Meeting documents

Neil Dardis, Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire NHS Hospitals Trust, will deliver a presentation to Members.

The Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire NHS Hospitals Trust, Neil Dardis provided a presentation to full Council which outlined the improvements to the Trust over recent years and the continued aims and ambitions.  There were key areas for improvement, as follows:

·       Urgent care

·       Patient experience

·       Care Quality Commission

·       Finance - to reduce the Trust deficit over a 3 year period

It was noted that the Trust was in special measures 2 years ago but due to significant improvements this was now not the case and continual improvements were being made.  The aims of the trust were for an excellence in quality, being a great place to work and leading the way in joining up health and care for patients.

The overall vision for the Trust was to empower patients, engage and involve communities and to enable staff to lead transformation of services.

In response to questions from members, Mr Dardis clarified that there were opportunities to work more collaboratively with other organisations.  Members were advised that a new finance director had been appointed to the Trust and a key aim was to reduce the current £10.8m deficit within a 3 year plan including a need to reduce agency staffing, through a development of the use of in-house bank staff where possible, and a reduction in duplication of costs.  Mr Dardis acknowledged the need to increase partnership working with the District Councils who were instrumental in creating building blocks to improve healthy lifestyles.

The Chairman thanked Neil Dardis and Lee Jones for their attendance and presentation.

To approve as a correct record and to sign the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 20 September 2016.

The Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 20 September 2016 were approved as a correct record.

Councillors I A Darby and J Rush declared a personal interest in item 8.1 due to their roles as Chalfont St Peter Parish Councillors.

Councillor L Smith declared a personal interest in item 8.1 due to her role as Chalfont St Peter Parish Council Chairman.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman, Cabinet Leader or the Head of Paid Service.

(a)       Chairman’s Engagements

A list of Engagements carried out by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council between 19 September and 4 November 2016 had been circulated.

(b)       Chairman’s Announcements

The Chairman advised that she would be hosting a Christmas Event for Councillors and Officers on 15 December 2016 from 6.00 - 7.30pm

(c) Announcements from the Leader of the Cabinet

The Leader of the Cabinet had no announcements to make.

(d) Announcements from the Head of Paid Service

The Acting Chief Executive thanked members (Councillors I A Darby, J MacBean and J Rush) who were involved in the selection and recruitment process for the appointment of the Joint HR Manager. It was noted that Louise Cole had been appointed and a start date was to be confirmed.

(e) Petitions

No petitions were submitted.

Consideration was given to the report which updated the Committee on the Joint Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy, similarly the Joint Whistleblowing Policy.

It was moved by Councillor J Gladwin, seconded by Councillor D Phillips and

RESOLVED:

That the Joint Protected Disclosure (Whistleblowing) and Joint Anti-Fraud Bribery and Corruption Policies are agreed.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval to the recommendation of the Joint Appointments and Implementation Committee regarding the appointment of the shared chief Executive / Head of Paid Service (including the roles of Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officers) following the recruitment and selection process.

Cllr Stannard advised that four candidates had been interviewed and the decision to appoint Robert Smith had been a unanimous decision of all members on the Joint Appointments and Implementation Committee which had involved councillors from both authorities and the decision was supported by the comprehensive results of the competency tests undertaken by each candidate.  At a meeting of full council at South Bucks District Council on Tuesday 8 November the appointment of Robert Smith was approved.

It was moved by Councillor M J Stannard, seconded by Councillor I A Darby and

RESOLVED -

That

(i)   Robert Smith be offered the appointment as Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service of South Bucks District Council shared with Chiltern District Council (to include the role of Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer for South Bucks District Council);

(ii)  The appointment be confirmed and remunerated in accordance with the approved salary grade; and

                      

(iii)The HR Manager in consultation with the Leaders of both Councils be authorised to finalise the arrangements and the start date for the appointment

Following the 2nd referendum (8th September) for the Chalfont St Peter Neighbourhood Plan to report the outcome of the referendum. Given the referendum result is in favour of the plan becoming part of the Development Plan for the Chalfont St Peter area Cabinet recommend to full Council that the neighbourhood plan be made (adopted).

It was moved by Councillor P E C Martin, seconded by Councillor P E C Martin and

RESOLVED -

That the Chalfont St Peter Neighbourhood Plan be made (Adopted) a part of the Development Plan for the Chalfont St Peter Parish Area.

The financial strategy for the authority is intended to provide a stable financial environment for the Council to progress its aims and objectives.

