5.1             The evacuation procedure, as noted on the Agenda, was advised to those present.

5.2             The Chair welcomed Norman Gardner, Bureau Manager for the Gloucester and District Citizens’ Advice Bureau, to the meeting and indicated that he would be giving a presentation at Agenda Item 7.  He also introduced Ann Reeder who was observing the meeting in order to provide independent feedback on the Committee.  It was noted that Councillor R E Allen was in attendance in respect of Item 12 – Health and Wellbeing Strategy Monitoring Report and Councillor Mrs E J MacTiernan was also present as an observer.

6.1             Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs G F Blackwell (Vice-Chair) and G J Bocking.  There were no substitutions for the meeting.

7.1             The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012.

7.2             There were no declarations made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meetings held on 12 April and 17 May 2016.

8.1             The Minutes of the meeting, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To determine whether there are any questions for the relevant Lead Members and what support the Overview and Scrutiny Committee can give to work contained within the Plan.

9.1             Attention was drawn to the Executive Committee Forward Plan, circulated at Pages No. 16-19.  Members were asked to determine whether there were any questions for the relevant Lead Members and what support the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could give to the work contained within the plan. 

9.2             A Member questioned why cemetery provision in Tewkesbury town was included on the Executive Committee Agenda for the meeting on 31 August 2016 given that Winchcombe was responsible for its own provision.  The Finance and Asset Management Group Manager advised that the cemetery in Tewkesbury town was almost at capacity and the options for future provision needed to be discussed with the Committee.  Officers were currently in the process of putting this information together. 

9.3             A Member noted that two items had been removed from the Forward Plan, the Financial Inclusion Policy which had been due to be considered on 13 July 2016 and the Policy for the Localism Agenda on Revenues and Benefits which had been due to be considered on 31 August 2016, and he asked when those items could be expected.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive explained that the financial inclusion work included the roll out of Universal Credit which had been put on hold by the government.  As there was no expected date for that to happen, it was not possible to start work on the policy.  In terms of the consideration of a new discretionary relief for business rates under the Localism Agenda, this would be picked up as part of the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy as it related to supporting the economy and promoting economic growth; she recognised that this was not reflected in the wording currently used on the forward plan.

9.4             A Member queried whether there was an expectation that Parish Councils would contribute towards the Environmental Warden and suggested that it should be brought forward from 23 November 2013, when it was currently scheduled for consideration by the Executive Committee, as Parishes were likely to have set their precepts prior to this date.  The Deputy Chief Executive felt that this was a very sensible idea and she undertook to discuss this with the Officers involved.

9.5             It was

RESOLVED                                  That the Executive Committee Forward Plan be NOTED.

To consider the forthcoming work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

10.1           Attention was drawn to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2016/17, circulated at Pages No. 20-27, which Members were asked to consider.

10.2           A Member indicated that there had been a number of issues raised at the last meeting as a result of the review of Ubico and he questioned when a full report would be brought to the Committee.  The Deputy Chief Executive explained that a report on enviro-crimes would be brought to the next meeting on 19 July 2016 and would include information regarding fly-tipping.  A separate report on grounds maintenance would be brought to the meeting on 18 October 2016.

10.3           With regard to the pending items, the Corporate Services Group Manager advised that he was awaiting a response from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue as to when they would be able to give a presentation to the Committee.  In terms of the presentation from Severn Vale Housing which had been requested by Members during the review of the effectiveness of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, he sought a further steer from Members as to their specific concerns so he could approach the appropriate person within the organisation.  A Member indicated that Severn Vale had recently undergone significant changes in terms of its operation and it may be beneficial for Members to learn more about the new structure. The Deputy Chief Executive advised that Severn Vale was keen to raise its profile and understand Member issues.  She had attended a meeting earlier that afternoon where an open afternoon had been discussed with the intention of informing Members about the new operating model.  She suggested that the most beneficial approach would be for Members to attend the open afternoon and, if there were any specific issues arising, Severn Vale could be invited to attend a future meeting of the Committee. 

