Agenda, decisions and minutes

To take any questions from members of the Public.

Please note: Members of the Public are requested to inform the Democratic Services Officer before the meeting begins if they wish to ask a verbal question to the Committee.

No questions were received from members of the public.

No questions were received from members of the public.

Members are asked to declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in respect of any item of business to be considered at the meeting.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust: Future for Acute Services

Councillor Liz Frost, Disclosable Pecuniary Interest: On the grounds of her employment with the NHS. Councillor Liz Frost informed the meeting that her current employment within NHS England could be said to give rise to a disclosable pecuniary interest under the Council’s Local Code of Conduct for Members.  However the Council’s Standards Committee had discussed this and did not consider that, in most circumstances, this would damage the public’s confidence in the authority’s business and, for the avoidance of doubt, she had been granted a dispensation by the Standards Committee to speak and vote on matters related to health.

In the interests of openness and transparency, the following declaration was made by a member of the Committee in respect of an item on the agenda:

Epsom and St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust: Future for Acute Services

Councillor Liz Frost, Disclosable Pecuniary Interest: On the grounds of her employment with the NHS. Councillor Liz Frost informed the meeting that her current employment within NHS England could be said to give rise to a disclosable pecuniary interest under the Council’s Local Code of Conduct for Members.  However the Council’s Standards Committee had discussed this and did not consider that, in most circumstances, this would damage the public’s confidence in the authority’s business and, for the avoidance of doubt, she had been granted a dispensation by the Standards Committee to speak and vote on matters related to health.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 20 March 2018 (attached) and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 March 2018 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 March 2018 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

The report considers a Positioning Statement for issues relating to the future provision of acute services within Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (ESHUHT) area and the proposed sale of land and buildings, as well as the future of West Park Hospital site and the provision of other NHS services.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Agreed to amend paragraph IV of the Positioning Statement attached as Annex 1 to the report, to read as follows:

IV.       That the current and planned disposal of land and estate buildings, even to fund improvements be halted, in order to accommodate additional health and related services for the residents of Epsom and Ewell and East Surrey. The sale of any such fixed assets of the Estate is not sustainable and will serve to limit the services and options for the future.

(2)          Agreed to amend paragraph V of the Positioning Statement attached as Annex 1 to the report, to read as follows:

V.        Support and make representations to Surrey and Borders Partnership to open a unit for people presenting in crisis with acute mental health needs within the Borough and East Surrey.  The current concentration of mental health facilities at St Peter’s Hospital and (part of) West Park does not provide an easily accessible NHS service for our residents.

(3)          Agreed to adopt the Positioning Statement relating to the future location of acute services within the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (ESHUHT) area and other matters as set out in Annex 1, subject to the amendments agreed in (1) and (2) above.

The Committee received a report presenting a Positioning Statement for issues relating to the future provision of acute services within Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (ESHUHT) area and the proposed sale of land and buildings, as well as the future of West Park Hospital site and the provision of other NHS services.

The Committee was verbally informed of the following amendments to the report:

·                     Correction to paragraph 2.4. The Head of Housing and Community informed the Committee that the remaining sites within West Park were not owned by the ESHUHT, but by NHS property Services and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

·                     Expansion on paragraph 3.9. The Head of Housing and Community informed the Committee that any funds received from the sale of land would both reduce the Trust’s deficit and generate pound for pound funding for reinvestment into critical infrastructure at the Epsom General Hospital site.

The Chairman of the Council’s Health Liaison Panel, Councillor Richard Baker, was in attendance for the item and provided the meeting with a verbal summary of the issues addressed by the Positioning Statement.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Proposed sale of land and estate buildings at Epsom General Hospital site. The Committee expressed significant concern at the proposed sale of land and estate buildings at the Epsom General Hospital site by the ESHUHT to reduce its budget deficit, which would not provide a sustainable solution to the Trust’s budgetary deficit, but would limit its services and options for the future. 

b)            Amendment to paragraph IV of Positioning Statement. An amendment to the wording of paragraph IV of the Positioning Statement  was proposed by the Chairman and seconded by Councillor Chris Frost. This amendment was carried by the Committee and is detailed in the Committee’s decision below.

c)            Amendment to paragraph V of Positioning Statement. An amendment to the wording of paragraph V of the Positioning Statement  was proposed by Councillor Kate Chinn and seconded by Councillor Lucie Dallen. This amendment was carried by the Committee and is detailed in the Committee’s decision below.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Agreed to amend paragraph IV of the Positioning Statement attached as Annex 1 to the report, to read as follows:

IV.       That the current and planned disposal of land and estate buildings, even to fund improvements be halted, in order to accommodate additional health and related services for the residents of Epsom and Ewell and East Surrey. The sale of any such fixed assets of the Estate is not sustainable and will serve to limit the services and options for the future.

