Agenda and minutes

Councillor T Wendels declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 5 – Active4Today – 2017/18 Annual Report as he is a Southwell Leisure Centre Trustee.

Other than the Council recording in accordance with usual practice, there were no

declarations of intention to record the meeting.

AGREED           (unanimously) that the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 March                          2018, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Sally Dore – Head of Communications and Engagement will provide the presentation on behalf of Newark and Sherwood Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

An update presentation was provided by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).  Sally Dore – Head of Communications and Engagement and Lucy Dadge – Chief Commissioning Officer attended the meeting.

Following the presentation a question and answer session ensued as follows:

A Member commented that the NHS had a huge recruitment problem for clinical staff and was surprised that GPs were being used to undertake a management role for the Hubs.  It was felt that the GPs were needed to do their job, not to manage the organisation.

It was commented that the CCGs had been established to be clinically led. The CCG’s role was to commission the best outcomes for our population.  GPs were the correct people to undertake that and had the majority view regarding commissioning of the service. They required support and data to undertake this job, to overburden them was wrong.

A Member commented that there appeared to be a lot of duplication in the Health Service.  Mental Health was important and asked how the CCG address that as services appeared not to be available until the situation reached critical.  It was reported that Newark MIND had their funding reduced.

The current service was discussed and it was confirmed that those comments would be taken on board and addressed.

A Member commented on the Treatment and Care Centre at Newark hospital and commented that people would not understand what service that centre provides.  It was suggested that the CCG educate people on what the centre provides, in order for people to understand that this was a good service for Newark.

The CCG representative commented on the areas that were being changed. It was reported that people with mental health problems had a shorter life expectancy and required a greater amount of support from their GP.  It had therefore been recognised that patients were better cared for locally by their GP and an increased amount of support was being provided to GPs which would wrap around community care.

The representative informed Members that they would go back to basics regarding Newark hospital and produce a booklet informing the public regarding what treatments were available and how appointments could be made. It was confirmed that the Treatment Centre would offer 24 hour treatment and care.

A Member commented on being type two diabetic and that support for type two diabetes was being withdrawn from clinics.  The individual was being encouraged to manage their own diabetes which would incur a cost in order to do that.

The representative confirmed that she would address that area.

The Chairman thanked the CCG representatives for their informative presentation and invited them to attend a future meeting in six months’ time, to provide an update on their work.

AGREED           (unanimously) that:

(a)          the presentation be noted; and

(b)          the CCG be invited to attend a future meeting in six months’          time to provide an update on their work.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Director of Customers and Managing Director – Active4Today, which updated Members on the performance of Active4Today for the financial year ending 31 March 2018.

Members were informed that the Company had traded positively in 2017/18.  Company turnover had increased by almost 10 per cent, buoyed, in particular, by growth in children’s memberships of more than 12%. The adult and children’s membership bases remained the best indicators of the underlying strength of the Company. 

The report provided an overview of performance which was detailed within Appendix II to the report.  An overview of finance for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018, was reported, the financial statements which were appended to the report showed that the Company recorded a net operating surplus of £178,553.  At the end of the financial year, 2016/17, the company made a provision in its accounts, totalling £116,000, for repairs that were planned to be undertaken in the 2017/18 year. These works were not undertaken by the company in the year because of the pending review of leisure facilities in Sherwood. The commitment of £116,000 had therefore been reversed in the income and expenditure account and formed part of the year end surplus of £178,553. The operating surplus represented further, strong financial performance from the Company in 2017/18.  The Company’s earmarked usable reserves, as at 31 March 2018 stood at £377,677.  The Company had agreed a maximum level of usable reserves of £750,000.

The report also updated Members on Future Funding and Southwell Leisure Centre Trust.

In the discussion Members sought clarification on the performance data, which showed that the use of visits had fallen and whether anything could be done to improve that.  The number of GP referrals had also fallen significantly and whether there were things that could be done to rectify that.  The Equalities and Diversity section of the report also indicated that the number of attendance from children in deprived areas had fallen, which was due to the funding for the SAFE programme ending.

The Managing Director Active4Today confirmed that the way the data was being retrieved for the performance data had been changed and new ICT systems had been installed.  It was confirmed that the GP referrals had reduced however Active4Today could not influence the GPs; Members were informed of other schemes available.  It was confirmed that the programme that had been provided to target increasing activity in deprived areas had been funded by Sports England and had come to an end.

A Member commented that the report indicated that there were no equalities and diversity issues, but questioned why the number of female attendance had fallen.  Clarification was further sought whether Active4Today had a policy for equalities and diversity.

The Managing Director – Active4Today confirmed that the equalities and diversity section would be circulated for Members of the Committee.

The Committee Vice-Chairman confirmed that he would address the GP referrals with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Health and Wellbeing Board  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Business Manager – Housing and Safeguarding (as Project Manager), which provided the progress made in considering the options available for improving and sustaining leisure centre provision in Sherwood.  Members were asked to consider the contents of the report and the advice provided by the Council’s Section 151 Officer, in order to reach a decision on whether to progress with the project. 

