Agenda and minutes

The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting and went through some general housekeeping arrangements for the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor L L Wiffen and in accordance with notice duly given Councillor M E Thompson was attending as her substitute.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 7 December 2023, (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 7 December 2023 be approved and confirmed.

To disclose the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registrable interests and Non-Registrable Interests relating to items of business on the agenda having regard to paragraph 9 and Appendix B of the Code of Conduct for Members.

(Members are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interests as soon as they become aware should the need arise throughout the meeting).

There were none.

To receive the views of members of the public of which prior notification in writing has been received (no later than noon on the working day the day before the Committee meeting).

Should you wish to submit a question please complete the online form at www.maldon.gov.uk/publicparticipation.

There was none and at this point the Chairperson welcomed Councillor J Driver, an ‘in attendance’ Member, to the meeting.

To receive a presentation from Mr Daniel Doherty, Mid Essex NHS Alliance Director.

The Chairperson introduced the Mid Essex NHS Alliance Director, Mr Daniel Doherty.

Mr Doherty provided Members with a detailed presentation and in response to questions from the Committee, provided the following information:

·        Nationally the full time General Practitioner (GP) to Patient ratio was 1 to 1,727, Integrated Care Board (ICB) was 1 to 2,041 and within the Maldon District was 1 to 2,255.

·        A GP would need to become a certified GP trainer to enable them to provide training to trainee GP’s which could be an obstacle when trying to recruit partners.

·        Using individual data analysts to gather data regarding patients per area could allow for a better demonstration of the need and demand within a given area.

·        There has been a significant move to homebased care and rehabilitation which has resulted in lots of areas looking at their bed configurations.

·        At a meeting held on 9 February 2024 it was stated that there was a need to keep the ambulatory services that St Peters Hospital provides within the District. However, Mr Doherty was unable to answer whether it will remain at St Peters indefinitely.

·        Services such as blood testing and outpatient services will remain at St Peters until a suitable location has been found to relocate them to.

The Chairperson thanked Mr Doherty for attending the meeting for and his detailed presentation.

Mr Doherty’s presentation can be found attached as Appendix 1 and please note that all information within the slides was correct and up to date at the time of the meeting.

To consider the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group (copy enclosed).

The Committee received the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources that that considered concluding two further aspects of this scrutiny workplan item for reference to another Committee or Council.

The Chairperson introduced the report and deferred to the Corporate Governance Project Officer to present the detail. He advised that the matters covered in this report had received detailed consideration previously at both Overview and Scrutiny Committee (the Committee) and the Overview and Scrutiny Working Group (the Working Group). He reminded Members that the report stemmed from an individual Member scrutiny request together with a reference from Council to look at more robust ways of decision making and controls over decision making. Due to the Constitutional implications of the recommendation, if approved it would need to go to Council via the Performance, Governance and Audit Committee.

He drew Members’ attention to paragraph 3.2.7 of the report which highlighted the work completed by the Working Group following the deferral of the report for further consideration the last time it came to the Committee.

There being no further discussion the Chairperson put the recommendation to the Committee and it was agreed by assent.

RESOLVED that the Committee endorses the proposals for a ‘constitutional intervention or brake’ by way of a deferment, and also for technical briefings/presentations, both as set out in the report, for reference to the Council via the Performance, Governance and Audit Committee to enable consideration of the constitutional implications.

To consider whether, in the light of the report to the last meeting which was accepted and noted, this item can now be removed from the Committee’s Scrutiny Workplan and be kept on a watching brief by the Working Group.

The Chairperson introduced the item and deferred to the Corporate Project Officer to provide further information. He informed the Committee that at the last meeting, an assurance update on this item was received, however, there was no conclusion as to whether to keep the item on the Scrutiny Workplan or for it to be kept on a watching brief.

The Chairperson proposed that in the light of the report to the last meeting, which was accepted and noted, this item could now be removed from the Committee’s Scrutiny Workplan and be kept on a watching brief by the Working Group which was duly seconded. The Chairperson put the proposal to the Committee and it was agreed.

RESOLVED that this item now be removed from the Committee’s Scrutiny Workplan and kept on a watching brief by the Working Group

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources which would be presented to the Council to give an annual update on the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairperson introduced the report and the Corporate Governance Project Officer explained the background and highlighted that the report was largely factual and contained within Appendix A.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the last two items of the annual report as detailed in the Appendix, which would be updated following this meeting. These were two scrutiny request items from Members which in line with the agreed process have been received and considered by the Working Group but had not as yet been reported to the Committee, and no decision reached as to whether they should be added to its scrutiny workplan.

With the housing item raised by Councillor Stephens, the Working Group had received informative and explanatory responses at its last meeting but felt that these needed to be gone through with the relevant Officers present, and this will hopefully be done at the Working Group’s next meeting.

On the Corporate Project – Land Acquisition item raised by Councillor Fluker, the Working Group had already received fairly detailed information, but to enable Members to get a more complete understanding of how the project had begun and developed, some further and specific information has been sought from Officers. This would be received at a future meeting of the Working Group.

In both cases, it was recognised that the Committee needed to be made aware of these two items on which the Working Group would report in due course. This was noted.

The Chairperson then moved the recommendation as set out in the report which was duly seconded and when put to a vote was agreed.

RESOLVED that the Committee accepts the proposed annual report for 2023 / 24 for submission to the Council.