10.4           It was noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had asked to consider the Financial Inclusion Policy prior to the Executive Committee and this was currently included as a pending item.  The Chief Executive indicated that financial inclusion was a very important part of the Council’s work which impacted upon the way in which it supported its residents and how it worked with partners to provide that support.  It had potential to make a really big difference to people’s lives in terms of making them more economically viable and successful in order for them to make a better contribution to the community.  As discussed under the previous item, the Financial Inclusion Policy had been removed from the Executive Committee Forward Plan, however, given the importance of the subject it would be appropriate for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to have a presentation on financial inclusion in order to understand the work which had been undertaken to date and provide an opportunity to ask questions.  A Member felt that a standalone seminar would be preferable to an Agenda Item so that all Members could be invited to attend and another Member indicated that other partners should also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To receive a presentation on the work carried out by the Citizens’ Advice Bureau within the Borough. 

11.1           The Chair welcomed Norman Gardner, Bureau Manager for the Gloucester and District Citizens’ Advice Bureau, to the meeting.  Members were reminded that Tewkesbury Borough Council had had a relationship with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) since 2002.  Each CAB was a separate entity and, in recent years, the Council had been working with the Gloucester and District CAB to which it provided a grant each year.  It was considered that it would be beneficial for Members to hear about the work which the CAB carried out to ensure that it provided value for money.

11.2           The following key points were raised during the presentation:

·      Our Aims – To provide the advice people need for the problems they face; to improve policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

·      Our Principles – The Citizens’ Advice service provides free, independent and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities; it values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination.

·      Our Locations – Tewkesbury Borough Council offices, Prior’s Park, Bishop’s Cleeve, Winchcombe, Brockworth, Cheltenham (town centre), Gloucester (city centre).

·      Residents obtained advice – Face to face – 75.3% (79.5% in the previous year); by telephone – 12.6% (11.1% in the previous year); or by email – 12% (9.3% in the previous year).

·      Client Profile (1) – By age: majority in 35-49 category; by employment: majority in employment but the retired age group was also heavily represented which reflected the demographic of Tewkesbury Borough.

·      Client Profile (2) – Health: the majority of clients were not disabled; Income Levels (total household income per month): the majority of clients had income of £401-£999 per month.

·      Issues – Analysis of issues raised by clients April 2015 – March 2016: benefits – 28%; debt – 29%; employment – 10%; relationships – 9%; housing – 8%; legal – 4%; consumer – 4 %; other – 4%.  Hot spots: Brockworth – 60%; Prior’s Park – 10%, Churchdown St John’s – 9%.

·      Case Studies:

1.                Benefits – The client’s claim for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) was refused; decision endorsed at appeal in December 2014.  CAB assisted the client to appeal to Upper Tribunal based on the original tribunal not taking key factors into account.  Upper Tribunal set aside the decision of the First Tier Tribunal and referred the case for a new hearing.  CAB assisted the client at the new hearing and was awarded ‘Enhanced Rate Daily Living’ and ‘Standard Rate Mobility’ components; this meant that the client also qualified for Severe Disability Premium under her Employment Support Allowance claim.  Awards were backdated to December 2013 with backdated payments totalling £18,971 and continuing weekly payments of £165.95.

2.                Debt and Housing – Single parent with mental health issues, caring for her 18 year old son who had learning and behavioural difficulties and her 17 year old daughter who was still at school, £23,000 in debt.  Her registered social landlord had commenced possession proceedings which, if successful, would have left the family in a precarious position with a potential impact upon their health.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To receive an update from the Council’s representative on matters considered at the last meeting. 

12.1           Members received an update from Councillor Mrs J E Day, the Council’s representative on the Gloucestershire Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, on matters discussed at the last meeting held on 17 May 2016.

12.2           Councillor Day advised that workforce challenges cut across all services and organisations and were impacting on health and social care providers’ ability to meet their targets.  It was therefore important for the Committee to gain a better understanding of this matter and what plans were in place to mitigate the issue.  The Committee would revisit this area to see what progress had been made, particularly with regard to the development of the nursing associate and apprenticeship courses at the University of Gloucestershire. 

12.3           In terms of the 12 month review of the Out of Hours service, Members had been advised that most of the challenges that had been identified at the six month review remained and the service continued to struggle to meet both national and local targets.  Workforce issues again impacted on the delivery of the service and had necessitated the closure of the Primary Care Centres, particularly those in rural areas.  There had been a significant increase in the number of walk-ins to the service which had to be managed alongside those that had come via the NHS111 route; this was a particular issue in Gloucester. It was noted that many of those cases were not urgent and the Committee would continue to closely monitor the service.

