Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutes (if any).

Apologies for absence were tabled by Councillors Alan Bell and Judith Skinner.

To sign and confirm the minutes of the last meeting.

The minutes of the previous two meetings were signed.

To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

None Tabled.

To answer any written questions received from members of the public no later than 5 p.m. two clear working days prior to the meeting – for this meeting the deadline is 5 p.m. on Monday 13^th March 2023

None Tabled.

(A report by James Gilbert, Assistant Director – Corporate)

The Scrutiny Officer presented the draft report to committee confirming it was tabled for members’ notation of the scrutiny topics for the 23/24 which the new Council would take forward.  

Members noted the report and acknowledged the work of the Joint Scrutiny and the outcomes achieved to date.

(A report by Sam Knowles, Assistant Director – Finance)

Noting apologies for the Assistant Director – Finance who was scheduled to present the report, the Scrutiny and Procurement Officer, together with the Head of Procurement presented the report supported by the Portfolio Holder.

Committee were advised that the report sought their consideration of the proposed transfer of procurement and contract services into an alternative provider to supply a single streamlined approach to procurement across the Partnership.

Members were advised that each Council in the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership currently operated a different model with regard to its procurement function.  ELDC had a part time procurement officer and some ad-hoc external support.  BBC had an external support contract in place for larger procurement works through Kings Lynn and West Norfolk and SHDC had procurement support provided by Breckland Council.  Coordinating the mixed approach was a part time procurement officer, seconded from ELDC initially, but working across the Partnership until 31^st March 2023.

With the start of the Partnership, it became clear that a single solution for procurement would be needed – both in terms of the ability to deliver projects for all three councils using one process and in terms of the actual processes involved in procuring goods and services. In addition to the above, some Partner Councils had recently received audit recommendations to update policies and processes and to look to align with the rest of the S&ELCP.  Whilst progress had already been made in these areas, a PSPS Procurement & Contracts service would be able to manage those processes together to deliver the required benefits.

In order to facilitate the transfer, there would be a termination of the current arrangements. 

• ELDC – cancellation of ProContract as of 26th January 2023, plus ending of secondment of Procurement Officer as of 31st March 2023;
• SHDC – termination of contract with Breckland – mutually agreed for 31^st March 2023;
• BBC – ending of agreement with KLWN – mutually agreed for 31^st March 2023.

A business case had been received from PSPS which in summary stated that they would develop an in-house Procurement and Contracts service to deliver a single, aligned Procurement service to their 3 Client Councils as well as to PSPS; would ensure a more proactive and compliant procurement function; would support good governance with the expenditure of public funds; would seek efficiencies and alignment of expenditure; would provide best practice procurement advice and would actively support and deal with contract management.

PSPS had indicated that there would be the need for an initial one-off investment to enable implementation of the service, followed by further investment on a revenue basis. Those costs were already part of the budget provision for procurement in this year’s budget papers. Full details can be found at Appendix A to the report.

PSPS had currently not factored in any savings target or income generation into their business case, however it was anticipated that the contract management function within the service was likely to identify and deliver savings through both  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

(A report by Roxane Warrick, Strategic Lead – Prosperous Communities)

The Service Manager for Healthy Living present a summary of the Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy confirming that the Lincolnshire district councils were committed to developing an ambitious agenda for improving health and wellbeing in Lincolnshire and in order to achieve that they were focusing on; a strategic, long-term approach toimproving outcomes; a sense of opportunity and ambition, district collaboration; a holistic view based on social determinants and developing system leadership

The 2021 Health and Care White Paper and establishment via the NHS of Integrated Care Systems (ICS) underlined the vital importance of health and care partners working together to focus on prevention and addressing the wider determinants of health.  Districts had a timely opportunity to directly influence and shape the system approach to tackling wider determinants of health, ensuring services and functions are effectively linked at place and system level to deliver on district priorities.

The Integrated Care Systems were being designed to serve four key purposes: improving population health and healthcare; tackling unequal outcomes and access;  enhancing productivity and value for money and helping the NHS to support broader social and economic development

Districts had sought to address central questions around employment and jobs, place shaping, active and creative places, homelessness and participation in developing the strategy.

The programme of work has been structured in four phases; Diagnostic: benchmarking, governance mapping and system health check; Governance development: focus on most impactful interventions to ensure district involvement in strategic decision making; Development of district health and wellbeing agenda and identification of key next steps and supporting action plan.

Districts had developed the strategy around five ‘lever’ areas in which they were uniquely positioned in the system to influence and could most effectively articulate their offer and work with partners to deliver sustainable change.  The five levers being Housing and homelessness, activity and wellbeing, environment and climate; economic inclusion and working with Communities. 

Committee deliberation followed which included:

Members voiced their appreciation of the quality of the presentation received and stated they felt reassured by the data therein.   Concerns noted the ongoing issues of getting a GP appointment within the Borough with recognition of the national shortage of GP’s and in particular in Lincolnshire.  Further comments agreed the need for school age children to be taught basic cookery skills enabling them to cook from scratch with fresh products to mitigate the ongoing crisis in obesity due to continual use of takeaway and fast food stuffs.  Increased activity across all generations was also noted as a key way forward in addressing physical and mental health benefits. Shine Lincolnshire was also recognised for its support within communities.  

Members noted the ongoing work of the community’s team.

(For Members to note/discuss the Committee’s current work programme)

There were no items to carry over to the new municipal year.