Agenda and minutes

The public open forum will commence at 2.00 p.m. and the following formal business of the Council will commence at 2.30 p.m. or whenever the public open forum ends, if earlier.

Three questions had been submitted for the public open forum.

Question 1

The first question was asked by County Councillor Mark Whittington and put to Councillor Ray Wootten, who was a member of both Fight for Grantham Hospital and SOS Grantham Hospital campaigns.

“Can Councillor Wootten tell me what are the latest figures for patients attending Grantham Hospital A&E and what are the numbers being seen within four hours compared to Lincoln Hospital and how has the overnight closure affected the residents of Grantham who need treatment at A&E.”

Councillor Wootten stated that the figures between April 2016 and the week commencing 9 January 2017 indicated that 20,908 had attended Grantham A&E, 97.39% of those were seen within 4 hours which was a higher proportion than that achieved by Lincoln County Hospital and Boston Pilgrim Hospital. He added that increased admissions had been experienced by Peterborough and Nottingham hospitals since the introduction of the overnight closure. He referred to the impact of the overnight closure on patients and the speed with which they could access help and the financial impacts for patients and their families because they had to travel further.

County Councillor Whittington asked a supplementary question about recruitment by the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. Councillor Wootten stated that progress on recruitment had been made. There were three more permanent middle-grade doctors working with the Trust than there had been in August 2016, one at Lincoln County Hospital and two at Boston Pilgrim. The commitment of five locum doctors had also been secured taking the total to 19.6 middle-grade doctors. The Trust was continuing to advertise in the UK and abroad, with interviews lined up; if successful it would take the new doctors several months to arrive and settle in.

Question 2

The second question was put by Sarah Stock to the Leader of the Council:

“With reference to the Sustainability and Transformation Document which was unanimously voted against in "it's current form" prior to Christmas by the entire County Council and the subsequent Extraordinary Health Scrutiny Committee meeting last week, my question to you is, what will happen if the revised, and re-written Sustainability and Transformation Plan remains unacceptable to the Council and still leaves the public in Lincolnshire unsafe and at risk in particular reference to Grantham Hospital downgrading of services? That is the question I would like to submit to District Council. Thank you.”

The Leader thanked Ms. Stock for attending the meeting and the work she had done in support of the Grantham Hospital campaigns. He stated that the Council would give full consideration to the proposals arising from the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) document when they were issued for consultation. Elected Members would have the opportunity to scrutinise and respond to issues and understand the impact of the STP on residents in South Kesteven. If the proposals continued to reduce the quality of service provision, he added that every opportunity would be taken by the Council to make clear its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Craft, Dr. Moseley, Neilson, Sampson, Selby, Ian Stokes, Mrs. Stokes, Turner, Ward, Webster and Woolley.

Councillor Ray Wootten declared an interest as he was appointed by Lincolnshire County Council as a Partner Governor on the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Hitchingbroke Health Care Trust.

Councillor Nikki Manterfield disclosed a pecuniary interest in agenda item 6, which was a presentation on the Lincolnshire Health and Care Sustainability and Transformation Plan because the item related to her employer.

                                                                                                                  (Enclosure)

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2016 were proposed, seconded and agreed as a correct record.

                                                                                                                  (Enclosure)

Allan Kitt, the Chief Commissioning Officer for the South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group will talk to the Council about the Lincolnshire Health and Care Sustainability Plan.

The summary of the document is attached for contextual reading ahead of the presentation from the guest speaker                                                                                        (Enclosure)

The full version of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan can be viewed via the following link: http://lincolnshirehealthandcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/STP-full-plan-20161212-web.pdf. Any Member who would like a hard copy of the document should contact the Democratic Services Team.

14:15 – Councillor Manterfield left the meeting having disclosed a pecuniary interest in the following item of business.

The Chairman proposed the suspension of article 4.11.5 of the Council’s Constitution for this agenda item only; the suspension would enable members to speak more than once on the item. The proposition was seconded and carried when put to the vote.

The Chairman welcomed Allan Kitt, who was the Chief Commissioning Officer for the South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group. Mr Kitt had been invited to attend the meeting and give a presentation of the Lincolnshire Health and Care Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

Mr Kitt began his presentation by providing some contextual information about the STP; it was a mandatory national programme required by NHS England and the Department of Health. The aims of the STP programme were two-fold: firstly to address national concerns about quality and safety in health care and address three gaps with current provision – the health gap, the care and quality gap and the financial gap. He added that the STP was not a consultation document on definite solutions; instead it contained a number of scenarios that had been modelled to test whether the health economy could balance financially. This would form the starting point for a dialogue to shape the final picture which would include politicians and the people of Lincolnshire.

