Meeting documents

• (Attachment: 1)Minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2016 be approved as a correct record.

Committee Members: Councillors D. Allcard (substituted by Councillor Mrs R. Absalom), S. Parnall (substituted by Councillor Mrs R. Turner) and J.M. Stephenson.

Other Members: None.

Apologies were also received from representatives of Surrey County Council’s Adult Social Care Team, who had been invited to attend this meeting and were unfortunately unable to do so. It was agreed that the minutes of this meeting would be shared with them.
 

Councillor N. Harrison declared a non-pecuniary interest in the Draft Treasury Management Strategy 2016/17 item as he had been a member of the Treasury Management Portfolio Panel.

The Chairman welcomed Cllr Dr Lynne Hack, Executive Member for Health & Ageing Well, and representatives from East Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Dr Elango Vijaykuma (Clinical Chair) and Carol Rowley (Patient Experience and Stakeholder Engagement Lead), and from Surrey Downs CCG, James Blythe (Director of Commissioning & Strategy), to the meeting.

The Committee received a presentation from each CCG, which focused particularly on ways in which both were improving services through engagement with patients, communities and partners, in spite of challenging financial situations (both CCGs were currently under legal directions from NHS England). The importance of partnership working across the entire health and social care sector was repeatedly emphasised. The Portfolio Holder for Health & Ageing Well highlighted the social prescribing scheme being introduced by the Council in partnership with Tandridge District Council, East Surrey and Surrey Downs CCGs, and Surrey County Council Public Health, and the role that preventative action had to play in significantly reducing future healthcare costs.

The Committee welcomed the presentations, and further discussion focused on:

• Mental health care, in particular for children and young adults. The Committee noted that all Surrey CCGs had been involved in a joint procurement for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and were all committed to increasing investment in this area. A request was made for further information about Surrey Downs CCG’s participation in this process, which would be provided outside of the meeting. The Committee noted that both CCGs were opening Safe Havens and developing (or had developed) self-referral services particularly aimed at increasing referrals by young males;

• The importance of young carers and the significant amount of work being proposed to improve support for this group;

• Work being undertaken by both CCGs to plan for and achieve financial sustainability. It was noted that both CCGs were focused on reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and inappropriate lengths of stay, both in order to make savings and for the benefit of patients. The Committee also noted that efficiencies were being realised through the integration of health and social care budgets under the Better Care Fund;

• The challenges associated with catering to a higher than average population of those aged over 65, and new approaches to shaping services around user needs;

• Ongoing challenges surrounding the recruitment of therapists, and especially speech and language and occupational therapists, in Surrey;

• The Surrey stroke review – a partnership project to improve stroke care, which had resulted in a recommendation to introduce a third Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) in Surrey. The Committee noted that final proposals from service providers and clinical teams were expected in June 2016, after which time a clearer timetable for implementation would be available. It was suggested that the potential for the Council to use its communications channels to distribute information about stroke recognition and response be further explored.

RESOLVED that East Surrey CCG and Surrey Downs CCG be thanked for their presentations and for responding to the Committee’s questions.
 

• (Attachment: 2)Item 5: Overview and Scrutiny Committee Proposed Work Programme 2016/17 Report (269K/bytes)

The Committee received a report on the proposed work programme for 2016/17, which continued the streamlined approach taken in previous years in order to support the Council’s drive towards greater efficiency.
The Committee noted that the programme was very similar to that of the current year, and that it was proposed in 2016/17 to continue to utilise the Committee’s capacity for external scrutiny and in particular to review the work of key partners who support the Council’s 5 Year Plan priorities. It was noted that this could include the Council’s leisure centre operators, community centre operators, and the Reigate & Banstead Voluntary Service.
 

The Committee made further comments regarding:

• The Local Development Framework Scrutiny Review Panel, which it was proposed would consider Regulation 18 Development Management Plan (DMP) documents in summer 2016. It was noted that additional Member engagement would be undertaken on the draft content of these documents prior to their publication;

• Arising from the recommendations of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge in 2015, it was noted that a piece of work to better articulate the Council’s strategy for financial sustainability was likely to come forward alongside the Medium Term Financial Plan update that would be considered in the normal way by the Budget Scrutiny Review Panel in November 2016. It was suggested that this timetable be kept in review should there be anything forthcoming at an earlier date which it would be appropriate for the Budget Panel or Overview & Scrutiny Committee to consider;

• It was also noted that the work programme contained provision for re-prioritisation by the Chairman, which would be considered should devolution proposals develop during 2016/17 in such a way as to require scrutiny;
 

• The Committee noted that the early scheduling of provisional dates for Member development had been previously suggested and was being considered in developing a programme for 2016/17.

RESOLVED that the proposed Work Programme for 2016/17 as set out at Annex 1 and detailed in the report be approved (taking account of the Management Team’s comments) for recommendation to the Executive and the Council.
 

• (Attachment: 3)Item 6: O&S Cover Report and Treasury Management Strategy 2016-17 Report inc. Annexes (766K/bytes)
• | (Attachment: 4)Addendum to Item 6: Comments of the Treasury Management Portfolio Panel

The Committee received the draft Treasury Management Strategy 2016/17, which had been published for consultation by the Executive on 28 January 2016.

The Committee noted that the draft Strategy had been considered and supported by the Treasury Management Portfolio Panel on 10 February 2016.

It was noted that the Portfolio Panel had asked Officers to explore options for short term internal investment of surplus balances, as rates on call and instant access accounts had deteriorated.

RESOLVED that the draft Treasury Management Strategy for 2015/16 be noted and no comments be made to the Executive.
 

It was reported that there were no items arising from the Executive that might be subject to the ‘call-in’ procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

None.