Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor L Deighton.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

Members were requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

There were no interests declared at this meeting.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 13 January 2023.

The Chair wished to note that in the discussion about the Exercise by Referral Scheme in Minute Number CSC/36/22-23, it had been the Committee’s intention to use the database of people who had been referred to not only track the types of people who were being referred, but also to track which people were not turning up.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 13 January 2023 were approved and signed as a correct record by the Chair.  

To consider area profiles concerning the District’s leisure centres:-

·     Clay Cross North

·     Clay Cross South

·     Eckington and Killamarsh

·     Dronfield East

·     Dronfield West and Walton

·     North East Derbyshire

Members considered a number of documents which set out detailed Area Profiles based on the more focused information Members requested at the meeting on 11 November 2022.

The Area Profiles set out information on populations, age groups and Health & Wellbeing indicators for the following areas:

·         Clay Cross North

·         Clay Cross South

·         Eckington and Killamarsh

·         Dronfield East

·         Dronfield West and Walton

·         North East Derbyshire

The Chair referred to the population numbers quoted for each area, and felt that despite the Committee suggesting that the numbers of people served by each facility might significantly vary, it appeared to be fairly equal in the Area Profiles.

With the Area Profiles in mind, Members felt that the review should consider the impact of COVID on the Eckington facility and the number of people who turn up to facilities for classes without leisure memberships. The Chair suggested that measuring these two points would be difficult because due to the reporting system that leisure services used, they were unable to provide a breakdown of memberships for each age group historically, or on tracking of pay-as-you-go/membership attendance differences. Members did note, however, that a new reporting system was due to be implemented in the near future, but information would not be ready in time for it to be considered through this review.

RESOLVED – That Committee noted the documents. 

To consider progress on the Healthy North East Derbyshire Approach – Tris Burdett, Partnership Development Officer.

Members were presented with a report informing them of the progress of the Healthy North East Derbyshire Partnership during 2022/23.

The report explained that funding for the 2022/23 financial year had not yet been received. Derbyshire County Council had redrafted the new service level agreement and grant specification for each local authority, which had delayed funding for 2022/23 and meant no new activity had been commissioned during 2022/23.

The report set out projects that had been delivered during 2022/23 and progress achieved during the year to date.

The Chair asked the Partnership Development Officer what the service’s annual budget was. The Partnership Development Officer informed Members that the annual budget was £79,501, but £10,000 of this was for the small grants pot.

The Chair enquired how it was decided what the service did. The Partnership Development Officer explained that this was guided by Derbyshire County Council Public Health.

Members referred to the ‘Digital Connect’ IT training in the report and asked if there was a cost to users for undergoing the training. The Partnership Development Officer explained that there was no cost and the tender to deliver the training was won by the Citizens Advice Mid Mercia.

Members referred to the lack of a mention in the report for the NHS North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group. The Partnership Development Officer explained that the CCG, who were now known as the Integrated Care Board, still attended the partnership.

Members enquired how the public were informed about the small grants available. The Partnership Development Officer explained that Derbyshire Voluntary Action promoted the grants through their voluntary and community group networks, website and social media.

Members referred to the ‘Walking into Communities’ project and asked what the Council’s role was in promoting it. The Partnership Development Officer explained that the project was promoted through the Council’s social media, and added that she would investigate for the Committee exactly how the Council promoted all of the projects.

Members referred to the ‘Digital Connect’ IT training again, and asked if the project was promoted as part of a network. The Partnership Development Officer explained that she would investigate for the Committee precisely which network was used to promote the training.

RESOLVED – That Committee noted the report. 

Interview – Kelly Massey, Health & Wellbeing Development Officer.

The Chair welcomed the Health & Wellbeing Development Officer to the review interview, and explained that she would deliver a presentation in response to some of the points raised during the review process.

