Agenda and minutes

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at the meeting.

The meeting was not webcast on the Council’s website, owing to it not being held in the Council Chamber.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dodds.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item below. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at item below).

There were no such items.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

There were no such declarations.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

There were no such items.

Presentation by James Slater, Haringey TPCT.

The committee received a presentation from James Slater of the Primary Care Trust on the service specification for PMS agreements.  The specifications were designed to ensure that there was a clear relationship between the commissioner and provider.  A draft of the work in progress in this area was tabled for the benefit of the committee.

Members were informed that the PCT would be engaging through LINKS and Practice Patients Groups, with a document due to go to their Board in late November.  The PCT stated that as part of consultation they had visited every GP practice in the borough, and would also be undertaking action to reach out to hard to reach groups.

It was noted that the contract was locally-negotiated, and focussed on the provision of high quality primary care, with the focus on long-term conditions.  Extra resources were being focussed on areas of deprivation.

The committee was assured by the PCT that there were no new plans to involve outside providers in the provisions contained within the service specification.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be noted.

(Report of the Chair of Overview & Scrutiny)  To inform Members of the Committee of proposals to develop services at the Laurels PMS practice and approve the setting up of a small panel of non Executive Members to look at these in detail and respond to the consultation thereon.

The committee received a report informing them of proposals to develop services at the Laurels PMS practice, and approving the setting up of a small panel of non-Executive Members to look at the plans in detail, and to respond to consultation.

Members visited the site in previous weeks, and noted that the out of hours service was due to continue with opening hours of 8am until 8pm.

Members expressed concern over the ‘competitive dialogue’ procurement process, and were informed that this was being carried out in accordance with EU Competition Law.  The PCT agreed to provide information to the committee on this area.

The Chair assured Members that an attempt would be made to allow for local representation on the Review Panel.

RESOLVED:

1. That legal comments be circulated to the committee.

2. That the PCT provide information to the committee on the current position with regards to contestability

3. That the recommendations of the report be agreed

(Report of the Chair of Overview & Scrutiny) To approve the scope and terms of reference for the scrutiny review set up to respond to the proposal by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust to close an acute ward at St. Ann’s Hospital.

The committee received a report to approve the scope and terms of reference for the Scrutiny Review set up to respond to the proposal by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust to close an acute ward at St Ann’s Hospital.

It was noted that the terms of reference and scope of the Panel had been discussed at its meeting of 2^nd September 2008.  These had been agreed, subject to some minor amendments.  However, following the ‘calling in’ of the proposals from NHS London, work on the review had been suspended pending the outcome of this process.  It was noted that NHS London’s policy was to call in all substantial variation consultations.

In terms of other services, it was noted that the Mental Health Trust planned to consult before putting together a full brief for the site. 

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the report be agreed

Briefing from Councillor Dhiren Basu, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture & Lifelong Learning

Members received a briefing and answers to questions provided by the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture & Lifelong Learning.  The Cabinet Member and his Officers also provided clarification to follow-up questions asked orally by Members at the meeting.

Members were assured that initiatives had take place to tackle the issue of small pieces of Council-owned land, and hoped to draw it together in a single piece of work.

Officers stated that the Parks Constabulary worked closely with the Metropolitan Police, with the latter force keen to make use of the Constabulary’s dogs and handlers.  A protocol existed around the sharing of information, although each force utilised its own separate database.  It was noted that the Parks Constabulary was largely funded through the Parks Service, Property Services and the Alexandra Palace & Park Trust.

It was noted that discounted Leisure Centre rates for Haringey staff continued to be Council policy, approved by the Council’s Cabinet. 

Officers were pleased to announce the recent acquisition of additional funding for Jackson’s Lane, and would be working with the centre to retain current funding, and viewing all other options.

RESOLVED:

1.       That Officers provide a redraft answer to Question #3 (waste land), and also draw together information on such areas of land in the borough and provide to Members.

2.       That Members of the committee be provided with an outline note on the level of sports use of the Sixth Form Centre.

3.       That the Cabinet Member provide a redrafted answer to Question 14 (a).

4.       That Members of the committee be provided with a note clarifying the position with regards concessionary rates for Council staff at Leisure Centres.

5.       That Members of the committee be provided with information on the arrangements for the use of Leisure Centres by Looked After Children

6.       That Members be provided with a written breakdown of funding arrangements for the Parks Constabulary.

7.       That the briefing and answers to questions be noted.

(Report of the Director of Adult, Culture and Community Services)  To provide an update to Cabinet on work being undertaken to increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity and reduce inactivity.

