RESOLVED :
THAT the position be noted.
93.
BUDGET MONITORING REPORT AS AT END OF FEBRUARY 2004
The Select Committee considered the report of the
Portfolio Holder for Social Services and Housing which set out the budget and
spending position on both revenue and capital within the Committee’s remit.
Members were advised that the Directorate was currently
projecting a potential overspend of approximately £153,000. The end of year
figures would be finalised by the end of May 2004.
During questioning Members were advised that
underspends within Children’s Services had offset overspends in other areas.
Savings in recruitment and retention in Children’s Services had contributed to
these savings. The Select Committee were assured that funding for the existing
vacancies had been accounted for in the 2004/05 budget.
Due to an increase in the proportion of higher cost
placements, pressures had arisen within the community care budget. The Head of
Adult Services assured Members that the financial effects of placements were
being closely monitored.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
94.
HOUSING AND COUNCIL TAX BENEFITS BEST VALUE REVIEW IMPROVEMENT PLAN
The lead Member for the Benefits Best Value Review,
Mrs E Oulton, presented the Improvement Plan developed in response to reports
by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate and the Best Value Review of the Benefits
Service. The Select Committee were advised that extensive consultation was
carried out as part of the review. No additional resources were required to
deliver the plan. In addition it was noted that there were seven standards to
which the Improvement Plan was set out and the Plan had yet to be approved by
the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. In particular, Members noted processing claims
improvements were substantial.
Questions were asked regarding a number of issues
which were listed as being raised during the review but not acted upon. Members
were advised that during the initial stages of the review many items were
raised as possible items to include, and for various reasons were not included
in the final Plan. It was noted that there was still an opportunity to include
them in the Plan if the Select Committee wished. It was suggested that these
issues be revisited in six months time to assess whether they should be
included.
The Select Committee supported the involvement of
the Voluntary Sector. It was noted that in particular the Benefits Service had
developed strong links with Age Concern and ways of ensuring that the service
was wide reaching in rural areas were being investigated.
The Benefits Manager considered that the Improvement
Plan would continue to have a large impact on the improvement of services. In
particular it had raised the profile of the service, improved the processing of
claims and had allowed the areas of fraud and overpayments to be addressed.
RESOLVED :
a)
THAT
the Improvement Plan be supported and that Councillor Erica Oulton, continue to
act as lead Member for the Best Value Review so to monitor its progress.
b)
THAT
a progress report be brought back in six months time.
95.
SUPPORT FOR FOSTER CARERS AND RESULTS OF THE FOSTER CARER SATISFACTION
SURVEY
Due to the close links between the two reports the
Committee agreed that these should be considered jointly.
The Chairman welcomed Mrs Belinda Williams and Mrs
Elaine Taylor who were both foster carers to the meeting.
The Portfolio Holder referred to his report on
Support For Foster Carers which provided an update on how the additional
funding of £250,000 allocated by the Council in April 2003 had been used to
provide practical support packages to foster carers. The recruitment and
retention of foster carers had been of concern at both a national and regional
level for a number of years. In addition the Island had experienced difficulty
in securing a sufficient number and range of local foster care placements to
meet the needs of children. Members were advised that the service had been
successful in approving 20 new carers whilst only de-registering 9. It was
noted that the additional funding made available would not be fully utilised in
2003/04. The Select Committee considered that it was vital to build in the work
already undertaken to provide improved support to foster carers. A number of
new initiatives were being investigated and could only be implemented if the
level of funding was continued in 2004/05
With regard to the Results of the Satisfaction
survey the Portfolio Holder advised that a telephone survey had been undertaken
between 23 February and 22 March 2004 on all foster carers who contacted the
Emergency Duty Service (EDS) and the Foster and Adoption Services Team (FAST),
for support outside office hours. The total number of respondents that
completed the survey into EDS and FAST was 17, 90% of the target group.
During discussion questions were raised regarding
the educational achievement of Looked After Children (LAC). It was agreed that
this was an area that required improvement. Steps had been made to improve the
situation by providing LAC with Personal Education Plans. Concern was raised
regarding the percentage of LAC with three or more placements during one year.
It was explained that the criteria used for counting placements often distorted
figures. It was agreed that a breakdown of figures be circulated to the Select
Committee.