(2)          Agreed to amend paragraph V of the Positioning Statement attached as Annex 1 to the report, to read as follows:

V.        Support and make representations to Surrey and Borders Partnership to open a unit for people presenting in crisis with acute mental health needs within the Borough and East Surrey.  The current concentration of mental health facilities at St Peter’s Hospital and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The purpose of this report is to request permission to undertake Home from Hospital pilot project for a period of a year commencing on the 1st October 2018.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Agreed that a Home from Hospital pilot project be undertaken for a period of one year commencing on 1st October 2018.

The Committee received a report proposing that the Council participate in a 1 year pilot of a Home from Hospital project, commencing on 1 October 2018. This would require the Council to transport some patients from hospital to their home following their discharge, or meet them at their home, and provide short-term intensive support to enable them to access the Council’s existing range of services such as Transport from home, Meals at home, Shopping service, Community alarm +, Handyman service and Disabled Facilities Grants.

Officers informed the Committee that the pilot provided an opportunity to showcase the Council’s services to the Clinical Commissioning Group, and a platform for future commissioning opportunities. The service would be managed within existing resources and would be brought back to the Committee for further consideration if an extension beyond the 1 year pilot was proposed. A legal agreement between the Council and CCG would be produced if the Committee granted its approval, and this would be worded to ensure that the Council did not adopt responsibility for patients’ health care.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Agreed that a Home from Hospital pilot project be undertaken for a period of one year commencing on 1st October 2018.

To review the provision of cafes in parks and open spaces.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Approved the proposals for provision of cafes in parks as set out in section 6 of the report.

(2)          Agreed that once applications are received and the initial review process is complete that the final decision on preferred operators be delegated to the Head of Operational Services in consultation with the Chairman of the Community and Wellbeing Committee.

The Committee received a report reviewing the provision of cafes in parks and open spaces, and proposing suitability and viability considerations which would be taken into account when evaluating future applications.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Review of existing provision. Officers had reviewed both Council operated café facilities and privately owned and managed facilities within Council parks/open spaces to provide a comprehensive understanding of the options available. The review had focussed on Bourne Hall café (Council operated) and Auriol Park café (privately owned and managed), and the report detailed the arrangements for both of these sites.

b)            Considerations for future proposals. The Committee noted the considerations which would be taken into account when evaluating future applications, including: the length of lease to ensure viability of the operation versus the protection of the Council’s asset; additional permissions required (such as planning consent or approval from Fields in Trust); provision/upkeep of sheltered seating; provision/upkeep of toilet facilities; pressure to provide more/improved facilities, activities or events. It was noted that proposals for new fixed café facilities would only be accepted for temporary structures which could be removed if the business discontinued for any reason. If a viable proposal for a permanent fixed café facility were received, it would be presented to the Committee for consideration.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Approved the proposals for provision of cafes in parks as set out in section 6 of the report.

(2)          Agreed that once applications are received and the initial review process is complete that the final decision on preferred operators be delegated to the Head of Operational Services in consultation with the Chairman of the Community and Wellbeing Committee.

This report provides a list of all the Key Priority Targets for 2018 to 2019.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Agreed its Key Priority Targets for 2018 to 2019 as detailed in Annex 1 of the report and outlined in paragraph 2.1 of the report.

Members received a report that provided a list of Key Priority Targets relevant to the Community and Wellbing Committee in relation to the corporate priorities of “Keeping our Borough clean and green”, “Managing our Resources” and “Supporting businesses and the local economy”.

The report outlined that delivery of the Corporate Plan would be captured in the performance reports detailing what would be done, what the Key Priority Targets were and how these would be measured. Progress would be reported directly to members via Members’ Update but all targets would continue to be reported for scrutiny to the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny Committee.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Agreed its Key Priority Targets for 2018 to 2019 as detailed in Annex 1 of the report and outlined in paragraph 2.1 of the report.

This report sets out a work plan for the next Municipal Year.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Noted the forward plan for items.

The Committee received a report setting out a work plan for the next municipal year. The following matter was noted:

a)            Review of Home from Hospital Pilot. Members noted that a review of the Home from Hospital pilot project would be reported to a future meeting of the Committee if it was proposed that the project continue beyond its initial period of 1 year.

Following consideration of the report, the Committee:

(1)          Noted the forward plan for items.

The Committee is asked to consider whether it wishes to pass a resolution to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Resolved to pass a resolution to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3  of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Resolved to pass a resolution to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3  of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

This report has not been published because the meeting is likely to be closed to the press and public in view of the nature of the business to be transacted/nature of the proceedings.  The report deals with information relating to the business affairs of the Council and the public interest in maintaining the exemption currently outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Noted the use of the charging protocols for 2017-18.

(2)          Agreed to the continued use of these protocols

The Committee received a report describing the use of charging protocols for the Council’s Venues during the 2017-18 year. The following matter was considered:

a)            Number of discounted bookings at each venue. Following a question from a member of the Committee regarding the number of discounted bookings at each venue, it was noted that officers would provide further information following the meeting.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Noted the use of the charging protocols for 2017-18.

(2)          Agreed to the continued use of these protocols