Adult, Community Services and Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel
Tuesday 16 December 2008
ADULT, COMMUNITY SERVICES & HEALTH OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY PANEL
16 DECEMBER 2008
PRESENT: Councillors Meadowcroft (Chairman), Mrs Endacott (Vice Chairman), Mrs Evans, Lenton, Majeed, Mrs Napier and Mrs Proctor.
Also Present: Councillor Dudley
Officers: Mr Abrahamson, Mr A Brown, Mr Gould, Mr Herlinger, Mr A Scott and Mr Thomas.
PART I
46/08 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None.
47/08 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Mrs Napier declared a Personal Interest in Agenda Item 6 – 2009/10 Fees and Charges Report as she was a carer and was in receipt of direct payments for her son.
Councillor Lenton declared a Personal Interest in Agenda Item 6 – 2009/10 Fees and Charges Report as the Council’s appointed representative on the Board of Windsor Housing.
48/08 MINUTES
- RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 4 November 2008 be approved as a correct record.
49/08 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF ADULT SOCIAL CARE BY THE COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL CARE INSPECTION
Members considered the report due to be submitted to Cabinet on 18 December 2008 on the outcome of the annual performance assessment of Adult Social Care by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). The Lead Member for Adult and Community Services, Councillor Dudley, informed the Panel that the Council had retained two stars and had been rated as ‘good’ at delivering outcomes with ‘promising’ capacity to improve. Councillor Dudley commented upon the areas that had been identified for improvement and placed on record his appreciation to all the officers involved in achieving the rating.
The Lead Member and the Officers responded to questions raised by Members of the Panel on number of the key areas for development. In particular, the Panel were advised of the main reasons why people remained in hospital after their medical needs had been met and were provided with an indication of the scale of the problem. Councillor Dudley advised that the various organisations were working together to address the issue and that provision of additional resource was being considered to ensure that fewer people than necessary remained in hospital. The officers also commented upon the Council’s role and responsibility in ensuring that staff in external organisations received safeguarding training.
Arising from the debate, the Panel expressed their sincere gratitude to all staff within the Directorate for all the hard work and dedication that they had given but expressed disappointment that their hard work and achievements had not been fully recognised by the Commission in the awarding of a higher rating. It was also suggested that some basic benchmarking statistics be provided in future reports to put the comments on performance into context.
The Panel also agreed that a further detailed report be submitted to the Panel at its 3 March 2009 meeting to update Members on progress with the development of the Action Plan to address the key areas for development.
- RESOLVED: That the report be recommended to Cabinet, subject to the inclusion of the comments outlined above.
50/08 THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET REPORT
Members received the report on the Preliminary Budget that was due to be submitted to Cabinet on 18 December 2008. The report outlined the impact of the “credit crunch” on the delivery of Council services, explained that the Council was in the middle of a three-year settlement, referred to the main assumptions and key issues that had been considered in the preparation of the budget and highlighted the Council’s commitment to keeping Council Tax increases below the level of inflation.
The Lead Member for Adult and Community Services and the Officers responded to a number of questions/concerns raised by Members. With regard to a concern raised about the implications the current economic climate may have on the number of people being able to self-fund their places in nursing accommodation, the officers advised that, although there was no evidence to indicate that there had been any impact on the Council’s budgets to date, the situation was being closely monitored. In response to a request from a Member that the recruitment of staff be commenced as soon as possible to ensure that the Housing Policy Unit was adequately resourced to deal with the likely increase in levels of homelessness cases due to the Credit Crunch, Members were advised of the action being taken to ensure that the appropriate level of resource would be available to deal the likely increase in demand for the service.
Arising from the discussion, the Panel endorsed the report and congratulated the Officers on producing a document that provided a clear description of the current financial situation. However, a Member expressed some concern about the effect any reduction in spending may have on the delivery of some services.
- RESOLVED: That the report be recommended to Cabinet, subject to the inclusion of the comments outlined above.
51/08 2009/10 FEES AND CHARGES REPORT
Members considered the report due to be submitted to Cabinet on 18 December 2008 on proposed level of Fees and Charges to be set for 2009/2010. Members were advised that, as the Government used the September RPI to assess increases in pensions and benefits, 5% had been used as the baseline for any increase in fees and charges. However, it was noted that, in setting the level of fees and charges, the Council had sought to ensure that any change would not adversely impact on its strategy to support recreational activities or affect the trading position of the services it offered generally.
During the ensuing discussion, a number of Members expressed concern with the proposed level of increase in the charge for Home Care, particularly as it affected some of the most vulnerable people in the community. Members were advised that an individual’s income and savings levels were taken into account as part of the assessment process and it was stressed that no person would be expected to pay more than they had been assessed as being able to pay. It was also contended that a balance had to be made between the level of charge individuals had to pay for the service and the level of subsidy provided by the Council.
With regard to the proposed increases in Leisure Centre charges, Members were advised that the Council did monitor the level of charges made by the private sector and that the charges being proposed were considered to be competitive.
- RESOLVED: That Cabinet be advised that the Panel supports the proposed increase in the housing assisted transfer allowances. However, there was a dichotomy within the Panel between those that wanted the Council to provide more subsidy to reduce the cost individuals paid for Home Care and those that believed people should pay for the service themselves.
52/08 SERVICE MONITORING REPORT
The Panel received and noted the latest service monitoring report for activity within the Adult, Community and Health Services during the period to 30 November 2008. Members were advised that the Adult Social Care budget currently showed an underspend of £279k, a decrease of £291 on last months reported overspend of £12k.
In response to a question as to whether carers would be issued with concessionary bus passes, the Lead Member for Adult and Community Services advised that the matter was currently being reviewed and that a decision would be made shortly.
53/08 WORK PROGRAMME
Members noted the items that had been identified for submission to the next meeting. It was also noted that an update would be given on the Opthalmic patients records at King Edward VII Hospital and the key areas arising from Right Care Right Place.
54/08 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 – EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
- RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting whilst discussion takes place on item 10 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.