Agenda and minutes

To issue a welcome to those present, and to confirm if there are any apologies for absence.

It was noted that apologies for absence were received from Councillor Sahu, with Concillor Gregg attending as substitute.

Members will be asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

The Chair asked members to declare any interests in proceedings for which there were none.

The minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission held on Thursday 25^th June 2026 have been circulated and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

The Chair highlighted that the minutes from the meeting held on Thursday 25^th June 2026 were included in the agenda pack and asked Members to confirm whether they were an accurate record.  
 
AGREED:
 

• It was agreed that the minutes for the meeting on Thursday 25^th June 2026 were a correct record. 

The Chair is invited to make any announcements as they see fit. 

The Chair advised that she did not have any announcements to make.

Any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures will be reported.

It was noted that none had been received.  

Any petitions received in accordance with Council procedures will be reported.

It was noted that none had been received.  

The Stategic Director of Social Care and Education provides a verbal update following the recent CQC inspection of the Shared Lives scheme.

The Strategic Director of Social Care and Education provided a verbal update following the recent CQC inspection of the Shared Lives scheme.

The Assistant City Mayor introduced the item noting that the CQC had identified areas requiring improvement which were being implemented. The Shared Lives Scheme had retained a ‘Good’ rating for the Caring element.

The Director for Adult Social Care and Commissioning noted the following:

• The Shared Lives service was developed to support adults within a family home setting. Carers promoted independence and supported individuals to participate in their communities.
• The model enabled people to achieve the outcomes that mattered to them.
• Although relatively small, the service was highly valued by service users.
• The in-house team consisted of a registered manager, 3 full-time officers and one team support worker. 
• Of the 27 people supported by the service, 14 were engaged in employment, volunteering or education, 11 could access their community independently, and 14 had successfully transitioned from fostering into adulthood through Shared Lives support.
• The CQC inspection had taken place in June 2026 resulting in a rating of ‘Requires Improvement.’ Governance and consistency of process were the key areas highlighted.
• Inspectors had found that carers knew the people they supported exceptionally well, treating them with dignity and respect while helping them to achieve meaningful life outcomes.
• The inspectors noted that management already had plans in place to address the issues identified. These plans were now being accelerated, with an emphasis on improving communication and strengthening proactive leadership.
• Practices under review, included medication management.
• Additional training was in place for Carers.
• The improvement plan, including both immediate and longer-term actions, was mapped against the CQC domains of Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well led, and progress was monitored through formal governance arrangements to ensure that improvements were implemented, sustained and evidenced over time.
• Positive service user feedback was shared with the Commission which included examples of improved independence and achievement.

In response to member discussion and questions, the following was noted:

• Members recognised the benefits of care provision beyond care homes.
• Members requested more detail on Carer recruitment and attrition rates.
• Involvement with the Shared Lives Plus network had enabled nationwide sharing of best practice.
• The allocation of a senior manager would help to drive performance.
• Placements could provide respite or long-term care.
• A quality assurance impact tool was in place providing an impact overview.
• Members requested that the Change Management report include information on capacity for escalating issues, including quality assurance from an overall social care perspective.
• A request was made for scrutiny reports to highlight Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) implications.
• Members raised concerns about ensuring improvements did not undermine Carers' good work. It was noted that a person-centred approach would strengthen risk management while minimising disruption to carers.
• The Shared Lives First model encouraged people to consider the service before entering a residential setting.
• A ranging size of provision was available, but this might fluctuate due to sector changes and LGR.
• The Chair requested that the Commission’s recognition be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

The Director for Adult Social Care and Commissioning submits a report presenting the findings of the Extra Care Review of Need and Delivery Feasibility Commission, and seeks ASC Scrutiny views on the proposed strategic direction and delivery roadmap for increasing Extra Care and supported housing provision across Leicester.

The Director for Adult Social Care and Commissioning submitted a report presenting the findings of the Extra Care Review of Need and Delivery Feasibility Commission and sought ASC Scrutiny views on the proposed strategic direction and delivery roadmap for increasing Extra Care and supported housing provision across Leicester.

The Assistant City Mayor introduced the item noting that there was increasing demand for extra care and supported living accommodation. Market challenges, and progress in delivering additional provision were highlighted, with further schemes planned and a coordinated delivery approach being developed.

