Agenda item

Cabinet Portfolio:-                Cleaner Greener Communities

Strategic Directorate:-          Assistant Chief Executive

Consideration was given to a report submitted by the Assistant Chief Executive for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of the Cabinet meeting scheduled for 8 July 2019 in respect of the review of Advice Services. It was reported that continuing austerity and the impact of welfare reforms including the roll out of universal credit were having a significant effect on many of the most vulnerable Rotherham residents especially people with disabilities and families with children. The provision of good quality advice services was essential support. The need for advice support continued to increase with many individual cases covering a number of complex issues which required specialist help and guidance.

The second phase of the review which the report to Cabinet related to, includes advice services provided directly by the Council and the enhancement of partnership working through Advice in Rotherham Partnership (AiR). The report proposed bringing together under one management Council provided advice services and enhancing partnership working and referral systems. This would provide a more efficient set of inter-related services and improve access and referral routes for clients through a new “Single Advice Model”. It was projected that bringing services under one management could be achieved by September 2019.  Some of the components of the “Single Advice Model”, including a new referral system, were being introduced. Further enhancements to partnership working would be developed in discussion with partners. The changes were anticipated to be achievable within existing budget and staffing allocations.

Assurances were sought in respect of the proposed timescale of co-location for September 2019 and Members queried whether this was ambitious. In response, officers confirmed that the transfer of responsibility for the service was achievable by September 2019 to ensure that all services were under a single management structure. Following on, Members expressed concerned in respect of the proposed single point of access, given the problems that residents presently faced with not being able to contact the authority. In response, officers confirmed that the only change to the service to be implemented by 1 September 2019 would be the transfer of management responsibility. Further developments in respect of the service offer would be delivered further down the line, but people would not see any changes from 1 September. Looking to the future, there would be a need test the target operating model thoroughly and understand the levels of demand to ensure that services meet demand and expectations.

Members sought clarification as to when Phase 3 would be reported to Cabinet. In response, the Assistant Chief Executive advised that work would commence on developing Phase 3 in September 2019 after going live with the implementation of Phase 2. However, timescales had not been set for the reporting and approval of Phase 3 and it was acknowledged that this may take up to twelve months to progress.

It was suggested that Members would have found a list of organisations useful ahead of the meeting and assurances were sought that there was capacity to deliver the service that was expected. It was confirmed that a list of organisations had been detailed within the body of the report and there was assurance that there was capacity to deliver and the need to deliver was absolutely recognised across the authority and the partnership. It was noted that a third of the organisations listed were provided with funding towards advice. Further clarification was sought as what work had been done to ascertain what partners were bringing to the borough. Officers advised that the information could be shared outside of the meeting, but assurances were provided that the contract was monitored.

Assurances were sought that there would be capacity to take someone from filling in a form right through to the end of the process without individuals being turned away. Officers reiterated that there proposal in the report was to extend the outreach provision to ensure that services covered all parts of the borough. As part of the move into Phase 3 of the review, capacity would be monitored on an ongoing basis, but it was critical that the work was delivered in partnership to develop a preventative approach and to embed the work with the neighbourhoods agenda.

Resolved:-

1.     That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.

2.     That a monitoring report on the implementation of Phase 2 be brought back to a sub-group of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, along with outline proposals for Phase 3.