12.4           The Committee had also been made aware that there were issues relating to the availability of the Minor Illness and Injuries Unit overnight at Stroud Community Hospital and there had been occasions when it had had to close.  The Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust and the Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group had advised that proposals were being developed to address this and would be presented to the Committee at its meeting in July 2016.

12.5           The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee indicated that he also sat on the Gloucestershire Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and he echoed the concerns which had been raised about recruitment and retention to the NHS.  Given the potential growth within the County he had suggested that the NHS Trust and care providers contact developers in order to come up with a strategy for key workers.

12.6           A Member indicated that she had recently visited the Ambulatory Emergency Care department of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and she had been pleasantly surprised with the efficiency in which she had been dealt with having been assessed and diagnosed on the same day without the need for an overnight stay.  This was a fantastic initiative in her opinion as she felt it would take a lot of pressure off the wards.

12.7           The Chair thanked the Council’s representative for her presentation and indicated that the update would be circulated to Members via email following the meeting.  It was

RESOLVED          That the feedback from the last meeting of the Gloucestershire Health  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

To review and scrutinise the performance management information and, where appropriate, to require response or action from the Executive Committee. 

13.1           The report of the Corporate Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 28-76, attached performance management information for quarter 4 of 2015/16.  The Overview and Scrutiny Committee was asked to review and scrutinise the performance information and, where appropriate, identify any issues to refer to the Executive Committee for clarification or further action to be taken.

13.2           The performance management report comprised the Council Plan Performance Tracker, the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) set, the Revenue Budget Summary Statement, the Capital Monitoring Statement and the Reserves Position Summary.  Members were informed that this was the last monitoring report on the Council Plan 2012-16 and, going forward, the Committee would continue to monitor the new Council Plan 2016-20, which was approved by the Council on 19 April 2016, on a quarterly basis.  Although some actions were still progressing within the previous Council Plan, and had not been brought forward to the new Council Plan, the Corporate Services Group Manager provided assurance that they would continue to be monitored within the Member arena; for example, the Workforce Development Strategy would be included within the Annual Governance Statement which was monitored by the Audit Committee, the Peer Review Action Plan would be monitored separately by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Community Infrastructure Levy would be taken to Council.  

13.3           With regard to the Performance Tracker, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, Members were informed that the majority of actions had been progressing well and Paragraph 2.3 of the report highlighted a number of achievements since the last update including: approval of a Customer Care Strategy, including corporate customer care standards; introduction of a new complaints framework and policy; approval of the Council’s first ever Digital Strategy which included development of a new website; a visit to the Borough from a Chinese delegation where a successful business event was held to showcase local engineering firms; formal handover of the new leisure centre to Places for People with opening on 30 May; agreement of significant project work for the regeneration of Tewkesbury town; approval of a Community Infrastructure Levy Draft Charging Schedule; advancements in a number of neighbourhood plans; and 180 groups being supported or signposted to potential funding streams by the Community Funding Officer.  The Corporate Services Group Manager went on to advise that, due to the complex nature of the actions being delivered, inevitably some had not progressed as smoothly or quickly as envisaged.  Those actions were highlighted at Pages No. 30-31, Paragraph 2.4, of the report and included renting out the top floor of the Council Offices due to the proposed expansion of One Legal not going ahead and the development of the Workforce Strategy which had been impacted by staff sickness.  It was noted that the majority of these actions had already been highlighted to Members.

13.4           Members raised the following queries in respect of the Performance Tracker:

To consider the annual review on the progress made against the recommendations within the Communications Strategy 2014-16. 

14.1           Attention was drawn to the report of the Corporate Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 77-98, which reviewed the progress made against the actions included in the Communications Strategy 2014-16.  Members were asked to consider the report.

