Agenda, decisions and minutes

To confirm the appointment of a Chair for the Committee.

That Councillor Brian Dunn be confirmed as the Chairman of the Committee.

The Member Engagement Manger advised that it had been confirmed at the Annual Meeting of the County Council that the Chair of the Committee should come from the Independent Alliance Group.  As Councillor Brian Dunn had been appointed to this role by the Group, the Committee was asked to endorse the decision.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Brian Dunn be confirmed as the Chairman of the Committee.

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the Committee

That Councillor Chris Dolphin be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Councillor Andy Dunbobbin nominated Councillor Chris Dolphin as Vice-Chair of the Committee.  This was duly seconded and supported by the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Chris Dolphin be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

Purpose: To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

There were no declarations of interest.

Purpose: To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting.

That  the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2016 were submitted.

Matters arising

Councillor Clive Carver raised a concern regarding the mobile library service in Hawarden.  It was agreed that the Principal Librarian would address the matter  following the meeting. 

RESOLVED:

That  the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

That the Committee supports and endorses the proposals for the Organisational Change Business Plan cost pressures and proposed efficiencies for 2017/18.

The Chief Executive introduced the report which provided an update on the financial forecast for 2017/18 financial year together with the budget pressures and the proposed efficiencies for the Organisational Change Portfolio in the third and final year of the current business planning cycle.  He reminded Members that the original forecast for 2017/18 had set a likely gap between the total spending requirement and anticipated income of £13.7m.  This gap was the total which had to be found in efficiencies, service cost reductions and income growth as part of annual budget planning.  The forecast had been revised at regular intervals, responding to budget developments at national and local levels.  This meant that the latest forecast presented a working deficit of £8.1 m between the forecast gap and the combined total of working, corporate and service portfolio efficiency proposals of £6.3m which could be found. 

The Chief Executive went on to explain that the Cabinet had endorsed the developing portfolio business plans and corporate financial stewardship plans for early consultation with the Overview & Scrutiny Committees.  Two meetings, with Corporate Resources on 16June 2016 and Social & Health Care on 27 June 2016, had already been held.

In continuing the presentation,  the Chief Officer (Organisational Change  1) commented on the efficiencies summary for 2017/18 within the portfolio which amounted to Facilities Management £0.126m;  Property £0.382m and Leisure and Libraries £0.435m, a total of £0.943m.  This was to be achieved by the realisation of a number of efficiency targets, such as the Alternative Delivery Models (ADM) for Facilities Management, Leisure and Libraries.  The Chief Executive commented on the resilience statements which had been provided for each service.  He emphasised to the Committee that going beyond the current proposals would mean unacceptable reductions in service.

An extensive discussion followed during which Members raised a number of concerns and queries which were dealt with as appropriate by the Cabinet Members present or by the Officers. The Chairman welcomed the opportunity for the Overview & Scrutiny Committees to be involved in “early stage” proposals and the questions which Members asked.

Councillor Robin Guest, echoing the “underfunded Council” arguments which had been put forward on a number of occasions, commented that Flintshire was a county of small towns and communities, unlike its nearer neighbour where services were concentrated in one large town. Because of the replication of Council facilities and services across a number of localities, there was a danger that attempts to continue a uniform provision would impair the service for all. He was concerned that  the current model would not succeed indefinitely, which would have a major impact on the area. 

Councillor Guest went on to urge colleagues not to overlook the repercussions of concentrating savings on back office rather than frontline functions because all of those ‘back office’ services  were provided to sustain the whole, and reduction in them has repercussions across the organisation.  He went on to conclude that the savings were based on the Alternative Delivery Models and Community Asset Transfers (CATs) and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

(a)       That the Committee note the progress of Service Development within Property Services and Facilities Management; and

(b)       That further reports back be made in due course.

The Chief Executive gave a progress report for Organisational Change 2 which had within its Portfolio Facilities Management; Design and Property Maintenance and Valuation and Estates Services.  He explained that progress with development of the Alternative Delivery Model for Facilities Management continued to make good progress, with the Transition Board formed,  a Risk Register developed and with initial staff consultation events scheduled for the following month.  The ADM for Facilities Management was an independent trading company with a TECKAL exception to trade.  The advantage to this was that the Company which would be wholly owned by the Council would not be confined to work for the Authority, but could seek work in the commercial sector.

Councillor Mike Reece made a reference to the Asset Transfer of Bagillt Library for which the Chief Executive thanked him, indicating that this would be pursued outside the meeting.   Councillor Clive Carver asked for details of the “intelligent client” approach and went on to seek an update on the Council owned St David’s Park offices which were currently leased to Unilever.  The Chief Executive gave an update.

RESOLVED

(a)       That the Committee note the progress of Service Development within Property Services and Facilities Management; and

(b)       That further reports back be made in due course.

That the Committee endorses the progress of service development within  the Libraries Leisure and Cultural Services.

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change 1), gave an overview and then suggested that the Principal Librarian and Principal Leisure Services Manager should provide an update for their respective areas.  The Principal Librarian commented on the development of a sustainable Libraries infrastructure for the future and work on the designated hub libraries in Mold, Holywell, Connah’s Quay, Deeside Leisure Centre, Buckley and Flint.  For rural libraries the feasibility of Community Asset Transfers was being assessed. 

The Principal Leisure Services Manager detailed the Alternative Delivery Model proposals for Leisure, which included the transfer of Connah’s Quay Swimming Pool and Holywell Leisure Centre with the remainder of the facilities initially being part of the proposed ADM.

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change 1) reported that the theatre was in the second year of making efficiencies which totalled £0.350m through cost reductions, reductions in the number of performances and increases in income.  A sustainable staffing structure with key appointments to Artistic Director and Executive Director had now been put in place.  Within the Museums and Archives Services, it was recognised that these were small scale and were being viewed in terms of regional collaboration.  He emphasised that Flintshire’s Archive Service was recognised as a leader in North Wales and had achieved a formal accreditation which other authorities had not yet reached.

Members went on to ask a number of questions about the approach to digitisation within the Archives service and whether Town & Community Councils had agreed to support the Connah’s Quay pool Cambrian Aquatics initiative.   Councillor Robin Guest referred to the statistics which had been included within the efficiency statement which showed that library membership in Flintshire had increased by 5% over 2 years at a time when overall UK library membership had fallen by 4%.  In addition 99% of library users had rated Flintshire libraries as either good or very good. Both sets of statistics were extremely pleasing

In responding to Members’ questions, the officers thanked Councillor Guest for his comments and explained that whilst there was no further news about Town & Community Council contributions for Connah’s Quay Swimming Pool, Sports Wales had made a grant in the region of £20 – 25k and commented on the feasibility of Big Lottery  Fund funding which would provide capital investment. 

Councillor Chris Dolphin commented that the smaller community councils were currently addressing the issue of the transfer of play areas in their respective areas and that once this had been worked through, they may then be able to consider supporting their local swimming pool and leisure centres financially.

RESOLVED

That the Committee endorses the progress of service development within  the Libraries Leisure and Cultural Services.

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme be approved; and

(b)       That the Member Engagement Manager, in consultation with the Chair

and Vice-Chair be authorised to vary the work programme between meetings.

The Member Engagement Manager introduced the Forward Work Programme and drew attention to the item on ADM Social Care which was to be considered at the next meeting of the Committee on 28 July 2016. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme be approved; and

(b)       That the Member Engagement Manager, in consultation with the Chair

and Vice-Chair be authorised to vary the work programme between meetings.

There were no members of the public or the press in attendance.

(The meeting started at 10.00am and ended at 11.30pm)