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Agenda and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings. East Sussex, TN34 3UY
Contact: Jenny Ling tel: 01424 451844 email: jling@hastings.gov.uk
Items No. Item Apologies for absence
Minutes:
Apologies were received from Sarah Godley, Trevor Davies, Tracy Dighton, Catherine Orbach, Dr John Smith, Vanessa Biddiss, John Shaw
Declarations of Interest
Minutes:
There were no declarations of interest
Minutes and Matters Arising (Chair) PDF 129 KB
Minutes:
The minutes of the LSP meeting held on the 15th October 2018, had not been received by many members and will be recirculated.
Hastings Borough Council Budget and Corporate Plan 2019/20 PDF 73 KB
10 minutes plus 10 minutes Q&A
Minutes:
Councillor Peter Chowney, Leader of Hastings Borough Council and Finance and Property Portfolio Holder presented the Council’s budget and corporate plan priorities for 2019/2020. (see Councillor Chowney presentation). Peter highlighted the Councils ongoing budget shortfalls, including the budgetary deficit of £1.8 million in 2019/20 and £2.5 million in 2020/21.
Peter advised a number of national financial policy changes continue to impact on the Council’s budget including,
· Reduction in the Settlement Funding Assessment of 9% compared to the previous year
· Revenue support grant reduction to £0 from £1.4 million
· New homes bonus reduced by 14.4%
· A 2.99% increase in Council Tax
This coupled with the uncertainty of Brexit, volatility in income and expenditure and increasing pressure on council services such as homelessness and unavoidable costs such as software upgrades, increasing salaries and new waste contract arrangements has helped to create a percent storm!
The impacts on our 2019/20 budget include staff redundancies, using £1.8 million of transition reserves to balance the budget and investing in income generation initiatives. (see peters presentation for full details of planned spending reductions, areas of growth and the capital programme)
Peter highlighted a number of growth items in the budget for 2019/20 including:
· Digital by Design and the continued movement of our processes and transactions on line
· The purchase of Microsoft licensing for Windows 10
· Bohemia Town Centre Project staff team to deliver the Area Action Plan
The 2 key themes for the Corporate Plan in 2019/20 were presented
· Things we have to do by law or are contractually obliged to do
· Things we choose to do to enhance quality of life in the town
and Peter highlighted the Councils 6 key corporate programmes for the coming financial year as:
1. Waste services including bringing street cleansing back in house and the launch of a new contract for household waste and recycling in partnership with Rother and Wealden Council
2. Modernisation and digital efficiencies with the development of more online services, an improved online payment service and self service area for benefits claims.
3. Tackling homelessness and disadvantage including a new homelessness strategy, implementing the rough sleepers initiative, and buying houses to reduce the use of B & B accommodation
4. Income generation through the development of renewable energy schemes, developing council-owned housing sites and purchasing commercial properties
5. Tackling climate change in response to the IPCC report last year, identifying what the Council and the town working in partnership can do to deliver a carbon neutral Hastings, including identifying sites for sustainable energy generation and updating local plan policies. .
6. Physical regeneration activities including the development of the West Marina site for housing and leisure, the White Rock and Town Centre Area Action Plan and a new visitor centre at Hastings Country Park.
Peter summarised by stating the Council faces ongoing challenges, including meeting the £2.5 million budgetary deficit for 2020/21 and confirmed that during the coming year the Council will be working hard to increase the income we generate, make additional ... view the full minutes text for item 53.
NHS Hastings and Rother CCG- 2018/19 financial position and 2019/20 priorities
10 minutes plus 10 minutes Q&A
Minutes:
Richard Watson Health Inequalities Programme Manager of Hastings and Rother CCG provided an update about the CCG’s financial position. He reminded the Board that the CCG is responsible for commissioning the vast majority of healthcare services in Hastings and St Leonards, including GP services, the Conquest Hospital, Mental Health services, and Learning Disability Support.
