Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Fourth Floor, Easthampstead House, Bracknell. View directions

Contact: Sue Hills  01344 352060

Items
No. Item

64.

Declarations of Interest and Party Whip

Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests and the nature of that interest, including the existence and nature of the party whip, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

Minutes:

Councillor Mrs McCracken declared a personal interest as spouse of the Executive Member for Culture, Corporate Services and Public Protection. 

 

 

Councillor Mrs Birch declared a personal interest as spouse of the Executive Member for Adult Services, Health & Housing.

 

 

 

65.

Exclusion of the Public and Press

To consider the following motion:

 

That pursuant to section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, and having regard to the public interest, members of the public and press be excluded from the meeting for consideration of item 5 which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information under the following category of Schedule 12A of that Act:

 

(3)        Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Minutes:

RESOLVED that pursuant to section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, and having regard to the public interest, members of the public and press be excluded from the meeting for consideration of item 5 which involved the likely disclosure of exempt information under category 3 of Schedule 12A of that Act:

 

(3)        Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

66.

Review of the Bracknell Healthspace

To consider the response of the Executive and the Chief Executive of NHS Berkshire East to the report of the review of the Bracknell Healthspace by a working group of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Minutes:

The Commission considered the responses of NHS Berkshire East and the Council’s Executive to the report of the Review of the Bracknell Healthspace undertaken by a working group of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

 

Dr Lise Llewellyn and Mary Purnell,  NHS Berkshire East, attended the meeting to speak to NHS Berkshire East’s written response and to answer any questions put by Commission members.  Councillor Birch, Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing, also attended the meeting for this item.

 

Matters which arose during questions included:-

 

  • Issues around communication were explored and Mary Purnell outlined the broad programme of communications on health issues, which included the Bracknell Healthspace.
  • Financial aspects of the development.
  • The prospective planning application.
  • Identifying partners and commissioning services.   Services had been identified and there would be a tender process to determine who would provide the best services.
  • Aspects of project management.
  • Concept of urgent care.  Workshops had been held on this issue where helpful discussions had been held with stakeholders.
  • The provision of services at Brants Bridge by Royal Berkshire Hospital.

 

The Commission was glad to hear Lise Llewellyn state that it was accepted that care needed to be brought closer to the community.  She also explained that services would begin to change in the borough’s existing health centres, prior to the opening of the Healthspace.

 

The Chairman invited Lise Llewellyn and Mary Purnell to attend the meeting of the Commission on 15 July 2010 to give a presentation on the current status of the project at that time.  He thanked them for their honesty in responding to members’ questions, which was appreciated by the Commission.   He also thanked Councillor Birch for his ongoing involvement with the project.

 

The Members of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel would be invited to the meeting of the Commission in July.

 

The public and press were re-admitted to the meeting.

67.

Minutes and Matters Arising pdf icon PDF 121 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 28 January 2010.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Commission held on 28 January 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny confirmed that there were no outstanding actions.

68.

Review of the 14-19 Education Entitlement pdf icon PDF 79 KB

To consider the response of the Executive to the report of the review of the 14-19 Education Entitlement by a working group of the Children’s Services and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Minutes:

The Commission considered and noted the report of the Assistant Chief Executive which introduced the Executive’s response to the review of delivering the 14-19 education entitlement undertaken by a working group of the Children’s Services and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Panel. 

 

No additional views had been expressed by the Children’s Services and Learning Overview & Scrutiny Panel at its meeting on 24 March.

 

The Chairman had attended the meeting of the Panel and commended its format for considering the PMRs, ie picking three items for the officers to discuss in detail.

69.

Executive Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Forthcoming items on the Executive Forward Plan of a corporate nature are attached for consideration.

Minutes:

The Commission noted the Executive Forward Plan relating to corporate issues.  Particular issues raised –

 

EWP 1019270, contract award for the supply of fixed line telephony, and EWP 1020670, contract award for the supply of network infrastructure, - the date of the decision was two weeks prior to the date of this meeting.

 

EWP 1010993, Bracknell Town Centre Regeneration Strategy – The Assistant Chief Executive advised that the date of the decision would probably be revised to the end of the year.  The Commission’s involvement in developing the strategy would be invited once the review with Bracknell Regeneration Partnership had been completed. He also indicated that there was planned an all-member briefing on the subject in May. The Commission was keen to be kept updated. 

 

EWP 1021705, S106 Jennetts Park Community Centre – Councillor Mrs Shillcock queried why Binfield and Warfield ward members had been consulted on this item and not Great Hollands ward members.  The Assistant Chief Executive explained that Wykery Copse was in the Binfield and Warfield ward.  Councillor Mrs Shillcock requested that Great Hollands ward members also be consulted.  The Director of Corporate Services informed Councillor Mrs Shillcock that she was happy to show her the draft plans at any time.  Councillor McCracken confirmed that the S106 money would be allocated to the Jennetts Park Community Centre.  He also reported a conversation about a police point being provided at the community centre. 

70.

Performance Monitoring Reports pdf icon PDF 668 KB

To consider the performance monitoring reports for the third quarter (October-December) of the 2009/10 financial year for the:

 

·                     Chief Executive’s Office

·                     Corporate Services Department

 

In view of the size of the agenda, the Chairman has asked that any questions arising from the reports should be referred to either the Assistant Chief Executive or Director of Corporate Services in advance and only raised in the meeting if you consider the issue requires wider discussion.

 

Please bring your copies of the performance monitoring reports to the meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Commission considered the Performance Monitoring Reports for the third quarter, October to December of the financial year 2009/10, for the Chief Executive’s Office and the Corporate Services Department.

