Agenda and minutes

Overview and Scrutiny Management Board - Wednesday 20 December 2017 9.00 a.m.

Venue: Town Hall, Moorgate Street, Rotherham.

Contact: Debbie Pons, Principal Democratic Services Officer. 

Items
No. Item

65.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

66.

Questions from Members of the Public and the Press

Minutes:

There were no questions from members of the public or press.

67.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

Minutes:

The Chair reported that there were no items of business on the agenda that would require the exclusion of the press or public.

68.

Budget 2018/19 and Medium Term Financial Strategy Progress Update pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Minutes:

The Chair referred to the previous meeting held on 14 December 2017 and reminded Members that the purpose of the meeting was to review the outstanding income generation and savings proposals from the Council’s directorates for the 2018-19 financial year.

 

It was noted that information requested at the meeting on 14 December  2017 had been circulated and would be referred to during the meeting by the relevant Strategic Director.

69.

Budget Options - Assistant Chief Executive's Office pdf icon PDF 31 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed the Assistant Chief Executive to the meeting. Members considered the following budget proposals:

 

Title

OSMB Comments

Supported or Rejected

Actions

Centralisation of Performance Management & Quality Function (ACX1)

Members sought clarification in respect of timescales for centralising the function and it was confirmed that any changes would take place after April 2018 and would be subject to Cabinet Member, Commissioner and Strategic Director sign off. Members also reflected on the likelihood of performance management be improved through centralisation and the role of Cabinet Members in determining Council Plan indicators

 

Supported

N/A

Reduction in grant for infrastructure to voluntary and community services (ACX2)

Members were reassured that an equality impact assessment had been completed in respect of the proposal and provided support

Supported

N/A

Immigration Advice (RDF)/Reduction in advice services contract – linked to advice services review (ACX3)

No comment

Supported

N/A

Reorganisation of Communications function (ACX4)

Members challenged the capacity of the function to respond to a reorganisation. It was noted that a new Head of Communications and Marketing had been appointed and would conduct a review early in 2018. Members recognised that a number of other income generation proposals from other directorates were dependent on the marketing of services and asked for a report back on the implementation of the proposals early in the 2018-19 financial year

Supported

That the Head of Communications and Marketing submit a report to OSMB in April 2018.

 

70.

Budget Options - Children and Young People's Services pdf icon PDF 34 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services and the Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the meeting. Members considered the following budget proposals:

 

Title

OSMB Comments

Supported or Rejected

 

Actions

Early Help Phase 2. Whole Service Review (CYPS1)

Members sought assurances that the proposals would lead to an improved service and were advised that the service can be improved with less management and a greater focus on families who require support. Members sought further assurances that the saving would be met during the year and noted that the intention was to deliver a part year saving from October 2018.  Members were also keen to understand what the equality impact assessment for the proposal had identified and how consultation would be undertaken with service users

 

Supported in principle, but noted that it would be subject to pre-decision scrutiny prior to any final decision by Cabinet

Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services to submit a report to Improving Lives Select Commission on the outcome of the consultation in May 2018

Education Psychology Service (to move net Council General Fund spend to DSG High Needs) (CYPS2)

Members identified that this proposal would make real savings and expressed the view that this should have been done at an earlier stage

Supported

N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revise the funding model for Admissions and Appeals (CYPS3)

Members sought clarification in respect of who responsible for the funding of admissions and appeals following the reforms in education that had resulted in the creation of academies. Clarification was provided in respect of accountabilities for maintained schools through the local authority and academies which were separate organisations or part of multi academy trusts

 

Supported

N/A

Troubled Families – Payment by Results (CYPS4)

 

No comment

Supported

N/A

Schools Improvement Service (CYPS5)

 

Members expressed concern in respect of the proposal as the explanation provided did not correlate with the detail in the written proposal

 

Deferred for further consideration

Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services to provide clarification on 10 January 2018

 

Sufficiency - Independent Fostering Agencies, First Preference (CYPS6)

 

