Meeting documents

Also present at the invitation of the Chairman

Mrs Heather Othick (Chair of Trustees, Ellie’s Fund Brain Tumour Trust) – for Item 4

Members are reminded of the need to consider whether they have a personal or prejudicial interest to declare in any of the items on this agenda.  If so, the nature of the interest must be declared at the start or as soon as the interest becomes apparent, of the meeting.  In addition, the attached form must be completed and passed to the Committee Administrator.  The Officers will be pleased to advise, if necessary, and any request for assistance should be made, in the first instance, to the Committee Administrator whose name appears at the end of this agenda.  Ideally, such advice should be sought before the day of the meeting so that time is available to consider any uncertainty that might arise.

No declarations of interest were received.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2013.  (Minutes attached).

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Public questions of which due notice has been given and which are relevant to the business of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman reported that no public questions had been submitted.

To receive a presentation by Heather Othick, Chair of Trustees, Ellie’s Fund Brain Tumour Trust

The Committee received a presentation by Heather Othick, Chair of Trustees of Ellie’s Fund on the background and work of the Fund, and the issues surrounding brain tumours in children.  Mrs Othick began by relating her daughter, Ellie’s story: after an initial diagnosis of a malignant brain tumour when she was eleven in 2007, Ellie defied doctors’ expectations to live another three years, undergoing treatment (the course of radiotherapy at Leeds General Infirmary entailed a 140 mile round trip to Leeds every week day for six weeks), but also repaying the generosity shown to her and her family by local people, by forming the Ellie’s Fund Brain Tumour Trust Youth Committee which in two years raised over £10,000 for the benefit of five charities.  Even though her condition deteriorated, the fundraising efforts continued until shortly before she died.  Mrs Othick informed the Committee that some 16,000 new brain tumour patients were diagnosed each year, and, as Ellie, 86% succumbed to their tumour within five years of diagnosis.  Ellie was fortunate in that she was diagnosed quickly which made for a better quality of life than some in her remaining years, and she lived six times longer than was expected.  However, the diagnosis and subsequent treatment had a profound impact on Ellie and her family’s lives.  The farther away from hospital the patient lived, the less help there was available.  The Othick family received emotional support from the Macmillan paediatric nurse, but this did not help with the day to day practicalities of running a household, looking after Ellie’s siblings, and holding down a job.  Ellie’s legacy was that in September 2010, Ellie’s Fund registered as Ellie’s Fund Brain Tumour Trust which had recently passed the £100,000 fundraising mark.  Members were informed that the Trust provided grants to support children with a brain tumour and their families across Yorkshire and Humberside to spend on whatever they needed, and so help alleviate the financial pressures many families suffered following diagnosis.  The Trust also worked with charities across Yorkshire to raise money for brain tumour research; since despite the prevalence of the disease, less than 1% of cancer research funds were spent on brain tumours.  Mrs Othick urged Members to promote the current Government e-petition calling for an early day motion in the House of Commons to discuss the poor level of funding for brain tumour research.  The Chairman commended Mrs Othick’s moving and powerful presentation and opened up the topic for discussion.  Members congratulated Mrs Othick and the Trust on their achievements and pledged to promote their work and e-petition, noting that some 80,000 signatures were still required for the petition to succeed and the deadline was 25 June.  Mrs Othick also referred to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Brain Tumours (chaired by James Arbuthnot MP) which worked to raise awareness of the issues facing the brain tumour community in order to improve research, diagnosis, information, support, treatment and care outcomes.  The Deputy Chief Executive, Hilary Jones referred to the Council’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider a presentation by the Deputy Chief Executive and Community Partnerships Manager

The Committee received a presentation by the Community Partnerships Manager, Jo Ireland, about the new Sustainable Communities Unit (SCU) which as part of the Council’s restructure brought together the Community Development and Engagement Team, Community Safety Team, and Community Environment Team into a single unit with the following objectives:

•         To work in partnership to ensure communities are safe and vulnerable people protected.

