Issue - meetings

The Committee received an update on the performance of the Treasury Management Strategy during quarter 3.  Members received a report which fulfilled the Authority’s legal obligation under the Local Government Act 2003 and covered:

·         The Borrowing and Investment Strategies

·         Treasury Management Indicators

·         Prudential Indicators

·         A minimum Revenue Provision policy

Cabinet approved the following at their meeting on the 7 February 2018:

·         The Treasury Management Strategy Statement (TMSS) 2018/19

·         The Treasury Management and Prudential Indicators

·         The Annual Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement for 2018/19 and

·         Recommended the TMSS and MRP statements 2018/19 to Council for approval.

RESOLVED:           

That the Committee noted the report.

Report attached.

Andrew Rixom

14:50

The consultation period for the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) ended on the 5^th January 2018 and the feedback had been incorporated into the revised document presented to the Board.

The main purpose of the PNA is to inform decisions by NHS England on market entry of new pharmacies into Havering in the three years to 2021.   There is detailed guidance on the format of a PNA which NHS England uses to assess the consultation document. NHS England’s comments have all been addressed in detail in the final document.

The final document meets the Board’s statutory requirement to produce a PNA.  

As a separate issue, the Chair was requested to highlight concerns to NHSE regarding pharmacy provision in the Harold Wood Walk-in Centre following comments by Healthwatch that the Healthwatch Board had formally opposed the decision to remove a pharmacy at the Polyclinic/Walk-in Centre.  Healthwatch Board's view being that wherever it was possible to join-up primary care provision to make it quicker and simpler for the patient and carers then every effort should be made to do so and it was disappointing for residents who had benefited from this pharmacy provision for over 5 years to lose this facility.

RESOLVED:           

That the Board agreed that the PNA would be published on the Council’s website.

Report attached.

Brian Boxall

13:20

The Board received the annual reports of the Havering Safeguarding Children’s Board and the Havering Safeguarding Adults Board, which highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the multi-agency safeguarding systems for adults and children as of the end of the 2016/17 financial year.  The reports highlighted the work of the boards and the future challenges and set out the work of the statutory partners including individual agency challenges.

The focus of the Havering Safeguarding Children’s Board over the past year had been on addressing issues identified in the 2016 Ofsted Inspection.  Although the Ofsted recommendation was ‘requires improvement,’ their report acknowledged that major structural changes to children’s services were already underway to introduce the ‘Face to Face’ approach. 

The Metropolitan Police Basic Command Unit (BCU) model had significantly positively impacted on safeguarding in Havering.  This model was now being rolled out to create 12 BCUs across London.

Members attention was brought to the two serious case reviews which had progressed during 2016-17 and issues pertaining to the provision of transitional support from childhood into adulthood were highlighted.  The  importance of hospitals in responding to injuries was noted and members were recommended to read the extensive case review and their associated recommendations. 

Members discussed the provision of support available for young carers and Looked after Children.  The Safeguarding Board were aware that there were more carers than reported and this would be monitored and carers supported.  Training had been provided to a group of care leavers to support them in the production of a documentary about their journey.  The Board asked to be notified when the documentary became available.

Members requested that an exempt document containing data on incidences of cases referred to courts be circulated to the Board. 

Havering Safeguarding Adults Board was funded under arrangements set out in the Adults Care Act 2014, with the contribution from member organisations agreed locally.  It was highlighted that the board were operating under financial constraints.

RESOLVED:

That the Board considered the reports and agreed to take into account the issues raised when considering future planning of services for vulnerable adults and children in Havering.

The Head of Assurance submitted the Quarter 2 progress report for the Committee’s attention.  At the previous meeting in September the Head of

Assurance had given a reasonable assurance that the internal control environment was operating adequately. Based upon the work undertaken in Quarter 2, no material issues had arisen that would impact on that opinion.

The target outturn for completion of the audit plan was 90% at the end of the financial year.  As at 18^th October 2017, 61% of the tasks had been delivered to draft or final report stage, or were in progress.  This confirmed that the audit plan was on track to be delivered by the end of the financial year. 

There was one high risk recommendation associated with Disaster Recovery Follow Up, which was originally due to be implemented by the end of Quarter 2.  Progress on this recommendation had been made but remained partially implemented.  All medium risk recommendations that became due in Quarter 2 had been followed up and none remained outstanding.

The Committee noted the contents of the report.