Issue - meetings

The Board received a report from the Executive Director - Adults, which introduced proposed revisions to the Joint Health Scrutiny (JHS) Arrangements, which were in operation across Cheshire and Merseyside.

          The arrangements provided a framework for local authorities to individually and collectively review and scrutinise matters relating to planning, provision and operations of health services.  As outlined in the report, prior to any establishment of JHS arrangements, each local authority should decide individually whether a proposal represented a substantial/variation or not, referred to as Stage 1.   The regulations would then place a requirement of a local authority that agree the proposal to establish a joint overview and scrutiny.

In the past, there had been instances when Boards had been asked to consider proposals when timings of the proposals had not aligned with scheduled Board meetings and on therefore special PPB’s had to be arranged for the proposals to be considered. 

In Halton’s case, it was suggested that a Stage 1 delegation should be made by the Lead Officer of the PPB, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the PPB.    Having a scheme of delegation in place would support this process and would only be initiated when timings did not allow for the proposals to be scheduled within the normal round of Board meetings.

          RESOLVED:  That the Board endorse the proposal for a Stage 1 delegation and recommend Executive Board agreement, for onward approval by Council.