•         Support community led regeneration

•         Support communities to develop solutions to identified problems, including management of assets

•         To support people with developing confidence, capacity and skills to bring about change

•         Maximise resources into the Borough

•         Develop partnerships and relationships  - effective joint approaches to strategic planning, service delivery, and investment models

 The SCU worked collaboratively with communities to improve quality of life and wellbeing, in particular focusing on areas of high need and disadvantage.  The single unit provided a strong community focus, and was better able to respond to the current public service challenge of delivering more proactive, integrated and outcome focused services, and to structural changes in the health and Police services.  The SCU’s work ranged across various key priorities: the Night Time Economy Plan; Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy; addressing the chaotic lifestyles of single homeless people (Changing Lives project) and troubled families (Stronger Families Project); Community Masterplans in Barrowcliff, Eastfield and East Whitby; new regeneration initiatives in Castle and North Bay wards; supporting communities to manage services and assets; and improving the physical environment with the help of volunteers and Community Payback.  Local Strategic Partnership arrangements had also been streamlined and rationalised through the creation of the Public Service Executive (and subsuming the Community Safety Partnership within this), Local Health Partnership, Strategic Substance Misuse Harm Reduction Group, and the Financial Inclusion Forum.  The SCU’s work was characterised by helping communities to help themselves, and by a preventative approach to tackling social problems in conjunction with partners.  In the ensuing discussion, Members highlighted the needs of areas such as Ramshill which had areas of disadvantage and shared some similar problems with those of Castle /North Bay ward.  Members further noted the work to introduce an Additional Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation, to be introduced in Ramshill and other areas. The work of the Community Pride Group which examined ways to improve the appearance of empty shop fronts in Scarborough town centre was also acknowledged.  Members commended the work of the new SCU and requested further updates in due course.

RESOLVED that the report be received.

To consider a presentation by Andrew Williams, Leisure Services Manager, Chris Storer, Whitby Leisure Centre Manager and Matt Hewison, Sports Development Officer

The Committee received presentations on both the work of the Sports Development Officer and Whitby Leisure Centre with partner organisations to promote and improve health and wellbeing.  The Sports Development Officer, Matt Hewison outlined his many areas of activity in partnership with the education, voluntary and health sector and also with sports organisations such as Sport England, North Yorkshire Sport, and national sports governing bodies.  He referred to his work supporting school games competitions, running courses for local coaches, for example on safeguarding, and assisting local sports clubs with funding bids, development planning, accreditation and child protection.  He also participated in sports development initiatives such as the local Inclusive Sport Group and the FA Just Play scheme, and supported the Scarborough and District Sports Council.  Examples of community events which he helped promote and organise were the new Community Sports Fairs, as part of the Olympic Legacy Programme, the Scarborough Festival of Cycling and the fundraising Sport Relief Mile and Race for Life.  In terms of opportunities, he suggested that more could be done to promote physical activity, for example by applying to Sport England’s Community Sport Activation Fund, in order to continue to address the Borough’s lower than national (and county) average participation in sport (26% of the population).  In reply to Members’ questions, he explained that Sport England focused their funding on the 14-25 age range, to encourage young people to take up and continue sport in and after education.  He also welcomed a Member’s suggestion of promoting dog walking as a form of exercise through publicising dog walking routes and other ways.

Chris Storer, Manager of Whitby Leisure Centre, then outlined a similarly broad range of activities hosted at the Centre in partnership with local schools, Whitby Hospital, the Ryedale and Whitby School Sports Partnership, local clubs and voluntary organisations.  Some examples were: the GP Referral Scheme in which ten local surgeries participated; the ‘Fitclub’ which offered activities and information on exercise, diet and lifestyle; the Sunday Club which catered for people with learning difficulties, challenging behaviour and physical disabilities; a weekly Friday evening club for children; and the provision of swimming and sports hall sessions for autistic children.  Members were advised that the Leisure Centre’s fitness suite was refurbished in 2011 installing state-of-the-art gym equipment, and in the last 12 months membership had increased by 33% resulting in its highest ever total.  In reply to Members’ questions, Mr Storer confirmed that patients paid themselves for their exercise programmes when referred by their GP.  He acknowledged that the Leisure Centre had a good working relationship with Whitby Hospital, but this could be developed further, and there may be opportunities arising from the restructure of the health service.  The Chairman thanked both officers for their full and comprehensive presentations on their work with partners to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

RESOLVED that the presentations be received.

