Agenda and draft minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22nd October, 2012.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22nd October, 2012, be approved as a correct record.

(The Chairman authorised consideration of the following item, at this meeting, to enable the necessary arrangements to be made)

Resolved;-  That the Chairman (or substitute) and one officer be authorised to attend the National Children and Adults Services Conference to be held at Harrogate from 16^th to 18^th October, 2013.

The Operational Commissioner (Resources) presented a report setting out the progress of the Small Grants Scheme established in 2010/11 where bids were invited from non-statutory organisations for allocation of funds between £500 and £2,000 which benefitted carers and people with dementia. 

The project supported the Council’s objective to increase support options to service user groups and required each organisation to have clear outcomes for the specified client group(s).  Allocation conditions included an annual income of less that £20,000 with clear accounting/financial procedures in place, there had to be benefit for those living in Rotherham and be used for the purpose for which it was approved.  The organisation also had to have the ability to demonstrate equality of access to the service or activity for all of Rotherham’s communities and comply with the agreed monitoring processes.

The Scheme had directly benefitted 1,546 people and involved 424 interventions/sessions or events (appendix 1 to the report set out the projects).  Thirteen bids had been received and a total of £18,700 committed to ten schemes.  The report also set out the positive direct Service user outcomes, as well as the Service and Commissioning outcomes.

To repeat the Scheme, an estimated £20,000 investment would be required to achieve similar outcomes.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the progress of the scheme be noted.

(2) That a similar scheme be repeated during the current financial year to benefit carers and people with dementia, utilising £20,000 of the Medium Term Financial Strategy investment.

(3) That further reports be submitted to meetings of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Adult Social Care, at quarterly intervals, describing the progress of the allocation of small grants and the use of the grant funding by the various groups and organisations who receive this support from the Council.

The following items are likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006).

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council)

The Operational Commissioner (Resources) submitted a report describing proposals to commit funding from the Directorate’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for the continuation of the Dementia Café pilot service and to merge that service with the Dementia Carers Support Worker Service delivered from the base budget (Carers Grant) since 2006.

The Dementia Carers Support Worker and Dementia Cafes Service are currently delivered under a block contract agreement by the Alzheimer’s Society.  The Dementia Café contract term had been extended to 31^st March, 2013, to ensure both contracts were coterminous and allowing sufficient time to complete a full tender exercise concluding with a successful Service transition from April, 2013.

A review of the Carers Support Worker and the relatively new Dementia Cafes had been undertaken.

Resolved:-  (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That an appropriate allocation of funding be approved from the Medium Term Financial Strategy investment to secure a contract arrangement for the period 1^st April, 2013 until 31^st March, 2016, in respect of the delivery of the merged Dementia Café service and the Dementia Carers Support Worker Service.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council)

(Exempt under Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Act - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council) and information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter).

Further to Minute No. H14 of 9^th July, 2012, the Manager of the Safeguarding Adults Service reported on the consultation that had taken place on proposed changes to the Enabling Service.

The proposals on the whole had been positively received. However, a further period of consultation was required to address a change to the original proposal that had arisen relating to full-time staff.  It had also become clear that the Extra Care Service and Grafton House needed to be treated separately in order to provide effective customer focussed services.

The report highlighted the actions to be taken in order to address the changes resulting from the consultation, implement the remaining proposals and achieve the efficiencies required. Members noted a number of revisions affecting the impact of the changes upon the contracted hours and service cost and efficiency.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the proposals outlined in the report are satisfactory in the opinion of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.

(3) That the report be referred to the Cabinet with a recommendation that the proposals be implemented.

(4)  That a further report be submitted to the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care outlining an options appraisal for Extra Care Services.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council) and Paragraph 4 of the Act (information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter).

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council)

The Principal Officer (Business Partnering Team) reported that the Directorate was required to review its charging policy annually as part of the budget setting process.  Non-Residential Service Charges had been benchmarked against local neighbours and members of a Chartered Institute of Public and Finance and Accountancy benchmarking group.

The Council had discretionary power to charge for Non-Residential Services.  It had to set a maximum amount and they carry out a financial assessment to test people’s ability to pay.

Appendix 1 of the report submitted set out comparative data between Rotherham, near neighbours and the Councils who took part in a CIPFA benchmarking group.

Domiciliary Care contracts were reviewed last year with revised contract prices implemented from April, 2012. 

In order to achieve the Directorate’s budget setting target, it was proposed that charge increases of 2.5% be implemented from April, 2013.

Members noted that the transport element was currently the subject of further review.

Resolved:-   That the Non-Residential Service Charges listed in the submitted report be increased by 2.5%, in line with the rate of inflation, as from April, 2013.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council))

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council)

The Operational Commissioner (Resources) presented a report outlining the performance and outcomes achieved over the last year of the floating support pilot for young people at risk between the ages of 16 and 21 years.

The Floating Support Service was linked to the recently formed Moving on Panel where all young people who were currently living in supported housing had their individual cases heard prior to becoming eligible for re-housing.  During the last 12 months, there had been 90 referrals and work carried out with over 80 young people.  To date, 16 young people had been referred through the Moving on Panel and only one had not sustained the housing tenancy.

Key partners felt that the Service was a valuable asset in supporting the most vulnerable to maintain their independence, avoiding the threat of eviction and preventing homelessness.

The service is currently for young people aged 16-21 years (16-17 year olds take priority). Members suggested that the assessment criteria for service users should provide an opportunity for individuals who have exceptional needs and who are over the age of 21, to access the service.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Service continue until 30^th June, 2013.

(2)  That a procurement exercise be completed within a suitable timeframe taking into consideration the need for consultation with clients and partners, the development of the tender documentation, the required tender timeframes and any transfer period to a new provider.

(3)  That a three years fixed term contract (with the option of a one year extension) be put in place through formal competitive tender and the contract to commence on 1^st July, 2013.

(4)  That the tendering process commence in January, 2013, for a start date of 1^st July, 2013.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council))