Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Pratt, Khan, Loraine Cox and Bernadette Parkinson.  The following Councillors acted as substitute representatives:

Councillor Judith Addison for Councillor Kath Pratt

Councillor Stuart Eaves for Councillor Bernadette Parkinson

Councillor Jean Battle for Councillor Loraine Cox

There were no declarations of interest or dispensations.

To receive the Minutes of the Community and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 20^th December 2017 for approval as a correct record.

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

The Minutes of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Wednesday, 20^th December 2017 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

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

To update the Committee on progress with Evergreen School.

Recommended                     -   That the report be noted.

Resolved                               -   That the item on Evergreen School be deferred to a future meeting.

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To provide the Committee with an update on Lancashire Health Scrutiny.

Recommended                     -   That the report and comments submitted by Members be noted.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer submitted a report to update the Committee on activity from Lancashire County Council’s Health Scrutiny which may affect Hyndburn or residents of Hyndburn.  The Chair informed the Committee that he was a co-opted Member of the LCC Health Scrutiny Committee and that the report provided details of the issues that had been discussed.

Councillor Battle referred to the standard of public health consultations undertaken by the Health Authority recently and indicated that the number of participants consulted did not represent the number of people any actions would have an impact on.  The Chair agreed that questionnaires and consultations were not very robust when establishing public opinion. 

Resolved                               -   That the report be noted.

To provide the Committee with feedback from Cabinet on reports of Overview and Scrutiny.

Recommended                     -   That feedback provided by Cabinet on reports of Overview and Scrutiny be noted.

Members were provided with a report outlining the responses from Cabinet to recommendations made by the Committee relating to Veterans in Hyndburn.  The report set out the recommendations and the responses from Cabinet.

Resolved                               -   That the Cabinet response be noted.

To commence planning for the 2018/19 Work Programme.

Recommended                     -   That the comments from Members on items for the Work Programme 2018/19 be noted. 

Members were requested to consider items for the Work Programme for 2018/19 and forward any ideas for items to the Overview and Scrutiny Officer.

Resolved                               -   That Members forward ideas for items for the Work Programme 2018/19 to the Overview and Scrutiny Officer. 

Deborah Clark, Managing Director of Community Solutions North West to present to the Committee.

Recommended                     -   That Members note the presentation.

Deborah Clark, Managing Director of Community Solutions North West gave a presentation on Transitions Solutions Services.  She reported that they were an organisation that focused on health and wellbeing and aimed to support families in need.  Packs of information were circulated to Members for further information.  She referred to the importance of finding and dealing with the root causes of issues within their work, to prevent further problems arising and recurring and for life transitions and interventions to be put in place.  She reported that Community Solutions had received a grant from the Lottery however, pointed out that public service cuts and other funding had resulted in a reliance on the voluntary sector to provide a service that had previously been a statutory requirement. 

She reported on the services provided by Community Solutions and how they reached people with the support of other partnership agencies.  She provided Members with a link to a video showing a personal account of how these services had provided assistance.  She referred to the importance of enrolling volunteers who would be trained in skills they could use in their future lives. 

Members asked how Community Solutions currently recruited volunteers, if they provided a service for people with learning disabilities, if there were referrals and volunteers from the Asian communities and to provide more details on training in communities.

Deborah Clark reported that they recruited volunteers through the Job Centre, East Lancashire National Website, through word of mouth and schools/colleges etc.  She reported that they had a specific learning disability group of which some members were treated as staff and that they had worked with organisations like Awaz and had trained members of the Asian Communities as volunteers.  She reported that they had worked with Churches to provide bespoke training for communities. 

She requested support from the Council in highlighting the work of Community Solutions and in particular transitional services and their need for volunteers.  She indicated that she wanted to work more closely with staff and the departments of the Council to resolve local issues by having links back into the Council on a practical level. 

Resolved                           (1)   That a presentation be made to Members at Full Council (pending availability) or a 60 Minute Session on Transitions Solutions Services; and

                                (2)   That the Overview and Scrutiny Officer facilitates practical links between Community Solutions and the Council to improve services for residents in Hyndburn.