Agenda and draft minutes

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no public questions.

Draft minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday, 3 October 2024 for approval and signing by the Chair.

Resolved (unanimously): That the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 3 October 2024 be approved as a correct record.

The latest Notice of Executive Decisions January 2025 is on the Council’s website.

The Notice of Executive Decisions was presented for information.

The latest Notice of Executive Decisions January 2025 was accessible on the Council’s website.

Resolved – That the Notice of Executive Decisions be noted.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Finance.

The Executive Member (Resources) presented a report setting out the draft budget position for the Council 2025/26 and the forecast for 2026/27, reflecting information contained within the Provisional Local Government Financial Settlement announced on 18 December 2024.

The report explained that the figures in the report were subject to receipt of the Final Local Government Financial Settlement announcement which due from Government in early February 2025.

The Executive Cabinet had agreed the budget proposals for public consultation as follows:

·         A proposed 2.99% increase in council tax in 2025/26;

·         A forecast balanced budget for 2025/26 (based on a 2.99% increase in council tax, as noted above);

·         A forecast budget shortfall for 2026/27 of £1.932mill, to be addressed through the development and delivery of the council’s Fit for the Future transformation programme, although it is acknowledged that a significant level of uncertainty prevails around this figure following publication of the ‘Local Authority Funding Reform: Objectives and Principles’ consultation paper, which outlines the government’s intent to redistribute funding through a fair funding review and business rates reset;

·         The Executive Cabinet’s proposals for investment in respect of the Council’s Corporate Priorities. These include investment in Chorley town centre and in leisure centres.

A question was asked as regards contingency planning for the forecast budget shortfall and for example if the Lancashire Business Rates pool does not continue. The Executive Member (Resources) agreed that the shortfall demonstrates the scale of the challenge for 2026/27. Although it was not expected that the shortfall would be that high, it was important for the Council to explore efficiencies in the Council e.g. shared services and generate income streams e.g. town centre investments.

The new government had indicated a willingness to move to multi year settlements, however there would be other commitments to address first.

A question was asked about council tax debt and support for residents struggling financially. The Executive Member (Resources) explained that even though the additional 1% on council tax increase to 2.99% would only generate £81,000 for 2025/26 it is part of the Budget Plan to avoid greater increases in subsequent years. He was confident, however that support was in place for residents getting into debt e.g. social prescribing service.

The Committee welcomed the proposed introduction of weekly food waste collections and requested that this be promoted widely.

That Chair thanked the Executive Member (Resources) for his attendance.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

Councillor Margaret France will report to the Committee.

Councillor Margaret France gave a verbal update on the Lancashire Heath and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee meetings she had attended.

Meeting 30 October 2024

The main item for discussion was Review of Adult Social Care, particularly waiting lists, some of which were a major concern. Councillor France related assessment waiting times for various different categories, including reassessments which were -

Occupational therapy – 2, 622 waited more than 28 days

Deprivation of liberty safeguards – longest wait over 1,247 days (approx..4 years) 

Older people and physical disabilities – longest wait 441 days

Learing disabilities and autism – longest wait 1785 days

Mental health - longest wait 142 days

Councillor France clarified that following publication of the report, it was highlighted that 19 people had contributed to the highest waiting time figures, usually because they required complex, multi-disciplinary assessments. However, she stressed that it must be extremely difficult for those individuals and families concerned.

Councillor France explained that some of the challenges faced by adult social care included lack of staff / resources and recruitment and retention issues. There would be another review on twelve months.

Meeting 13 December 2024

The main topic of discussion was urgent and emergency care hospital admissions avoidance.

There had been successful use of “virtual wards” where a person would stay at home, receive nurse visits and keep in touch which their consultant/doctor via video link technology. There were now 373 virtual ward beds in Lancashire and South Cumbria with approximately 17,000 people a year going through the virtual wards.

There were also still challenges with achieving patient discharges from hospital beds due to lack of social care provision.

Councillor France also referred to the new hospitals programme consultation which had now been put on hold since the meeting.

Resolved – That the update be noted.

Web Links to Agendas, Reports and Minutes for these meetings can be found on the Lancashire County Council website:

30 October 2024

13 December 2024

(Councillors Sarah Ainsworth and Pauline McGovern left the meeting during the above item).

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Change and Delivery.

The Executive Member (Health, Wellbeing and Partnerships) presented a report providing updates on the Equality Strategy, equality objectives, detail how the Council complies with its legal duties under the Equality Act 2010, including its Public Sector Equality Duty, and plans to take this agenda forward in the future.

