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Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room G.01, Ground Floor, City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester, LE1 1FZ

Contact: Anita Patel tel: 0116 454 6342. Email:  anita.patel@leicester.gov.uk  Angie Smith tel: 0116 454 6354 Email:  angie.smith@leicester.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

35.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Khote and Kitterick.

 

The Chair wished Councillor Khote a speedy recovery.

36.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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

 

 

Minutes:

Councillor Joshi declared an Other Disclosable Interest in that his wife worked for the Reablement Team at Leicester City Council.

 

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, the interest was not considered so significant that it was likely to prejudice the Councillor’s judgement of the public interest. Councillor Joshi was not therefore required to withdrawn from the meeting during consideration and discussion of the agenda items.

 

The meeting was adjourned while issues concerning microphones at the meeting were resolved and reconvened at 5.45pm.

37.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 127 KB

The minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission held on 29 October 2019 are attached and the Commission is asked to confirm them as a correct record.

Minutes:

27. Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The visit to Danbury Gardens was planned to take place January / February 2020. A selection of new dates had been circulated. Members were asked to provide their availability to the Scrutiny Policy Officer.

 

30. Leicester Safeguarding Adults Board – Annual Report 2019/19

31. Learning Disability Strategy – Consultation Findings

Circulation of additional information requested at the meeting was acknowledged.

 

 

Members of the Commission were asked to form a small reference group to test the new format of the Adult Social Care Integrated Performance Report. Members who wanted to be involved were asked to notify the Scrutiny Policy Officer – Councillors Batool, Kaur Saini and Kitterick.

 

AGREED:

that the minutes of the meeting of Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission held on 29 October 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

 

The Chair announced the departure of the Steven Forbes, Strategic Director of Social Care and Education. Steven was thanked personally on behalf of the Commission for his exceptional work as Director.

 

Steven thanked Members present, and mentioned also the previous Chair of the Commission, Councillor Virginia Cleaver. He thanked Directors Ruth Lake and Tracie Rees for their support, and all staff in the department for his success based on their efforts.

38.

PETITIONS

The Monitoring Officer to report on any petitions received.

 

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer reported that no petitions had been received.

39.

QUESTIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND STATEMENTS OF CASE

The Monitoring Officer to report on any questions, representations or statements of case.

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer reported that no questions, representations or statements of case had been received.

40.

SOCIAL VALUE GOOD PRACTICE - 'LEICESTER AGEING TOGETHER' PILOT pdf icon PDF 82 KB

The Strategic Director, Social Care and Education, submits a report which provide the Commission with an update on the 12-month Social Value pilot, which is currently being delivered by the Leicester Ageing Together programme.

 

The Commission is recommended to note the report and provide feedback and comments to the Strategic Director, Social Care and Education and to the Executive.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Social Care and Education, submitted a report which provided the Commission with an update on the 12-month Social Value pilot, which was being delivered by the Leicester Ageing Together programme. Commission Members were recommended to note the report and provide feedback and comments to the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education.

 

Councillor Russell, Deputy City Mayor, Social Care and Anti-Poverty introduced the report and informed the meeting that the pilot was well underway. Kate Galoppi (Head of Commissioning) and Ruth Rigby (Leicester Ageing Together (LAT)) delivered a presentation (attached for information) and key headlines from the report:

 

·         The pilot had been running in two wards in the city since July 2019 and was an opportunity to test out the Community Connector model to tackle social isolation and loneliness, which were significant factors in health and wellbeing.

·         LAT had been running for several years across the city and had successful outcomes around isolation with 6,000 people supported and 1,444 active volunteers.

·         Social Value was explained as additional benefits generated by a service beyond its primary purpose (Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012).

·         The new Social Value Charter and guidance was launched by the Council in November 2018. Tenderers for ASC contracts were now required to set out social value benefits and those were evaluated as part of wider tender evaluation. Examples of social value offered in current contracts included free use of venues and training for volunteers.

·         The 12-month pilot focusses on North Evington and Thurncourt wards.

·         The Community Connector element of work focussed on asset-based community development work, bringing together communities and individuals, identifying strengths, and improving opportunities and skills.

·         Examples given included ‘Close Encounters’ – arranging tea parties to bring isolated people living near to each other together; ‘Listening Benches’.  Some people who used listening benches were now volunteering.

·         A small grant of £5k had been made available to enable LAT to make small grants (up to £200) to local groups to help them develop support for lonely and isolated people, for example to develop a yoga class, dominoes group and coffee mornings in mosques for women.

·         It had been identified there was a clear link with the development of social prescribing which is now being implemented in GP Primary Care Networks.

 

In response to Members questions and observations, the following responses were given:

 

·         The pilot was due to end on July 2020. The pilot would be evaluated and if the model worked recommendations would be made on how to extend it. It was noted the Community Connectors were funded by Lottery money to the end of the pilot, and it was the task of LAT to try and identify ongoing funding to extend. It was noted the Community Connectors were supporting Healthwatch with a series of workshops around the city.

·         It was noted by Members that a lot of people under the age of 50 were isolated. It was explained that although the original city-wide LAT programme worked across the city with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

41.

VOLUNTARY & COMMUNITY SECTOR PHASE 1 & 2 SPENDING REVIEW 4 - UPDATE pdf icon PDF 79 KB

The Strategic Director, Social Care and Education, submits a report to the Commission which provides an update on the review of Voluntary and Community Sector non-statutory services funded by Adult Social Care in 2018. The Independent Living Supported Housing services was also reviewed at the same time and the outcome of the review is included in the report.

