Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting. 

No questions were asked under Standing Order 18. 

To receive the minutes of the meetings held on 13^th and 20^th February 2012.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meetings held on 13^th and 20^th February 2012 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Councillor Brian Mattock, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, was in attendance.  Following a position statement in which he summarised performance in respect of the various service areas within his portfolio of responsibility, including his assessment of what he felt had been done well, what might have been done differently and the challenges facing his portfolio, Councillor Mattock responded to members’ and health colleagues’ specific questions and observations on the following topics:

·        commissioning personalisation through personal budgets and the development of a competitive market to facilitate choice of opportunity for individuals in determining the care package that best responds to their needs’ assessment

·        individuals’ responsibility for the management of personal budgets

·        the establishment of new Clinical Commissioning Groups within NHS cluster areas

·        supported employment and the promotion of independence and refurbishment works at Enterprise Works

·        disability service provision, diabetes as a cause of disability and the process of disabled facility grants assessments

·        the monitoring of carers budgets, particularly where the carer “is not the person receiving the support service”

·        communication between SEQOL and the Hospital Trust and the consistency and accuracy of messages between and from these organisations

·        weekend staffing resources at the Great Western Hospital and SEQOL

·        staffing levels within the occupational therapy service

·        the cost and value for money of drug and alcohol abuse support services

·        smoking as a primary cause of preventable illness and premature death and the success and measurement of Swindon’s “quitter” programmes

·        adult obesity levels in Swindon and concerns that this is significantly higher than the average for England

·        the funding of the Swindon Warm and Well scheme and the projected total additional scheme accruing from the income maximisation process

·        the availability and standard of diabetes services available through general practices

·        “legal high” drugs and work to combat their availability

·        the merging of children’s and adult social care services under the new “stronger together” structure

·        the impact of Homeline and Careline referrals on the Adult Social Care budget and the resourcing of the control room

·        Local Authorities’ public health service strategic responsibilities

·        the role of the Cabinet Member as an “opinion leader”

 It was agreed that information requested by members during the course of the Committee’s consideration of this item be forwarded to members via the Committee Clerk.

            Resolved – That Councillor Brian Mattock, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, be thanked for attending the meeting and for his full and open responses to members' questions on service areas and issues within his portfolio of responsibility.

Councillor Nick Martin, Cabinet Member for Streetsmart and Parks, was in attendance.  Following a position statement in which he summarised performance in respect of the various service areas within his portfolio of responsibility, including his assessment of what he felt had been done well, what might have been done differently and the challenges facing his portfolio, Councillor Martin responded to members’ specific questions and observations on the following topics:

·        waste recycling and proposals to achieve the aspiration of a 60% waste recycling rate

·        the aspirations of the proposed “waste to energy” strategy

·        the administration of the members’ “hotline” and the possibility of providing an acknowledgement that a matter has been reported and is being addressed

·        tree planting and guidance for the planting of trees at “safe” distances from property and infrastructure routes in order to avoid problems arising from root growth

·        the gritting of residential roads and the criteria for the placement of “grit bins”, particularly in relation to areas where roads have not been adopted

·        the issue of local residents in some new development areas nationally being required to pay towards the maintenance of designated open spaces

·        the Council’s waste recycling target and the publicising of what constitutes recyclable material

·        the recycling centre and the possibility of new revenue streams from facilitating business trade waste access

·        commercial business leaflet distributions and paper recycling

·        the limited provision of public conveniences

·        waste collections over bank holiday periods

·        service level agreements and specifications for landscape maintenance works

·        tree planting, programmed tree works and emergency works

It was agreed that information requested by members during the course of the Committee’s consideration of this item be forwarded to members via the Committee Clerk.

            Resolved – That Councillor Nick Martin, Cabinet Member for Streetsmart and Parks, be thanked for attending the meeting and for his full and open responses to members' questions on service areas and issues within his portfolio of responsibility.