Members were also provided with an additional recommendation to purchase land under delegated powers, to enable opportunities for a leisure hub light model to be explored in the future.

The report provided the Project Objective; Options; Proposals; Financial Appraisal; Equalities Implications and Section 151 Officers Financial Comments. 

The three options considered in the options appraisal which was appended to the report with the market analysis, were as follows:

·         Option 1: Stay the same – continue with fragmented offer in Sherwood.  This option has no financial implications and does not deliver the project objectives

·         Option 2: New Leisure Centre provision on land immediately in front of the Dukeries.  The estimated total cost of building a new Leisure Centre is just over £13m.  This is not considered to be affordable and does not provide the best value for money solution for the community.

·         Option 3: Dukeries improvement scheme and pool hall new build, at an estimated cost of £7.9m.

A Member commented that the ‘One Public Estate and Neighbourhood study in Ollerton’ had not been presented to the Committee.  The neighbourhood study had indicated the need for a wet provision in Ollerton.  It was felt that the financials in the report provided a poor outcome.  The projected income for the Leisure Centre was debated and it was commented that due to the implications of the report it would appear that a Leisure Centre or swimming pool would never be built in Sherwood due to a 6% return being required.  It was commented that leisure facilities would not be provided in more deprived areas, just affluent area as that was where they provided a return.  It was commented that a swimming pool would be beneficial for this area and would turn the leisure provision around.

The Business Manager – Housing and Safeguarding confirmed that an update report regarding the One Public Estate work was presented to the Homes and Communities Committee on 11 June 2018.

The Managing Director – Active4Today, confirmed that a realistic business plan was compiled, which projected an improved revenue return of £75,000.  He commented that the Newark Sports and Fitness Centre was a success story, which had been received well by the public.

The Director – Customers commented that the contingency for the proposed pool was 12%, which accurately presented the financial risks at this early stage.  There would be challenges in linking the proposed new build with the existing Dukeries Leisure Centre.  A professional cost consultancy company had been commissioned to undertake work regarding the linking of the buildings.  The revenue return for this project would require an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Strategic Development Manager which related to the Committee’s request to review the garden waste provision within the district. The report provided a number of proposals for Members to determine, which options they would like to pursue, this would enable officer resource to be directed towards providing full business case information, including financial modelling only for options Members would consider.

A Member sought clarification as to what cost the Council would incur in undertaking the cost analysis to bring the Garden Waste service back in house.  The Strategic Manager confirmed that there would not be a financial cost other than the cost of the Council’s Officer time.

AGREED           (unanimously) that:

(a)                the Committee approve the proposal as 3.1 of the report and                     agree to transfer the administrationcurrently provided by                                    Rushcliffe for bins collected by NSDC back to an in house                                   provision and for officers to give the associated notice                          required as part of the MOU; and

(b)               the Committee authorise officers to explore the full costs of proactively bringing all services in house on the current assumption that this could lead to a net revenue cost.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Assistant Business Manager – Waste Management, which provided an overview of the Memorandum of Understanding proposed by the contamination working group and its planned implementation throughout the district.

The report provided details on the existing waste management partnership between Newark and Sherwood District Council, district and borough partners, Nottinghamshire County Council and their contractor Veolia since 2012.  The waste management responsibilities were also detailed.

It was reported that the permitted contamination rates for materials entering the MRF was 5%.  Across Nottinghamshire County the contamination rates were slowly increasing in all Council areas.  When the contract first started in 2006 contamination rates were routinely below the 5% threshold; by 2017 the county average figures reached 13%.

The report also detailed Refusal vs Understanding; Tackling the problem; Implementation and Future work.

A Member sought clarification regarding recycling at his place of work as the residual bin and recycling bin were being emptied into the same wagon.  The Assistant Business Manager confirmed that he would find out whether the waste was being collected by the District Council or a private company and take this forward.

Members commented that residents of the district wanted to recycle responsibly and welcomed the educational information being distributed in order for everyone to understand what could be recycled.  It was also commented that the manufacturers should be targeted to produce recyclable packaging.

AGREED           (unanimously) that:

(a)         the Memorandum of understanding be approved; and

(b)         the funding for the district wide mail drop and the new suite of      support materials be approved.

Councillor M Cope left the meeting at this point.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Interim Director – Communities, which provided an update on the schemes that had been delivered from funding from the district’s allocation of the Better Care Fund.

The report detailed the purpose of the Better Care Fund, reporting procedure and the formula for the allocation of the funding.

The report presented the delivery of the local schemes, which included the three year funding allocated for the schemes.  It was noted that some of the allocation from 2017/18 was underspent.  That allocation had been rolled forward into the 2018/19 financial year to support schemes that had developed momentum and where expenditure was expected to grow.

