Issue - meetings

To consider the final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel – Impact of Welfare Reform.

The Welfare Reform Act brings about a significant overhaul of the way in which benefits are administered and allocated. The diverse scope of the Act cuts across council portfolios and has implications for a range of council services, partner agencies and residents.

The Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee, and Corporate, Resource Management and Governance Scrutiny Committee agreed to carry out a joint scrutiny review on the impact of Welfare Reform. The decision to carry out a joint scrutiny review was taken in order to enable co-ordinated and holistic consideration of the impact of welfare changes on service providers and residents.

The Review makes a number of recommendations intended to support and further develop the good work already underway.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment upon the draft Final Report prior to its submission to the Executive.

Officer contact: Gaynor Alexander on 474 3186 or email: gaynor.alexander@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Service Director (Adult Social Care) and Councillor Wendy Wild (Member of the Scrutiny Review Panel) submitted the final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel – ‘Impact of Welfare Reform’ (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the findings of the Scrutiny Review.  The report proposed a series of recommendations to support the Council and its partners to build on work already being undertaken to respond effectively to the challenges provided by the Welfare Reform Act 2012.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Final Report and recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel – ‘Impact of Welfare Reform’ be endorsed and referred to the Executive for consideration.

(2) That the Service Director (Adult Social Care) be recommended to submit a report to a meeting of the Scrutiny Committee in twelve months’ time detailing progress towards implementing the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel.