Agenda and minutes

Councillor Bridget Smith declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of the Cambridgeshire Adult Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee and as a member of the Patient and Carers Diabetes Advisory Group at Addenbrookes.

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 March 2012 as a correct record. These minutes can be accessed online:

http://scambs.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=417&MId=5459&Ver=4

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 March 2012 were agreed as a correct record.

There were no public questions.

Members are invited to draw on their local knowledge and the findings of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments, to make recommendations regarding the Council's response to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Councillor Sue Ellington, Environmental Health Portfolio Holder, presented this item which invited the Committee to review the Draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy and make recommendations regarding the Council’s response to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Future funding

In response to questioning, Councillor Ellington stated that the consultation was inviting respondents to state where resources should be directed. There did not appear to be any presumption in favour of either reducing or increasing funding. Concern was expressed that steps could be taken to move away from universal health care.

Funding preventative measures

It was hoped that data could be gathered and shared that proved the importance of preventative initiatives. It was suggested that increasing the funding of mobile warden schemes could save money as it kept residents in their own homes and out of residential care.

Questionnaire

Disappointment was expressed at the fact that the questions in the questionnaire could not be amended, and some of them appeared to be leading questions when they should be open-ended.

Identifying areas of deprivation in the District

It was agreed that there were areas of deprivation within the District, but they were too small to be identified in the official statistics. It was stated that the health and education of Gypsy and Travellers was well below the national average and if the aim was to tackle health inequalities this was something that should be focussed on.

Identifying hidden health issues

Concern was expressed at hidden problems, such as stress and mental health issues that often went unreported. It was suggested that evidence gathering could be hampered by concerns surrounding breaches of confidentiality.

Returning home from hospital

It was suggested that more assistance was required to help residents after they return home from hospital.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Ellington for presenting this item to the Committee and the Director of Health and Environmental Services and the Environmental Health Officer for their attendance and informative answers.

The Committee

AGREED        that the Council’s response to the Strategy should be shared with the Committee again before it is agreed by Cabinet in September.

Councillor Sue Ellington, the Environmental Services Portfolio Holder, gave a brief presentation on the varied responsibilities of her portfolio.

Recycling

The Committee noted that the Council had not met its 2011/12 target on recycling due to the dry summer, which had meant a decline in the amount of green waste being collected. It was agreed that the main objective was to reduce the amount of waste going into landfill and it was suggested that the Council should have a target to reflect this. It was noted that the Council received more money for higher recycling rates and so the amount of recycling generated by the Council was important. It was noted that the aim was to look for markets for recycling in this country, instead of sending it overseas. It was suggested that high value items, such as small electrical goods, should be collected as part of the Council’s dry recycling. However, it was noted that this would require an additional collection box and so could prove to be too costly to be practical. It was further noted that electrical items were removed from black bins before going to landfill.

The Director Health and Environmental Services agreed to find out about the collection of recyclable waste at Travellers’ sites.

Councillor Ellington confirmed that the possibility of providing residents with underground bins was being considered at the north-west Cambridge development site, although there were concerns regarding the inflexibility of such a system, which could prove costly should the number of different waste collection bins change.

It was noted that the Council had a list of companies that reused waste such as empty ink cartridges. It was hoped that this list could be circulated to councillors.

Cross-cutting issues

It was noted that the Council’s responsibility for allowing a caravan park came under the Planning and Economic Development Portfolio, although licensing officers would give advice to the report writer. It was noted that licensing conditions could not change the months a caravan park was permitted to operate.

Questions were asked regarding the progress of the task and finish group.

The Committee

RECOMMENDED

a)    That the Council have a target on the amount of waste being put to landfill.

b)    That the Council consider having a separate collection of small electrical goods and cabling.

The Committee needs to appoint monitors to each portfolio and the following volunteers have come forward:

Leader:                                                Cllr Harford and Cllr Shelton

Finance and Staffing:                                     Cllr Hickford and Cllr Shelton

Corporate and Customer Services:    Cllr Hales and Cllr Harford

Environmental Services:                    Cllr Elcox and Cllr Lockwood

Housing:                                              Cllr Hales and Cllr Waters

Northstowe:                                         Cllr Bridget Smith

Planning & Economic Development: Cllr Hales

Planning Policy and Localism:            Cllr de Lacey and Cllr Bridget Smith

Scrutiny monitors are invited to inform the Committee regarding

Portfolio Holder meetings attended and specifically report on:

·         Issues challenged and the result

·         Issues where the Committee could add further value

A report has been written by Cllr Bunty Waters on the Housing Portfolio Holder meeting of 13 June. A report has also been written by Cllr Bridget Smith on the Adult Wellbeing and Health Scrutiny Committee.

Reports from Councillor Bridget Smith on the meeting of the Adults Wellbeing and Health Scrutiny Committee on 29 May 2012 and a report on the Planning Policy and Localism Portfolio Holder meeting on 3 July 2012 were circulated at the meeting and noted by the Committee. There were no further reports from monitors.

The Chairman presented this item on the Committee’s future work programme. It was suggested that the housing of non-statutory homeless people should be scrutinised.

It was noted that Councillor James Hockney could not attend the next meeting of the Committee. Councillor Mark Howell offered to give a presentation on his Housing portfolio at the next meeting.

Meeting times

A vote was taken, and following 6 votes in favour of meetings at 2pm and 6 votes in favour of meetings at 6pm, on the casting vote of the Chairman, the Committee    

AGREED        To hold all its meetings for 2012/13 at 6pm.

The following meeting dates have been agreed for 2012/13:

2012: 6 September 7pm, 1 November (Finance Workshop) & 5 November 2pm

2013: 10 January 2pm, 11 February (Finance Workshop), 14 February 2pm, 21 March 2pm & 23 April 7pm

The times of these meetings are to be discussed at this meeting.

The Committee noted its meetings programme for 2012/13:

2012: 6 September, 1 November (Finance Workshop) & 5 November

2013: 10 January, 11 February (Finance Workshop), 14 February, 21 March & 23 April

All meetings to be held at 6pm.