The report indicated that updates on equality, diversity and inclusion work currently being undertaken and future plans to fulfil our legal duty had been separated into the improvement modules in the Local Government Association’s Equality Framework for Local Government, as follows:

·         Understanding and Working with your Communities

·         Leadership and Organisational Commitment

·         Responsive Services and Customer Care

·         Diverse and Engaged Workforce

The report then gave examples of the Council’s work under each of the improvement modules, including:

Understanding and Working with your Communities

A data sharing platform with partners which will be used to gain valuable insights about our people and places so that we can allocate resources and deliver targeted initiatives to those that will benefit most. Borough profiles had also been created to provide a deeper understanding of the demographics and protected characteristics groups within Chorley.

Leadership and Organisational Commitment

We work with other partners to support residents in our community, such as the Chorley and South Ribble Partnership to share intelligence, respond to new opportunities and challenges and maximise the use of resources to get the best outcomes for our residents.

Responsive Services and Customer Care

Accessibility to specialist toilets and changing facilities for disabled people such as facilities at the Town Hall close to the Council Chamber / committee meeting rooms and at Chorley Bus station.  

Diverse and Engaged Workforce

To help promote a diverse workforce, we have implemented a new Eploy recruitment system and website (https://jobs.chorleysouthribble.gov.uk/) to enhance customer experience and help recruit the best talent. The recruitment website meets accessibility standards and uses blind shortlisting during the application process to reduce unconscious bias. We are currently a sponsored employer for UK visa sponsorship, are signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant enabling us to be a ‘forces friendly’ Council and are a disability confident employer which offers all disabled people an interview who satisfy the essential job criteria

A number of issues were raised from the Committee’s discussion, including:

-       That the Council raise awareness / promote the locations of specialist facilities for disabled people 

-       The application of social value included as part of the procurement process (e.g. in major projects such as Tatton Gardens)

-       The Committee welcomes the support as an employer for diverse groups such as disabled and neurodiverse people

The Chair thanked The Executive Member (Health, Wellbeing and Partnerships) for her attendance.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Property and Planning.

The Executive Member (Economic Development and Public Service Reform) presented a report providing an overview of Civica Property Management (CPM), focusing on its current implementation within the council and the benefits it delivers in supporting the council’s property management functions.

Arising from the report, the following issues / queries were made:

-       Are we still paying united utilities bill for Chorley markets?

-       As regards the new financial system – is there a cost for transfer from civica to non civica system?

-       Moor Road Allotments – ownership / access to allotments. (It might be council are freeholders and they are leaseholders)

-       Ward descriptions on CPM – needs updating.

The Executive Member (Economic Development and Public Service Reform) agreed responses would be provided outside the meeting.

The Chair thanked the Executive Member (Economic Development and Public Service Reform) for attending.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The current Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2024/25 attached for information.

Members considered the updated Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2024/25.

The Committee was informed that updates would soon be provided to the Executive Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the previous Task and Finish Groups i.e. Empty Properties and Recruitment and Staff Retention.

Resolved - That the update be noted.

Suicide Bereavement and Prevention Task and Finish Group

The Vice Chair, Councillor Arjun Singh will present the final report to the Committee (to follow).

Review of Overview and Scrutiny Task and Finish Group

A verbal update from the Chair, Councillor Sarah Ainsworth.

Suicide Bereavement and Prevention Task Group

Councillor Michelle Beach informed the Committee that this Task Group had just completed its final report and would be considered at the Executive Cabinet in February.

Following completion of this review, LCC Public Health will provide a further update in relation to data suicide rates in Chorley, as well as additional information as requested at Recommendation 4 to inform a more targeted approach between the Council and its partners.

Resolved – That the report be recommended for consideration at Executive Cabinet.

Review of Overview and Scrutiny Task Group

Councillor Michelle Beach informed the Committee that the Task Group met on 11 December 2024 to discuss a scope for the review. Its aims and objectives were to:

• To review the effectiveness of scrutiny
• To review the structure and operation of scrutiny in Chorley
• Establish how can scrutiny be improved / ensure it is the best it can be

The Task Group expressed interest in interviewing the Leader of the Council, Chief Executive and Ed Hammond from Centre for Governance and Scrutiny.

The Task Group intends to meet again in February and hopes to complete this review by the end of the municipal year.

Resolved - That the update be noted.

There was no urgent business.