 

Chief Executive’s Office

 

The Assistant Chief Executive had nothing to add to the report.  The Chairman drew attention to the fact that no complaints had been received during the period in question. Officers confirmed that no complaints against the Chief Executive’s Office were likely in the final quarter.

 

Corporate Services

 

The Director of Corporate Services had nothing to add to the report  and there were no questions.

71.

Corporate Performance Overview Report pdf icon PDF 373 KB

To consider the Chief Executive’s Corporate Performance Overview Report covering the third quarter (October-December) of the 2009/10 financial year.

 

In view of the size of the agenda, the Chairman has asked that any questions arising from the report should be referred to the Assistant Chief Executive in advance and only raised in the meeting if you consider the issue requires wider discussion.

Minutes:

The Commission considered and noted the Chief Executive’s Corporate Performance Overview Report (CPOR) for the third quarter, October to December, of the 2009/10 financial year.

 

Arising from questions or in discussion –

 

  • Councillor Mrs Shillcock expressed disappointment that due to budgetary restraints there would be no dedicated campaign to raise awareness of the need for foster carers for children and teenagers.
  • Councillor Virgo raised an issue on voluntary sector grants which the Assistant Chief Executive would discuss with him outside of the meeting.

72.

Review of the Council's Key Objectives 2010/11 pdf icon PDF 114 KB

To consider the response of the Executive to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s Working Group on the proposed key objectives for the Council in 2010/11.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Commission considered and noted the Assistant Chief Executive’s report on the Executive’s response to the recommendations of the Commission’s Working Group which reviewed the proposed key objectives for the Council in 2010-11.

 

Of the 18 changes recommended by the Working Group , 10 had been accepted in full, two partially accepted and the remaining six had not been accepted for reasons stated.

 

The Chief Executive in his report to the Executive stated that the Commission’s working group had been a valuable contribution to planning for the services to be delivered to residents and businesses over the coming year.

73.

Overview & Scrutiny Quarterly Progress Report pdf icon PDF 99 KB

To note the quarterly progress report of the Assistant Chief Executive.

Minutes:

The Commission considered the quarterly progress report which set out the overview and scrutiny activity and the national and local developments.

 

The Chairman said this was a useful report and if members had any queries they should take them up with the Chairman or the Head of Overview and Scrutiny.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(i)                  the overview and scrutiny activity for the period November 2009 to January 2010, set out in section 3 and appendices 1 and 2 of the report be noted;

(ii)                the developments in overview and scrutiny set out in section 4 of the report be noted.

74.

Updates from Panel Chairmen

To receive oral updates from the Overview and Scrutiny Panel Chairmen and the Vice-Chairman of the Joint East Berkshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Minutes:

Health O&S Panel

 

Councillor Leake reported –

  • The working groups had virtually completed their programmes.  The only outstanding report was on public health emergencies.

 

Adult Social Care O&S Panel

 

Councillor Turrell reported –

  • The failure of a speaker from the Care Quality Commission to attend the Panel’s meeting on 2 March was being followed up.
  • The working group on the personalisation programme had held two meetings with officers and had particularly discussed matters in relation to safeguarding.  The working group hoped to meet people who had taken part in the pilot and the new Head of Adult Safeguarding.

 

Environment, Culture and Communities O&S Panel

 

Councillor Finnie reported –

  • The working group on the review of highway maintenance was currently on hold.
  • He would look at the review on performance in the severe weather conditions which had commenced and was being led by Councillor Harrison.

 

Children’s Services and Learning O&S Panel

 

Councillor Ms Whitbread reported –

  • A good Panel meeting was held on the new college premises when the new facilities were viewed and the Panel met the new Director of Children, Young People and Learning, Janette Karklins.
  • The Panel hoped that the working group on safeguarding children would soon commence.

 

 

 

 

75.

Annual Report of Overview & Scrutiny pdf icon PDF 3 MB

To adopt the annual report of Overview and Scrutiny for 2009/10, including the indicative work programme for 2010/11, for presentation to Council.

 

To delegate to the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission, any changes to the report arising from any observations from the Corporate Management Team and the Council's Executive.

Minutes:

The Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny for 2009/2010, including the indicative work programme for 2010/2011 was submitted for the Commission’s consideration.

 

Councillor Leake wished to reinforce and support comments in the report on the professionalism and commitment of officers supporting the scrutiny function.  He considered support at Bracknell Forest was outstanding compared to his experience of other authorities.

 

Councillor McLean commended the annual report and felt that it demonstrated the importance and effectiveness of a well established scrutiny function.

 

Council Worrall expressed concerns at the number of vacancies for co-opted members. The Head of Overview and Scrutiny advised the Commission of the measures taken in attempts to attempt to fill the vacancies.  In relation to the Social Care representative vacancies, the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel had decided not to appoint to the Panel but to invite individuals to take part in selected reviews, as appropriate.  These vacancies would be reviewed and the papers submitted to Annual Council may be amended.

 

The Commission agreed:

 

i)                    to adopt the annual report of Overview and Scrutiny for 2009/2010 including the indicative work programme for 2010/11.

ii)                   to delegate to the Chairman, any changes to the report arising from observations from the Corporate Management Team and the Council’s Executive.

 

 

 

76.

The Good Scrutiny Awards

Minutes:

The Chairman and the Head of Overview and Scrutiny reported that a submission had been made to the Centre for Public Scrutiny annual Good Scrutiny awards Scheme, in recognition of the work of the Council in the scrutiny of the borough’s partnerships.

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk