Agendas, Meetings and Minutes - Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: County Hall, Worcester

Contact: Nichola Garner  Committee and Appellate Officer

Media

Items
No. Item

Available papers

The members had before them:

 

A.    The Agenda papers (previously circulated);

 

B.    The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2017 (previously circulated); and

 

C.   A petition circulated to all members of Cabinet in relation to The Grange (Agenda item 8).

Additional documents:

1828.

Apologies and Declarations of Interest (Agenda item 1)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Mr S E Geraghty, Mr A T Amos and Mrs L C Hodgson declared interests in Agenda item 7 as Members of Worcester City Council.

1829.

Public Participation (Agenda item 2)

Members of the public wishing to take part should notify the Head of Legal and Democratic Services in writing or by e-mail indicating both the nature and content of their proposed participation no later than 9.00am on the working day before the meeting (in this case 7 February 2018).  Further details are available on the Council's website.  Enquiries can also be made through the telephone number/e-mail address listed below.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

1830.

Confirmation of the Minutes of the previous meeting (Agenda item 3)

The Minutes of the meeting of 14 December 2017 have been previously circulated

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2017 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

1831.

2018/19 Draft Budget and Council Tax (Agenda item 4) pdf icon PDF 308 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered the 2018/19 Draft Budget and Council Tax for recommendation to Full Council. The details were set out in the report and its Appendices.

 

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

 

·         The Leader of the Council introduced the report and commented that:

-        There were three key elements to the budget: In response to demand-led pressures in Children's and Adult Social Care – an extra £10.5m for Children's Social Care, and also £7.8m for Adult Social Care funded by a 3% increase in Council Tax; an extra £37.5m capital investment to grow the local economy and enhance infrastructure; and responding to public concerns about roads, pavements and congestion

-        To fund these proposals the public would be asked to pay approximately an extra £1 a week on an average Band D property

-        The Council was driving the engine for reform to ensure services were fit for purpose to meet demand in an efficient and effective way

-        He updated Cabinet on events since the last report to Cabinet in December 2017: the Local Government settlement had been published and he welcomed the additional £1.49m Adult Social Care support grant; a wide ranging consultation and engagement process had taken place and he thanked OSPB and the scrutiny panels for their contribution – the key message was the need to engage scrutiny as early as possible in the budget-setting process to allow them to shape/inform the proposals; further information had been received on the Minimum Revenue Provision which gave confidence that the additional savings could be made; and the budget had been updated to reflect inflationary pressures, particularly in relation to the wage bill and contractual obligations

-        In summary, the Council was able to deliver a balanced budget for the next financial year that addressed the pressures facing the council whilst enabling the local economy to grow

·         The Council had engaged in a full round of public engagement but it was disappointing that the comments from OSPB were received so late in the budget-setting process. The Government had responded to lobbying and given a commitment to provide additional funding in the Adult Social Care support grant was welcomed. The challenge would be to meet the reform agenda in the forthcoming financial year. It was disappointing that the Council had not been awarded the Business Rates Pilot but the Council would seek to make a further bid in the next round of bidding. The key challenge in next year's budget would be not only to deliver the savings but also for the Council to submit a full and reasoned response to the Green Paper to ensure the long term sustainability of Adult Social Care. The Council remained in a robust financial position

·         Extra investment was being made in Children's Services to provide better services and address legacy issues as well as responding to the issues raised in the Ofsted Report. The Council was tackling the issues in Children's Services by using the additional funds to improve  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1831.

1832.

Future Provision of Replacement Care Services for Adults with a Learning Disability (Agenda item 5) pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered future provision of replacement care services for Adults with a Learning Disability. The details were set out in the report and its Appendix.

 

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

 

·         The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care introduced the report and commented that the Council intended to engage in pre-consultation with individuals on a one-to-one basis and small group basis for users, families, professionals and wider stakeholders. A further report to Cabinet would be brought to the June 2018 Cabinet meeting. The Council's Adult Learning Disability Strategy included a commitment to improve outcomes for people with a learning disability, providing more flexibility over their care and support. The market for replacement care was in slow but steady decline because more people were living independent lives with the help of Supported Living. The Council spent £2.6m pa on replacement care but surplus capacity was now an issue. It was possible to make the system more efficient which was why the Council was consulting with service users to capture all their needs with a view to reinvesting the savings in a better way. The whole process needed to be treated in a sympathetic and caring way given the concerns of carers about the future of service provision

·         In seconding, the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills underlined that this was just a pre-consultation exercise. Everyone's statutory needs would continue to be met with due regard to the Care Act and Equality Act but it was important that the Council's resources were targeted as efficiently and effectively as possible to ensure that the Council fulfilled the statutory needs of its service users in respect of replacement care. The over-provision of replacement care would lead to an increase in the average cost of the service per unit per night

·         The Leader welcomed the sensitive way in which the needs of service users were being captured through this pre-consultation process before any formal proposals were put forward.

 

RESOLVED: that

 

a)    the information relating to replacement care provision for adults with a Learning Disability contained in the report be noted;

 

b)    the proposed pre-consultation engagement with individuals using replacement care services, family carers, professionals and wider stakeholders, on how learning disability replacement care services should be delivered in the future be approved as outlined in paragraph 14 in the report;  and

 

c)    a further report be brought to Cabinet in June 2018, with proposals to start formal consultation on future service delivery of replacement care across the county.

1833.

Special Educational Need and/or a Disability (SEND) Strategy (agenda item 6) pdf icon PDF 89 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered the SEND Strategy. The details were set out in the report and its Appendix.

