Issue - meetings

To consider a joint report of the Corporate Directors for Corporate & Support Services and Place Management & Regeneration.   

The Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRs) sets out the policy priorities for 2020/21 which was adopted at the Budget Council Meeting in February 2020. This incorporates the shared outcomes from the Borough Plan alongside specific priorities of the Cabinet. These priorities, re-shaped to take account of One Stockport and Building Back Better (building on Covid19), are articulated within the Portfolio Agreements, which form the basis for regular in-year reporting. Portfolio and Corporate Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRs and CPRRs) will assess progress against key objectives, priorities, outcomes and budgets, enabling Scrutiny Committees to hold the Cabinet to account and for the Cabinet to identify current and future risks to delivery. This report also presents the draft 2020/21 Agreements for the Adult Care and Health Portfolio.   

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:   

(i)            Consider the Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports;

(ii)          Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2020/21; 

(iii)         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

(iv)         Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

(v)          Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.  

Officer contact: Peter Owston, Strategy and Performance Manager on 0161 474 3274, or email peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk 

Paul Graham, Specialist Finance on 0161 474 4674, or email paul.graham@stockport.gov.uk

The Director for Adult Social Care and the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Children, Family Services and Education Portfolio. The report provided a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects in the first half of the year, with a particular focus on the second quarter (July to September) and up to the end of October where possible. The report also included a forecast on performance and financial data (where this was available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health (Councillor Jude Wells) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.  

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Clarification was sought regarding family members being able to access care homes to see their relatives. In response, it was stated that there was a challenge to balance the human rights and the health issues aspect of the issues raised. It was also stated that a number of actions and a working model was in place with a pathway to establish the return of relatives to visit care homes.

·         It was commented that the impact on care homes has been devastating which resulted in a recovery position and working hard across all sectors to get the infection rate down. It was also stated that the visitation to care homes was a decision of the homes which would be supported by the sectors.

·         Members enquired about mental health following the pandemic including suicide attempts. In response, it was noted that it was a worry in Stockport and a number of offers have been identified for people to access and extending the interventions out into the communities including advertising, engaging and pointing people in the right direction proactively.

·         It was noted that there was a communities programme in place to work with neighbourhoods to ensure consistent messaging and to also disseminate information. It was also stated that posters and leaflets have been distributed to partners and the voluntary sector identifying a number of support groups and social media messaging has also been utilised including directing people to a number of websites with information.

·         Clarification was sought regarding the budget and the £5m deficit identified. In response, it was commented that it was due to the additional support provided to the care sector due to Covid-19.

·         Members enquired about the diabetes prevention scheme and the RAG rating for MRSA infection and C-difficile. In response it was stated that though it was a higher position and steps were taken to reduce these numbers, there was no overall concern.

·         There was a concern expressed regarding the various RAG ratings with red and amber and whether these could be improved upon going forward. In response, it was stated that due to the number of actions being taken including interrogating the system a bit more the outlook was positive and it would be improved in time.

The Committee expressed its appreciation for the dashboard and the engagement to date.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.