Richard stated that CCG’s budget for 2018/19 of £250 million is spent across 5 key service areas:
· 52% acute (East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust’s Conquest hospital services)
· 9% primary care (NHS cost for GPs including general practice)
· 8% mental health (Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust)
· 7% community (ESHT’s community services)
· 12% prescribing
(%s based on 2017/18 actual expenditure)
Richard advised the Board, that the CCG started the financial year with a budget deficit and legal directions from NHS England. In addition, the CCG faced a number of challenges, similar to those of our wider NHS partners in the region and nationally:
· An increased demand for health care services
· People are living longer with more complex needs
· Ongoing national austerity impacts
However, set against these challenges, the CCG has worked closely with other East Sussex Better Together (ESBT) partners in 2018/19 transforming and integrating health care services and other services that support health outcomes. Richard highlighted the following successes:
· Integration to address health inequalities
· Improved access, quality and safety of local people
· The Conquest Hospital performed well last winter and has continued to do so this winter
· A & E performance is in the upper quartile nationally
· There has been a reduction in the length of stays in hospital
· Reduced delays in the transfer of care
· Recognised as good practice by Matt Hancock( Secretary of State for Health & Social Care) in his recent visit to Hastings.However, this is set against a back drop of significant increases in demand for GP, A & E services and planned care especially in deprived communities coupled with an increase in the unit cost of care.
Richard advised that the CCG have a 4 year Financial Recovery Plan in place ( 2018/19 to 2021/2022 ), to ensure our local health care system is returned to financial sustainability. The implications of this include
· An agreement with NHS England that Hastings & Rother CCG will deliver a £12milion deficit during 2018/19, total saving required is £32 million – with Eastbourne and Hailsham CCG required to deliver £20 million of savings. This includes an agreed £18million Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) savings programme.
Richard stated that the CCG is on target to achieve its QIPP plans in 2018/19, which means the CCG will receive end of year NHS England investment through its Commissioning Sustainability Fund. Richard detailed some of the QIPP achievements as:
· Reductions in prescribing costs led by the CCG’s medicines management team
· Establishing integrated locality teams e.g. district nursing, occupational therapists and social workers
· Good financial housekeeping
Priorities for 2019/2020
The contracted sum has been agreed with East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust for 2019/2020. The CCG has recently received confirmation from NHS England about ... view the full minutes text for item 54.
New Waste Contract and Street Cleansing Service for the Town
10 minutes plus 10 minutes for Q&A
Minutes:
Simon Hubbard, Director, Hastings Borough Council gave an update about both the new household Waste Contract and Street Cleansing Service, confirming that both of these services would be going live in June 2019.
Simon advised that the new waste contract has been awarded to Biffa, through a joint waste partnership with Rother and Wealden Councils. The specific details of the service are now being worked upon. In Hastings the Council is working on a revision of the weekly recycling collections. Approximately 12,000 properties still receive a weekly collection. These were likely to be moved to a fortnightly collection for recycling, helping to reduce ongoing collection costs.
Simon also advised that the Street Cleansing Service, is being brought in house, and will be directly delivered by the Council. Planning permission had been received for the new depot, and all the vehicles required to deliver the service have been specified, sourced and ordered. The digital online reporting service is being developed for My Hastings and we are in the process of finalising the transfer process for staff joining the Council form Kier. The Council will be employing a new senior manager to manage the service and staff team.
South East Local Enterprise Partnership Sector Fund Support PDF 159 KB
10 minutes plus 10 minutes for Q&A
Minutes:
Simon Hubbard, Director, Hastings Borough Council, advised that the South East Local Enterprise Partnership was developing a revised Economic Plan and an Industrial Strategy, a local expression of the national Industrial Strategy. (see attached link or further information https://www.southeastlep.com/our-strategy/strategic-economic-plan/ )
Simon stated that The Coastal Communities Group of SELEP have secured ‘Sector Support Funding’ (SSF) to undertake further research into coastal communities and will develop a prospectus/supplement to the revised Economic Strategy Statement to ensure ongoing and increased investment in coastal communities. (see attached link for further information about the Coastal Communities SSF project https://www.southeastlep.com/project/coastal-communities-ssf-project/ )
Simon advised, the research will focus on issues which are of particular concern to coastal communities and economies, building on research carried out by Sheffield Hallam University providing further evidence to attract investment in capital projects, skills and jobs. The research will help to detail the economic opportunities and priorities specific to coastal areas.
The project is being supported by SELEP SSF funding (£40k) and funding from 10 other local authorities, each contributing £2000 each. Simon advised that, the outcome of the research will both underpin the revised regional economic plan and influence the emerging local industrial strategy, clearly identifying investment priorities for the regions coastal communities, including Hastings.