The Health & Wellbeing Development Officer gave a presentation which explained the following areas:

• Community activities the Council were currently supporting
• Older adult activities the team provided
• Demand for older residents
• Promotion of these activities
• Barriers to participation
• Barriers the Council faced in delivering activities
• Suggestions for improvement

The Chair referred to the Walking Netball/Football activities in the presentation and felt that the information on the Council website about them was not particularly user friendly, and that general information about activities for older residents was hard to access. Members suggested that the activities could have their own subpage with detailed information on session dates and times. Members added that they would also like to see better promotion of the activities on the website.

The Chair thanked the Health & Wellbeing Development Officer for attending the interview.

Triangulation of evidence.

The Committee considered all of the evidence which it had received during its review of the Council’s Leisure & Wellbeing Provisions for Older Residents.

The Committee identified areas of good practice such as:

• The variety of activities on offer for older people
• Use of volunteers
• Good organisation
• Positive staff with a desire to help
• Well connected
• Integrated services
• Leisure centres in good areas based on populations

Members also highlighted a number of areas for improvement. These included:

• Better access to older people activity information on the Council website – this could be addressed with a separate webpage on activities for older people (55+) that would include all of the activities in the Health & Wellbeing Development Officer’s presentation, and dates and times would be updated by someone regularly
• Simplify the membership structure
• Exercise by Referral – needs to be followed up during and after people have had 12 free weeks

RESOLVED – That the draft report on the Committee’s review be prepared and submitted to Committee for approval.

To consider progress against the Action Plan – previous Scrutiny Review into Residential Parking – Damien Johnson, Assistant Director Property, Estates and Assets.

The Assistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets presented Members with a report which updated them on the progress of the Residential Parking Review Action Plan as at 23 February 2023.

The Chair referred to a previous request by the Committee to have a function on the Council website to report bad parking, and asked if this had been progressed. The Assistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets explained that work was under way to have this on the website.

The Chair asked the Assistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets to go into more detail about the Grass Crete trial site progress in Item 3. Members were informed that a matting solution was trialled on the site to see if it was successful, and the first monitoring inspection of the solution took place in January 2023. The inspection found that the solution had sunk and the grass had not come through, so further monitoring of the site would take place.

The Chair asked the Assistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets to go into more detail about the minimum standard of parking spaces progress in Item 4. Members were informed that now the Committee has clarified its request only related to property for both Council and private developments residential units of two bedrooms or more, the issue was going to be taken to Planning Policy officers to find out if there was a way around it.

The Assistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets referred Members to Item 2 (the feasibility of providing an increased Civil Enforcement budget) and requested that this Item receive no further updates, as the matter was explored by officers and Derbyshire County Council did not have sufficient leeway in the current Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) contract to increase total hours across the County. Members agreed that Item 2 was resolved and should receive no further updates.

The Chair asked the Assistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets to go into more detail about the identifying garage sites for parking progress in Item 5. Members were informed that Dovecotes Garage Site in Ashover and Beech Crescent Garage Site in Killamarsh had been identified.

The Chair asked if the garage site issue would be carried out as part of a policy. TheAssistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets explained that Rykneld Homes would have ultimate responsibility, but the Council would assess each potential garage site and it was included in the Council’s Parking Strategy. The Chair requested that the Assistant Director - Property, Estates and Assets present further updates as and when necessary to future meetings. Members agreed that an officer from Rykneld Homes should be invited to the next Committee meeting to provide information on the issue from their perspective.

RESOLVED – That Committee noted the update on the previous review action plan. 

To consider the attached Forward Plan of Executive Decisions dated 15 January to 15 February 2023.  

Please note, the most up-to- date Forward Plan of Executive Decisions can be accessed via the following link:-

https://democracy.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/mgListPlans.aspx?RPId=1137&RD=0&bcr=1

RESOLVED – That the Forward Plan of Executive Decisions be noted.  

To consider the Committee’s Work Programme.  

The Chair informed the Committee that the next scheduled Committee meeting on 19 May 2023 had been moved to 14 April 2023.

RESOLVED – That the work programme be noted.   

To consider any other matter which the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no additional urgent items. 

The next meeting of the Communities Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to take place on Friday 14 April 2023 at 1.30 pm.

The next meeting of the Communities Scrutiny Committee would be held on Friday 14 April 2023 at 1:30pm.