To receive a presentation by the Environment and Countryside Manager

The Committee received a progress report on the Council’s provision of allotments in respect of the recommendations of the Allotments Task Group adopted by the Cabinet in July 2009.  Members were reminded that a key recommendation of the Task Group was that officers investigate potential sites in the Scarborough area to create 150 new allotment plots in various locations (and so help meet demand for an activity which supported a healthy lifestyle), and that the cost implications be considered under ‘Invest to Save.’  The last update received by scrutiny in July 2011 reported that lists of applicants for allotments were now being effectively managed with all vacant plots let, and that two viable sites had been identified – Woodlands Drive and Cornelian Drive – which were estimated to yield around 130 new full sized plots potentially satisfying most of the existing demand.  However, neither site had progressed to date because of the objections received.  The Woodlands Drive site still had potential – there were concerns voiced by Environmental Services about its proximity to the crematorium, but the use of adequate screening may well overcome these objections.  The Cornelian Drive site would obscure the coastal views of a number of properties; and given the poor quality of the soil besides, it was now felt that this option should be discounted.  However, owing to the time that had elapsed since the previous report, the Environment and Countryside Manager, Steve Reynolds proposed that the original long list of sites should be revisited.  Of these, the Scalby Manor site still had not been sold and therefore offered opportunities, whilst the Redscar Lane site presented the most attractive option since it abutted existing allotments managed by Newby and Scalby Parish Council.  This site had been rejected previously because the site’s management arrangements at that time had been under review.  The proposal before the Committee was therefore to start dialogue with the Estates Service and Newby and Scalby Parish Council about these two sites, but more generally to engage with the Scarborough urban area’s neighbouring parish councils to see if further potential sites could be identified.  More detailed proposals would then be resubmitted to the committee at a later date.  Members then questioned Mr Reynolds about his report.  In reply, he confirmed that the Council was considering sub-dividing plots to increase capacity and satisfy demand.  The current number of people on the waiting lists for an allotment in the town was estimated to be 230, taking into account some duplication across the lists.  He noted one Member’s concern about the proximity of the Redscar Lane site to some residents’ houses, but this issue would have to be considered in the dialogue with the parish council.  Members welcomed Mr Reynolds’ ideas to move the allotments issue forward.

RESOLVED that:

(i)                 the presentation be received; and

(ii)               a further progress report in respect of the Woodlands Drive, Scalby Manor, and Redscar Lane sites and any other additional sites which some to light, be presented to the Committee in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To consider a report by the Director of Democratic and Legal Services (Reference 13/133 attached)

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Legal and Democratic Services (Reference 13/133) to assist Members in planning the Committee’s work for 2012/13.  In respect of the Review of Funding Support for Voluntary and Community Organisations, the Overview and Scrutiny Manager reported that the Task Group had met on 12 April to consider in the round the financial support the Council provided to voluntary, community and not-for-profit organisations: area committee grants, discretionary business rate relief, housing, voluntary sector, tourism and culture, play centre, and community safety grants.  The Task Group considered where the funding gaps and pressures lay, where there was duplication, and options for making improvements to these schemes.  At the next meeting on 22 April, the Task Group would consider more closely the potential impact of reducing or discontinuing funding streams, and, if the impact was considered significant, possible ways in which it could be mitigated.  A special joint meeting of the Health and Wellbeing and Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Committees had been convened for Friday, 7 June at 2pm to consider the Task Group’s findings and recommendations.

RESOLVED that the report be received.