Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room

Contact: Christine Lewis 

Items
No. Item

8.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs Boyle, Eadie and Humphreys.

9.

Declarations of Interests

Minutes:

Councillor O’Hagan declared a personal interest as he is currently employed by the Southern Staffordshire and Shropshire Mental Health Service based at Burton Queens Hospital.

 

10.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 31 May 2018 as previously circulated were taken as read and approved as a correct record.

11.

Presentation from New Disables Facilities Grants Provider

Minutes:

The Chairman noted that Millbrook Health Care had been appointed to manage and deliver disabled facilities grants. She welcomed Mr Lee Davies, a Director at Millbrook Health Care, who gave a presentation outlining:

 

·         the history of the company,

·         the services they provided and customer feedback

·         the service deliver model in Staffordshire

·         transition issues

·         performance, service improvement and performance management

·         governance arrangements.

 

Members asked a number of questions and it was proposed that an update on the delivery of disabled facilities grants be provided in six months’ time.

 

RESOLVED: That a briefing paper on the delivery of disabled facilities grants be provided to Members of the Committee in six months.

12.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the Work Programme for 2018/19. It was noted that an update would be received on the merger of Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in January. This would give an opportunity to address, amongst other things, the proposed bus service between Burton and Derby Hospitals and concerns over potential reductions in service as a result of the merger.

13.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Delivery Plan pdf icon PDF 104 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was noted that on 26 March 2018 the Committee had endorsed the emerging Health and Wellbeing Strategy (HWS). The HWS explored the Council’s impact on the health and wellbeing of residents, identified service areas and activities that impacted on the determinants of health, built on the evidence contained in the Strategic Plan, provided a picture of the key local health and wellbeing indicators and highlighted areas for improvement.

 

Consideration was given to the revised HWS Delivery Plan 2018-2021 which contained the actions and outcomes required to address the identified priorities. These had been informed by existing and emerging policies and strategies from across the Council.

 

Clarification was provided in respect of a number of issues including the dementia awareness timescales and the identification of priority wards.

 

In response to a question about the possibility of overcommitting in some areas given the resources available, it was confirmed that Leisure Services were comfortable with the targets, some of which were provided for in the Freedom Leisure Contract.

 

With regard to funding, it was advised that the £54,000 funding was in addition to services that were already being provided.

 

It was acknowledged that the provision of affordable homes was reliant on the housing market, although the Council could influence provision and the trend had been upwards with 135 affordable homes delivered in 2017-18.

 

RESOLVED: That the revised Health and Well Being Strategy and Health and Well Being Delivery Plan be recommended to Cabinet for Approval.

 

 

14.

Exclusion of Public and Press

Minutes:

 

RESOLVED: “That as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, which would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972”.

 

IN PRIVATE

15.

Allocations Scheme pdf icon PDF 112 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

A report was submitted that reviewed the current housing allocation scheme and housing register and consideration was given to a revised scheme that reflected current legislation (including the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017), guidance and local priorities.

 

It was proposed that Bromford would continue to manage and administer the housing register on the Council’s behalf and that a bespoke housing register based on the revised allocation scheme be developed in partnership with Bromford to replace the current Homes Direct platform.

 

Members noted that the priority grades A, B, C and D were being changed to Emergency, 1, 2 and 3 and regret was expressed that, due to pressures on the waiting list, category D was being removed affecting 368 people that did not have an identified housing need.

 

Reference was made to the closure of Bluebell House in Lichfield which had provided accommodation for young people and it was hoped that the building could be brought back in to use as soon as possible. It was advised that a planning application had been submitted by Midland Heart for a housing scheme for over 55 year olds.

 

In response to a question about the criteria regarding housing related debt it was confirmed that exceptional cases would be examined on their own merit.  It was also advised that discretionary housing payments were available and the budget had not been fully spent in recent years.

 

 

RECOMMENDED:  (1) That the revised Allocation Scheme be recommended to Council for approval.

 

                                 (2) That the proposal for Bromford to continue to manage and administer the housing register on the Council’s behalf and jointly develop a bespoke housing register to replace the current operating system be noted.

 

 

IN PUBLIC

16.

Community Lottery Scheme pdf icon PDF 142 KB

Minutes:

A report was submitted on the proposed establishment of a lottery to enable local community groups and charities to raise funds and help the Council to provide support for the local voluntary and community sector.

 

Confirmation was sought that the funding raised would be additional to the current budget of £177,000 grant funding provided by the District Council. It was advised that this level of support had been approved by Cabinet in July 2017 for three years.

 

The Committee discussed the proposal and agreed that it would need to consider the results of the consultation with the local community and voluntary sector before being able to endorse the idea.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the idea of establishing a local lottery scheme be approved subject to the outcome of consultation with the community and voluntary sector and its further scrutiny by the Committee.

17.

Standing Items

a)    Lichfield District Health Provision            

b)    Staffordshire Health Select Committee   

Minutes:

(a) Lichfield District Health Provision

 

It was reported that Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet had approved the redevelopment of Greenwood House, Burntwood to provide a new pupose-built health centre with adjoining pharmacy and associated car parking following the successful application to NHS England’s Technology Transformation Fund. 

 

Members noted that a public exhibition on the proposed health centre had been arranged for 18 September following which an application for Planning Consent would be finalised.

 

(b) Staffordshire Health Select Committee

 

The Committee received an update on the most recent meeting of the Staffordshire Health Select Committee.