Agenda and minutes

Apologies as noted above.

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

No declaration of interests received.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September, 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 September, 2015 were confirmed.

To receive a presentation by representatives from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board on Area Structure and thereafter questions on health services provision.

(AN INVITATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL IN RESPECT OF THIS ITEM)

The Chair welcomed Mrs. Ffion Johnstone, Mr. Andrew Jones, Mr. Geoff Lang, Ms. Alison Cowell, Mr. Wyn Thomas as representatives from the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to the meeting.  It was noted that Mr. Simon Dean, Interim Chief Executive was unable to attend the meeting as he had been called to a Public Accounts Committee at the Welsh Government.

The Chair further noted that all Members of the County Council had been invited to attend the meeting in respect of this item and were afforded the opportunity to present questions in advance of the meeting to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.  A response to the questions presented had been forward to the Members of the County Council.

A presentation was received by the representatives of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to the meeting which highlighted :-

Operating Principles

·           Public and staff engagement;

·           North Wales Vision – Local Delivery;

·           Population needs analysis and patient, ‘what matters’;

·           Prevention of ill health and reduced dependency;

·           Primary care informed Commissioning;

·           Area wide culture of Partnership Working;

·           Community led pathways – home is the first assumption;

·           Workforce development – skill mix analysis, generic and enhanced roles;

·           Succession Planning;

·           Safeguarding embedded – Children’s and Adults;

·           Patient safety, risk management and service quality;

·           Robust operational and business planning, financial control, accountability and performance management;

Vision of the Health Board

·           Patients and communities less dependent;

·           Clusters influencing the system;

·           Trusting relationships at a local level;

·           Robust core community services and integrated teams;

·           Local service vision, with ownership by partners and staff, and understanding by local communities, joint planning;

·           Motivated and appropriately skilled workforce;

·           Modernised services through technology and innovation;

·           Improved reputation for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board;

·           Decision making at a local level and influencing strategic direction.

A question and answer session was afforded and the following comments and concerns were presented :-

·           Temporary Changes to Women’s and Maternity Services in North Wales were undertaken by the BCUHB.  Concerns on Anglesey that a specialist maternity service at Ysbyty Gwynedd is in jeopardy.  BCUHB responded they are currently working through the responses to the consultation on maternity services in North Wales and a report will thereafter be afforded on the quality and health impact assessment to the Health Board in early December.    The Health Board has invited the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology to work alongside the Board Clinical Team across North Wales to look at the Health Boards current services in respect of Women’s and Maternity Service.  There are no plans to change the Obstetrics services in North Wales at present.  Members of the Committee considered that the Women’s Services and Maternity Services needs to stay at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor;

·           The County Council, through its Transformation Programme for Adult Services Social Care, is committed to developing Extra Care provision across Anglesey supporting the Authority’s vision of a fundamental shift away from traditional residential care in favour of alternative care models.  Questions were raised regarding if BCUHB were consulted regarding the recent consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

(ITEM START TIME IS AT 3.45 p.m.)

To discuss the consultation on how to maintain the Fire and Rescue Services in North Wales and thereafter questions on local coverage.

(AN INVITATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL IN RESPECT OF THIS ITEM)

The Chair welcomed Mr. Simon Smith, Chief Fire Officer and Mr. Kevin Roberts, Senior Operations Manager from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.  He also welcomed  Councillor Peter Lewis, Deputy Chair of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to the meeting.  The Chair also welcomed Councillor Llinos Jones, Mayor of the Llangefni Town Council and Councillor Margaret Thomas. He further noted that all Members of the County Council had been invited to attend the meeting in respect of this item.

A presentation was received by the representatives from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service on the consultation process currently undertaken on the draft Improvement Objectives 2015/16 financial year.  The presentation highlighted the following matters :-

·           The running costs of the Fire and Rescue Service in North Wales is around £32m – the equivalent of £46 per year for every North Wales resident;

·           The Fire and Rescue Service are intending incorporating a 3 year financial strategy to freeze the budget.  Savings of £3m, 10% of the budget has been achieved by the Fire Service over the last 5 years;

·           The objective is to carry on helping to keep people safe from fire in their homes with the Fire and Rescue Service  visiting homes and providing fire alarms free of charge;

·           The Fire and Rescue Service attend schools to educate children of the dangers associated with fires;

·           Fire incidents in North Wales has seen a decrease of 50%;

A question and answer session was afforded and the following comments and concerns were presented together with questions from representatives from the Llangefni Town Council :-

·           Fire Incident at Fish and Chips Shop, Llangefni

·      Calls for a fully manned fire station at Llangefni should be considered to protect the Town which has an industrial estate, council buildings and an area of rural villages in the vicinity.  The Fire & Rescue Service responded that there are 10 people on the retained crew at Llangefni and half of which had to leave the area of Llangefni on the day of the fire to their primary place of employment.  There are never been a fully manned fire station at Llangefni. The costs attached to providing a fully manned fire station would be an unrealistic expectation.  If a Fire Station similar to Holyhead Fire Station which has a ‘day crewing’ and is fully manned during the day and has a status of retained crew during the night was considered for the town of Llangefni the cost to the Fire Authority would be around £750k per year. 

·      20 minutes for the Fire Service to arrive at the scene of the fire.  The Fire & Rescue Service responded that the aims of the Fire Service are to get the nearest appliance to the incident as soon as possible.  There is no longer a Home Office recommended attendance time attached to attending a fire.  Up to 10 years ago the fire stations on Anglesey were categorised on risk basis. Holyhead was categorised as ‘C risk’ which was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Officer.

Submitted – the draft Work Programme.

The Scrutiny Officer referred to substantial items noted for the next meeting to be held on 2 February, 2016 as follows :-

·        Youth Services Review

·        Cultural Services Review

·        Gypsy Travellers Plan

It was noted that the Chair and Vice-Chair together with the Scrutiny Officer will discuss other potential items to be considered at the next meeting in due course.

RESOLVED to note the draft Work Programme and to incorporate the potential items following discussion with the Chair and Vice-Chair.