14.2           The Corporate Services Group Manager advised that, following the restructure of the Chief Executive’s Unit in 2015/16, a new operational management post had been created for a Policy and Communications Manager which had been taken up by Clare Evans who was promoted from her previous role as Communications Officer.  A new Communications Officer, Lisa Davies, had subsequently been appointed and both had worked closely with the media over the past year to ensure the reputation of the Council was protected. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had assisted with the development of the Communications Strategy, which had been approved by the Executive Committee on 30 April 2014, and it had been agreed that an annual review would take place to ensure that there was effective monitoring of the strategy’s actions.  The review of actions was attached at Appendix 2 to the report.  Some of the key areas of focus during the year had been communications for the new leisure centre; media training for Members; promoting the launch of the new intranet; and implementing the Customer Care Standards.  Unfortunately not all of the actions had been completed and some would continue into year three.  For example, the Member review of internal and corporate communications would now be completed by September 2016 and the production of a new residents’ survey, which had been due to be carried out in 2015, would now be completed by the end of the calendar year. 

14.3           A Member expressed the view that the Communications Team was doing a great job and she questioned what work was planned to improve the promotion of the work being done by the Council, for instance, were there any plans to link up with the communication departments of other companies in the area.  The Corporate Services Group Manager advised that the Council did send stories to national publications but more needed to be done in terms of raising the Council’s profile.  This was something which Members would be able to assist with at the workshop which was planned to review the internal and corporate communications.  A Member raised concern that he often received news second-hand from residents rather than directly from Officers.  In response, the Chief Executive indicated that this was something which had been raised before and would be addressed; however, it was not a specific issue for the Communications Team.

14.4           It was

RESOLVED          That the progress made against the actions included within the Communications Strategy 2014-16 be NOTED.

To consider the list of corporate policies and strategies for potential review by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee during 2016/17. 

15.1           The report of the Corporate Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 99-109, provided a list of corporate policies and strategies.  Members were asked to consider the list and identify those for inclusion within the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2016/17.

15.2           The Corporate Services Group Manager explained that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had previously requested a list of Council policies and strategies to help inform its Work Programme and to provide support to the Executive Committee.  The list was updated on an annual basis and the policies and strategies due for review in 2016/17 were highlighted in bold at Appendix 1 to the report.  He indicated that there were potentially three policies/strategies which he felt could be focused upon for inclusion in the Committee’s Work Programme: Risk Management Strategy; Absence Management Policy; and Housing and Homelessness Strategy.  He suggested that the first two could be dealt with through workshops with a Working Group being formed to review the Housing and Homelessness Strategy.

15.3           A Member sought clarification as to the progress being made by the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy Review Working Group which had been established by the Committee during 2015 and he questioned whether an update should have been provided to the Committee.  The Community and Economic Development Manager advised that the Working Group had held its fourth meeting the previous day.  The review had gone on for longer than anticipated as the Chair had agreed that further information was needed given the importance of the role of economic development within the Council Plan.  This had provided an opportunity for consultation with external organisations and Bruton Knowles was also carrying out an employment land assessment and business survey which would be used to inform the new strategy.  He indicated that he would be happy to circulate a Member Update outlining the progress made to date.

15.4           A Member queried what the review of the Mobile Homes and Caravan Site Licensing Policy would cover and the Chief Executive clarified that this was not connected to the Joint Core Strategy.  There was no particular issue with the policy but it was due for review and Officers would report back if there were any concerns.  A Member questioned whether the review of the ‘Use of ICT Resources by Elected Members’ would include Members’ ICT equipment.  In response the Democratic Services Group Manager advised that this was not covered by that particular review, or by the ICT Strategy which was also due for review, but there was a need to document the equipment and services being used by Members in order to establish a consistent approach to the supply and funding of such equipment and services for the future. 

15.5           Members agreed that the three policies/strategies identified by the Corporate Services Group Manager would be the most appropriate for review and accordingly it was

RESOLVED          That the following policies and strategies be included for review in the Committee’s 2016/17 Work Programme:

·                      Risk Management Strategy

·                      Absence Management Policy

·                      Housing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To consider the progress made against the recommendations arising from the review of the Health and Wellbeing Strategyand to agree the framework as the future priorities for health and wellbeing.

16.1           Attention was drawn to the report of the Development Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 110-132, which set out the progress which had been made in relation to the implementation of the actions in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2013-16.  Members were asked to consider the progress made and to agree the framework, outlined at Appendix 2 to the report, as the future priorities for health and wellbeing.

