HULL AND GOOLE PORT HEALTH AUTHORITY

12th June 2012

(The meeting was held in the Guildhall, Kingston upon Hull)

PRESENT:-

Councillors Brady, Briggs, Chambers, Pantelakis, Turner, and Vickers.

IN ATTENDANCE:-

L. Dettman (Chief Port Health Inspector), C. Curtis (Hull and Goole Port Health Authority), N. Bond (Human Resources – Hull City Council), A. Gill (Finance – Hull City Council), J. Grayson (Legal Services – Hull City Council), S. Markham (Corporate Planning and Finance – Hull City Council), C. Newsam (Democratic Services Officer)

APOLOGIES:-

Councillors Boatman, Fudge, Mann and Moore

Minute

No. /

Report

No. /

Business

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1491 / APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR – Resolved – That Councillor Brady be appointed as Chair of the Authority for the ensuing year.
1492 / APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CHAIR – Resolved –That Councillor Briggs be appointed as Deputy Chair of the Authority for the ensuing year.
1493 / MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 13TH MARCH 2012
Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Authority held on 13th March, 2012 having been printed and circulated, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the Chair.
1494 / APPOINTMENT OF EMERGENCY SUB-COMMITTEE –
Resolved – That the Chair, Deputy Chair and Councillor Moore be appointed to the Emergency Sub-Committee for the ensuing year.
1495 / APPOINTMENT TO OUTSIDE BODIES - The Chair confirmed the nominations to represent the Authority on Outside Bodies.
Resolved – That the following be appointed to represent the Authority on the Outside Bodies for the coming year:
(i) Humberside Pest Control Committee – Chief Port Health Inspector
(ii) North Humber Health Protection Partnership Board – Chief Port Health Inspector
(iii) Humber (South) Health Protection Partnership Board – Chief Port Health Inspector
(iv) Humber Local Resilience Forum – Chief Port Health Inspector
(v) Humber Authorities Chief Environmental Health Officer’s Group – Chief Port Health Inspector
(vi) The Association of Port Health Authorities – Councillor Brady and the Chief Port Health Inspector;
(vii) The Humber Port Welfare Committee – Councillor Briggs and the Chief Port Health Inspector.
1496 / 123 / ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2011-12 – A. Gill, Finance, submitted a report which presented the Annual Statement of Accounts which showed an analysis of the Authority’s financial activity for the year ended 31st March 2012. The Treasurer reported that the outturn position for the year was a revenue surplus of £37,047 compared to the revised estimated surplus of £1,227 approved by Members on 13th December 2011. The improved position was primarily due to an increase in fees and charges income and a reduction in associated costs, in particular the support service costs. The balance of Levy Rebate Reserve as at 31st March 2011 was £173,617.
Resolved – That the Financial Statements for 2011-12 be approved in accordance with section 10 of the Audit and Accounts Regulations 2003 and be signed by the Chair;
1497 / 124 / INTERNAL AUDIT – ANNUAL REPORT 2011/12 – S. Markham, Corporate Planning and Finance, presented a summary of Internal Audit work in respect of 2011/2012 upon which an overall conclusion on the adequacy of the control environment was based. The report formed a key element of the Board’s Annual Governance Statement (AGS) which accompanied the Annual Statement of Accounts.
On the basis of Internal Audit testing and review, the internal control environment appeared good with no significant matters arising.
Resolved - That the Board notes the positive outcome of the audit detailed in the report and thanked the Officer for the work carried out on behalf of the Authority during 2011/12.
1498 / 125 / 125 YEARS OF HULL AND GOOLE PORT HEALTH AUTHORITY – The Chief Port Health Inspector submitted a report detailing the work carried out by the Authority since it was founded in 1887.
The Chief Port Health Inspector highlighted to the Board the expanded brief of the Authority and the many changes that had occurred during its 125 year history. He also highlighted the continued value of partnership working practices as a Joint Board and how port and ship health had improved greatly throughout this time.
Members were reminded however of the importance of maintaining a global perspective and risks associated with re-emergence of diseases such as Malaria and Tuberculosis, which had been controlled long ago. The risks of “new” diseases such as new strains of Influenza were also of particular concern. The Authority would continue to work hard in this area to maintain adequate controls.
The Chief Port Health Inspector stressed the importance of diligence and preparedness in meeting the many challenges that lie ahead.
Resolved – That the Board notes the report, and thanks the Authority for its continued hard work in the Humber ports area.
1499 / 126 / EXERCISE SHIPAHOY – PORT HEALTH EMERGENCY PLANNING EXERCISE – The Chief Port Health Inspector submitted a report on the outcomes of the exercise carried out on 27th March 2012.
The Chief Port Health Inspector outlined to the Board the purpose of the exercise which had been carried out aboard a passenger ferry in Hull, this had included personnel from all the relevant partner agencies and emergency services and he was pleased to report that the full exercise, involving a large food poisoning outbreak, went very well.
Positive feedback had been received from participants, with all service providers requesting a similar exercise, perhaps on a smaller scale, in the future. There would also be a need however for the Authority to review and update the Port Health Emergency Plan following the outcomes.
Resolved – That the Board note the outcomes of the report.
1500 / 127 / INSPECTORIAL STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS – The Chief Port Health Inspector submitted a report highlighting changes to the Authority’s staffing arrangements from the last meeting.
As previously reported, one member of staff had resigned and was due to leave the Authority. It was now the case that a second member of staff was to take maternity leave, which created an issue with effective provision of the service.
Following consultation with all parties and Human Resources, the resignation had been rescinded, and the member of staff would now take a career break, and would return to the Authority to cover the maternity leave from October 2012. However provision of maternity cover would result in a budgetary overspend of approximately £8000.
Following advice from the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Port Health Inspector recommended that the overspend would be funded from the Authority’s financial reserves.
Resolved – That the Board supports and endorses the measures taken by the Chief Port Health Inspector as detailed in the report, and approve the limited use of financial reserves.
1501 / 128 / QUARTERLY SUMMARY FEBRUARY TO APRIL 2012 - The Chief Port Health Inspector submitted, for information, a quarterly summary of the work of the Authority in respect of inspections, notifications and investigations undertaken during the period February 2012 to April 2012.
The Board were informed that there was an ongoing incident at Goole Docks, which had involved a recycling company, who had deposited 3000 tonnes of non-recyclable household waste at the dockside ready for shipping to Europe for incineration.
Various issues had been raised by the Port Health Authority, and the Environment Agency, who were collectively monitoring high levels of flies and foul smells being emitted from the refuse in the area, both agencies were working together to find an urgent solution to the problem.
The Environment Agency was responsible for any legal enforcement measures involving such waste products and they had served an enforcement notice on the owner of the waste to require its removal.
Regular updates would be provided to the Board on the current situation and relevant issues, and following a full investigation into this case, The Chief Port Health Inspector would submit a detailed report to the September 2012 meeting of the Board.
Resolved – That the Board receives further updates from the Chief Port Health Inspector on the ongoing situation in Goole and await the outcomes of a full investigation in the form of a report to be submitted to a future meeting.

13.06.12

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