He advised that the first meeting was held last week in London, and that a brief for consultants was being developed. The LSP will be kept up to date and partners will have an opportunity to input their views and comments to the research. ( Please see attached Hastings Borough Council Cabinet report 7th January 2019, which provides further information about the context of this research)
The Board asked whether there was still a likelihood that SELEP would be sub-divided into smaller regional LEPs, as had been discussed during 2018. Simon advised that the risk of this happening had been greatly reduced, and that the SELEP would continue in its current format for now
Tackling Climate Change and a Future Role for LSP?
10 minutes plus 10 minute Q&A
Minutes:
Councillor Peter Chowney, Leader of the Council and Finance and Property Portfolio Holder advised that the labour group would be putting a motion to Council in February 2019, in response to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change call for action to limit global warming to 1.5oC. Peter advised that the motion was based on a similar approach undertaken by Bristol City Council and other local authorities. The motion recognises the leadership role the borough council can take, and sets out an ambition to make Hastings and St Leonards carbon neutral by 2030. Peter stated that to deliver this ambition would require working in partnership with a range of organisations and that the LSP is a key body to help deliver this ambition for the town.
Future Role for the LSP
Minutes:
Clive Galbraith, Chair of the LSP stated that the funding for the LSP had greatly changed over the last 18 years, which has impacted on the role and mission of the LSP. It was an important body of key decision makers working in the town, which had direct impact over some issues and huge interest and influence on others for example, education.
Clive advised that last year, the Executive Delivery Group of the LSP met and began to discuss the role of the LSP, its work to date and what our focus could be going forward. Could the LSP focus on 2-3 areas of interest that we can influence? What would these issues be? What do we want to collectively contribute to that will be for the good of the town?
The Board considered that the town was evolving, moving forward and had come a long way since the LSP was initially set up, but that we are in a new era, especially in terms of public expenditure e.g. health services and further education. We need to focus on what is important, so shocks to our system, like the Brighton University announcement in 2017, can be managed collaboratively for the benefit of the town, maintaining its resilience to such shocks, and continued development.
The Board considered that it needed to be part of conversations that looked at what the future plans for the town are for the next 10-15 years; what will the future look and feel like with our changing circumstances? What role can the LSP play/ have/ influence? The Board thought that there was never a greater need to come together, to work together, but to make sure we made best use of our time and resources. How can we make a long term difference to the town?
Clive suggested that all partners consider what they consider the 2 or 3 key priorities could be for the coming year for the LSP, and to circulate these before the next meeting in April 2019.
NB Please forward any ideas, thoughts to Chantal Lass by email; to class@hastings.gov.uk by Wednesday 6th March 2019.
Any Other Business
Minutes:
Bruce Campbell of DWP advised that the Universal Credit Service Centre would be moving into Hastings town centre. The office move would relocate 200 full time equivalent staff from its current base at Ashdown House to Lacuna Place, Priory Quarter on Havelock Road https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/dwp-to-move-its-base-into-offices-in-hastings-priory-quarter-1-8362929
Steve Manwaring advised that ESSP has now published its minutes from the meeting held on 15th January 2019 see link below for further information
http://www.essp.org.uk/Meeting-papers-and-reports/ESSP/2019
The Board thought it would be useful to review past agenda items and identify any updates that are still outstanding e.g. The review of the Drug and Alcohol Service, the review of Urgent Treatment Centres and the Walk in Centre at future meetings.
Next meeting will be held on 29th April 2019
Minutes:
Executive Delivery Board of LSP - Monday 11th March 2019 at 2pm
Local Strategic Partnership Board- Monday 29th April 2019 at 10am
Future Meeting Dates:
Executive Delivery Group
LSP Board
Monday 11th March 2019
2pm
Muriel Matters House
Monday 29th April 2019
10am
Muriel Matters House
Wednesday 26th June 2019
2pm
Muriel Matters House
Monday 15th July 2019
10am
Muriel Maters House
Wednesday 11th September 2019
10am
Muriel Matters House
Monday 14th October 2019
10am
Muriel Matters House
Wednesday 4th December 2019
10am
Muriel Matters House
Monday 27th January 2020
10am
Muriel Matters House
Wednesday 11th March 2020
10am
Muriel Matters House
Monday 20th April 2020
10am
Muriel Matters House
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