Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 July 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 29 July 2013 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a joint report of the Corporate Directors for People and Place Management and Regeneration.

The report details the first update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRR) for the Adult Care Services and Communities and Sustainability Portfolios. The Communities and Sustainability report includes the housing functions within the remit of the Committee.  These provide an update on progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during 2013/14, and include early performance and financial projections for the year.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

(1) Consider the first update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports.

(2) Review the progress against priorities, performance and budgets for 2013/14.

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

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

Officer contact: Peter Owston on 474 3274 or email: peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk

Representatives of the Service Director (Adult Social Care) and the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a detailed overview of performance which related to the Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee.

Information was provided in the form of the Quarter One 2013/14 Portfolio Performance and Resources Reports for each of the Portfolios having functions within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee namely, Adult Care Services and the housing element of the Communities and Sustainability portfolio.

The Executive Councillor for Adult Care Services (Councillor Keith Holloway) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was requested that additional information be circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee relating to whether there had been any improvement in the level of contact time with clients within the reablement service.

·         It was stated that an action plan would be brought back to the Scrutiny Committee in respect of the target for ‘adults with a learning disability in paid employment’.

·         It was noted that there were plans to expand the existing ‘rapid response service’ which aimed to prevent ‘avoidable admissions’ and clarification was requested on the progress of the bid for funding from the Clinical Commissioning Group.

·         A discussion took place around the proposal to address the short term slippage in the saving target for ‘Assessment Staffing and Management’ with a ‘stringent approach to vacancies management’ with particular regard to the level of vacancies currently being carried within the service.

·         It was requested that consideration be given to the clarity of language used within future such reports to the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee expressed its disappointment that the Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability) had been unable to attend this meeting of the Scrutiny Committee to answer councillors’ questions relating to performance within the housing element of the Communities and Sustainability portfolio.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Service Director (Adult Social Care) be requested to submit a report to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee outlining the Council’s approach to winter preparedness in respect of adult social care.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Adult Social Care).

The draft 2013 – 16 Stockport Carers Strategy has been produced on behalf of the multi-agency Stockport Carers Partnership Board and covers carers of all ages and situations.

The Strategy provides a local response to the national Carers Strategy –“Recognised, Valued and supported” and addresses the new legislative requirements for carers set out in the Care and Support White Paper and Bill.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to consider and comment on the report prior to its submission to the Executive.

Officer contact: Julie Farley on 07875 990110 or email: julie.farley@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Service Director (Adult Social Care) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the draft 2013-16 Stockport Carers Strategy which had been produced on behalf of the multi-agency ‘Stockport Carers Partnership Board’.  The Strategy covered carers of all ages and situations and provided a local response to the national Carers Strategy –“Recognised, Valued and supported” and addressed the new legislative requirements for carers set out in the Care and Support White Paper and Bill.

The Executive Councillor for Adult Care Services (Councillor Keith Holloway) attended the meeting to answer members questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was requested that copies of the Terms of Reference and membership of the Carers Partnership Board be circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee.

·         A councillor expressed appreciation for previous work undertaken in schools to raise awareness around young carers, and asked whether there was an ongoing programme of awareness raising in local schools.

RESOLVED (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Service Director (Adult Social Care) be requested to submit a further report to the Scrutiny Committee in 12 months’ time detailing progress that had been made towards implementing the Strategy.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.                                                        

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton 474 3207 email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.