Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1, Civic Offices, Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2AG

Contact: Jayne Briscoe 2250 

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To receive Declarations of Interest from Members on items included on this agenda

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest stated.

3.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Minutes:

Resolved:                   That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2017 be agreed as a correct record.

4.

DEMENTIA FRIENDLY SWIMMING - UPDATE

Minutes:

A copy of the dementia friendly audit carried out at Jubilee 2 by the Joint Scrutiny Working Group was circulated. The main purpose of the group meeting was to assess the suitability of the facilities to achieve 2-3 dementia friendly swimming sessions a week at Jubilee 2, to have a workforce that recognised signs of dementia and to offer appropriate support at all times to people with dementia as well as those attending the dementia friendly sessions and to ensure that the services are accessible to the broader needs of the community as well as people with dementia.

 

The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services explained that the items identified in the audit such as the need for a contrasting colour toilet seat could easily be accommodated within the maintenance budget.

 

Reflecting the positive aims of the group Will Boyce said that Approach looked forward to the dementia friendly swimming sessions beginning in February/March and would support implementation of the project.  He added that he would encourage more Jubilee 2 staff to engage with the dementia friends leaning opportunities.

 

Councillor Frankish pressed for the timetable for the introduction of the sessions to move ahead during February as she noted that it had already slipped a month.

 

It was confirmed that following a controlled situation the dementia friendly sessions would be advertised on the Borough website.

 

Members felt that the initiative undertaken at Jubilee 2 had the potential to be implemented at other council facilities such as The Brampton Museum. A member pointed out that the initiatives would be beneficial to community centres and to other groups such as the partially sighted.

 

Agreed          That the report be noted.

5.

WORK PLAN pdf icon PDF 90 KB

To discuss and update the work plans to reflect current scrutiny topics

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was noted that the report due to be considered at this meeting on the decision of Cabinet regarding the provision of leisure facilities following the closure of Kidsgrove Leisure Centre would now be reported to the January meeting.

 

Councillor Frankish questioned how far the ethos of the dementia friendly swimming initiative could be expanded to help other groups access the facilities in both the public and the private sector.

 

Councillor John Cooper suggested that work be carried out into ways to expand the community recreation programme and pointed to the good work carried out by Ellison Primary School in the after school activity programme. Whilst not wishing to dampen enthusiasm the Chair pointed out that the resources available within the Borough Council could not meet increased demand and cautioned against raising expectations.

 

 

6.

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

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.

 

Minutes:

There were no members of the public present at the meeting.

7.

URGENT BUSINESS

To consider any business which is urgent within the meaning of Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

There was no Urgent Business.

8.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Minutes:

The next meeting will be held on Monday 5 March 2018.