Members sought and received assurance that the authority was more confident about placing with Independent Fostering Agencies

Supported

N/A

Sufficiency - Block contracts (residential) (CYPS7)

 

Members expressed some concern that the proposal was aspirational rather than realistic. Assurances were provided that it was realistic and the savings targets were real targets

 

Supported

N/A

Sufficiency - Foster Care Recruitment (CYPS8)

Whilst Members highlighted concerns that projected savings could be affected by increased demand, there was support for the proposal

 

Supported

N/A

Sufficiency - Edge of Care Interventions (CYPS9)

Members reflected on the success of previous investments in this area and were pleased to note that further funds would not be required, however they noted that progress would rely on the reconfiguration of Early Help during 2018-19

 

Supported

N/A

Regional Agreement for Agency Social Workers (CYPS10)

Members sought assurances that all authorities would abide by the terms of an agreement. It was noted that all authorities  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

71.

Budget Options - Public Health pdf icon PDF 31 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed the Director of Public Health and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health to the meeting. Members considered the following budget proposals:

 

Title

OSMB Comments

Supported or Rejected

Actions

 

 

Active Rotherham savings – R&E reallocated funds (PH1)

Members indicated that this had been a good project and sought assurances as to how the reconfiguration would continue. It was confirmed that discussions were ongoing to identify how interventions could take place in other areas

 

Supported

N/A

Withdrawal of £25k of Public Health re-allocated budget from the homelessness service (PH2)

 

Members expressed concerns in respect of the impact of this proposal on homeless people in the borough. It was expected that the reduction in funding would be mitigated from the Housing Revenue Account, however Members expressed further concern and requested clarification be provided at the next meeting of the Board

 

Deferred until 10 January 2018

Director of Public Health or Assistant Director of Housing to attend on 10 January 2018

Reduction in Sexual Health contract value by a minimum of 2.6% of the total year contract value, to reflect the reduction in Public Health Grant (PH3)

Members sought assurances in respect of the adequacy of the future service provision given that it was already being provided on a reduced contract. It was confirmed that robust contract management arrangements were in place to manage key performance indicators in this area, but the key aspect was to ensure that treatment was delivered at an earlier stage

 

Supported

Report on the implications of the proposal to be submitted to the Health Select Commission

Savings from redesigning children’s obesity pathway/ decommissioning sections of the healthy weight pathway (PH4)

 

No comment

Supported

N/A

Reduce the amount spent on HIV prevention to £30k (PH8)

No comment

Supported

N/A

 

 

 

 

Two staff vacancies (Public Health Specialist for substance misuse commissioning and Children’s) posts disestablished (PH9)

No comment

Supported

N/A

 

72.

Budget Options - Regeneration and Environment pdf icon PDF 32 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment and the Assistant Director for Culture, Sport and Tourism to the meeting. Members considered the following budget proposals which had been deferred at the meeting held on 14 December 2017:

 

Title

OSMB Comments

Supported or Rejected

Actions

Energy Efficiency Measures and Utility Procurement (R&E 3 – 6 – 8)

No comment

Supported

N/A

Stage 2 Implementation of Transport Review (R&E 4)

Having received the Equality Impact Assessment for the proposal, Members were able to support the proposal in principle.

Supported in principle, and noted that this would be the subject of pre-decision scrutiny prior to a future decision by the Cabinet

N/A

R&E 9a

Members sought and received assurances that saving could be achieved and the service could continue to be provided. Further concerns were expressed about the impact on frontline staff and it was acknowledged that this was an emotive point

Supported

N/A

Reduce or Stop the provision / maintenance of highway assets – Cenotaphs (R&E 11 – 4)

Members received the breakdown of which cenotaphs were the responsibility of the Council and were able to support the proposal

Supported

N/A

 

73.

Date and time of next meeting

The next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board will be held on Wednesday 10 January 2018 at 11.00 a.m. at Rotherham Town Hall.

Minutes:

The next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board will be held on Wednesday 10 January 2018 at 11.00am in Rotherham Town Hall.