The Chairman invited Mrs Williams and Mrs Taylor to
comment on the Foster Carer Service. Both carers largely supported the service
and improvements but raised the following concerns:
·
The
recruitment of two Treatment Foster Carers had been unsuccessful. It was
commented that many carers would not be able to commit 37 hours per week to
such a post and alternative arrangements could be investigated.
·
Lack
of consultation regarding the transfer of respite money to carers and no clear
direction on how it should be used.
·
The
babysitting service was not easily accessible for everyone.
·
Some
difficulties were being experienced with carers accessing NVQ courses.
All the comments were considered, in particular
members were advised that two different NVQ schemes had been implemented,
however the take up and completion rate had been relatively low. It was agreed
that the reasons for this needed to be explored.
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE EXECUTIVE:
THAT the underspending on the Foster Carers package be
carried forward and utilised for the development of initiatives introduced in
April 2003.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Children and Young Person’s Committee be
asked to consider to review and monitor Looked After Children.
96.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TASK GROUP
The Select Committee received an update on the work
of the recruitment and retention Task Group which commenced in February 2002.
This had been established to address workforce issues regarding the recruitment
and retention of childcare social workers. It was reported that the vacancy
rate had been reduced from 24% to 4.5%, equating to 1 vacancy. It was noted
that the identification of temporary accommodation to assist staff moving to
the Island was still an outstanding matter for consideration.
Members were informed that £3,000 had been committed
to the bursary scheme and two prospective employees would commence their
appointment during this summer.
The Select Committee commended the work of the Task
Group. Discussion ensued regarding the future of the Task Group. It was agreed
that this should be considered at the Committee’s Development Day in May 2004.
RESOLVED :
THAT all Task Groups under
the auspices of the Select Committee be reviewed at the Committee’s Development
Day on 20 May 2004.
97.
UPDATE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT HEALTHCARE STRATEGY
The Chairman welcomed Mr Mark Price, Director of
Strategic Development, Isle of Wight Healthcare Trust to the meeting. The
Select Committee had undertaken its own consultation on the proposals contained
in the Isle of Wight Local Healthcare Strategy and at its meeting on 19
February 2004 had presented a number of recommendations to the local health
bodies in response to the proposals. The PCT and NHS Trust had now considered
these recommendations as part of their analysis of their overall consultation
process and presented this report which outlined the way forward.
Mr Price advised the meeting that the consultation
report had been approved by both the PCT and Healthcare Boards. As part of the overall
consultation the Trust had received 63 written responses from members of the
public, staff, voluntary organisations and interested stakeholders. It was
noted that the response was greatest on the transfer of care and patient travel
cost sections. Dentistry and mental health had also attracted a good response.
Following the consultation process the proposals
broadly fell into 3 categories :
·
Primary
Care, Dentistry, Emergency Services, Surgery, Maternity Services -
Commissioning would be progressed to implementation.
·
Transfer
of Care, Older People Services and Mental Health Services - The general
direction was clear and accepted, but concerns raised on implementation needed
to be addressed and further consultation was required on the implementation plan.
·
Children’s
Services and Patient Transport and Travel required a further review and new
proposals.
With regard to the Transfer of Care there had been
concern raised during the consultation regarding the implementation of this
part of the Strategy, this required more consultation. It was confirmed that
there would be no further bed reductions until April 2005. The Mental Health
proposals had raised concern on the impact of bed changes and the proposed
estate rationalisation.
Following consultation and new information the
staffing model needed further work. The proposals had suggested a consultant
delivered service. However this was not a model that was being widely planned
nationally and the health bodies considered would require further consultation.
The health bodies whilst expressing concerns
regarding the Select Committee’s recommendation that more resources should be
spent on Patient Transport and Travel, supported its view there should be joint
working with the voluntary sector.
With regard to the Resource Plan the health bodies
now had a better understanding of resource levels available and cost pressures
for 2004/05. Due to pay reform changes a larger recovery plan would be required
and some areas of the Strategy would be reconsidered in light of this.
The Strategic Director for Social Services would be
drafting detailed proposals on older peoples services and the transfer of care.
This would be submitted to the Select Committee for comment at the appropriate
time.
RESOLVED :
a)
THAT
arrangements be made for the Select Committee to informally discuss the
implications of the Trust/PCT Board’s recommendations
b)
THAT
the process of joint working on the Healthcare Strategy with the PCT and
Healthcare Trust, in line with the Council’s Statement of Intent be supported.
CHAIRMAN