Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2019 as a correct record. (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2019 were approved as a correct record.

To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

Councillor T. Fidler declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 6 – Access to Healthcare, due to his membership of Sunbury Health Centre PPG (Patient Participation Group) and in Item 11 – Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategies, as he has a family relation working in the Council’s housing department.

Councillor L.E. Nichols declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 6 – Access to Healthcare, due to his involvement as a patient representative on the Surrey Heartlands GP online consulting project.

Councillor R.A. Smith-Ainsley declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 11 -Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategies, due to his position as a council representative on A2Dominion Customer Insight Panel.

Councillor D. Saliagopoulos declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 6 – Access to Healthcare due to her position as a Governor for Ashford and St. Peter’s NHS Trust.

No Cabinet decisions have been called in.

No Cabinet decisions had been called-in.

A copy of the latest Forward Plan is attached.

If any members of the Committee have any issues they want to raise in relation to the Cabinet Forward Plan, please inform Terry Collier, Deputy Chief Executive, 24 hours in advance of the meeting with reasons for the request.

The Cabinet Forward Plan was noted.

To receive a presentation from Jack Wagstaff, North West Surrey ICP Director, on access to primary healthcare in Spelthorne.

The Director of the North West Surrey Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), Jack Wagstaff gave a presentation (attached to these minutes) on the future direction for health services in the area. The presentation covered the ICPs areas of focus, its priorities across 6 key programmes and the challenges for improving access to and building, sustainable primary care services.

The Committee had requested this item be included on its work programme particularly because of concerns raised about how the new triaging and booking system, piloted at Shepperton Health Centre, had been introduced and the lack of communication with patients about the system. The Committee sought reassurance that residents’ experience of the pilot would not be repeated at other practices elsewhere in the Borough.

Mr Wagstaff explained that the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had no ability to influence day to day services at GP surgeries but that the ICP had worked with Shepperton Health Centre to review the pilot. As a result of an evaluation of the pilot it was decided to discontinue it and revert to the previous booking system. Mr Wagstaff confirmed that the ICP was working with the Health Centre to ensure this message was communicated to its patients in the most appropriate way. He advised that the responsibility for the deployment of, and patient communication about, any future digital solutions fell on the body who introduced them; a particular GP practice, or the ICPs for a solution introduced universally. 

Mr Wagstaff reassured the Committee that neither the CCG nor ICP had plans to roll out a system similar to the one unsuccessfully trialled at Shepperton Health Centre, across Spelthorne. However, NHS England would  roll out a single, consistent, digital practice encompassing all parts of a GP Surgery called FootFall over the next couple of years. A pilot of this web service had received overwhelmingly positive patient satisfaction feedback. Mr Wagstaff was confident of the ICP being able to deliver a cohesive digital strategy which did not pass people between different physical and digital systems.

Mr Wagstaff responded to members’ questions and made the following points:

•      The Locality Hub at Ashford Hospital is available to all frail and elderly patients across Spelthorne offering longer appointments and the full range of services available at a GP practice to address complex and multiple needs across different specialists. The Hub also provides a transport service to take people to their appointments.

•      There is a contractual requirement to provide named doctors for all patients but there is a trade-off between waiting times and seeing a particular doctor.

•      ICPs, CCGs and health care providers are in charge of the running and planning for delivery of services.  NHS property services owns a proportion of NW Surrey’s Practice buildings and are responsible for maintaining and improving their estate. These Practices do not have autonomous control to design their internal space. The CCG has petitioned NHS property services to make improvements but they have a huge backlog of works waiting to be done. For those  ...  view the full minutes text for item 307/19

To receive a presentation from the Chief Finance Officer on the Budget Issues for the Council for 2020-21 to 2023-24.

The Chief Finance Officer gave a presentation (attached to these minutes) on the Budget Issues for 2020/21 to 2021/22. He outlined the process leading to approval of the budget and setting of Council tax for 2020 and explained the pressures on the budget in future years.

The Committee noted that more detailed briefings would be provided in February 2020.

Resolved to note the presentation on Budget Issues for 2020/21 to 2021/22.

To note a report on the Capital spend for the period ending September 2019.

The Committee considered a report on capital expenditure covering the period April to September 2019.

A member of the Committee requested that consideration was given to improving the way the information was presented so that the total cost of a project, as well as the commitment in the current year, was clear.

The Deputy Accountant agreed to provide a written response to a question about whether the corporate management EDMS (electronic document management system) project was correctly identified as a capital cost.

Resolved to note the current level of capital spend.

To note a report on the Revenue spend for the period ending September 2019.

The Committee considered a report on revenue expenditure covering the period April to September 2019.

Resolved to note the current level of revenue spend.

To receive a presentation from the Property Development Manager on the Council’s Capital Strategy.

The Committee Property and Development Manager gave a presentation (attached to these minutes) on the Council’s Capital Strategy. He outlined the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy requirements and need for a Capital Strategy, the investment approach and acquisitions to date, current housing needs and delivery now and in the future.

Resolved to note the presentation.

To receive a presentation from the Housing Strategy and Policy Manager on the development of the Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategies for 2020-2025.

The Housing Strategy and Policy Manager gave a presentation (attached to these minutes) on the development of the Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategies 2020-2025 and responded to members questions.  The presentation explained the context within which the review of the Housing Strategy had taken place, the method for the review, the outcome of public consultation and the three priorities identified within the Strategy.  An update was also provided on the review to date of the Homelessness Strategy and its emerging priorities.

The Housing Strategy and Policy Manager advised that a Working Group would be set up to monitor the development of the action plan.

The Chairman thanked the Housing Strategy and Policy Manager for his succinct and clear overview of the Housing and Homelessness Strategies.

Resolved to note the presentation.

To consider the Committee’s work programme for the remainder of the Municipal year.

The Committee noted the forthcoming Work Programme for the remainder of the municipal year.