The expected budget for health services in Lincolnshire in 2021 was expected to be £1.4bn. To deliver quality services within this budget, providers would have to establish governance arrangements that would facilitate different branches of the NHS, mental health services and social care working together. The need to improve prevention was also highlighted as early intervention was recognised as being more effective.

In June 2016, Mr Kitt explained that a case for change document was launched, which had received a positive response with people recognising the issues that were faced. At this point he referred to the overnight closure of the A&E department in Grantham, which had resulted from concerns over staffing.

While Mr. Kitt recognised that the bulk of care in Lincolnshire was good or outstanding and there were excellent staff who were dedicated, he outlined a number of challenges. Some of the services provided in the county did not meet national standards. He gave an example that people in Stamford were more likely to get cancer treatment within the national standards than people who lived in Grantham. Demand for health care was growing, with an increased and ageing population. He also highlighted seasonal challenges that put pressure on health services that could lead to the cancellation of procedures.

Mr Kitt then made comments about work to recruit doctors to Lincolnshire, the lack of continuity provided by locum doctors and the financial impact of reliance on locums.

One of the most significant developments included in the STP related to providing treatment within neighbourhoods. He stated that there were a number of procedures that could be provided through GP surgeries, which would enable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

Report number SEG33 of the Executive Member for Growth.      (Enclosure)

The Leader introduced report number SEG33, which provided Members with an update regarding the successful outcomes of the Council’s submissions to the Government’s Garden Village Prospectus and the Starter Home Land Fund Initiative. The quality of the garden village application submitted by the Council had been praised by the Homes and Communities Agency. A copy of the submission had been circulated to Members in the agenda pack for the meeting. The Leader offered his thanks to those officers who were involved in putting together the prospectus, and particularly praised the efforts of the Council’s Graphics Officer.

The prospectus included a summary of how the site would be broken down across different uses, with particular comment being made about the proportion of land that could be available for residential use in relation to the amount of informal green space..

Members were advised that the development was subject to the usual planning process.

A number of Members spoke about the garden village proposal, with a majority hoping it would incorporate large amounts of garden space. It was recognised that arrangements would need to be put in place for the ongoing maintenance of public garden space, these would need stipulating within any Section 106 Agreements. Other Members felt that the garden village status provided a good way to showcase Grantham, increasing interest across the town. During the development stage, work would be required on the project’s phasing to ensure that infrastructure was in place at the right time.

One Member expressed some concerns about the garden village status, stating that they did not feel that it addressed issues raised by neighbouring residents during previous consultations on the Southern Quadrant. Those concerns particularly related to transport infrastructure and the physical impact of the development.

Members were advised that one of the strengths of the Council’s application was its potential for deliverability – because work had begun on the project as  the Southern Quadrant it meant that work to progress  could begin sooner than a completely new project.

Finally, reference was made to the Council being announced as a designated Starter Homes Partner Authority.

The Council noted the update provided in report number SEG33.

Report number SEG34 of the Executive Member for Growth.      (Enclosure)

The Leader introduced report number SEG34 which provided Members with the headline conclusions from the independent evaluation of the economic impacts of the 2016 Gravity Fields Festival. In doing so he thanked and congratulated the steering group. The Leader then introduced Darren Joint, who was the Chairman of Grantham Business Club and by virtue of this, a Member of the Gravity Fields steering group.

Mr Joint stated that he had been involved in the project since its inception, initially as a business sponsor of the event and latterly as a member of the steering group. His business’ association with the festival had helped build its brand recognition and integrity. He added that involvement was consultative and tailored to suit the wants and needs of each business. While his chairmanship of the business club was coming to an end he was keen to continue his involvement with the festival. He said that the appeal of the festival to businesses was growing as its longevity was being established. He added that he was keen to further build the influence of the festival  to younger people; while participation from schools had been greater in 2016 than previous festivals, there was still more that could be done.

Some discussion ensued about footfall increases experienced by businesses. Officers advised that some businesses had raised some concerns over the street market that formed part of the final event when market stalls were positioned in front of a number of businesses. More work was to be done working with businesses to see how these concerns could be overcome or improved in the future.

Members were also interested in how the legacy of each of the district’s festivals could be felt year-round. One of the key challenges had been engaging schools; work with primary schools had been particularly assisted in 2016 by their representative on the steering board. Further work was needed to improve engagement with secondary schools. It was noted that inroads had already been made with education establishments for the 2017 Stamford Georgian Festival with strong commitment from the college and schools, some of which had not been involved with festivals previously.

One Member noted the increased ‘buzz’ created by the festival on social media. Feedback from the Arts Council indicated that the festival was one of the top four within the country.

