Agenda and minutes

 (NB: In accordance with the Council’s Constitution the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of

this Committee must be a County Councillor).

RESOLVED that Councillor  A Saywell be elected Chair and Councillor L Hellyer  be elected Vice Chair for the ensuing year.  

Items which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

To note the Committee’s Terms of Reference:

·         To receive briefings from and discuss with the relevant Locality Development Officer (who will act as Lead Officer to the Committee) and with other officers as necessary specific service and community issues and projects within the district and to make recommendations to the Cabinet on appropriate action.

·         To improve information and communication with the public about its access to County Council services in the area and to monitor its performance in the delivery of these services.

·         To develop and ensure effective partnership working with the City, District or Borough

Council (as the case may be) and other partners in the discharge of local functions.

·         To undertake any additional responsibilities and allocate budgets which may be delegated by the Cabinet from time to time.

·         To consider, if required, any grant or award proposed by individual members from locality budget funds allocated by the Cabinet in line with the Locality Budget Operating Principles (set out at in the Council’s Constitution Part 3).

·         To express a vision for the areas reflecting cohesion principles and community views, demonstrate understanding of the make-up of the community and champion the participation of under-represented groups and promote integration of different groups.

·         To administer those educational trusts in the Committee’s area for which the County Council is Trustee.

The Committee noted its Terms of Reference as detailed in the County Council’s constitution available at: http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=416&MId=2487&Ver=4&info=1

Presentation by James Jarroudi (Torridge District Council) and Chris Broadbent (SW Youth Games Board Member), papers attached 

(Councillor T Inch declared a personal interest in this item in view of his membership of the local Rotary Club)

The Committee received  a presentation from Mr C Broadbent (SW Youth Games, Chief Executive)  and supported by Mr J Jarroudi (Torridge District Council) covering:

·         a history of the Games launched in 1999 as an Olympic-style county-wide competition

·         establishment of a charitable Trust as a driving seat for this expanding annual event, raising financial donations and sponsorship;

·         developments and progress during 2015 – 17 including Cornwall joining the games and the first satellite event;

·         ambitions for 2018 and future challenges; 

·         the adoption of a collaborative approach within local government, national governing bodies with a shared vision and purpose;

·         request for support in-line with the Council’s objectives;

·         the objective to promote inclusion and participation irrespective of ability or gender and to inspire young people; and the 

·         challenging background relating to obesity, mental health/depression and general health and wellbeing and the transformative effects of regular physical fun exercise and sport. 

Further information was available at www.southwestyouthgames.co.uk

Members’ questions and comments related to:

·         the limited participation of Torridge teams in previous youth games relating to cost and travel expenses;

·         the extent of youth participation in sports in the District associated  with local clubs for example rowing (including gig rowing), rugby and other Torridge sports clubs;

·         the withdrawal of funding from Torridge and North Devon District Councils (approximately 4 years ago) for the Games in view of the expenses involved (including travel to Exeter or Plymouth) and nature of the event at that time which had focussed on ability and performance and the need to avoid duplication in view of the local activities available; and

·         the current dedicated officer support from Torridge District Council for the Games from a newly appointed graduate apprentice.

The Chairman thanked Mr Broadbent for his presentation and suggested that he continued to liaise with the District Council and with Councillor Parsons in his capacity as a member of the County Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board. 

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor Parsons has requested that the Committee consider this matter

(Councillors M Durkin (Northam Town Council) and P Hackett (Torridge District Council) attended under Standing Order 25 and spoke at the invitation of the Committee)

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor Parsons had requested that the Committee consider the impact of National Health Service policies and closure of all inpatient Community hospital beds in the Torridge District.

 Members’ comments related to:

·         rural depopulation, general neglect of services across Northern Devon, lower life expectancy in rural and coastal towns, as well as poor communications and lower wage levels;

·         the loss of community hospital inpatient beds and additional pressures at North Devon Hospital and implications of another harsh winter, service reductions in the Maternity Unit, pressures on Health Visitor and community midwifery services and the school nurse service;

·         the implications of Cornwall NHS Trust being made the subject of special measures 

·         the need for national NHS standards in terms of equality of access to good quality services; and

·         the implications of inward migration of older retirees and demographic trends and additional pressures and challenges for Adult Social Care and domiciliary services.  

Members discussed how such issues could be addressed through County and District Council members working together to identify a way forward for report to a future meeting. 

[N.B. more information of the County Council’s work in addressing these issues with the Devon’s Clinical Commissioning Groups and NHS Health Trusts via the Council’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee (and its Standing Group Reports on the Sustainability and Transformation Plan for Wider Devon) was available at http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=429&Year=0]

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor B Parsons has requested that the Committee consider this matter

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor Parsons had requested that the Committee consider this item.

Councillor Parsons outlined this new approach using Purposeful Systems Thinking focusing on people (to be empowered and enabled)  and not operations, working across  all services, producing a ‘flatter’ and more responsive organisation. This approach would be rolled out following the recent successful test of change pilots.

He also referred to the developing Community Strategy for Devon and the four guiding principles that would influence the Council’s work:

·         Connection (connected, resilient and safe communities);

·         Control (people and communities that are empowered);

·         Equity (understanding and responding to our communities); and

·         Working differently (doing things differently, efficiently and effectively).

Seven action areas had been identified that would support the vision of “flourishing people and communities that are strong, kind, compassionate and safe”

·         Volunteering;

·         Community spaces;

·         Communications and engagement

·         Role development

·         Data intelligence and evaluation

·         Commissioning

·         Businesses and the economy

Updates would be submitted to a future meeting.

In accordance with Standing Order 23(2) Councillor Saywell has requested that the Committee consider this matter

Briefing Note by Connecting Devon and Somerset,  attached

The Committee received a Briefing Note by the Connecting Devon and Somerset Programme Board on delivery of superfast broadband in the Torridge District. There were currently 34,648 premises (homes and businesses) in the Torridge District and to date an estimated 31,365 premises had gained access to or were planned to have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2019. The Note outlined the Government’s targets and the CDS Programme Board’s role, its member composition including the two County Councils and District Councils) future plans and broadband speed definitions. 

The Chairman reported that he was a Member of a Task Group reporting to the County Council’s Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee (papers  available at http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=427&Year=0) looking at  superfast broadband and mobile phone connectivity across the County. He was happy to raise other Members’ views and issues with the Task Group.

An opportunity for Members to update the Committee on community initiatives and responses to service changes in their own division.

The Chairman reported that he had raised his concerns over closure of roads for Christmas festivals and associated street lighting decorations with Officers in view of recent charging policy changes.

1 March 2018, 19 June 2018, 16 October 2018 and 26 February 2019

Please use link below for County Council Calendar of Meetings:  http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1

1 March 2018, 19 June 2018, 16 October 2018 and 26 February 2019

[link for the County Council Calendar of Meetings:  http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1]

The Council/Cabinet Forward Plan and the Scrutiny Work Programme are available for

inspection by using the links below, in the event that the Committee may wish to provide

evidence to specific Task Groups or otherwise comment upon specific areas of activity to

the appropriate Scrutiny Committee or the Cabinet.

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgPlansHome.aspx?bcr=1

The Committee noted that Council/Cabinet Forward Plan and the Scrutiny Work Programme  was available at: http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgPlansHome.aspx?bcr=1