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City Of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee |
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Date |
14 June 2021 |
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Present |
Councillors Crawshaw (Chair), Fenton (Vice-Chair), Hollyer, Hook, Musson, Norman, Pearson and Rowley |
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Apologies |
Councillors Baker |
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The Chair confirmed this was not a formal meeting of this Scrutiny Committee. The Council is operating its scrutiny and decision making meetings in accordance with statutory requirements relating to holding ‘Covid-safe’ meetings between 7 May and 19 July 2021.
It was noted that following disagreement over assigned seats and substitutions at Annual Council for this Committee, Cllr Wann was asked to leave the meeting before it started.
1. Declarations of Interest
At this point in the meeting, the Chair invited Members to declare any personal, pecuniary or prejudicial interests, which they had not already included in their standing register of interests. None were declared.
2. Minutes
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 May 2021 were approved, to be signed by the Chair as a correct record at a later date.
3. Public Participation
It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
4. Public Health Update on Covid-19
Members received a verbal update and presentation from the Assistant Director and Consultant in Public Health, on the latest figures and information relating to the impact of the virus around the city, specifically covering:
· Increase in cases and forecast for upcoming weeks.
· Comparison with Yorkshire and Humber region.
· 7 day positivity rate.
· Age breakdown of positive cases and vaccination comparison.
· 60+ age group lower level of cases in York
· Variants of concern including delta variant.
· Slight rise in Covid-19 patients in York hospital.
· No Covid-19 deaths in York since end of April.
· No outbreaks in care homes.
· Increase in positive cases in schools.
· Vaccination rollout by age, ward, gender and ethnicity.
· Work with Nimbus to look at issues surrounding vaccine uptake by minority groups.
The Assistant Director and Consultant in Public Health then responded to a range of questions from Members and confirmed:
· Safety concern is the leading issue for people not having vaccine.
· Testing team discussing symptom-free testing with younger population and views on vaccination.
· Practical barriers are being addressed with Nimbus.
· The discounted fees at York Crematorium will continue.
· Awaiting guidance on business rate relief from government.
· Increased hours for Askham Bar vaccination centre to reduce wait time for 2nd vaccination, and CYC communication team to be briefed on the process and inform residents accordingly.
· The balance of increased tourism for economy in relation to becoming a hotspot and that transmission is most common when meeting in own homes.
· The rules around school bubbles and a child asked to isolate.
· The next update at CSMC would include a breakdown of secondary school age and University age groups.
RESOLVED: That the updates from the Assistant Director and Consultant in Public Health be noted.
REASON: To keep the Committee informed of the impact of the pandemic across the city.
5. Organisation Development Programme Update - Internal Focus
Members were updated on the internal Organisation Development Programme by the Head of Human Resources in CYC. She explained the delay in updates due to the pandemic, the importance and ongoing work of the health and wellbeing and an overview of the following:
· The process of staff surveys and focus groups with suitable technology provided for the online engagement events.
· Key stakeholders around the city developing similar processes.
· Amending operating practices and models.
· New ways of working following the pandemic, with cultural and physical adaptation.
· Importance of team collaboration.
· 7 key themes in report.
· Apprenticeship offer restarting.
· Monthly staff recognition schemes.
· Support and skills for Managers.
In response to Member’s questions it was confirmed:
· Ongoing development of communication around ward specific updates and activities.
· The recent need for hybrid working not identified in the initial staff engagement and consultation sessions.
· An agile way of working for individuals in regards to working from home.
· A pilot/ testing period would occur and the operating practices altered where necessary.
RESOLVED: That the updates from the Head of Human Resources be noted. That updates to the internal Organisational Development Programme be presented to the Committee in 6 months and to include feedback from unions and recent staff surveys.
REASON: To ensure Members are fully updated on the progress of the Organisational Development Programme.
6. Organisation Development Programme Update - External Focus
Members were updated on the external Organisation Development Programme by the Director of Customer and Communities. She updated the Committee on customer services in the corporate function and the increase in community hubs and capacity with a focus on:
· Covid-19 response in West Office working.
· Delivery of grants schemes to support residents and businesses.
· Social distancing limitations at York Crematorium and reduced charges.
· Registry office continued to operate, virtually for first lockdown.
· Mansion House re-opened 19 May (free for residents up to 31 May)
· Developing virtual hubs and community hubs for each ward with future hub accreditation scheme.
· Working with Ward Members, locating gaps in provision of community groups and financial inclusion.
· Restructure and linking community services for customer journey.
· Community team continue to operate network of hubs supporting clinically vulnerable.
· Hubs commissioning budget used for service across communities sector, working closely with CVS.
· LiveWellYork – map community assets and updating information for residents.
In response to Member’s questions it was confirmed:
· Positive feedback in relation to the added telephone appointment option for registration of death to be reviewed.
[Cllr Rowley left the meeting 19:00]
· Issues surrounding MyAccount, portal for unified council service.
· Individual online self-service to continue.
· Reduction in covid-19 council-led response services.
· Recruit more local area coordinator support – challenges around future funding.
· Review of issues surrounding ward funding to fill gaps in community provision and Better Care funding for future meeting.
· May be redundancies at high level of communities service but not significant and will look at redeployment.
· Hub service for every ward, the type of provision will vary depending on the need of the ward.
· Reviewing how children’s centres work within the community, possibility to become part of Hub strategy.
· Monitoring of Better Care funding to support local area and early help team.
RESOLVED: That the updates from the Director of Customer and Communities be noted. That updates to the external Organisational Development Programme be presented to the Committee in 6 months and to include review of ward funding and Better Care funding.
REASON: To ensure Members are fully updated on the progress of the Organisational Development Programme.
[Cllr Pearson left the meeting 19:26]
7. Work Plan 2021/22
Members were informed that the all Scrutiny Committees in their next meeting were focusing on updating their Work Plan for the municipal year with Executive Members and Corporate Directors.
The Chair confirmed Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee need an updated Work Plan and requested Members to send through suggestions to be discussed at the next meeting.
RESOLVED: That the Chair’s update of Scrutiny work plans and the input and update to this Committee’s work plan be noted.
REASON: To ensure that structured work plans and commissioned scrutiny slots are in place for the upcoming year.
Councillor J Crawshaw, Chair
[The meeting started at 5.31 pm and finished at 7.31 pm].