Agenda and minutes

The Committee is asked to elect a Chairman for 2024-25 from the county councillors on the Committee (as listed below).

Cllr Ali, Cllr Atkins, Cllr Cooper, Cllr Forbes, Cllr Johnson, Cllr McGregor, Cllr Nagel, Cllr Dr O’Kelly, Cllr Patel, Cllr Pudaloff, Cllr Wall and Cllr Dr Walsh.

If the election is contested, a secret ballot will be held in accordance with Standing Order 2.17.

1.1      Cllr Wall was proposed as Chairman by Cllr Forbes. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Cooper. There were no other nominations.

1.2      Resolved – that Cllr Wall is elected as Chairman of the Committee for the year.

The Committee is asked to elect a Vice Chairman for 2024-25 from the county councillors on the Committee (as listed below).

Cllr Ali, Cllr Atkins, Cllr Cooper, Cllr Forbes, Cllr Johnson, Cllr McGregor, Cllr Nagel, Cllr Dr O’Kelly, Cllr Patel, Cllr Pudaloff, Cllr Wall and Cllr Dr Walsh.

If the election is contested, a secret ballot will be held in accordance with Standing Order 2.17.

2.1     Cllr Cooper was proposed as Vice Chairman by Cllr McGregor. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Wall. There were no other nominations.

2.2     Resolved – that Cllr Cooper is elected as Vice Chairman of the Committee for the year.

Report by the Director of Law and Assurance.

The Committee is asked to review the membership of the Business Planning Group in view of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman appointments.

The Group should have five members including the Committee’s Chairman, Vice-Chairman and at least two minority group members.

3.1    The Business Planning Group membership was agreed as Cllr Wall (Chairman), Cllr Cooper (Vice Chairman), Cllr Patel, Cllr Dr Walsh and Cllr Pudaloff.

The Committee to approve the co-opted membership of the Committee as follows: -

Cllr Bates (Chichester District Council)

Cllr Bevis (Horsham District Council)

Cllr Baine (Adur District Council)

Cllr Peacock (Mid Sussex District Council)

Cllr Long (Arun District Council)

Cllr Khan (Crawley Borough Council)

Cllr Glynn-Davies (Worthing Borough Council)

Zoey Harries (Healthwatch West Sussex)

4.1       The membership of the Committee was noted.

Members and officers must declare any pecuniary or personalinterest in any business on the agenda. They should also make declarations at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting. Consideration should be given to leaving the meeting if the nature of the interest warrants it.  If in doubt please contact Democratic Services before the meeting.

5.1      None declared.

Items not on the agenda which the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances, including cases where the Committee needs to be informed of budgetary or performance issues affecting matters within its terms of reference, which have emerged since the publication of the agenda.

6.1      Concerns were raised as to whether Zachary Merton Hospital, Littlehampton would re-open

6.2      Resolved – that the Chairman writes to Sussex Community Foundation NHS Trust asking the Trust to update the Committee and local stakeholders on its plans for the future of Zachary Merton Hospital

The Committee is asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2024 (cream paper).

7.1     Resolved – that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2024 are approved as a correct record and are signed by the Chairman.

The Committee is asked to note the responses to recommendations made at previous meetings of the Committee.

8.1     Committee members raised concerns over access to dentistry and issues identified in the Local Area Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Inspection

8.2     Resolved – that: -

             i.     An update on access to dentistry is given at the next meeting of the Committee’s Business Planning Group.

            ii.     The Committee agrees to a Task & Finish Group being established in conjunction with the Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Committee to look at issues identified in the Local Area Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Inspection.

          iii.     The Committee notes the responses to recommendations.

Report by Director of Finance and Support Services, setting out the finance and performance position as at the end of March 2024.

The Committee is asked to examine the data and supporting commentary for the Performance and Resources report and make any recommendations for action to the relevant Cabinet Member.

9.1      The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Support Services (copy appended to the signed minutes).

9.2      Summary of responses to committee members’ questions and comments: -

Adult Social Care

·         The Council is looking to increase community-based reablement – more detail will come to the Committee at a later date

·         The backlog in both care assessments and financial assessments is partly due to the number of self-funding customers who have run out of money and need to be re-assessed to see if their needs or placement need to change – this also has a knock-on effect on increasing residential placements as does people who have been in residential care for some time not wanting to leave

·         Overdue reviews are prioritised by longest wait and highest need

·         Some customers have several reassessments which affects figures

·         The Council is trying to develop the market to provide alternative solutions to residential care, especially for people with learning disabilities, but it can take time for providers to build or change provision – one success is Avila House in Worthing

·         A pilot scheme is taking place in conjunction with Independent Lives looking at developing individual service funds to enable people to make full use of direct payments – the outcome should be known towards the end of the year after which time a policy will be co-produced

·         The Direct Payment system will be made more efficient and the market developed to make sure people are not disadvantaged by using direct payments instead of the council managed budget

·         The Shaw Homes occupancy rate of 90% is made up of long-term and rolling respite beds. The long-term beds are more likely to have full occupancy whereas the rolling respite beds will not be used all the time. There has to be some leeway to accommodate people being discharged from hospital.

·         90% of people affected by domestic violence and abuse feel safe upon leaving the service – no information is available for the other 10% - ACTION: Assistant Director Improvement Assurance to provide the Committee with information on Key Performance Indicator 44 (Percentage of people affected by domestic violence and abuse who feel safe upon leaving the service) specifically relating to any trends on the percentage of people leaving the service not feeling safe

·         The Improvement Programme is refining data and the practice around safeguarding of recording and identifying risk and whether or not it has been removed – ACTION: - Democratic Services to circulate the Safeguarding Adults Board annual report to committee members

·         An early support project is in development to ensure people are accessing preventative and support options at the earliest opportunity – this is being done in conjunction with district/borough councils, health and voluntary organisations

·         The Council and Local information Online is being enhanced and work is taking place on a Prevention Charter to drive forward basic principles of prevention

·         There was concern at the overspend in the Adults’ Services budget, but acknowledged that this was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Extract from the Forward Plan dated 3 June 2024 – attached.

An extract from any Forward Plan relevant to the Committee’s portfolio published between the date of despatch of the agenda and the date of the meeting will be tabled at the meeting.

The Committee is asked to consider whether it wishes to enquire into any of the forthcoming decisions within its portfolio.

10.1.      Resolved – that the Committee notes the Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

The Committee to review its draft work programme taking into consideration the checklist at Appendix A.

11.1      The Committee considered its Work Programme and raised queries on dentistry and Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust’s Memory Assessment and dementia services

11.2      Resolved – that the Committee: -

                   i.       Requests an update on plans for dental reform and for it to remain on the work programme

                  ii.       Agrees a joint Task & Finish Group with the Children & Young People’s Services Scrutiny Committee on Issues identified in the Local Area Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Inspection

                iii.        Asks for an update to be provided to the Committee on Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust’s Memory Assessment and dementia services ahead of the October Business Planning Group meeting

                iv.       Notes its Work Programme

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on 18 September 2024 at 10.30 am at County Hall, Chichester.  Probable agenda items include:

·         Update on the delivery of the two-year Adults’ Services improvement programme 2023-25

·         Diabetes

·         End of June (Quarter 1) Performance & Resources Report

Any member wishing to place an item on the agenda for the meeting must notify the Director of Law and Assurance by 3 September 2024.

12.1     The next meeting of the Committee will be held on 18 September 2024 at 10.30 am at County Hall, Chichester.