Agenda and minutes

None received.

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

None.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 October 2015 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered the following Key Decisions due to be taken by individual Cabinet Members as indicated.

The Committee considered a report on the schools capital allocation for 2015/16 to 2017/18 and the proposed strategy for expenditure based on the priorities contained within the approved Strategy for the Provision of School Places and Capital Investment 2015/16 to 2017/18.

The Committee discussed the use of S106 monies to deliver additional school places.  It was suggested that consideration be given to holding a bite size briefing on the County Council's response to district local plans and increased infrastructure demands.

Members were invited to raise any issues about school places with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools.   

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report setting out proposals for working with Natural England to deliver the Lancashire section of the governments aspirations to secure a walking route around the entire English coast 'the England Coast Path' and to secure an associated margin of land or 'spreading room' for the public to enjoy.

The Committee welcomed the proposals as set out in the report.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report on a limited set of proposals relating to fees and charges across the Libraries, Museums, Culture and Registrars (LMCR) service following a service working group review.

The proposals were awaiting the outcome of the budget review programme affecting the service. The Committee was informed that the aim of the review was to ensure that fees and charges were applied consistently across the service and where possible service delivery costs were recovered.  It was noted that the review had looked at benchmarking, where possible, with other Local Authorities to ensure that Lancashire citizens were receiving services at a similar cost to citizens in other comparable authorities.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report on a proposal for a revision of the approach and financial contribution into the Chai Centre, Burnley post March 2016 when the existing contract with the Lancashire Care Foundation Trust contract was due to expire.

It was reported that there were currently multiple contracting arrangements that were duplicating and not sustainable within the current financial pressures. In order to ensure financial efficiencies, whilst contributing towards minimum risk and maximum benefit to the community, the report set out 3 options for consideration as follows:

Option 1  To no longer fund the healthy living element of the Chai Centre;

Option 2   To contribute £59,995 for 6 months to cover the manager costs and a small amount for reception / admin to support an exit strategy;

Option 3   To fund for a further 2 years to provide more time to manage risks such as leasing of the gym / café, developing a community consortium type arrangement, drawing in external funding sources etc.

The Committee was informed that whilst Option 2 had been recommended for implementation, the Lancashire Care Foundation Trust had now indicated that it no longer wished to be involved with the contract beyond March 2016.  With this in mind, the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing confirmed that he proposed to approve Option 1 as set out in the report, and that options for the local community to provide this service would be explored.

It was moved and seconded that the proposed decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing be supported.  To which the following amendment was moved and seconded "That the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing be recommended to approve Option 2 for implementation".  Upon being put to the vote the amendment was lost and it was therefore:    

Resolved: That the intention of the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing to approve Option 1 be supported, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report on the overarching principles underpinning the restructure of the East Lancashire Health Improvement Service (adult section) which had been commissioned from Lancashire Care Foundation Trust at a value of £916,256. Three options were presented for consideration and implementation post March 2016, with pros and cons listed against each as follows;

Option A.  To not continue to fund any aspect of the service;

Option B.   To procure a much smaller, focused element of the service and extend county wide; or

Option C.   To bring core functions back into Public Health and Wellbeing at the County Council, such as training and delivering health improvement skills for partners and communities; healthy settings and health education and resources.

The recommendation of the report was that the first option, Option A, be pursued to ensure maximum savings whilst enabling time to look at exit strategies to reduce impact on staff, partners and communities. This redesign / decommission was part of, and integral to, the re-commissioning of the public health improvement services with completion by April 2016.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report on a proposal to release £2.5 million from the Highways Block of the Corporate Capital Programme up to and including 2014/15 to invest in improvements to urban unclassified carriageways and footways through the introduction of a Local Priority Response Fund in 2016/17.

It was proposed that the allocation be apportioned across the twelve districts on the basis of 50% population and 50% on a highway needs assessment in each district. It was also proposed that county councillors would be invited to recommend improvements to urban unclassified carriageways and footways for consideration by the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report on a proposal for highway improvement works in New Hall Lane as shown on the plan attached at Appendix 'A' to the report now presented.

Improvements to the New Hall Lane local centre were identified as an early activity under the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for the Preston, South Ribble and Central Lancashire City Deal and would see improvements to public transport, cycling and walking.

It was reported that once the proposals were approved, the county council would be in a position to construct the improvement works along New Hall Lane in early 2016.  The Committee welcomed the report.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report on the proposed implementation of the Pennine Reach Statutory Quality Bus Partnership Scheme.

It was noted that the Pennine Reach Major Public Transport Scheme, a joint scheme with Blackburn with Darwen Council, had been fully approved by the Department for Transport on 1 October 2013 and was now under construction.  It was proposed to implement a Statutory Quality Bus Partnership Scheme (SQBP) from May 2016 to ensure that the standard of public transport along the corridor was raised in line with the public investment that was going into the bus infrastructure provision.

The Committee was informed that approval was being sought to formally publish the scheme for consultation in accordance with the Regulations that govern the implementation of a SQBP. Authorisation was also being sought for the Head of Service Public and Integrated Transport to make such amendments to the scheme within Lancashire as deemed appropriate following the formal consultation with the affected bus operators.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

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.

It was reported that the chair had agreed to a report from the Budget Scrutiny Working Group being dealt with at the meeting as an item of urgent business. It was noted that the report would be taken under Part II of the agenda.

The next meeting of the Executive Scrutiny Committee will be held on Tuesday, 24^th of November 2015 at 2pm at the County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Tuesday 24 November 2015 at 2.00 p.m. at County Hall, Preston.

The Committee is asked to consider whether, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it considers that the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated against theheading to the item.

Resolved: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and that in all circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee considered a number of Key Decisions due to be taken by individual Cabinet Members.

The Committee considered the following Key Decisions due to be taken by individual Cabinet Members as indicated.

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information).

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The Committee considered a report on the Phase 1 of a programme of capital improvement/expansion projects in maintained and aided schools, including the provision of additional places to regularise admission numbers and address suitability issues as identified by Ofsted.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information).

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The Committee considered a report on the proposals for the allocation of schools capital funding to address a further phase of high priority building condition repairs on Community, Voluntary Controlled and Maintained Schools in Lancashire.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information).

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The committee considered a report on a recommendation to approve the award of contracts for the delivery of a School Nursing Service across Lancashire.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information).

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The Committee considered a report on a recommendation to approve the award of contracts for the delivery of 'comprehensive All Ages and Young People's Integrated Open Access Sexual Health Services across Lancashire'.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.).

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The Committee considered a report on a recommendation to approve the award of a contract to a single contractor to undertake the construction of Broughton By-Pass.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information).

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The Committee considered a report on a proposed award of a contract to a contractor to assist in the development of, and for the construction of, the Preston Western Distributor Road and all, part or none of the North West Preston East West Link Road.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.  It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information).

(Not for Publication - Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information)

The chair agreed to this report being dealt with at the meeting as an item of urgent business.

The Committee received a report on the findings of the Budget Scrutiny Working Group on the council's base budget review.

Resolved:  That the report of the BudgetScrutiny Working Group be noted and that the principles and recommendations as agreed by the Working Group, as set out in the report, be submitted to Cabinet and Management Team for consideration as part of the 2016 budget preparations.