Minute of Meeting of Scrutiny and Performance Committee of 18 September 2024 for Approval
Perth and Kinross Council · 20 November 2024
Back to Scrutiny and Performance Committee — 20 November 2024 and its agenda
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SCRUTINY AND PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE Minute of hybrid meeting of the Scrutiny and Performance Committee held in the Council Chambers, 2 High Street, Perth, on Wednesday 18 September 2024 at 09.30am. Present: Councillor C Stewart, Bailie A Bailey, Councillors K Allan, S Carr, A Forbes (from item 5 onwards), M Frampton (from item 5 onwards), I Massie, W Robertson, C Shiers, F Smith, and J Welch. In Attendance: T Glen, Chief Executive; C Mailer Depute, S Devlin, Strategic Lead – Learning and Families; A Singh, Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice; Chief Executive, D Littlejohn, Strategic Lead – Economy, Development and Planning; A Seggie and K Johnston (Economy, Development and Planning); G Boland, Strategic Lead – Strategic Planning, People and Performance; M Lynch (Strategic Planning, People and Performance); E Ritchie, Strategic Lead – Housing and Communities; A Clegg, D Stokoe (Housing and Communities); F Crofts, Strategic Lead – Environment and Infrastructure; R Haynes (Environment and Infrastructure); L Simpson, Strategic Lead – Legal and Governance; J Walker, K Molley, A Brown, and M Pasternak (Legal and Governance), J Pepper, Chief Officer HSCP; and C Jolly, HSCP. Also in attendance: A Flucker and V Fitzsimons (SEPA); P Farrer and G Steele (Scottish Water); and P Owen and J Maxton (SSE). Councillor C Stewart, Convener, Presiding. The Convener led discussion on Items 1-6 and the Vice-Convener led discussion on item 7 – 8. 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES The Convener welcomed all those present to the meeting. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST No declarations of interest were made in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct. 3. MINUTE OF MEETING OF THE SCRUTINY AND PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE OF 12 JUNE 2024 The minute of meeting of the Scrutiny and Performance Committee of 12 June 2024 was submitted and approved as a correct record. 4. OUTSTANDING BUSINESS STATEMENT Resolved: The status of actions in the Outstanding Business Statement, be noted and completed actions removed accordingly.
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5. PRESENTATION FROM EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS ON THEIR ROLE IN INCIDENT PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY (i) SEPA A Flucker and V Fitzsimons, SEPA, delivered a short slide-based presentation on SEPA’s role and responsibility in flooding. Members questions were answered. (ii) Scottish Water P Ferrer and G Steele, Scottish Water, delivered a short slide-based presentation on Scottish Water’s role and responsibility in flooding. Members questions were answered. (iii) SSE P Owen and J Maxton, SSE, delivered a short slide-based presentation on SSE’s role and responsibility in flooding. Members questions were answered. The Convener referred to the informative discussion around the operations of the organisations, the collaborative approach to resilience and severe weather response management, and the sharing of future plans. The Convener thanked the representatives from the three external organisations for their presentations and detailed answers. The representatives left the meeting. COUNCILLORS A FORBES AND M FRAMPTON ENTERED THE MEETING DURING THE ABOVE ITEM. THERE FOLLOWED A SHORT RECESS AND THE MEETING RECONVENED AT 11.50AM. 6. PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT 2023/24 There was a report submitted by Chief Executive (24/254) providing an overview of how the Council have performed against priorities, actions and associated key performance indicators in the period from April 2023 to March 2024, as set out within the Corporate Plan 2022-2027. The Vice-Convener queried the expected impact of the fourth bin and if the target of 60% of total household waste recycled / composted as % of all household waste would be achievable after a full year. F Crofts confirmed that the data in the report related to recycling figures prior to the roll out of the fourth bin. F Crofts added that the target of 60% would be a challenge but confirmed that the impact of the roll out of the fourth bin on overall performance would be monitored over time. In response to a question from Councillor A Forbes regarding child poverty, M Lynch advised that the figures of child poverty had remained static since 2017 in Perth and Kinross and across Scotland. M Lynch advised that due to events such as the