 

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

 

·         The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills introduced the report and commented that the Strategy had been approved by the HWB in December 2017. The Council was committed to improving outcomes for children and young people. It was important to ensure that the Strategy was put into practice in consultation with all statutory partners and all those involved in delivering SEN. Work had been undertaken with special schools to ensure that there was adequate provision across the county. The case for change was set out in the Strategy. Feedback from carers and parents had indicated that they struggled to access services in a connected way and wanted better information and support in order to meet their child's needs. It was right that the Council listened to these views

·         It was important that all partners worked with families to ensure that they received the best level of support to enable them to care for their children

·         The person-centred approach and the preparation for Adulthood were key aspects of the Strategy

·         A Member from outside the Cabinet commented that the Council needed to pay particular attention to young people with autistic disorders and those with Behavioural Social Disorders to ensure that they received their full entitlement of education as well as ensuring that there were sufficient Special School places in the county. The Cabinet Member responded that he was working with Special Schools to ensure there were sufficient places in the short term. The longer term strategy involved ensuring that the right pupils were taking places in special schools and that mainstream schools had the appropriate support/resources to cater for children deemed capable of receiving mainstream education. A review was being undertaken of the Medical Education Team setting to ensure the right pupils attended for the appropriate length of time and that their medical needs were addressed and a report would be forthcoming in the next few months.

 

RESOLVED: that the Special Educational Need and/or a Disability (SEND) Strategy be approved and the vision and priorities under the corporate vision of improving outcomes for all children and young people by helping them to achieve their full potential in education be supported.

1834.

Switch in Hosting of Joint Museums Committee (Agenda item 7) pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered the switch in hosting of Joint Museums Committee. The details were set out in the report and its Appendices.

 

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

 

·         The Cabinet Member for Communities introduced the report and commented that there was no change in essence to the governance arrangements for the joint service as a result of the proposed switch in hosting. A consultant had produced a business case setting out the costs and implications for the joint service in the future. The joint service had been successful in making savings and increasing grants and income. The switch in hosting was proposed as the City had more assets and heritage as key aim. The Joint Museums Committee recommended that the switch be approved by both Councils and Worcester City Council's Communities Committee has endorsed this approach. It was agreed that Hartlebury Museum operations, staff and budget would remain with the County Council by way of a service level agreement overseen by the Joint Committee. The pension situation was complicated and more work was required to ensure that the right approach was taken. There would be one-off costs to be met by the City Council. She thanked Philippa Tinsley, the Interim General Museums Manager and Debbie Birch, an external consultant for their work producing a cost-neutral business case. There would be no impact on service provision as a result of this proposed switch 

·         The proposal was a good example of partnership working and in particular where a partner had been enabled to take the lead in a particular matter.

 

RESOLVED: that

 

a)    the switch of hosting of the Joint Museums Service (Museums Worcestershire) from Worcestershire County Council to Worcester City Council, including the TUPE transfer of staff as laid out in the implementation timetable attached to the report be approved;

 

b)    the recommended revisions to the legal agreement between Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council governing the Joint Museums Service be authorised; and

 

c)    in principle agreement to the dissolving of the Local Government Pensions Scheme ghost body for the Joint Museums Service  (insofar as it is an executive function) be authorised and the consequences set out in the report, subject to further investigation detailing the costs and risk, with authority to make a final decision on behalf of the executive delegated to the Assistant Director for Families, Communities and Partnerships in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Joint Museums Committee.

1835.

Future Use of the Grange, Kidderminster (Agenda item 8) pdf icon PDF 278 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered the future use of the Grange, Kidderminster. The details were set out in the report.

 

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

 

·         The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care introduced the report and thanked the local councillor for her input. He acknowledged receipt of a petition from Mrs Jones of Bewdley asking the Council not to close the Grange. There had been a shift of focus from fixed bed recovery to individually focused services for people in their own homes which had put the future use of the Grange at risk. However it was recognised that it would be beneficial to retain a limited step down provision (5 beds) at the Grange for the benefit of Wyre Forest CCG. The rise in cases of dementia was a particular challenge with a lack of good quality residential care provision in the county. It therefore made sense to reconfigure the Grange as a long term residential unit for people living with dementia. There would also be cost saving benefits over the longer term albeit with some short term expenditure

·         Residents would see the best of both worlds with the creation of a major dementia unit in the heart of Wyre Forest and the retention of a limited number of short term rehabilitation and recovery beds. The CCG had given an assurance that the majority of patients who had previously used the step down facility at the Grange would be provided with the appropriate level of support to enable them to remain in their own homes. The majority of staff would be transferred to the new roles at the Grange

·         The local councillor thanked the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care for his help and welcomed the proposals. There was a lot of local support for the retention of the step down provision. She requested that she be kept informed of progress and that the reallocation of beds be based on previous usage and best care for the patients. The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care responded that he had received an assurance from the CCG that the step down provision at the Grange was appropriate for the needs of the residents of Wyre Forest

·         A member from outside the Cabinet raised the issue of private care homes no longer accepting dementia patients when they became difficult to handle. Local residents had expressed concern about whether 5 step down beds were sufficient, the continuation of the same level of Physiotherapy and occupational physiotherapy, whether the dementia beds would be kept separate and whether the CCG would be able to provide adequate support to enable patients to remain in their own homes.  The Strategic Commissioner for Adult Social Care responded that the configuration of the Grange enabled the dementia unit to be kept separate from the step down unit. It also provided flexibility to increase provision to 7 beds if necessary. There was also an option to increase the capacity by a further 10-15 beds should demand dictate.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1835.