Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies had been received from Cllr Paul Tuthill.

None.

Members of the public wishing to take part should notify the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance in writing or by e-mail indicating the nature and content of their proposed participation no later than 9.00am on the working day before the meeting (in this case 16 March 2021).  Enquiries can be made through the telephone number/e-mail address below.

None.

(to follow)

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 February 2021 were agreed as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman.

The Lead Member for Crime and Disorder introduced the Report about the development of the Board’s role in respect of crime and disorder matters. At recent meetings, the Board had discussed how the crime and disorder agenda could be given more prominence and the role developed.  Accordingly, a Work Programme for Crime and Disorder matters had been drafted for discussion (detailed in the Agenda report).

Currently, meetings of the Board were scheduled on a monthly basis.  It was suggested that 4 of those meetings could be designated primarily for the discussion of crime and disorder matters (including one for the annual meeting). Taking into account the Board’s overall Work Programme; February, April, July and October meetings were deemed to be the most suitable for this.

Following a brief discussion, it was agreed that the February, April, July and October meetings of the Board would be designated primarily for the discussion of crime and disorder matters and the work programme was agreed.

Member Update

Adult Care and Well-being Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Cllr Jane Potter)

At its March meeting, the Panel discussed the:

People and Communities Strategy and Workstreams - the Directorate’s Strategy was focusing on people (not organisations) and the Panel heard how it would be delivered via a series of workstreams grouped together under 3 strategic pillars:

·       Person Centred Approach – this included the integrated wellbeing offer, dementia meeting centres, review of Transport Policy and Provision and Care Work as a Career

·       Shaping Services – this included an All Age Disability Service, a review of Social Work Processes and Practice, the Community Reablement Service, Remodelling Day Opportunities and Direct Provision of Adults Mental Health Social Work

·       Shaping an Effective Market – this included reablement focused domiciliary care, the increased use of direct payments, an increased Shared Lives Provision, intermediate and integrated Care, joined-up commissioning, refreshed Market Position Statement and a refocus on the use of residential/nursing care.

Cllr Potter advised the Board that she had been copied into a letter from the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust expressing some concerns about the dissolution of the Section 75 Agreement in respect of Integrated Provider Adult Mental Health, Older Adult Mental Health and Learning Disabilities with Worcestershire Health and Care Trust. The Strategic Director of People would be responding.

Review of Funding Arrangements between the Council and Herefordshire & Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)- The Panel received an update on progress of the review of the funding arrangements between the Council and Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG (for adults and children) which was being carried out to ensure that they were fair and transparent.

Care Act Easements as a Result of COVID-19 – the Panel received an update on the Council’s position with Care Act easements.

Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Cllr Tom Wells)

At its recent meeting, the Panel looked at the educational outcomes for the academic year 2019/2020, in particular the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the measurement of educational outcomes; and the academic year 2020/21 including the impact of Covid-19 and next steps. The Headteachers of Upton Upon Severn CofE Primary School and North Bromsgrove High School attended the meeting to give a school perspective.  The Panel had concerns about elective home education (EHE) and identified that this should be a priority for taking forward after the elections.  The Interim Chief Executive, Worcestershire Children First suggested a report on vulnerable learners be added to the Work Programme in the first instance which would cover the 3 cohorts of vulnerable learners (one of which was EHE), prior to a decision on whether an in-depth scrutiny on EHE was required. This was supported as a way forward.

The Panel had also received an update on the proposals for the delivery model for medical education provision in Worcestershire, being considered by Cabinet on 18 March 2021.  The Chairman of the Children’s Panel confirmed that there were no major comments to pass on to Cabinet.

Economy and Environment Overview  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1192.

The Board was asked to review the 2020/21 scrutiny work programme, consider the issues not completed and agree which issues should be carried forward for the work programme following the County Council elections in May 2021.

During the March meetings, the following issues had been added to the Work Programmes as follows:

·       HOSC – update on maternity services (progress against CQC action plan)

·       Corporate & Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel (OSP) Performance Monitoring of Comments, Compliments and Complaints

·       Adult Care and Wellbeing OSP – Update on People and Communities Strategy and Workstreams and Update on Review of Funding arrangements between the Council and the CCG

·       Children and Families OSP -  Sufficiency Strategy work to be added to July agenda. Vulnerable learners – full report on the 3 cohorts of vulnerable learners (including those in elective home education EHE), prior to decision on whether an in depth scrutiny required on EHE at this stage.

In addition, it was suggested that Income Generation should be added to the OSPB Work Programme.

It was suggested that moving forward the new lead member for Crime and Disorder should establish close links with the work of the Children and Families OSP to ensure a cross cutting approach to crime and disorder work.

All changes discussed were agreed.