16.2           The Health and Wellbeing Strategy was adopted by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in July 2013, following a review of the Leisure and Culture Strategy which was carried out by an Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group, and approved by the Executive Committee in September 2013.  The strategy focused on three key themes: to support, encourage and enable healthy, active lifestyles; to facilitate opportunities for children and young people; and to provide an infrastructure which made it easier to be healthy.  The strategy action plan was set out at Appendix 1 to the report with progress against each action set out in italics.  Three key achievements were highlighted in more detail at Pages No. 111-113 Paragraphs 3-5 of the report, namely, the new leisure centre, Tewkesbury Rugby Club and social prescribing.

16.3           In terms of the way forward now that the strategy had come to the end of its life, Members were advised that the Council did not have a specific health and wellbeing service, and there was no statutory obligation to have a strategy in place, although it was recognised that health and wellbeing was something which ran through a number of Council services.  Furthermore, the Council currently had a number of policies which strongly influenced the health and wellbeing of residents and it was intended to use the existing priorities which had been identified to create a framework for health and wellbeing.  The diagram at Appendix 2 to the report set out the proposed framework which Members were asked to approve.  It was noted that progress would be reported via service plans and the performance tracker.

16.4           The Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing reiterated that, whilst there was no specific health and wellbeing service, the Council worked closely with a number of partners to improve the health and wellbeing of residents.  Officers did become aware of trends in medical practice and other areas which were incorporated into the work which it did, for instance, social prescribing which, if successful, could help to reduce pressure on the health service. Health and wellbeing was something which was important to individuals across the country and everyone had a joint responsibility for helping people to live healthier and happier lives.  The Support Member for Health and Wellbeing echoed these sentiments and hoped that the good work which had been done by Officers could continue.

16.5           A Member raised concern that there did not appear to be any specific outcomes arising from the strategy and he asked whether any actions still needed to be addressed.  The Deputy Chief Executive explained that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To consider the progress made against recommendations arising from the Housing, Renewal and Homelessness Strategy Review. 

17.1           The report of the Interim Environmental and Housing Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 133-160, set out the achievements to date in respect of the outcomes identified in the Housing, Renewal and Homelessness Strategy 2012-16 Action Plan.  Members were asked to consider the report.

17.2           The Housing Services Manager explained that the Housing, Renewal and Homelessness Strategy reached the end of its life that year and a new strategy would need to be drafted for 2017-21.  The homelessness element of the strategy would need to be progressed initially with a view to adoption by January 2017.  The previous strategy had been developed by an Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group which had worked well and it was suggested that this approach be used for the new strategy.

17.3           In terms of performance to date, 229 new build affordable homes had been completed during 2015/16, which exceeded the target of 150 new homes, and 35-40% affordable housing had been secured on qualifying sites over the last three years.  There was a mix a property types and tenures across all of the sites which supported the housing need of a range of client groups with different incomes.  A breakdown of the tenures was set out at Page No. 135, Paragraph 2.1.2, of the report.  The Action Plan set out that homes should be built to lifetime standards and it was noted that this was no longer applicable; however, all homes had met the minimum requirement of Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which was the Building Regulations standard for all homes, and 31% of the 229 completed affordable homes had been delivered to Level 4.  The young persons’ supported accommodation within Tewkesbury Borough had been improved by G3/Rooftop this year and the outdated provision at Tolsey House had been replaced with the redevelopment of 41 High Street in Tewkesbury Town to provide high quality self-contained accommodation for young, vulnerable adults.

17.4           Homelessness was the area which had changed the most over the last year and would change even further going forward.  A greater emphasis on homelessness prevention had been successfully implemented within the Borough in line with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) criteria for ‘Gold Standard’ to enable those threatened with homelessness to stay in their existing home, where reasonable, or to move to a property of their choice in the private rented sector without the need for costly emergency accommodation if it was not possible to remain in their current home.  In order to be eligible for the Gold Standard, the Council was required to have a ‘live’ Homelessness Strategy which would need to be in place before the DCLG peer review in February 2017.  In terms of homelessness prevention, Housing Services worked very closely with Revenues and Benefits to identify people who would be likely to come into difficulty and Officers had identified several cohorts of households likely to be affected by the forthcoming changes associated with the Welfare Reform Bill who would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.