Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from County Councillor David Borrow.

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

There were no interests disclosed.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 August 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

County Councillor Bill Winlow, Chair of the Executive Scrutiny Committee, reported that the recommendations set out in the reports for consideration by Cabinet had been confirmed without modification or amendment at the meeting of the Executive Scrutiny Committee held on 6 October 2015.

Jane Booth, Independent Chair, Lancashire Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), presented the Annual report of the Board for 2014-15. In presenting the report, it was noted that the report had already been shared with and considered by a number of relevant partner bodies, and that the Scrutiny Committee would be considering the report and an update on some of the issues identified in the next couple of months.

Cabinet welcomed the report and noted it had been well received. Some concern was expressed about the level of hospital admissions for self harm and alcohol specific conditions. It was confirmed that significant efforts were being made in relation to CAMHS, for example through the Health and Wellbeing Board and schools, but that it was an area that remained an area for further work. Cabinet requested that further details be provided to members through the Cabinet Committee on Performance Improvement on these categories of hospital admissions for Looked After Children.

Resolved: That

  i.  The annual report of the LSCB be noted

  ii.  a report on hospital admissions for self harm and alcohol specific conditions for Lancashire Looked After Children by considered at a future meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Performance Improvement.

County Councillor Lorraine Beavers, Charlotte Hammond, Head of Service Safeguarding, and Dr Margaret Flynn, Independent chair of the Lancashire Safeguarding Adult Board (LSAB) attended to present the Annual report of the LSAB for 2014/15.

In presenting the report, Cabinet noted a number of strong indications that some previously identified areas of risk had reduced and acknowledged a number of strengths in respect of the Board itself. Dr Flynn additionally noted the challenging circumstances and the excellent work being done by professionals in the field.

Resolved: That the Annual Report of the Lancashire Safeguarding Adult Board be noted.

Steve Browne, Corporate Director Commissioning and Deputy Chief Executive, presented a report seeking approval for the continuation of an annual contribution of £80,000 to be made to the Lancashire Environmental Fund (LEF). It was noted that the funding for this contribution was inadvertently omitted from the Capital Investment Programme 2015/16 and beyond that was approved by Full Council in February 2015.  It was reported that the contribution made by the County Council had a significant multiplier effect, for example the five year period from 2008 to 2013, saw 296 projects supported by £7,147,860 grant aid from LEF and a total value of all the projects implemented of over £19,000,000.

Resolved: That the continuation of the annual contribution to the Lancashire Environmental Fund, capped at £80,000 per year, be approved, funded by increasing the value of the Capital Programme in 2015/16, and provision for this contribution in future years' capital programmes also be approved.

Resolved: That the report, now presented, on Key Decisions taken by the Leader of the County Council, the Deputy leader of the County Council and Cabinet members respectively, be noted.

Resolved: That the report, now presented, on the waiver of procurement rules by the Deputy Leader of the County Council, be noted.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

There was no urgent business.

The next meeting of the Cabinet will be held on Thursday, 26 November 2015 at 2.00 pm at County Hall, Preston.

The next meeting of the Cabinet will be held on Thursday 26 November 2015 at 2.00 pm at County Hall, Preston.