59.
MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 8 September 2004 be confirmed.
60.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Interests
were declared in the following matters:
Mrs
TM Butchers declared a personal and prejudicial interest in minute 64 - Fire
Service Pay And Conditions Agreement : Local Verification Report Phase 2 –
Action Plan as a member of her family was a firefighter.
61.
JOINT REPORT OF
THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL, THE
PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR ADULT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE PORTFOLIO
HOLDER FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
The
Executive received a further report from PricewaterhouseCoopers. This updated
members on the second phase of work that had been undertaken concerning the
joint commissioning options and the necessary next steps, which needed to be
undertaken, including the establishment of a Transitional Steering Group to
lead the work. Details were given
relating to the listening exercise, which was undertaken with staff, and other
stakeholders which allowed for the opportunity to learn more about the proposed
options and to take account of their views.
The
joint recommendation of the Island Strategy Group Plus (which comprised of the
Chairs of the two boards the Portfolio Holder for Adult and Community Services
and the Chief Executives of each of the three organisations) was that the
option to establish a health and social care trust on the Isle of Wight that
included commissioning functions best satisfied the set criteria. Members considered whether to approach the
Secretary of State in advance of the submission of an application for a care
trust to ascertain whether an application including commissioning would be
acceptable. Following advice that the
Secretary of State would be unlikely to give such assurance and that the Strategic
Health Authority looked favorable on such a model, members decided not to make
such an approach.
One
of the key steps was to consider the delivery structure that the new model
would take. A Strategic Transitional
Steering Group made up of The Leader of The Council, Chairs for the PCT and the
Healthcare Trust and the Portfolio Holders for Adult and Community Services and
for Children’s Services would be accountable to the two Boards and to the
Executive. An officer group made up of
senior staff from the three organisations would support and deliver the project
managed by the Transitional Steering Group with a second officer group ensuring
the financial stability and performance delivery. Other key steps were set out in the report.
RESOLVED :
(i)
THAT the PricewaterhouseCoopers Phase 2 report be
received
(ii)
THAT the joint report of the PCT, Healthcare Trust and
Local Authority on the listening exercise be received and commitment be made to
engaging with staff and taking account of their views at appropriate stages in
any future development
(iii)
THAT the development of a single health, social care
and housing organisation on the Isle of Wight that includes commissioning
functions be approved, ensuring that the model developed delivers, in the
medium and in the long-term, innovation in:
·
Improving service delivery;
·
increasing the extent of democratic accountability in
the delivery of health services;
·
preserving and enhancing the involvement of the local
community in the delivery of health and social care services;
·
the reduction of inequality;
·
securing the continuation of a fundamental role for
local authority overview and scrutiny of health and social care functions
(iv)
THAT structures to deliver these recommendations
including a strategic transitional steering group and an officer support group
made up of representatives of each of the existing organisations and the
strategic health authority be established
(v)
THAT the development by the PCT and Healthcare Trust
Boards of an officer group to deliver continuing good corporate governance,
financial stability, performance delivery and equality of opportunity during
the transitional period be supported
(vi)
THAT the indicative list of key steps at Appendix 4
attached to the report be noted
62.
ISLE OF WIGHT
SCHOOL ORGANISATION
Consideration
was given to the first phase of consultation on School Organisation and
consultancy arrangements. Consultation
had taken place with key stakeholders to outline the issues facing the
Education service and the associated implications any reorganisation would
have. This consultation process had
highlighted the need for more detailed research and an options appraisal, with
further consultation on the outcome of the appraisal. A specification for
external consultants would include comparison with other Authorities,
sustainability of current provision with particular reference to pupil rolls
financial equity viability of curriculum and staffing and 14-19 provision. Preferred options would then be made
available for further consultation with stakeholders.
