Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Dawood (Leicester City Council), Mr A.D. Bailey CC and Mr J.G. Coxon CC (Leicestershire County Council) and Councillor P. Golden (Rutland County Council).

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business on the agenda and/or declare that Section 106 of the Local Government Fianance Act 1992 applies to them.

The following members declared general personal and non-prejudicial interests: -

            Councillor Hall             - Employee of University Hospitals Leicester City

Ms. B. Newton CC- One son employed by Leicestershire Partnership Trust and the other son employed by University Hospitals Leicester.

The minutes of the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Joint Health Scrutiny Committee held on 24 September 2007 are attached and the Committee is asked to confirm them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

that the Minutes of the meeting held on 24^th September 2007, as previously circulated, be agreed as correct record, subject to the following amendments: -

Delete Councillor Dawood from the Members Present

Delete Mr A. Bailey CC and Mr W. Liquorish CC from Apologies for Absence

Add Mr P.A. Hyde CC to Apologies for Absence.

The Town Clerk to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with Leicester City Council’s procedures.

The Town Clerk reported that no petitions had been received in accordance with Leicester City Council’s procedures.

The Town Clerk to report on the receipt of any questions, representations or statements of case submitted in accordance with Leicester City Council’s procedures.

The Town Clerk reported that no questions, representations or statements of case had been submitted in accordance with Leicester City Council’s procedures.

Dr Jocelyn Foster, Foundation Trust Project Director, Leicestershrie Partnership NHS Trust (LPT),  submits a briefing note outlining the background to, and timetable for, the LPT’s application for foundation status.

Prof. Antony Sheehan, Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), attended the meeting to outline the background to, and the timetable for, the LPT’s application for foundation status. A briefing note was circulated with the Agenda papers.

Prof. Sheehan stated that there were four good reasons for the LPT to become a Foundation Trust: -

i)                   Financial flexibility to utilise funding more strategically

ii)                 Would be examined explicitly on programmes and procedures

iii)               Benefit of membership based organisation. Members would have say as to what was done

iv)                Survival as an organisation.

Prof. Sheehan stated that he wanted to have a locally run service. Should LPT not pursue the option of foundation status then it would be vulnerable to a takeover and then likely to be run from elsewhere in the country. As a foundation trust the trust would be a partnership and, if the trust bid was successful, the LPT would become a foundation trust in 2009.

Reference was made by the Committee to the ‘Members and Governance ‘ section of the briefing note (para.4b), and whether candidates were being sought at this stage to sit on the Council of Governance as it was felt that there was a need to establish first that each local authority would be left to determine whether their member was an elected member or an officer.

A further question from Members related to a recent press article that referred to companies that leased equipment to Health Trusts and who had expressed concerns should Trusts become insolvent.

Prof. Sheehan stated that his view of the process was that it would allow the LPT to be more transparent and more accountable to the public. Regarding Members and Governance the LPT were looking to agree the principle of the arrangements but wanted to ensure that local authorities were comfortable with the arrangements and it was envisaged that the local authorities would select their representative.

Prof. Sheehan further stated that the accounts of the LPT were currently being scrutinised and these would be shared. LPT was an asset-based organisation and details of the assets held would also be shared. Members of the Committee expressed a desire to share the plans of the proposed consultation planned by the LPT, utilising experience gained in local government. Prof. Sheehan welcomed this request.

Prof. Sheehan stated that, regarding leased equipment, this might be an issue for LPT, but was less of an issue than in some other trusts. LPT would need to monitor their leasing contracts and assess risks.

For clarification it was stated that, in response to a question regarding increasing elected member representation from local authorities, that the public membership of the Council of Governance would also have to be increased to maintain the required public membership majority. Members accepted that to increase the membership of the Council of Governors beyond a certain level would make it unwieldy.

Members questioned how the transition to foundation trust status would affect the partnership between service users and carers of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

Professor Antony Sheehan, Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, will give a presentation on the five year vision for the Trust.

