MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2001 COMMENCING AT 9.00 AM
Present :
Mr R G Mazillius (Chairman), Mr A C Bartlett, Mr M J Cunningham (as deputy for Mrs E Oulton), Mr C R Hancock, Mr G S Kendall, Mr A J Mundy, Mr R C Richards, Mr I R Stephens, Mrs J L Wareham, Mr D G Williams
Spokesperson :
Mr J A Bowker
Apologies :
Mrs T M Butchers, Mrs D Gardiner, Mrs E Oulton
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT, subject to minute No 15, 3rd paragraph, line 2, being amended to read 'Mr R Ford as representative of the Users of Church View Day Centre, Ventnor', the minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2001, be confirmed.
(ii) THAT it be agreed for an invitation to be extended to a representative of the Day Care Centre Managers, to be included in the discussions reviewing Mental Health Day Care Services.
18. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Mr M J Cunningham declared a non pecuniary interest in any matters relating to the Riverside Centre.
19. REPORTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING
(a) Children's Services
(During the course of debate Mr M J Cunningham declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of Home Start)
The Select Committee considered the report of the Director of Social Services and Housing outlining the significant issues and demands impacting on Children's Services nationally and locally. In recent years, Government legislation had promoted a considerable change in the manner in which Children's Services were delivered and the quality of those services. The Quality Protects agenda had been a key driving force in promoting a clear focus on children in need and children in public care and members were reminded of the Authority's responsibility towards those children and their families.
The Director referred to the significant changes to practice, locally, undertaken in response to the Inspection of Children's Services on the Isle of Wight in 1999 and to the new Government initiatives. The new developments which promoted partnership working with all relevant key agencies and participation for children and their families had resulted in improved performance, in particular with regard to children in public care and these improvements were reported.
Pressures prevailing within Children's Services nationally had been highlighted by the Association of Directors of Social Services. During the past year a combination of the new procedural demands, the expectation of higher standards of performance, staff turnover, resource constraints and resulting pressures had contributed to present a more serious picture locally. The severe staff shortfall on the Island had impacted significantly on the capacity of operational teams and led to staff feeling under intense pressure. Members endorsed the need for the Authority to be more proactive in the recruitment and retention of staff and welcomed a further report setting out proposals and costings, to address the issue, before the end of the year.
Discussion ensued on the various issues reported including advice from Mrs P Simon from the Rural Development Council. The Select Committee observed that the involvement of the Voluntary Sector should be investigated including the provision of joint training and any financial resources which could be accessed.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the report be noted and a further report setting out proposals on recruitment/retention in Children's Services be presented to a meeting of the Select Committee before the end of the year;
(ii) THAT a letter be sent, signed by the Chairman on behalf of the Committee to staff involved in Childrens Services acknowledging their hard work and commitment during the past year.
(b) Recruitment and Retention of Foster Carers
Children's Services on the Island, in common with other local authorities both nationally and regionally, currently faced acute difficulties in the recruiting and retaining of Foster Carers to whom Island children, in the care of the Authority, could be placed. The lack of suitable placements on the Island resulted in a greater reliance on the purchase of the more expensive placements from independent fostering agencies, which was having a substantive impact on the Directorate's budgetary position. Members noted that during the current financial year an increase of 14 independent agency foster placements had resulted in a total projected cost of �325K. The report of the Director explained the background to the situation, the implications to the authority due to recent Government legislation and provided a comparison between fostering remuneration rates provided on the Island to those recommended by the National Foster Care Association, which had been the national benchmark for many years. A benchmark was also provided of the Island against neighbouring, comparable local authorities.
Members gave consideration to the various options outlined, along with respective financial implications, to address the foster care recruitment and retention issue. The Select Committee also noted the actions planned to launch a local recruitment drive to recruit new foster carers over the forthcoming weeks.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT Option 3, detailed in the report, be approved as an appropriate way forward for recommendation to the Executive, in due course, and for the Head of Children's Services to submit a fully costed proposal for consideration as part of next year's budget;
(ii) THAT the Children's Committee explore ways to take forward the no-cost or low-cost proposals, as set out in Option 2 of the report;
(iii) THAT officers bring forward a further report in January 2002.