The Council needs to have a clear financial strategy to tackle the challenges faced in the coming years.  The proposed strategy requires significant investment in a range of projects necessary to meet key priorities including achieving a sustainable financial position by the end of the decade.  Cllr Stannard (Resources Portfolio Holder) had indicated the need to update the strategy which  was in part driven by the likelihood of the authority moving to borrow to invest in major project in the coming years.  This is a living document that will be amended and updated on a regular basis in the light of circumstances and changing information   

It was moved by Councillor M J Stannard, seconded by Councillor I A Darby and

RESOLVED:

That

i)       the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy (Appendix A) be agreed.

ii)    that the Treasury Management Strategy be updated to reflect the implications of the Medium Term Financial Strategy; and

iii)  having indicated that it was interested in taking up the Government’s Four Year Funding Offer, Council agreed  the Joint Efficiency Plan produced with South Bucks DC (Appendix B) which  was a requirement of taking up the offer.

To receive and consider reports from the Cabinet Leader, Cabinet Members or Chairman of a Committee and receive questions and answers on any of those reports in accordance with Rule 9.1 of the Procedural Rules.

a) Councillor I A Darby - Modernising Local Government

Councillor Darby reported that the report commissioned by the District Councils had been received from Deloitte and had been published on the Councils’ websites.  The report was out to consultation with all stakeholders and initial responses indicated that residents welcomed the option to be consulted on alternative structures.

b) Councillor M J Stannard - Leisure Needs Working Group

Councillor M J Stannard reported the Chiltern Pools consultation had commenced on 4 November and would continue until 12 December 2016.  208 responses had been received by 11 November and initial responses were generally supportive.  Councillor Stannard asked that members encourage people to respond to ensure that a good cross section of views will be received.

c) Councillor N Rose and Councillor Gladwin - HS2

Councillor Rose reported that it was approaching the end of the line in terms of petitioning process for HS2.  A recent significant presentation had been made by representatives from Great Missenden, and also Cllr Gladwin had presented on behalf of Chiltern Society.  

Cllr Gladwin added that the House of Lords were continuing to hear petitions but the period was drawing to a close now and limited new evidence was being presented.

It was noted that HS2 had been identified undertaking drilling in Chalfont St Giles but permission had not been sought and that Council officers had put a halt to this work continuing.

The Leader of the Council took this opportunity to thank all councillors who had been extremely involved in the petitioning process and gone the extra mile to represent the residents of Chiltern.  Councillor Berry supported the Leader and thanked colleagues for their assistance in the process.

Councillor Peter Jones suggested that councillors and officers should where possible make contact with colleagues in Councils who were likely to be affected in respect of the further phases of HS2 in other parts of the country to share knowledge and information.

d) Councillor D Phillips - Affordable Housing Working Group

Councillor Phillips reported that the previous meeting of the Affordable Housing Working Group received an informative presentation from Matthew  Bailes, Chief Executive of Paradigm.  A further presentation would be received in six months and also a presentation from Paradigm was to be made to full Council meeting on 10 January 2017.  The Working Group were working on a list of possible sites to be presented to a future meeting of members for consideration

e) Councillor Martin - Local Plan

Councillor Martin reported  that  the Local Plan was still at consultation stage with two final stakeholder meetings to be held in the Chalfonts during the weekend of 19 - 20 November.  Councillor Martin paid tribute to all the officers and councillors who had been involved in the Local Plan process as this had been very intensive and had involved many long hours of work for all concerned for which he was grateful.  It was noted that the Local Plans for Wycombe District Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council had been delayed by three months

The Chairman thanked all members and officers who had been involved in this and with special mention to Cllrs Martin and Darby who had contributed a considerable amount of their time to the process.

To receive questions and answers of the Cabinet Leader, Cabinet Members or Chairman of a Committee (if any) in accordance with Rule 9.2 of the Council Procedure Rules.

To receive questions without notice from any Member of the Council to the Cabinet Leader, Cabinet Members or Chairman of a Committee (if any) in accordance with Rule 9.1 of the Council Procedure Rules.

There were no questions.

To receive petitions and/or deputations (if any) from members of the public including provisions allowing members to ask questions of clarification at the discretion of the Chairman and restrictions on deputations covering the same subject or by the same speakers.

There were no petitions received.

To receive reports about and receive questions and answers relating to any joint arrangements or external organisations.

No Motions had been received.

To resolve that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To resolve that under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt informaiton as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

It was moved by Councillor Darby, seconded by Councillor Stannard and

RESOLVED -

That the item be deferred for further consideration.