Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting of this Committee held on Tuesday 25 February 2014

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 25 February 2014 were agreed as a correct record

A verbal update to be given by the Executive Director – Operational Services

The Executive Director for Operational Services provided a verbal update on the future development of the Borough Museum and Art Gallery

The Chair suggested that there were areas of the Borough Museum and Art Gallery that the Committee may wish to look at as part of the work plan

RECOMMENDED:- That members are invited to attend a presentation at the Borough Museum and Art Gallery during early September 2014. The presentation would be carried out by the Borough Museum and Art Gallery team who will focus on the various work/activities currently being undertaken with a view to the Committee then identifying areas for more in depth scrutiny in the work plan. Particular emphasis would be placed on events the Borough Museum and Art Gallery are involved in to commemorate World War 1

A verbal update to be given by the Executive Director – Operational Services

The Executive Director for Operational Services advised Members that a report would be presented to Cabinet on the 23 July 2014 to update on options that are available for Kidsgrove Sports Centre.  Within the report it was suggested that Active and Cohesive Scrutiny Committee carry out in depth scrutiny around options proposed.  On the basis Cabinet agree to this request Active and Cohesive Scrutiny Committee would look at options contained in the report and report back to Cabinet at a later date with a preferred solution

RECOMMENDED:-

a)    That the report is received

b)    That Active and Cohesive Scrutiny Committee form a Task and Finish Group to scrutinise the options for the future provision of sports facilities in the Kidsgrove area and report the findings to Cabinet

An overview was provided to Members by the Business Improvement Manager around the Public Sector Commissioning in Partnerships (PSCiP)

PSCiP was aimed by recognising the potential of significant savings for all countywide partners involved in commissioning from the voluntary/third sector across Staffordshire

As part of the work Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council retained responsibility to determine the service it wants and was involved in shaping the service specifications/outlines linked to two relevant services to ensure that each met local needs

The first contract was awarded to Voluntary Action Stoke-on-Trent (VAST) to become the Borough’s local development and support organisation in May 2013.  Under this contract VAST offered capacity building support, funding advice, volunteering service and strategic support.  The cost of delivery for Newcastle was £12,000 per annum for an initial period of two years with an option to extend.  During the first twelve months of the contract VAST delivered 232 support sessions with local groups, hosted three dedicated Newcastle voluntary sector forums, organised a funding fair, held a volunteering event for volunteers week and several student volunteering events at Newcastle college

VAST produced quarterly reports for the agreed PSCiP contract but would be producing an annual position statement in 2014/2015 detailing the delivery for Newcastle Borough Council

VAST had opened an office adjacent to the Civic Offices in Merrial Street to support the delivery of services to local infrastructure organisations

The second contract was awarded to Staffordshire South West Citizens Advice Bureau in March 2014 at a total budget of £675,815 for debt, benefit, information and advice service.  The funded provision of £131,386 per annum from Newcastle Borough Council ensured delivery and access of a service to local residents as in previous years, remaining a collaborative approach from both CAB and Age UK for an initial period of two years with an option to extend

Due to the recent commencement of the contract a detailed report is not possible.  Members can be assured that a monitoring review meeting is scheduled for September 2014 and also local engagement by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council Officers with the Newcastle CAB office to discuss progress of the contract is being undertaken.

A decision to extend the Infrastructure Support and Volunteering Service beyond May 2015 would need to be considered later in this calendar year

It was asked if there were any other options to extending.  The Business Improvement Manager advised that Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council could go back out to market, however, based on the very low budget from the Borough Council it would be unlikely that a comparable service would be received

It was also asked how many providers responded to the initial opportunity.  The Business Improvement Manager replied that whilst there were a high number of expressions of interest only two formal submissions were received

A Member expressed concern on the likely impact on Newcastle CAB when funding from ‘Public Health’ to deliver ‘Advice in Healthcare Settings’ in Stoke and Staffordshire Moorlands Bureaus ceased

The Business Improvement Manager reassured this decision was made outside  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Executive Director for Operational Services briefed Members on the Leisure and Cultural Services Management Options

A Leisure Trust Working Group was established in February 2010 and looked at options for the delivery for the future management of the Council’s Leisure and Cultural facilities

For a number of reasons the review concluded that the most appropriate option would be to continue to operate the services in-house.  Subsequently a new delivery model became available called a Community Interest Company (CIC) and the Working Group, along with appropriate specialist advice, examined the potential of a CIC to manage leisure and cultural facilities and services, in the context of the Council’s ‘Co-operative Council’ vision

There are four sets of principles rooted in the Co-operative Council:-

1.     Commissioning – the funding the Council provided covered a broad range of expenditure.  Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council are in the process of developing a cultural commissioning strategy to ensure funding was only spent where it would achieve agreed objectives for the service based on community need

2.     Delivery – Leisure and Cultural Services are working towards recognised International/British/European standards in these three areas to demonstrate their fitness to deliver and remain competitive

3.     Enabling – there are four strands to Leisure and Cultural Services engagement strategy; information (leaflets, notices and the web site), consult (surveys, comments cards etc), to achieve objectives (supporting Clayton Sports Centre to access funding) and ambition (people to realise their ambitions) through joint projects (co-production)

4.     Business Development – processes are needed in order to ensure a successful approach to both develop services and measure impact and performance

RECOMMENDED:- That the Committee receive the report

RECOMMENDED:-

(a)  Fishing Pool Tenancy Licences/Leases – a separate meeting is to be held with the Chair, Vice Chair and the Property Manager to discuss the varying differences in relation to fee, the number of fishing pool licences/leases and locations and for the item to be discussed at the next meeting

(b)  Events to Commemorate Word War 1 – to be included as part of the Borough Museum and Art Strategy

(c)  Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults – that a further update be brought back to the Committee on Monday 6 October 2014 and clarity regarding the auditing of the policy be investigated

(d)  Staffordshire County Council Libraries Consultation - Staffordshire County Council’s Corporate Review Committee gave permission to proceed to a full 12 week consultation on the current proposals to reshape Staffordshire Library service 

The consultation would be comprehensive and far reaching, and will begin on Wednesday 16 July 2014

The Democratic Services Manager to arrange a meeting with Officers from Staffordshire County Council and all Members to discuss issues relating to closure  of Staffordshire County Council libraries

Any member of the public wishing to submit a question must serve two clear days’ notice, in writing, of any such question to the Borough Council.

No questions had been submitted from the public

No urgent business was raised

Monday 6 October 2014, 7.00pm in Committee Room 1

Monday 6 October 2014, 7.00pm in Committee Room 1