(c) Annual Review of Performance (2000 - 2001)
The report of the Director was received advising Members of the progress to date with regard to the Social Services Inspectorate's (SSI) Performance Assessment Programme and their annual review of services, undertaken earlier in the year. The report set out the important improvements in performance, noted by the SSI, over the previous year and the most important areas of performance which required more attention over the forthcoming year, including the actions proposed to achieve this. The proposed improvements should be achievable within existing budgets.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the report be noted and proposals to action outstanding requirements effectively be approved;
(ii) THAT a copy of the Performance Indicators for 1999 - 2001 be circulated to all members of the Select Committee.
(d) Social Services and Housing Budget : Projected Income and Expenditure for 2001 - 02
The Director reported on the projected level of overspend at the end of August (month 5), of �825K. This was down from the �1.3m reported at the end of May and from the �900K reported to the Select Committee in September. As previously advised the Director had put into place a number of measures to control the major areas of overspend. These areas continued to be the cost of placements for children in public care, services for older people and for people with a learning disability, together with homelessness. It was estimated that as a consequence of the steps taken the projected overspend would now be approximately �570K for the current financial year. Members noted that if further savings were required this could put vulnerable people at risk and could lead to a destabilising effect on existing services. Over �1m long term savings had been identified for 2002/03. There was some doubt as to whether the Directorate could achieve any further additional savings without substantial service cuts.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
20. SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT COMMITTEE WORKPLAN
The Head of Select Committee Support referred to the Committee's Away Day in July 2001 which had generated a number of issues to be highlighted as work priorities. Following discussion with the Select Committee Chairman and with regard to comments from officers, these had now been programmed into a draft workplan.
In discussing the workplan for meetings of the Committee between September 2001 and March 2002 a number of amendments were suggested. There was a need to establish a Task Group to deal with the issue of Communications and ICT and the posible terms of reference for this were outlined.
On 7 November, the Select Committee were to receive a further report on the Future of Mental Health Services on the Island. Members noted that the Working Group established to examine the twin demands of modernising these services was due to meet on in the afternoon (3 October). It was suggested for the Chairman and Vice Chairman to attend the meeting. The Chairman requested for Members of the Select Committee to be furnished with a brief account following this, on progress to date. Additionally, Members considered that it would be beneficial for an informal briefing to be arranged for the Select Committee, only, prior to the November meeting.
Due to the heavy, identified workload Members proposed that additional meetings be arranged for November, December and January. At the additional November meeting, Members considered it appropriate for representatives of some voluntary organisations to be invited to attend. Progress on Communications/ICT would also be reported at this meeting.
Members referred to the 5 December meeting of the Select Committee and considered that planning implications relevant to Care Homes should be included, in addition to the implications of Government legislation upon those homes in the responsibility of the Authority. Members also considered it appropriate for representatives from the Care Homes Association to be invited to the meeting. To facilitate early discussion, it was agreed for a report to be presented to the meeting detailing an initial forecast of the budget for the next financial year.
A number of issues had been identified, earlier in the meeting, with regard to Children's Services. An additional meeting was therefore requested, for December, to which members of the Children's Committee would be invited.
The need to give scrutiny to the proposed budget for 2002/2003 was highlighted. It was agreed for a report to be presented to a meeting, for a date to be arranged in January which would facilitate officers time in the preparation of the report, in addition to the Best Value Review 2001/02 for Community Care/Social Services Provision for Elderly and Disabled Adults.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the draft workplan be approved subject to the following changes:
(a) An additional meeting be arranged, for a date in November, to receive reports/presentations on the following:
(i) Rural Community Council
(ii) Service Plans/Performance Indicators
(iii) Communications and ICT
(b) Preliminary report on forecast/implications for the Social Services and Housing Budget 2002/03 to be included on the agenda for the meeting on 5 December 2001;
(c) An additional meeting be arranged, for a date in December, to receive reports/presentations embodying all Childrens Services issues;
(d) The Best Value Review 2001/02 on Community Care/Social Services Provision for Elderly and Disabled Adults to be presented to a meeting to be arranged for a date in January 2002;
(e) Scrutiny of the Social Services Budget to be also included on the agenda for the January 2002 meeting of the Select Committee;
(ii) THAT a Social Services, Housing and Benefits Task Group be established comprising of Cllrs Hancock, Mundy, Stephens, and Williams to consider the best way forward in achieving the modernisation of ICT in Social Services; improve communication and ICT links with other agencies; review the Directorate's interface with the public; monitor the Directorate's response to customer inquiries and to report back progress to the late November meeting of the Select Committee.
CHAIRMAN