17:03 – As the meeting had been in progress for three hours, in accordance with article 4.6.4 it was proposed, seconded and agreed that the meeting should continue until the business on the agenda had been concluded.

In response to a question, Members were advised that no young people were included on the festival steering group however young people were involved in festival workshops. The interests of young people were represented on the steering group by one head teacher at primary level and one at secondary level.

One Member asked whether a DVD of the festival would be available for purchase. While the Council would keep video footage for posterity, the saleability of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

A 45-minute period in which members may ask questions of the Leader, Executive Members, the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Policy Development Groups and opposition group leaders excluding the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Development Control Committee, Licensing and Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Committees and Governance and Audit Committee.

Question 1

Councillor Wootten asked about the council tax collection rate for the last year.

Question 2

Councillor Dilks asked members of the Council to support the inaugural Deepings literature festival which would take place between 28 April 2017 and 1 May 2017.

Question 3

Councillor Baxter asked whether the Leader would request that some meetings of the Police and Crime Panel should take place in South Kesteven.

Question 4

Councillor Morgan asked whether the Leader shared the view that the Prime Minister and Health Minister should do more to intervene and that elected representatives should have a greater say in decisions affecting the health services that support local communities.

1.     Submitted by Councillor Ray Wootten

In response to the recently released NHS document the Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) the Council is asked to support the following motion.

1.  That this Council welcomes some of the positive proposals for future healthcare contained in the STP such as the development of Neighbourhood Teams and measures to improve preventative healthcare.

     However, we believe that the proposal for the downgrading of the A&E service provision at Grantham Hospital and, the proposal for the creation of a single maternity unit for the whole county at Lincoln County Hospital, is completely unacceptable and will have a serious and detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of the local residents within the United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust catchment area of South Kesteven.

2. That this Council believes that the views of the residents of South Kesteven District Council are of paramount importance in deciding the future direction of healthcare provision in Lincolnshire and, calls on all the NHS organisations within the South Kesteven catchment area to conduct a full and meaningful public consultation on the STP proposals by actively engaging with all South Kesteven residents.

This Council therefore:

1.  Cannot support the Lincolnshire STP in its current form.

2.  Confirms that we are prepared to work with all local NHS organisations to encourage them to adhere to and act upon the views which emerge from the public consultation. 

Decision:

1.  That this Council welcomes some of the positive proposals for future healthcare contained in the STP such as the development of Neighbourhood Teams and measures to improve preventative healthcare.

     However, we believe that the proposal for the downgrading of the A&E service provision at Grantham Hospital and, the proposal for the creation of a single maternity unit for the whole county at Lincoln County Hospital, is completely unacceptable and will have a serious and detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of the local residents within the United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust catchment area of South Kesteven.

2. That this Council believes that the views of the residents of South Kesteven District Council are of paramount importance in deciding the future direction of healthcare provision in Lincolnshire and, calls on all the NHS organisations within the South Kesteven catchment area to conduct a full and meaningful public consultation on the STP proposals by actively engaging with all South Kesteven residents.

This Council therefore:

1.  Cannot support the Lincolnshire STP in its current form.

2.  Confirms that we are prepared to work with all local NHS organisations to encourage them to adhere to and act upon the views which emerge from the public consultation. 

A proposition was made that, given the STP had been the subject of many comments and questions earlier in the meeting, the proposer and seconder should have the opportunity to speak, then the proposal be put straight to the vote. This was seconded and, on being put to the vote, agreed.

Councillor Wootten stated that the motion would be seconded by Councillor Charmaine Morgan to demonstrate the cross-party opposition to the STP. Reference was made to the support of local people for protest marches against the night time closure of Grantham A&E held during the second half of 2016 and the number of signatories on a petition against the same issue. He stated that 5 weeks prior to the meeting, only 39% of patients who attended Lincoln County Hospital’s A&E were seen within 4 hours.

Reference was made to a recent application to change the tenancy conditions for flats at Grantham Hospital, with the reason cited as cuts to NHS services, and the withdrawal of that application following publication of the story by the Grantham Journal. At a meeting on 17 January 2017, the Lincolnshire County Council Health Scrutiny Committee had expressed its support for the restoration and continuation of services at Grantham A&E.

Councillor Wootten asked the Council to support his motion to reject the STP to show that elected members were united in their support for local residents who cared about the health service they received. If approved by the Council, Councillor Wootten said that he would forward a copy of the motion to the Secretary of State for Health and the Chairman of the County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Morgan, who seconded the motion, reiterated its cross-party nature. She stated that issues spanned health and social care with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

The meeting was closed at 17:34.