INFORMATION FAIR

PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS OF SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES YOU CAN TALK TO AT THIS MEETING.

- You can raise matters of concern, give any opinions and find out information which may be of use.

- Ward Councillors and General Information

Talk to your local Councillors or raise general queries.

- Customer Services

Speak to officers about what the Council’s Customer Services can offer.

- Housing and Housing Repairs

Speak with officers who can provide advice with local Council housing matters.

- Building Cleaning

Speak to officers responsible for cleaning of communal areas in Council owned accommodation.

- Grounds Maintenance (TBC)

Speak to officers who are responsible for the maintenance of hedges, grass verges and trees.

- Anti Social Behaviour

Find out about the services which are available to deal with anti social behaviour problems.

- Domestic Violence

Officers will be promoting awareness of domestic violence services.

- Community and Healthy Living Centres

Find out about what facilities / services are available in Community and Healthy Living Centres.

PARTNER AGENCIES

- Police

Raise any matters of concern with local Police Officers.

- Youth Council

Meet local representatives from the local Youth Council and find out about the work they do.

- Leicester City Local Involvement Network (LINk)

Find out about the work of the Local Involvement Network, which seeks to have more public involvement in the development of local health services.

- Special Olympics

Representatives will be present to promote the Olympics.

- Sure Start

Find out about the services available from the local Sure Start.

- Beaumont Sports Complex Consortium

Find out details about the proposals for a range of new sports and leisure facilities in Beaumont Park.

Tim Rideout, Chief Executive of the Leicester City Primary Care Trust and Next Stage Review Lead for Leicestershire will give a presentation which follows on from the item, “Post Pathways Service Configuration,” given at the last meeting of the Committee.

The Service Director (Environmental Services) submitted a report that required Members to determine an application for a new premises licence for Victoria 203 Limited – 203 Melton Road, Leicester LE4 6QT. 

Members noted that representations had been received in respect of this application, which necessitated that the application for a new premises licence had to be considered by Members.

Naresh Sharma, the designated premises supervisor, Victoria 203 was present at the meeting. An Officer from Leicester City Council’s Noise Control, was also present along with an Officer from the Leicester City Council’s Licensing Unit and a Legal Officer. A resident who had also made representation was not present at the meeting.

The Licensing Officer presented the report and evidence was heard from all parties present. It was noted that representations had been made on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, public safety and the protection of children from harm. 

The Officer from Noise Control explained that complaints had been received from residents over the level of noise that emanated from the premises. The Panel heard that as part of the live music, a large drum was used and it was harder to control the level of noise from a drum than from amplified music. Officers were concerned that the building had not been adapted to cope with such levels of noise.  The meeting heard that the applicant did not have planning permission for the requested extension to the licensable activities. The panel were therefore requested that if an extension to licensing activities was granted, a note should be attached to the licence to remind the applicant that he would also need to apply for planning permission for any such additional hours.

The applicant explained that they were trying to reduce noise levels at the premises and some of the windows had been triple glazed. The applicant acknowledged that a complaint in respect of noise levels had been received since the triple glazing had been installed, but he felt that this was a rare incident.  The applicant added that he welcomed assistance from the Noise Team in setting the sound levels at the premises.

In reaching their decision, Members felt they should deliberate in private on the basis that this was in the public interest, and as such outweighed the public interest of their deliberation taking place with the parties represented present.

All parties then left the meeting.

Members then gave the application full and detailed consideration.

All parties then returned to the meeting.

RESOLVED:

that the application be granted, subject to the conditions consistent with both the operating schedule and the representation, as set out in Appendix C of the report, as attached to the agenda. Members also agreed the following additional conditions:

1)     licensable activities to cease at 23.30pm on Sunday – Thursday and 00.30 hours Friday – Saturday.

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The Chair declared the meeting closed at 4.12pm.