Agenda item

The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education submits a report to provide the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission with an overview of the consultation exercise which sought to end the funding of six Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s) for the provision of non-statutory low-level support with effect 31^st March 2019. The Commission is recommended to note the outcome of the consultation exercise and to provide any feedback to the Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and Education and Lead Executive Member.

The Chair announced that she was taking this report and the following item of business: ‘Proposal to withdraw funding for the Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Service’ together as they fell within the Spending Review 4 programme.

Councillor Dempster, Assistant City Mayor for Adult Social Care and Wellbeing, said that both the services were non statutory and were being cut, due to central government grant reductions, but importantly, the Registered Social Landlords were continuing to work with the Council. The Assistant City Mayor said that change was not always a bad thing and some of the changes that were being made, had been implemented several years ago in other parts of the country. 

A Member commented that there was a need to modernise as there was less money to spend on services due to the spending cuts.

It was questioned if the service users understood what was happening as many were elderly and some might have little or no English. Members heard that meetings had been held with most of the service users and providers on site and interpreters were present to ensure people did understand what was happening.

Concern was expressed that in both this consultation and the one held in relation to the DRE, the Council was proceeding against the views expressed in the consultation. Where the council was forced to go against the views expressed, it was questioned whether it would be difficult to encourage people to participate in future consultations. The Strategic Director responded that if they could not deliver what people wanted; there could still be some engagement and at times, changes were made resulting from the consultation. However, it was regrettably, no longer possible to continue to fund all that had been funded in the past.

The Chair referred to the Equality Impact Assessment and questioned whether there were any plans to engage with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community. The Strategic Director explained that they were protected characteristics and people were assessed not on those, but on their presenting needs. That group might look to be under represented, but people were under no obligation to provide information as to where they sat regarding protected characteristics.

The Chair noted that Headway was under used and questioned whether funding could be reduced rather than withdrawn; concern was expressed that those individuals with needs might go unnoticed or get missed. The Strategic Director explained that this would not happen; the individuals affected had very low-level needs and were not vulnerable. The Chair reiterated that the Commission wanted to ensure that no one missed out and that everyone received the best care.

A Member commended the officers who had carried out the Equality Impact Assessment adding that it would have taken a considerable amount of work. There was some discussion about offering surveys in different community languages and the Director explained that corporately, a decision had been made not to translate; however, the authority provided an interpreter at consultation events as appropriate.

AGREED:

1)    that the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission approve the proposal to end the Sheltered Housing Support Funding to Registered Social Landlords;

2)    that the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission approve the proposal to withdraw funding for the Acquired Brain Injury outreach service;

3)    that the Commission be kept informed on plans to ensure that language and access needs are fully considered within the spending reviews.