigns to which the service had a role in assisting Directorates of the County Council achieving key corporate priorities were set out in the report.

The Committee was informed that whilst savings targets delivered by the restructure had been met, the Communications Service would still be affected by the County Council wide savings programme and would need to deliver a further 25% saving by March 2013. Officers were currently considering future options for income generation as one way of coping with such reduction in budget allocation.

A client satisfaction survey carried out across the authority had been conducted in March 2011. Feedback had been largely positive with 82% stating they were satisfied with the service overall. Officers intended to use this figure as a baseline for performance. The service had also set a target to improve overall satisfaction to 87% by April 2012.

It was reported that the new service would continue to have a role in supporting Councillors in their duties, providing guidance and facilitating training. However, this aspect did not constitute the bulk of the work carried out by the service.  Early successes had been achieved by the service especially in relation to the campaign on winter services which recognised the status of councillors as key stakeholders in the delivery of such a high profile service.

Overall, officers felt that there was more work to be done to maximise benefits of the new arrangements and had identified recommendations across  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Committee considered a report on the proposal to establish a standing Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee between Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Blackpool Council. Draft terms of reference for the Joint Committee were also presented.

The Committee was informed that such a body was required under the Directions to Local Authorities (Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Health Scrutiny Functions) as issued by the Secretary of State in 2003 where the NHS was making proposals for substantial variation to services affecting more than one local authority area

The Committee noted that the Joint Committee would only consider substantial developments or variations proposed by the NHS that would affect all three authorities and that provision would also be made to involve Cumbria County Council where any such proposals would affect all three Lancashire authorities and Cumbria.

The Committee also noted that the Joint Committee would only meet when necessary and that it in no way would direct or affect the work of the individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees. Where all authorities agree, the Joint Committee would have the power to refer appropriate NHS proposals to the Secretary of State for independent review.

The Committee was informed that nominations for membership from the County Council would be politically balanced and that clerking, support and chairing arrangements for the first year were subject to further discussions.

A similar report would also be presented to the Health Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on the 17 May 2011.

It was explained that the three District Council representatives would be determined between the District Councils in line with the former Multi Area Agreement clusters. As on the county council's own health committee, the district council representatives were to be non-voting.

The committee expressed the view that the balance of representation from the three authorities should be reviewed to more accurately reflect the relative size and area of the three member authorities, and that a further report on that subject should come to the next meeting.

Resolved: That,

  i.  The establishment of a standing Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved;

  ii.  A further report on the composition of the Joint Committee be presented at the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on 10 June 2011

The Committee received an update on current task groups and their proposed completion dates.

County Councillor Steen, Chair of the task group "Who Cares? Cross Boundary Looked After Children explained that there had been a good response from a variety of public, private and voluntary bodies to provide evidence to the Task Group. He anticipated that a draft report and recommendation would be presented to the Committee at the 9 September 2011 meeting.

Resolved: That, the update on existing task groups be noted.

The committee had been given the opportunity to view and consider recent relevant decisions made and also forthcoming decisions including those set out in the current Forward Plan.

Resolved: That, the report be noted.

The workplan for the committee was presented for noting and comments. The Chair gave an outline of the work to be carried out by the Committee over the coming months.

Resolved: That, the report be noted.

The next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee will be held on 10 June 2011 at 10am at the County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee will be held on 10 June 2011 at 10am at County Hall, Preston.