Healthwatch Lancashire Limited Board

Part I Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 23rd March, 2016 at 10.00 am at the Healthwatch Lancashire Offices, Leyland House, Lancashire Business Park, Leyland, PR26 6TY

Present

Michael Wedgeworth (Chairman)
John Fell
Davina Hanlon / Alex Rocke
Averil Sparrow
Naz Zaman

In Attendance

Gill Brown, Chief Executive, Healthwatch Lancashire
Neil Greaves, Communications Manager, Healthwatch Lancashire Limited
Andy Milroy, Company Services Officer, Lancashire County Council
Sheralee Turner-Birchall, Volunteers & Projects Officers Manager, Healthwatch Lancashire Limited
Rose Whalley, Moore and Smalley

<AI1>

1. / Welcome and Apologies
The Chair, Mike Wedgeworth, welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies for absence were noted from Carol Gradwell.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2. / Minutes of the last Board meeting held on 3rd March 2016
Resolved: The minutes of the Board meeting held on 3rd March 2016 were agreed as an accurate record and duly signed by the Chair.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3. / Matters Arising
It was requested under matters arising that for future Board minutes if two separate minutes be prepared, one for the Part I (open to press and public) section and one for the Part II (private and confidential) section. The Company Secretary's representative, Andy Milroy, agreed to prepare Board minutes in this format from now on.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4. / Declaration of Interests
None

</AI4>

<AI5>

5. / Chair's Report
The Chair, Mike Wedgeworth, presented the Chair's Report (circulated) of recent meetings he had attended. Mr Wedgeworth drew attention to a meeting he attended on 2nd February 2016 with Wahida Pervaiz and her role working with Asian families regarding genetics, the work being done was being spread across East Lancashire and was extremely important.
Resolved: The Board noted the Chair's Report as presented.

</AI5>

<AI6>

6. / Chief Executive's Report
Gill Brown, Chief Executive, Healthwatch Lancashire presented the Chief Executive's Report (circulated) to the Board.
It was highlighted that the majority of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were "green" with a small amount of "yellows".
With regard to press coverage it was noted that a number of articles relating to Healthwatch Lancashire had been in the Lancashire Evening Post and there had been an excellent response to the articles.
In addition to the circulated report, Gill tabled a Service Agreement that had been drawn up between Healthwatch Lancashire and Lancashire County Council, following some revisions made Gill confirmed that both the Chair, and herself as Chief Executive, were content to endorse the Service Agreement for approval by the Board.
Resolved: The Healthwatch Lancashire Board:
(i)Noted the Chief Executive's Update Report; and
(ii)Approved the Service Agreement, as tabled, between Lancashire County Council and Healthwatch Lancashire Limited for the period 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2017.

</AI6>

<AI7>

7. / Finance Report
Rose Whalley, Moore and Smalley, presented a Finance Report (circulated) for the period ended 31 December 2015.
It was reported the company finances were as expected for the end of December 2015 and that the accounts currently showed a £425k to £430k surplus projection for the financial year end, 31 March 2016.
Resolved: The Board noted the Finance Report as presented.

</AI7>

<AI8>

8. / Draft Budget
Gill Brown presented a Draft Budget report (circulated) for the period 2016 / 17 for Board approval.
It was noted that the Lancashire County Council budget offer had been set at £438,000 and from this an appropriate budget was set within this funding envelope.
The consequence of this reduction in funding were reported as:
  • The organisation will not have a Chief Executive in post from 01/04/16
  • The Project Officer Team has reduced 2 posts to 1 day (7 hours) per week – these posts were previously 37 hours and 18.5 hours per week
  • Additional savings have been made by rationalising other costs
Resolved: Following a discussion, the Board approved the Healthwatch Lancashire Budget for 2016 / 17 as set out.

</AI8>

<AI9>

9. / Draft Minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on 16th February 2016
The Chair of the Audit Committee, John Fell, summarised the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 16th February 2016. It was noted that the appointment of the company auditors would be reviewed at a future meeting.
Resolved: That the minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on 16th February 2016 be noted.

</AI9>

<AI10>

10. / Directors' Representation at External Meetings (Oral)
The Chair updated the Board on Director's representation at external meetings. It was noted that Gill Brown would be leaving her post as of 31st March 2016 would would leave some gaps in representation. Following a discussion Alex Rocke offered to cover external meetings in the South Cumbria and Lancashire North area.
Resolved: The Board agreed that the external meetings list would be updated and presented to a future Board meeting.

</AI10>

<AI11>

11. / Whistleblowing Policy - for Approval
Resolved: The Board approved the Whistleblowing Policy as presented.

</AI11>

<AI12>

12. / Any Other Business
Under Any Other Business the Chair reported that he had been notified that Linda Williams had submitted her resignation as a Director of Healtwatch. The Chair, and the Board, wished to place on record their thanks for the work Linda had done for Healthwatch Lancashire and that the Chair would write to Linda, on behalf of the Board.

</AI12>

<AI13>

13. / Date and time of meetings for 2016
It was noted that the next Board meeting was scheduled for 1st June 2016, 2.30pm at the Healthwatch Lancashire offices, with a Development Session to be held on 7th April 2016 at 4.30pm.
The future schedule of other Healthwatch Lancashire meetings was noted.

</AI13>

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