The report also provided an update on the Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants and it was reported that there was a £700,000 budget for this work in 2018/19 with potential for that to be supplemented from the discretion DFG budget if required.  The Discretionary DFGs, Handy Person Adaptations Schemes, Warm Homes on Prescription, Assisted Technology and Accessible Homes was also detailed.

Schemes for Future Years and Future Developments were also noted within the report.

AGREED           (unanimously) that the Committee support the continued delivery of                     Local Schemes and noted the content of the report.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Assistant Business Manager - Waste, which presented the revised schedule of Fixed Penalty Charges (FPNs), as introduced by Statutory Instrument on the 1st April 2018.  Consideration regarding the introduction of new penalty fees was also sought and the adoption of a policy on the use of FPN’s to tackle Environmental Offences and Anti-social Behaviour (ASB).

The Newark and Sherwood District Council’s Policy and Procedure on the use of Fixed Penalty Notices to tackle Enviro-crime and antisocial behaviour was appended to the report.

A Member commented on the proposal to adopt the maximum penalty and felt that the standard rate should be adopted as Newark and Sherwood was not an affluent area and had pockets of deprivation within it.  Imposing an expensive fine may lead to further deprivation and difficulties for an individual, a step by step approach was suggested to help people.

A Member commented that by applying the maximum rate it was more of a deterrent not to commit the offence and by setting the fees at the maximum level it gave officers greater scope to issue a proportionate fine.

The Assistant Business Manager confirmed that the set fines were viewed as a deterrent and the early repayment option was there to reduce the cost. They were however fixed so there was no scope for officer adjustment once the levels were set.

A Member sought clarification regarding the ‘Exposing Vehicles for Sale on Roads’ and asked if individuals were selling or repairing cars and selling them from their homes, how would that be enforced.  The Assistant Business Manager confirmed that he would find out the answer and circulate it to Members.

AGREED           (with 8 votes For and 1 vote Against part(b)) that:

(a)                   the revised schedule of Fixed Penalty Charges (FPNs) be noted;

(b)                   the procedure on the use of Fixed Penalty Notices for Environmental Crime and ASB be adopted; and

(c)          the fixed penalty penalties listed in paragraph 4.1 of the report      be adopted; and

                        (d)        the answer to the question regarding ‘Exposing Vehicles for                                   Sale on Roads’, if individuals were selling or repairing cars and                               then selling them from their home, how would that be                                      enforced.  The answer be circulated to Members of the                                          Committee. 

The Committee considered the report presented by the Community Projects Manager, which provided an update in respect of Hawtonville Community Centre and the progress being made following the transfer of the management of the Centre to Reach (a Local Charity supporting venerable adults in Newark and Sherwood) through the granting of a three year tenancy agreement.

Members were informed of an open day/official opening event taking place on Thursday, 19 July 2018, which would show Members what had been achieved.  Committee Members had been sent individual invitations.

AGREED           (unanimously) that an update report at six monthly intervals be                             submitted to the Committee on the       activities and services delivered                    to the community though the Hawtonville Community Centre in                                     respect of its contribution to the delivery of the priorities and                                 objectives of the Hawtonville Neighbourhood Study.

Verbal Update

The Leisure & Environment Committee Vice-Chairman informed the Committee that he had attended the recent Health & Wellbeing Board meeting.  The Board had been informed of the 150^th healthy take-away in Retford and had been presented with a certificate.  A governance structure had been agreed around the Healthy and Sustainable Places Ambition of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and an officer would represent the Council on a new Co-ordination Group to work with elected Members who would work as Champions on each of the work streams.

A quarterly update had been provided on the Better Care Fund, which had indicated that five out of six pointers for the markers and indicators for the fund had not met the set targets.  This was reported to be down to Secondary care not reaching their targets which was due to the Beast from the East, which had put a big strain on the health service through bed blocking etc.

The Annual report from the STP had been discussed which provided information on the progress achieved with the Mid Nottinghamshire Partnership.

The Interim Director – Communities (lead for Health and Wellbeing) confirmed that she would represent the Council on the new Coordination Group and that she was looking for the Committees support to hold a workshop with partners to shape a local delivery plan and was hoping to get complementary support from the Local Government Association (LGA) – leading to the resurrection of a N&S Health and Wellbeing Partnership.

It was confirmed that the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had established a group entitled ‘Patient and Public Engagement Committee’, which had been discussed at the last meeting of the Committee.  The Vice-Chairman of the Leisure & Environment Committee was the Councils representative on that Committee with the Opposition spokesperson being substitute.  It was also advised that discussions were due to take place with Nottinghamshire County Council and the CCG to look at the Council’s engagement and representation of the mid-Notts Alliance.

NOTED                        the verbal update and support for the Health and Wellbeing                                   Workshop.

Members were encouraged to submit any areas of work they wanted to address for the forthcoming year.

NOTED                        The Forward Plan.

To consider resolving that, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 7 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

There are none.

There were no exempt items of business.