RESOLVED :
(i)
THAT the Head of Planning and
Resources, Children’s Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for
Children’s Services and the key stakeholders, agrees with the LSC a
specification for a contract for further development and consultation work by
external consultants
(ii)
THAT the specification includes
research to enable an evidence-based selection of preferred options to be
presented for formal, statutory consultation during January and February 2005
(iii)
THAT the Director of Children’s
Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services,
approve the preferred options for inclusion in the formal, statutory
consultation
(iv)
THAT the results of formal
consultation, together with a recommended option or options for the future
direction of Island Education, are to be presented for decision at the
Executive meeting of 23 March 2005
63.
PROPOSALS OF
THE WIGHT LEISURE REVIEW PROJECT BOARD
The
Executive considered the recommendations for the Wight Leisure Project Board in
respect of the future delivery of the Council’s leisure services. The Board concluded that core and secondary
services should be delivered through a single service unit, which would also
include those services currently with in the Community Development portfolio. Alternative methods of delivery and a
preferred approach to their procurement had been identified for other services,
not central to the business of a leisure department and/or the Council. One of
these included Northwood House and Community Hall and park facilities where
members were of the view that working with the trustees would allow for the
development and the delivery of all the facilities through the operator of
Northwood House and the Community Hall in a way which was consistent with and
complementary to the use of the two buildings. The continuation of the work of the project Board was discussed
together with their terms of reference.
It was noted that this would incorporate the development of the business
plan for the development of a Health and Fitness facility at Westridge.
RESOLVED :
THAT the paper
be accepted as a Gateway 2 review of the procurement of leisure services and
that options 1 to 7 set out in the report are adopted
64.
FIRE SERVICE
PAY AND CONDITIONS AGREEMENT : LOCAL VERFITCATION REPORT PHASE 2 – ACTION PLAN
The
Fire Service Pay and Conditions national agreement included a condition that
the pay award be subject to verification by the Audit Commission. In the course of their work during Phase 2
the Audit Commission made a number of recommendations for change and improvement
and these recommendations have been incorporated into an Action Plan.
RESOLVED :
THAT
the Action Plan be adopted and that the Chief Fire Officer be instructed to
implement the Action Plan
65.
CUSTOMER
SERVICE CHARTER AND STANDARDS – ENDORSEMENT FOR ADOPTION BY THE ISLE OF WIGHT
COUNCIL
The
Executive were aware that there were a number of different Customer Charters
and Customer Care Standards in place across the authority and this has
contributed to different levels of performance across the services. The development of the Customer Services
Charter and Standards was part of the Great Access to Great Services
Improvement Programme, which included the objective for the Council to become
truly “customer centred”. With this
aim, the GAGS project team developed a standard Customer Charter and set of
Customer Service Standards for the authority.
RESOLVED :
THAT
the Customer Service Charter and Standards for the Isle of Wight Council are
adopted
66.
PROPOSAL TO
ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP FOR ISLAND LINE
The
Portfolio Holder informed the Executive of the Strategic Rail Authority
consultation paper on community rail development which had identified Island
Line as suitable to be considered for a pilot and of the Council’s response
based on existing Council transport policies.
The Strategic Rail Authority had established a Community Rail
Partnership to support lsland Line through the pilot stage of its new
strategy. This had been supported by
the Quality Transport Partnership. This
new body would seek to co-ordinate the many activities currently underway at
main stations and various transport initiatives and would also seek to support
Island Line case for improved investment in infrastructure and rolling stock. Financial implications were detailed in the
report.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Quality Transport Partnership be supported in establishing a Community Rail Partnership for Island Line
67. CONSIDERATION OF THE FOWARD PLAN
Members noted some reports scheduled for the meeting today would be considered at a later meeting.
68.
MEMBERS’ QUESTION TIME
Questions
were put to the Chairman as follows :
Mr
J Effemey asked questions in relation to cycle parking (MQ26/04) and Cowes
beach (MQ 27/04)
Mr
P Harris asked a question in relation to car parking charges at the Heights
(MQ/28/04)
Copies
of the questions and replies given are contained in the Members' Question
Register.
Mr
A Taylor asked an oral question in relation to the member’s courier service.
The Head of Legal and Democratic Services agreed to look into the matter.
CHAIRMAN