The committee was provided with an update on the work being undertaken to increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity, and reduce inactivity.

Officers informed Members that a number of existing and new initiatives were in operation, and that these fitted into some of the Council’s LAA targets.  Members learned that initiatives such as free swimming and HARI-ACTIVE, as well as general awareness and motivation-raising exercises, were helping to target some of the most high profile groups in the East of the borough.

Members were delighted to note an increase in activity overall by 25% between 2006/07 and 2007/08.  Officers assured Members that the Council was engaged on working with private sports clubs and organisations in the borough in promoting physical activity.

RESOLVED:

1.      That as part of an update in six months, Members be provided with an inventory of all sport organisations in the borough, including details of any funding received from the Council.

2.      That the recommendations of the report be agreed.

(Report of the Assistant Director - Culture, Libraries & Learning)  To provide an update on the development of Haringey’s new Cultural Strategy and seek comments on the draft as part of the consultation process.

The committee received an update on the development of Haringey’s new cultural strategy.  The strategy was designed to raise the profile of cultural activity taking place in the borough, and to pull together all of the Council’s current cultural commitments.

Members expressed disappointment that the Strategy was not overlapping with the existing one, which was shortly due to expire.  Officers informed the committee that their approach with the new strategy was designed to strengthen the Council’s existing cultural commitments, engage with providers and consumers in the borough.

RESOLVED:

That the consultation plan be noted and that Members be encouraged to provide comments on the draft Cultural Strategy.

Briefing from Councillor Brian Haley, Cabinet Member for Environment & Conservation.

Members received a briefing and answers to questions provided by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation.  The Cabinet Member and his Officers also provided clarification to follow-up questions asked orally by Members at the meeting.

In response to Member concerns over street cleaning, the Cabinet Members stated that although there may be individual pockets of problems, street cleaning was improving within the borough, with monitoring of dumping and other activities taking place over a regular period.

Officers requested that Members inform them of concerns over specific areas of items of street clutter.  It was stated that reviews of all signs took place during the process of converting an area to a CPZ.

It was noted that discussion was ongoing on the problem of notices being issued to police between the Cabinet Member and the Borough Commander

On the compliance of signs, work was ongoing to ensure that all were compliant.  The committee noted that non-compliant signs were a London-wide problem.

It was noted that a detailed financial review of the Parking Service had taken place, with a report due to be considered by the Cabinet in the coming weeks, and with some of the recommendations due to help feed into the budget process.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the committee be provided with details of street cleaning on Green Lanes and adjoining roads.

2.  That the Cabinet Member provide written responses to follow-up questions provided by Councillor Newton.

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment)  To advise and update Members on progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Environmental Services Scrutiny Panel following its review of Blue Badge Administration in July 2003.

The committee received this report to be advised and updated on progress made on implementing the recommendations of the Environmental Services Scrutiny Panel following its review of Blue Badge Administration in July 2003.

Members were informed that the implementation of the recommendations of the review was progressing well, with a review of all disabled bays being complete.  Work was ongoing to combat the misconception that one bay could only be used by a single resident.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the report be agreed.

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment)  To receive an update of the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review.

The committee received this report on an update of the recommendations from the Scrutiny Review of Improving Road Safety in Haringey.  Officers reported progress following the previous update received in Autumn 2007.

It was noted that recommendation four, related to providing specific comments on Planning Reports as to whether Section 278 agreements had been considered, should added to Planning templates to enable full implementation.

Members requested that it be ensured that recommendation five, specifying that a Junior Road Safety Officer exist in every school, be implemented in full.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the report be agreed.

(Report of the Chair of the Review Panel)  To approve the final report of the Scrutiny Review of Children’s Centres.

The committee received the final report of the Scrutiny Review on Children’s Centres.  They expressed their thanks to Councillor Newton and the panel for the valuable work which they had carried out on this topic.

Members noted their desire to see benefits advice supplied from Children’s Centres, with Officers confirming that this was generally available.  Information on extended childcare programmes were also provided.

Members were informed that information sharing enabled data on births in the area of each Children’s Centre to be collated.  Discounted rates were also available to parents of three and four year olds, with the criteria based around need.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the report be agreed.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the following meetings:

-          28 July 2008

-          29 July 2008 (special meeting)

-          19 August 2008 (special meeting)

-          10 September 2008 (special meeting)

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the following meetings be confirmed and signed:

-         28 July 2008

-         29 July 2008 (special meeting)

-         19 August 2008 (special meeting)

-         10 September 2008 (special meeting)

There were no such items.