The Head of Strategic Commissioning gave a slideshow presentation. Key points to note were as follows:

• The ten-year Supported Living and Extra Care Strategy had launched in 2021, setting a target of delivering 396 units.
• Delivery had been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, land availability issues and challenges in establishing a coherent delivery model.
• 75 units had been delivered to date, with a further 142 units in the development pipeline for delivery between 2027 and 2028.
• The existing portfolio comprised of 698 supported living and extra care units across the city.
• An independent consultancy had been commissioned to assess market capacity, investment appetite, demand, site opportunities and delivery options.
• A dedicated development team enabled coordination and collaboration with Housing colleagues.
• Market engagement had identified Leicester as a highly attractive investment location, ranking among the top three areas of interest for several major specialist registered providers.
• Funding opportunities appeared positive, alongside the potential for savings.
• The impact of LGR was highlighted.
• The roadmap consisted of:
• Phase 1 – building the evidence base
• Phase 2 – translating market interest into deliverable schemes
• Phase 3 – building a sustainable delivery model
• Engagement would continue with Homes England as the preferred funding source, there could also be other avenues.

In response to member discussion and questions, the following was noted:

·       In response to a member question, it was noted that delivering the scheme in-house would have limited options. The external market could achieve higher rent levels and leverage Homes England funding, making delivery more viable.

·       The bidding strategy was enhanced due to learning the lessons from previous failed procurements, an internal team leading on new developments and linking with the housing development team. Market engagement had been successful.

·       The current process followed extensive consultation undertaken as part of the Local Plan. The importance of co-production was highlighted, proposals were being developed before being shared more widely with local communities to seek feedback and inform future delivery. Infrastructure planning would follow this work.

·       It was noted that early engagement with registered providers was essential to maximise opportunities to access Homes England funding, and that collaboration across housing services would be key to securing investment.

·       Members raised concerns regarding the gap between current delivery levels and identified housing need, and how this shortfall would be addressed. It was noted that further site analysis was required to assess opportunities to meet demand, and that this information would be brought back to Scrutiny.

AGREED:  

1)    That the report be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

The Director for Adult Social Care and Commissioning submits a report outlining the findings of a review of overnight short breaks for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism and seeks the Commission's views on a proposed improvement programme.

The Director for Adult Social Care and Commissioning submitted a report presenting the findings of a review into overnight short breaks for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism and seeking comments on the proposed improvement programme and future direction of travel.

The Head of Strategic Commissioning gave an overview of the report. Key points to note were as follows:

• Short breaks were an important part of Leicester’s support offer, helping unpaid carers maintain their wellbeing and continue in their caring role whilst promoting independence, social inclusion and meaningful opportunities for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
• The review focused on overnight short breaks and considered provision for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, as these had been identified as areas requiring further development.
• A range of short break provision was already available across the city, including overnight stays, day opportunities, Shared Lives, Direct Payments and domiciliary care support.
• The provider market was considered relatively stable and the number of people accessing overnight short breaks had increased from 44 in 2023/24 to 70 in 2025/26.
• Engagement with operational teams, carers and people drawing on support had identified uncertainty around eligibility criteria, access routes and awareness of available provision.
• The review concluded that improvements were required to information, pathways, forecasting, data quality and commissioning intelligence before decisions on future provision could be made.
• Work was underway with health partners across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to develop a co-produced and accessible Adult Short Breaks Directory, setting out available services, eligibility criteria and routes into support.
• A clearer and more consistent pathway into overnight short breaks would be developed, alongside work to better understand unmet need and future demand.
• Greater alignment between Children’s Services, Preparing for Adulthood and Adult Social Care was required to improve forecasting and plan future provision, particularly for young people transitioning into adulthood.
• Further work would be undertaken to understand the future needs of autistic people with complex support requirements and whether different approaches to short breaks may be required.
• Local Government Reorganisation would need to be factored into future planning, with opportunities to strengthen market engagement, evidence gathering and partnership working across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

In response to Member discussion, the following was noted:

·       Members welcomed the report and highlighted the importance of short breaks in supporting both carers and people drawing on support.

·       Members sought clarification on eligibility criteria, charging arrangements and the scope of the review. Officers advised that learning disabilities and autism had been identified as priority areas and acknowledged that clearer information and pathways were needed.

·       The benefits of Shared Lives were discussed, with Members noting that maintaining familiar routines and relationships could help reduce disruption for people accessing respite support.

·       Officers acknowledged concerns raised by carers that some short break placements could be stressful if provision was unfamiliar or located a considerable distance from home and emphasised the importance of person-centred planning and accessibility.

·       Members queried how improved pathways would increase access to short breaks, noting that only a small proportion of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Members of the Commission will be asked to consider the work programme and make suggestions for additional items as it considers necessary.

The Chair reminded Members that should there be any items they wish to be considered for the work programme then to share these with her and the governance officer.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 19:34