Agenda and minutes

Mr Cook advised the Committee that corrections had been requested to the date of the additional Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee (paragraph 21 – July replaced with November)

Members noted corrections for paragraphs 16 and 18 (spelling).

RESOLVED that subject to the corrections being noted, that the minutes were an accurate record of the meeting on 19^th May and that they be signed by the Chairman.

1.            Mr Harrison introduced the Flood Risk Management Committee’s Annual Report, commenting that he grateful to the officers for producing such a good document.  Mr Harrison explained that Mr Tait, the Committee Clerk, was unable to attend.  Mr Harrison commented on the excellent work and support Mr Tait provided to the Committee.  Mr Harrison summarised the work undertaken by the Committee in 2014/15, stating that it had conducted two site visits and held three meetings.  He then invited the attending officers to update the Scrutiny Committee further.

2.            Mr Harwood, Resilience Manager, explained that the work undertaken by the committee could be viewed as responding to a year of two halves.  The first area focused on was that of the Member oversight role – debriefing on very bad weather conditions experienced in the winter of 2013/14.  This featured advising Members on the lessons learned and what action the Resilience Team had taken to ensure the relevant actions were completed as a result.  The second area of focus was how best to move on from the 2013/14 winter.  This featured innovation work undertaken and considered by the committee; Coastal Flooding, livestock care improvements (including an Evacuation guide for livestock) and notably the ‘what to do in an emergency’ guidebook that was developed to ensure communities would be better able to respond to future extreme weather situations.

3.            A Member commented that the flood defence work undertaken in Sandwich was an excellent development. Mr Harrison advised the Committee that Sandwich had won three awards for civic engineering in relation to the flood defence work.

4.            Responding to a question from Members about the Yalding flood barrier, Mr Tant explained that the Environment Agency had committed to assist in funding development for Yalding flood defences with an expected eight year project term (three years of project development and risk analysis followed by five years construction implementation).  KCC would be contributing £205k toward the project, on which a full report was expected in late summer 2015.  Mr Tant explained that the Environment Agency was still working on the analysis but the complexity of the subject made it a lengthy process.

5.            Members praised the work of the Resilience Forum in developing the emergency guidance leaflet and asked whether there were further plans to publicise the ongoing flood risk mitigation work.  Mr Harrison agreed that the Resilience Forum had done an excellent job and asked that Members promote the Forum in their divisions.  Mr Harrison also highlighted that the Regional Flood Defence Committee would be meeting at County Hall on the 29^th July 2015.

6.            In response to a Member question relating to drainage investment and works, the Chairman invited Mr Balfour, as Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport, to join the meeting.  Mr Balfour explained that drainage work was ongoing, with a constant flow of issues that needed addressing.  He clarified that this was normal business and to be expected of such a broad service that is vulnerable to uncontrollable external factors, such as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

1.            Mr Hotson, as Chairman of the Commissioning Advisory Board (CAB), explained the background to the issue being brought to Scrutiny, commenting that attempts have been made to hold informal briefing sessions with Group Leaders.

2.            Mr Hotson provided a broad overview of the current situation and background to the Commissioning Advisory Board, explaining that it had been developed in response to the Commissioning Select Committee report in May 2014, subsequently endorsed by County Council.  The Leader of the Council had asked Mr Hotson to lead a cross-party working group to consider how best to implement the recommendations developed by the Select Committee.  This cross-party working group created a plan for carrying forward the recommendations.  Following discussions with the Leader of the Council, it was agreed that a strong approach was required to deliver the required to change KCC into a Strategic Commissioning Authority.

3.            Mr Hotson explained that when CAB was formed with full Terms of Reference in October 2014, the Phase 1 Commissioning transition was already underway, meaning that CAB had a great deal of work to manage in a short space of time.  Since its formation CAB has held 13 meetings and will have had 18 by the time is reaches the end of its planned 12 month programme, at which point its performance and format will be reviewed to consider the best method of continuing appropriate Member involvement in the consideration of Commissioning.  Mr Hotson confirmed that all the meetings of CAB were very well attended from all parties and that the meetings were intensive and strenuous, requiring careful consideration of complex issues.  In particular, Mr Hotson noted that CAB had demonstrated the benefits of developing closer working relationships between Members and Officers.  Mr Hotson further commented all Members of CAB have enthusiastically undertaken all the extra work involved, Mr Vye for example had conducted a significant amount of additional research in support of CAB’s consideration of the Youth Service contract.

4.            In terms of future planning, Mr Hotson explained that Commissioning was such a huge subject, it was impossible for even a very dedicated group like CAB to handle in its entirety.  This was also taking into account the fact that CAB was not a decision making body, only responsible for considering commissioning plans and contracts and making recommendations and referrals.  Mr Hotson’s opinion was that as KCC shifts more toward Strategic Commissioning, new working practices would be required to manage the new processes involved.

5.            Mr Hotson clarified that the 12 month period for which CAB had been established would soon end and the Board would be up for review.  He was keen for CAB to start considering its own future and how KCC could manage commissioning appropriately in the future.  It was Mr Hotson’s opinion that the Commissioning workload was too great for Cabinet Committees in their current format and meeting cycles which would not provide sufficient frequency or focus.  Mr Hotson explained that CAB would be working on plans to develop what  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.

RESOLVED that the Committee agree that the Corporate Parenting Select Committee report to County Council be deferred; and that the Energy Security Select Committee be constituted pending membership and terms of reference agreement.