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covid pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis since 2017, the expectation had been for levels of child poverty to increase significantly. However, due to mitigating measures implemented by the Council and Scottish Government, figures had not majorly changed. In response to a supplementary question from Councillor A Forbes regarding the progress of the work of Anti-Poverty Task Force, M Lynch confirmed that the Anti- Poverty Task Force had a consultation with a wide range of different stakeholders. M Lynch added that the Tackling Poverty Strategy would be submitted to full Council on 30 October 2024. The strategy would highlight a broad collaboration across public and third sector partners with an emphasis on the shared responsibility of tackling poverty. C Mailer added that work with the Community Planning Partnership had been undertaken to reposition the priorities and to strengthen the alignment with key working groups such as the Anti-Poverty Task Force. C Mailer confirmed that Perth and Kinross Council had received additional funding to support poverty and locality work. Councillor K Allan queried the data around fleet that are electric vehicles. F Crofts confirmed that the specifics behind the figures would be reported back to members. F Crofts advised that in terms of the approach to decarbonise fleet, a further update on the AV Strategy would be reported in early 2025. F Crofts added that a trial of hydrogenated vegetable oil had been introduced for heavy vehicles and confirmed that the initiative had been a success with significant decarbonisation of some of the heavy fleet. Councillor W Robertson queried if the 353k to the Council for nature restoration projects from the Scottish Government nature restoration fund would now be at risk due to Government cutbacks. F Crofts confirmed that the Council had received funding from the nature restoration fund but await further confirmation from the Government on if there would be any clawback on the level of funding. In a follow-up question, Councillor W Robertson queried if the 2,512 trees that were planted on Council owned or managed open spaces would be managed or left to grow wild. A Clegg confirmed the that trees would be managed carefully within the resources available for the foreseeable future. Councillor K Allan referred to the 901 adult learners that were supported by PKC and Adult Learning Partnership to achieve a qualification and queried if the qualification had helped those gain employment. D Stokoe advised that the work had been undertaken by the Perth and Kinross Council Adult Learning Team and the Adult Learning Partnership to support vulnerable adults into employment. They support young learners into courses at UHI, offer other training or opportunities to volunteer to help them gain the skills, confidence and credited qualifications to achieve employment. In response to a question from Councillor A Forbes regarding funding of play parks in Perth and Kinross, A Clegg advised the money from the Scottish Government, PKC Capital Funding and money raised from the community are combined to deliver the whole play park programme each year and the total cost would depend on how many play parks are due to be upgraded per year. Councillor A Forbes also referred to the allocated funding of £1.741m from the Scottish Government Children’s Play Park Renewal Initiative to the Council over a 5-year period 2021/2022 – 2025/26 and if the Council had received the full funding. A Clegg confirmed that the Council receive a sum
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of the funding each year and then work out the plan of improvements based on the money available. In response to a further question from Councillor A Forbes, A Clegg confirmed that the average cost to renew a playpark would be £120k. The Vice-Convener suggested for the margins of error to be illustrated in future Annual Performance reports on areas where they are based on samples rather than the full data set. C Mailer confirmed that the suggestion would be taken on board and looked at for the reports that would be submitted to the Council meeting in October. In response to a question from Councillor A Forbes, K Johnston confirmed that the figures were just under 5,000 visitors for the opening weekend of Perth Museum. K Johnston added that the figures of the opening weekend could be removed, and the overall figures would still show a good increase year on year for various events in the library and different engagement events on the run up to the opening of Perth Museum. Councillor K Allan queried if the impact of Covid would have long lasting effects on the behaviour of young people. S Devlin confirmed that the impact of the pandemic could affect some children and young people for a generational cycle. S Devlin advised there would be a significant impact on children who were born during lockdown who may experience deficiencies to develop speech and language and struggle to socialise. S Devlin added that in relation to older young people, there had been increased levels of anxiety and an increase in the risk-taking behaviour of young people during and since the covid pandemic. S Devlin confirmed that services are working with families and communities to mitigate those behaviours but advised that there would be some long-lasting impacts from the pandemic. Following queries from the Convener and Councillor F Smith, the Chief Executive suggested that a paper be brought to a future committee on business support. Members thanked officers for their work in producing the Annual Performance Report. Resolved: (i) The Annual Performance Report for 2023/24 be scrutinised and feedback be provided to be incorporated into the report for Council. (ii) Areas of performance for further scrutiny at future committees, be identified. 7. INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT 2023/24 There was submitted a report by Chief Officer of the Integration Joint Board (24/255) (1) setting out performance in relation to the National Core Suite of Integration Indicators and (2) providing an overview of progress in meeting the Integration Joint Board’s (IJB) strategic delivery plans focusing on the impact and the experiences of people who use health and care services. Councillor W Robertson raised concerns over dental services and the number of unregistered patients. J Pepper advised that public dental service that are delegated to the Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board are available to everyone across Tayside
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who would meet the criteria, with a focus on vulnerable patients and people of a certain age. J Pepper added that the wider provision of dental services would not be a matter for the Integration Joint Board but confirmed that concerns raised would be focus for discussions locally and nationally. In response to a question from Councillor C Shiers regarding feedback from people that use our services, and the methodology of the survey, C Jolly advised that the National Health and Care Experience Survey would be carried out every two years for populating the national indicators. C Jolly added the respondents are selected from GP lists at random and the survey would be sent postally. Public Health Scotland deliver the survey and the IJB are recipients of the results. In response to a supplementary question from Councillor C Shiers, C Jolly confirmed that there are other mechanisms in place such as Care Opinion where service users could share their story and provide feedback on a more localised basis. Councillor A Forbes highlighted the positive case studies outlined in the report but also queried why there had not been any negative case studies included where things may have not gone to plan. J Pepper advised that people are often more motivated to respond with their positive experience, but the system Care Opinion would not limit the option for service users to provide their negative experience. J Pepper added that further work would be undertaken to encourage people to share their experience whether it had been positive or negative. Councillor K Allan queried the main challenges faced by the Integration Joint Board. Firstly, J Pepper mentioned the increased ageing population and the level of need. J Pepper also referred to the issues of recruitment and the struggle to attract people to work in social care to help meet the level of need. Lastly, J Pepper raised concern over the ability to deliver services across such a large geographical area. The Convener also raised the issue of capacity for the Health and Social Care Partnership to be able to invest in early intervention and prevention in improving people’s overall general health at a younger age so the demand of services would not be as high as people grow older. Councillor A Forbes queried if the Scottish Government would provide constructive feedback on the Annual Performance Report. J Pepper advised that feedback would not necessarily be submitted but the Scottish Government had shown a level of interest in certain areas that work well such as the investment of supporting people with learning disabilities. J Pepper added that several initiatives taken forward are of national interest and many local authorities had been interested in Tayside’s delayed discharge performance. J Pepper advised that she had also requested for the report to be considered by NHS Tayside Board to look at best practice and shared challenges with Dundee and Angus. Members thanked officers for their work in producing the Annual Performance Report. Resolved: (i) The draft Annual Governance Statement for the financial year 2023/24, be scrutinised. (ii) The assurance provided as to the adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s governance arrangements including the system of internal control, be noted.
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8. PERTH AND KINROSS HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE PARTNERSHIP (HSCP) CLINICAL AND CARE GOVERNANCE ASSURANCE REPORT There was submitted a report by Chief Social Work Officer (24/256) providing assurance to Perth & Kinross Council’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee on the Clinical Care and Professional Governance of the Perth and Kinross HSCP. Resolved: The Committee agreed to the level of Reasonable Assurance provided. The Committee agreed to defer all remaining items on the agenda to the next meeting scheduled on 20 November 2024. ~~~~~~