Agenda and minutes

Apologies are noted above.

To receive any declaration of interest from any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

No declaration of interest received.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the following meeting :-

·      21 November, 2013 (Call-In)

·      28 November, 2013

The minutes of the following meetings were confirmed :-

·           21 November, 2014 (Call-In)

·           28 November, 2014

Communities First – Ynys Môn

Councillor Dylan Rees ascertain if a response had been received from Môn Communities First Ltd., in respect of the publishing their minutes of Board meetings on their website.  The Scrutiny Officer responded that he would contact Môn Communities First Ltd., in due course and report back to the Committee.

To submit a report by the Director of Community in relation to the above.

Submitted – a report by the Director of Community in relation to the above.

The Director of Community reported that it is believed that the health and care needs of the people of the Isle of Anglesey can be better served by the improved integration of services between health and local authority services.  In order to facilitate this process, and provide a sound governance structure, it is proposed to establish an Integrated Delivery Board to inform both service development and quality assurance processes; the nomination of 2 elected members to sit on the Board, and to agree to the timescale with the expectation that the Board is operational by April 2014. The proposed membership of the Board was highlighted within the report.

The aims and objectives of developing an Integrated Delivery Board collaborative for Community Health and Care services on the Island is to work towards delivery of ‘single services’, this includes improved alignment of business plans, budgets and organisational cultures. 

It was noted that the report had been discussed at the Executive held on 13 January, 2014.

Following deliberations it was RESOLVED to approve in principle the proposal to develop an Integrated Delivery Board for Community Health and Care Services on the Isle of Anglesey.

To submit a report in relation to the above.

Submitted – a report by the Director of Community in relation to the above.

The Business Support Unit Manager reported that the Statement is a First Iteration of the Intent of the 6 North Wales Local Authorities and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to deliver integrated services for Older People with complex needs.  Feedback on the Statement will contribute to a final Statement to be accompanied by an Action Plan by 31 March, 2014.  He noted that whilst the Framework document requires the Statement of Intent to be focused on Older People with Complex Needs, it is considered that this will be a favourable approach to utilise for all other services users groups in the future.    It was noted that the Executive held on 13 January, 2014 had resolved as follows :-

·           To accept the first iteration of the North Wales Statement of Intent – that includes contributions from the Isle of Anglesey County Council – for submission to Welsh Government by BCUHB and the 6 counties by 31st January, 2014 in order to conform with the statutory requirements set out in the document ‘Framework for Integrated Services for Older People with Complex Needs’;

·           To authorise the Community Director to collaborate with BCUHB and the 6 other local authorities across the North Wales region and locally here on Anglesey through the proposed Integrated Delivery Board for Health and Social Care that we intend to establish to strengthen and provide robust governance arrangements to identify priorities to draw up a Work Programme for the delivery of integrated services for older people with complex needs.

RESOLVED to note the report and the recommendations of the Executive.

To consider the Executive’s initial proposals for the 2014/15 Council Budget.

Documents attached for reference :-

·        Meeting the Challenges Budget Consultation Document 2014/2015.

·        Report to the Executive meeting on 16^th December – Initial Proposals for the 2014/2015 Budget

The Chair outlined the remit of this Committee with regards to the discussion on the Budget for 2014/15 i.e. Economic, Highways and Planning Services.

He invited Councillor R. Meirion Jones to address the meeting as Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee. 

Councillor R. Meirion Jones stated that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 14 January, 2014 had discussions at length on the Budget for 2014/15 but had not reached the Sustainability Budget Savings.  Discussion had taken place to ascertain if the Members of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee were able to discuss the Sustainability budget as part of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee as the appropriate Officers are in attendance at this meeting and due to the time constraints for the Scrutiny Committees to put forward their observations to the Executive.   Following discussion the Members of the Partnership and Regeneration Committee were in agreement to allow the Members of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee to deliberate the Sustainability Budget savings.

The Portfolio Holder (Finance) gave a brief report on the Executive’s initial proposals for the 2014/15 Council Budget.  He outlined the savings proposals totalling £7.5m and noted that a Council Tax increase of 5% is proposed. In line with the Welsh Governments expectations the education and social care services will be protected.  He noted that leisure centres and library services are to be protected this year but could not guarantee that these services can be safeguarded in the following years. 

The Chair invited each service Portfolio and Head of Service to outline their proposed budget savings to the Committee. 

Members of the Committee raised the following main issues with regard to   proposed savings :-

·                    Increase in parking fees – concerns expressed that Town Centres will be affected with people choosing not to shop at the local businesses.  The loss of income could have a detrimental effect on businesses;

·                    Increase in leisure fees and charges – concerns expressed that increase in fees for using leisure facilities and cuts in staffing could impact on the healthy living initiatives i.e. heart diseases, diabetes, obesity and the encouragement of children to participate in sports;

·                    Amendments to public conveniences provision – concerns expressed that public conveniences of a high standard is a necessity.  It was noted that the £500 provision for local businesses to allow access for the general public to use public conveniences on the premises should be extended and further work was required to encourage Town/Community Councils or the local community to take over these facilities.

·        Reductions in Highway Maintenance – deep concerns expressed to the possibilities of the condition of small lanes and highways will be in a dire state in the future.  The Highway Maintenance budget is a cross cutting budget and is dependent on weather conditions throughout the seasons which could have an effect on the budget of the service.

Following deliberations it was RESOLVED to accept the Executive’s draft budget proposals for 2014/2015.

To receive a verbal report by the Chair/Vice-Chair in relation to the above.

There were no updates or announcements to report by the Chair or Vice-Chair.

To submit the Work Programme by the Scrutiny Officer.

Submitted – a draft Work Programme by the Scrutiny Officer.

It was noted that a special meeting is to be held in March to discuss the North Wales Waste Project with an invitation to all Members of the County Council to attend.

RESOLVED to accept the report.