Agenda and draft minutes

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor Pratt. 

Councillor Glen Harrison submitted a disclosable pecuniary interest in item 6 – Transforming Care/Calderstones NHS, due to his employment by Calderstones and the NHS Trust.  Councillor Harrison left the room during determination of the item and took no part in the discussion or decision making of the item.

To receive the Minutes of the meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny held on Friday, 18^th March 2016 for approval as a correct record.

Recommended                     -  That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Friday 18^th March 2016 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Resolved                               -  That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

To receive applications for co-opted Members on to the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Recommended                     -  That the Committee considers the applications for co-optees and makes a recommendation to Council.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer submitted a report for Members of the Committee to receive applications for co-opted members on the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  He reported that two applications had been received from former councillors Kerry Molineux and Dave Parkins.  The remaining place remained vacant.

Resolved                            (1)  That Honorary Alderman Dave Parkins and former Councillor Kerry Molineux be appointed as co-opted members to the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2016/17;  and, 

                                (2)  That it be noted that one vacant position for co-opted member to the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee remained.

The report asks the Overview and Scrutiny Committees to give consideration to and approve the work programme for 2016/17.

Recommended                  (1)  That the Committee consider the draft work programme for the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee contained in the Appendix of the report and approve the work programme for 2016/17; and

                                            (2)  That the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme be submitted to the next meeting of Cabinet for comment.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer submitted a report to ask the Committee to give consideration to and approve the work programme for 2016/17 of the Community and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  He referred Members to the appendix attached to the report for further details of the work programme and invited Members to submit suggestions for the work programme.

Resolved                               -  That the 2016/17 Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme be approved and submitted to the next meeting of Cabinet for comment.

To inform the Committee of the Building the Right Support and Transforming Care Plans, and the effect of these locally.

 Resolved                              -  That the report be noted.

A report was submitted to Committee to inform Members of the ‘Building the Right Support and Transforming Care Plans, and the local effects of these’.  The Chief Executive of Calderstones NHS Trust was present at the meeting to provide further information to that contained in the report.

The Chief Executive of Calderstones NHS, Mark Hindle, informed the Committee that three key policy documents were driving change:

·        Care and Forensic Security

·        Building Life Support

·        Homes not Hospitals

He referred to the documents supporting reasons for change and explained that the Chief Executive of NHS England had considered that there was no longer a need for inpatient care and that hospitals such as Calderstones were no longer required.  Members of the Committee were informed that it had been considered that people would receive better care in homes with families with external support packages.  He reported that closure would take place over a period of time to 2018 with half of the patients being discharged gradually into the community.  He gave details of the 3 levels of secure services provided and that the aim of the review was to improve patient diagnosis, treatment and reduce the number of long term bed need in units.  He reported on the funding that would be required to support the new clinical model.

In respect of closing Calderstones the Chief Executive of Calderstones reported that this would mean a major change for staff and potential redundancies but reported that they had worked with staff and the Union to meet the challenges of transferring services.  He pointed out that staff would be given the opportunity to transfer to Mersey Care or obtain employment in community roles. 

Member asked why some service users were being moved to private homes not inspected by the Care Quality Commission which was directly against the Stephen Bubb report and out of 80 service users discharged, how many were being discharged to the private sector?

The Chief Executive reported that there were currently not enough community specific teams and that people were discharged to the most suitable places.  He pointed out that consideration was given to the quality of places and that the private sector would be given the opportunity to provide this care. 

Councillor Gareth Molineux requested further information on the profits or funding used by the private and third sector organisations. 

The Chief Executive reported that there was a 60% to 40% split with 40% reinvestment but pointed out that some of the best quality providers were in the private sector. 

The Chair asked for further information on:

·        How many of the 80 service users that had been discharged  during the last 18 months had been discharged successfully.

·        If there was sufficient community care in Lancashire for a 24 hour service.

·        When a consultation would take place.

·        Why medium and secure services weren’t being used.

·        If a site had been identified for a suitable unit to be built on.

·        Where low, medium and secure service provision would be located.

The Chief Executive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

That the Committee considers a report relating to the proposal for The Evergreen School.  

Recommended                     -  That the report be noted.

Trustees of the proposed Evergreen school gave a presentation to the Committee on the creation of the new free school in providing secondary education.  They reported that they had submitted an application to the Department of Education for a new secondary school in Great Harwood and had received advice on how to set up the school.  They referred to the required stages of the application and the information and evidence they would be required to produce.  The rationale for the school was to provide flexible teaching based around a project, high quality teaching and learning, provision of parental choice in education and to meet the need for new educational facilities in the area.  The Committee was informed that the Trustees of the school were made up of a range of people including many local parents and that the location of Great Harwood had been chosen because there was a need for a further educational facility in this area.  A large number of children currently had to travel by bus to school.  The educational model was:

-        Ebacc

-        Additional qualifications

-        Project based learning – a different style to the delivery of the national curriculum

-        The School would also be used for community based activities

They explained that consideration would be given to where the school would be located in Great Harwood and that priority for attending the school would be given to children who lived in Great Harwood.  She indicated that pupils would be encouraged to walk to school.  Future plans would be for a sixth form provision.  Consideration could also be given to locating the school in Clayton le Moors as there was a need for an educational facility in this area.  If the school was given the go ahead she referred to how funding could be accessed. 

Details of teaching methods were provided including project based learning, no sets or groups and taking exams at a time considered ready for the child.  Teaching would be provided by a range of personnel including teachers, experts from businesses and representatives from organisations and the community.  The aim would be to empower children by identifying individual needs and matching them to a preferred teaching method. 

Members referred to their support and enthusiasm for the proposed school and the teaching methods that would be engaged.  Councillor Molineux indicated that he would provide a letter of support for the proposed school to the Department of Education as a County Councillor for Great Harwood and a district Councillor for Great Harwood. 

Resolved                               -  That the Committee recommends that the Council gives its support to the application for the proposed free school, the Evergreen School in Great Harwood.