Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Fonseca.

Councillor Joshi declared an ‘other disclosable interest’ in respect of item 3, ‘Elderly Persons’ Home Proposals in that his wife worked in an elderly persons’ home and he worked for an organisation that helped people with mental health issues.

Councillor Moore declared an ‘other disclosable interest’ in respect of item 3, ‘Elderly Persons’ Homes Proposal in that she was a member of Unison.

To consider the following reports, attached, and raise questions with the officers, and to gather evidence from Trade Unions to feed into the 11^th July meeting.

1.    Final report from previous Adult Social Care and Housing Scrutiny Commission review (2011)

2.    Response of the then Assistant City Mayor (Adult Social Care and Housing).

3.    Proposals for the future of the Councils Elderly persons Homes

4.    Elderly Persons Homes – Scrutiny Review Information report

Members of the Commission were asked to consider four reports relating to the Elderly Persons’ Homes Proposals as follows:

1)    Final report from previous Adult Social Care and Housing Scrutiny Commission review (2011)

2)    Response of the then Assistant City Mayor (Adult Social Care and Housing)

3)    Proposal for the future of the Council’s Elderly Persons’ Homes

4)    Elderly Persons’ Homes – Scrutiny Review Information Report.

Members were also asked to consider the response from the Trade Unions in order to gather evidence to feed into a further meeting of the Commission on 11 July 2013.

The Assistant City Mayor for Adult Social Care, Councillor Patel referred to the proposals for the future of the council’s elderly persons’ homes and explained that under Phase 1, Herrick Lodge, Elizabeth House and Nuffield House would close and Cooper House and Abbey House would be sold as going concerns.  The consultation period was due to end on 10 July 2013 and after that a report would be considered by the Executive.

Assistant City Mayor Patel explained that there was an issue relating to the under occupancy of  the council’s care homes and approximately 80% of people who received financial support for their care chose to go into private residential care rather than into a council home. Assistant City Mayor Patel added that it was important that the best possible care was provided for the residents.

Concerns were expressed over the proposals to sell off the residential homes rather than seeking alternatives.

Various questions were asked as follows:

·         If it were not for the budgetary cuts, would the council still be considering the closure of their elderly persons’ homes, and if so, why?

·         How were fees charged, could they be varied and did income equal expenditure?

Assistant City Mayor Patel responded that good homes required investment. The council paid their staff a fair living wage and with staffing costs the council owned homes were more expensive to run than privately owned homes. Occupancy rates in the homes had fallen over the years and there were now only 161 permanent residents in the council’s elderly persons’ homes out of a possible 282 beds.  Not only were people choosing to go into privately run homes but were also delaying the transition and opting to remain in their own homes longer because specialist care and equipment was being made available to facilitate this.

Concerns were expressed that people were being actively discouraged from applying for places in the council run homes.  Assistant City Mayor Patel responded that every time she had heard this, she had asked for the names of anyone who might be trying to deter people from applying for a place in a local authority care home, but no names had been forthcoming.

Members commented that the council homes were very good and that a strenuous marketing exercise to advertise the fact would be beneficial.  Views were expressed that people were choosing to go into a private care home because they wanted stability and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

The meeting closed at 7.42 pm.