Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Jon Maxwell, Tony Orgee and David Spreadbury. 

None. 

None. 

Andrew Ray of the Little Shelford Parish Council and Parish Plan Committee will be in attendance to present the newly completed plan, which requires some partner input. The plan can be viewed at: http://sites.google.com/site/littleshelfordcouncil/parish-plan

A background report about all parish plans in South Cambridgeshire is attached for information. 

Andrew Ray of Little Shelford Parish Council presented the newly completed Little Shelford Parish Plan. The Board congratulated the Parish Council on securing a return rate of 66% of the questionnaires sent to all the parish’s households.

It was suggested that a map of the parish would improve the Plan. Andrew Ray recommended the use of a computer programme to analyse the survey results.

It was noted that traffic noise had been a big concern and road improvements had partly addressed that problem. It was understood that fear of crime was an issue, although the actual level of reported crime in the parish was very low. It was noted that there was considerable support for the green belt in the parish.

The Chairman thanked Mr Ray for his informative presentation and hoped that Partners would be able to work with Little Shelford Parish Council in delivering the Plan’s actions.

The Board NOTED the report.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2010. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2010 were agreed as a correct record.

Health representative

It was noted that Mary Gyte had been replaced by Inger O’Meara as the Board’s Health representative.

Letter to Government

It was noted that the Government had not responded positively to the Board’s representations regarding the withholding of the LPSA Reward Grant.

Forward Plan

It was noted that the Orwell Parish Plan was not yet ready to be presented to the Board and that events had overtaken the issue of Hospital transport and transfers of care from hospital.

A presentation by Dr Peter Bailey of CATCH (a pathfinder GP Consortia covering most of Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire). The presentation will be followed by a discussion with the Board to consider future joint working. 

Dr Peter Bailey of CATCH, a General Practitioners’ (GP) Consortia covering most of Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire, gave a presentation on the challenges facing public healthcare in this country. He expressed concern that GPs were being asked to be budget managers on top of their practitioner role. To illustrate this point Dr Bailey explained that he had resigned as Vice-Chairman of CATCH as he did not feel that he had the available time to help organise a £250 million organisation. It was noted that for this year CATCH was within budget.

In response to questioning Dr Bailey explained that it was currently illegal for the public health service to charge in return for a better service. He stated that nationally £20 billion had to be saved and that it was likely that part of the service would be privatised. He expressed concern that private organisations would only bid for the most lucrative contracts, leaving the public sector to provide the most expensive and difficult services.

Concern was expressed that as funding declined for sport and other activities which helped to promote healthy living, the strain on public health would increase. Dr Bailey explained that there was unlikely to be any resources in public health for preventative medicine. He also explained that it was crucial to ensure that there was a system in place to ensure that finite resources were allocated to provide the best possible care.

It was noted that the Bill proposing these changes was not law and so it was suggested that representatives from the Board lobby the MPs of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.

The Board

AGREED        To arrange an extraordinary meeting to discuss the challenges facing public health provision, which the Health Secretary and South Cambridgeshire MP Andrew Lansley would be invited to.

Small group discussions about how the LSP should position itself in relation to the new partnership environment. A background paper is attached to help guide discussions. Board members are requested to consider the questions in advance of the meeting. 

The Chairman presented this report regarding what the Board can offer and the role it should play in the future.

Reason for having a Local Strategic Partnership

It was noted that a Local Strategic Partnership was required to prepare a Sustainable Community Strategy. It was suggested that it would be beneficial to have a forum to discuss big changes that affected all Partners such as the Localism Bill.

Frequency of meetings

It was agreed that as the Board had no funding there was little reason for it to continue to meet four times a year. There was a discussion on how often the Board should meet. Some members suggested that the Board should meet either once or twice a year, with active working groups that would report to the main Board. It was suggested that initiatives could be more easily assessed if they were monitored after six months and so the Board should meet twice a year. It was suggested that full meetings of the Board should be replaced with smaller themed meetings, only attended by those with the relevant expertise.

Greater Cambridgeshire & Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership

It was noted that the LEP covered a wider area than the Board and focussed on promoting economic development.

Voluntary Sector

The Board meetings were seen as an ideal forum for the voluntary sector to raise wider concerns with Partners.

Community Transport Working Party

Jonathan Barker volunteered to lead a Community Transport Working Party made up of representatives from both the city of Cambridge and the District of South Cambridgeshire, which will work with voluntary groups and seek funding from local businesses. The Board agreed to support this initiative.

The Board AGREED

To discuss the following two options at its next meeting:

(A)               The Local Strategic Partnership holds one or two full meetings a year, to review plans, set priorities and targets.

(B)              The Local Strategic Partnership becomes a network that maintains contact with a wide range of stakeholders and holds events around issues or topics.

Gemma Barron will present the first draft of a joint Sustainable Community Strategy for 2011-2014, which takes into account local and national research including the results of the recent public and stakeholder consultations. 

This item was discussed after agenda item 6, GP Clusters/Consortia.

Gemma Barron presented this item on the draft new Sustainable Community Strategy. The Board made the following suggestions:

• The Strategy should be written in plain English.
• The Strategy should focus on promoting its priorities.
• The priorities needed to be targeted to ensure the Board maximised its limited resources.
• The Strategy should be shorter and focus on what it will achieve.
• There should be more detail in the Executive Summary.
• The Strategy should include something on Well-Being.
• Promoting sustainable transport should be one of the Strategy’s priorities.

It was noted that the survey had shown that crime was not a major concern amongst residents.

Mobile Wardens

It was noted that improving the independence of older people was one of the Strategy’s priorities. It was understood that Mobile Warden Schemes allowed people to remain in their own homes, which is what they wanted and cost far less than residential care.

The Board NOTED the report.

Val Rickson from Jobcentre Plus will be in attendance to provide an outline of the work of Jobcentre Plus to help the LSP Board better understand its role. The LSP Board will be required to make a decision regarding Jobcentre Plus membership on the Board. 

Val Rickson gave a presentation on the work of Jobcentre Plus and asked that the organisation be given full membership of the Board.

The Board

AGREED            To appoint Jobcentre Plus as a full member of the Board.

Graham Saint will present a progress report and update on the impact of government cuts to LPSA Reward Grant projects in Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire. This will be for information.

Graham Saint presented this report on the status of projects that were supported by the Board. It was noted that there was no available money for projects in South Cambridgeshire and that there was no prospect of any new funds.

The Board NOTED the report. 

Board members are asked to agree topics for discussion at the next few meetings, to improve partnership working and help identify and resolve any performance issues. 

The Board AGREED to meet on the following dates:

• Monday 11 April 2011 at 2pm
• Monday 11 July 2011 at 2pm

It was noted that an extra meeting to discuss the future of health provision would also have to be scheduled.

The Forward Plan was amended to include:

• Discussion on future of the Partnership included in April’s Forward Plan.
• Update on Local Enterprise Partnerships and Infrastructure Strategy in April.
• Hospital transport and transfers of care from hospital in April.
• Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman moved from April’s meeting July.

The Chairman expressed the Board’s thanks to Gemma Barron, Partnerships Manager, who was about to go on maternity leave.