 

The Commission is recommended to note the report and provide feedback and comments to the Strategic Director, Social Care and Education and to the Executive.

 

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Social Care and Education, submitted a report to the Commission which provided an update on the review of Voluntary and Community Sector services funded by Adult Social Care in 2018, and the outcome of the review of the Independent Living Supported Housing services. Members were recommended to note the report and provide feedback and comments to the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education.

 

Councillor Russell, Deputy City Mayor, Social Care and Anti-Poverty introduced the report. Kate Galoppi (Head of Commissioning) and Caroline Ryan (Lead Commissioner) informed the meeting that the review had now concluded, and a revised new service offer was outlined at Appendix A to the report. In response to Members’ questions, the following points were made:

 

·         Members asked what the knock-on impact was for people following a reduction in Independent Living Support (ILS) Supported Housing Service support hours, and if it changed the viability of the new supported housing being built. It was reported that new developments were not linked to the achieved savings. It was further noted the Supporting People funding stream had ended eight years previously, and there were people in housing developments that had some care needs but did not require supported housing. The Council had looked at the Norton Housing & Support and Creative Support contract to see what it was delivering and how it was set up. The result of the review had improved arrangements and support for those individuals in receipt.

·         Members noted that more independent living schemes were being built and would a reduction in support affect those eligible to move in. Members were informed the support contract was separate from the building contracts and was unlikely to affect those in need of support.

·         Spending on the carers support service was reduced by £100k through the rationalisation of five separate contracts into one to create a ‘carers’ hub’. This means that it is a more efficient use of funding, covers a wider range of groups of carers and clearer for carers to know where to go for support.

·         Information, Advice and Guidance was noted as £0 budget. Members were informed the service had been scoped into the corporate welfare services and was no longer provided by Adult Social Care, but under one service with welfare advice and citizens’ advice. It was stated that service users would not see any difference for generalised advice and guidance. ASC response teams would still deal with every contact first before referring people to welfare advice services if this was considered to be helpful.

·         It was noted the lunch club funding was gradually being reduced, coming to an end in January 2022. Members were informed contracts officers were in contact with the clubs to see how they are managing the reductions. In addition, a workshop had been held for the clubs to give them advice and provide sources of support to become self-sustaining. It was further noted that Voluntary Action Leicester were assisting to provide advice on other areas of funding, or alternatives,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

42.

COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR - UPDATE pdf icon PDF 83 KB

The Strategic Director, Social Care and Education submits a report to update the Commission on the role of the Social Care & Education Communications and Information Co-ordinator post, an update on the outcomes and impacts of communications campaigns over the past six months, and to provide clarification of key departmental communications priorities and future priorities for the Communications and Information Co-ordinator post.

 

The Commission is recommended to note the report and provide feedback and comments to the Strategic Director, Social Care and Education and to the Executive.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Social Care and Education, submitted a report to the Commission which provided an update on the role of The Strategic Director, Social Care and Education, submitted a report to the Commission which provided an update the Social Care & Education Communications and Information Co-ordinator post, and update on the outcomes and impacts of communications campaigns over the past six months, and to provide clarification of key departmental communications priorities and future priorities for the Education Communications and Information Co-ordinator post.

 

Councillor Russell, Deputy City Mayor, Social Care and Anti-Poverty introduced the report. It was noted that a lot of good work was achieved by the Social Care and Education Department, and that it was important to communicate the fantastic work Leicester did to audiences and the rest of the country.

 

The Strategic Director reported that improved external communications had been good for the recruitment of staff, with enquiries from as far as Dublin.

 

Poppy Johal, Communications and Information Officer (ASC) noted the communications strategy being developed for social care and education. Micheal Smith, Healthwatch, suggested a conversation be had to see if there was any cross-over in communication used by Healthwatch, the voluntary sector and partners. It was noted the council were working on and looking at how partners and stakeholders used communication tools.

 

The Chair noted that communication and advertising had been happening for many years, and that Ward Councillors had a vast amount of knowledge about their wards which could be shared. It was recommended that the Communications and Information Co-ordinator liaise with Ward Councillors and other community groups.

 

AGREED:

1.    That the report and comments made by Scrutiny Commission Members be noted.

2.    Scrutiny to receive an update report in six months.

3.    The Communications and Information Co-ordinator liaise with Ward Councillors to better understand the community across the city.

43.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 113 KB

The current work programme for the Commission is attached.  The Commission is asked to consider this and make comments and/or amendments as it considers necessary.

Minutes:

AGREED:

1.    That the Commission’s work programme be noted.

 

Councillor March gave a verbal update on the ‘Adult Social Care Workforce Planning for the Future’ task group work. It was noted that work would progress over six weeks to gather evidence to identify key issues and challenges, for example, views of staff and service providers. Next steps would include gathering best practice and evidence relating to jobs, skills and training options. The Task Group was also preparing a questionnaire to go out in January 2020 to care homes in Leicester to gather views and opinions. Executive Leads for Adult Social Care and Jobs and Skills would also be invited to give evidence. Councillor March would meet with other Scrutiny Commission Members to discuss the work of the task group.

44.

CLOSE OF MEETING

Minutes:

There being no other items of urgent business, the meeting closed at 7.19pm.