Agenda and minutes

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.

21.1     There were no declarable interests.

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.

22.1     The Chairman reported that since the publication of the agenda there had been one new appointment to the Committee.

22.2     Resolved – that the Committee notes the appointment of Cllr Roger Noel (representing Horsham District Council) to the Committee.

The Committee is asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 11 November 2020 (attached, cream paper).

23.1     In response to a query around the delivery of the vaccination programme committee members were assured that they would be kept up to date through regular briefings to stakeholders by the West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group.

23.2     Resolved – that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 November 2020 are approved as a correct record and are signed by the Chairman.

Key areas for Committee discussion include: -

·         Suggested key performance indicators for the Adults and Health directorate as part of the wider West Sussex Reset Plan

·         Areas to be explored relating to Adults and Health portfolio budget savings, including next steps and Committee involvement

·         Reflections from the Covid-19 pandemic to include work with the care and domiciliary care market in West Sussex

·         Planned areas for adult social care improvement and integrated working with the NHS

24.1        The Committee considered a report by the Executive Director of Adults and Health (copy appended to the signed minutes).

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

·         The Council is investing in reablement/reskilling models of care as suggested by the Local Government Association Peer Review and is working with individuals and communities to see how people’s quality of life can be improved in their own homes

·         There were no proposals to change the eligibility criteria as set out in the Care Act

·         With the likelihood of ongoing financial constraints on the Council, the new models of working will make savings by delivering care in different ways

·         Partnership working had increased during the pandemic and would continue to be important going forward

·         The Council invests significantly in the voluntary sector to the best advantage of all

·         Difficult decisions on prioritising services are being made, but this is informed by learning from localising services

·         All customers have an annual care review and would also have an assessment if their care package was to change

·         Reducing the use of single person services for customers where shared services may be suitable and is a procurement efficiency

·         Significant changes to services would be subject to consultation and equality impact assessments – a Task & Finish Group (TFG) from this committee could then scrutinise revised proposals before they went to Cabinet for final approval

·         A review had shown that Shaw and in-house day services, were underused before the pandemic and could be provided in a different way that would also deliver financial savings

·         The Public Health Grant is ring-fenced, and the Council has to show how the money is used – if Public Health spend exceeds the grant, money would have to be found from other Council sources

·         When planning services, the Council took into account the future demographics of the county based on housing plans developed by district and borough councils for the next two to five years

·         There was a query about weight management in wellbeing programmes – ACTION: Keith Hinkley to provide the Committee with benchmarking information on weight management programmes

·         Support for homeless people during the pandemic was a partnership with the County Council providing community support and the district and borough councils providing accommodation support

·         All proposed key performance indicators (KPIs) could be benchmarked as there was national data on spend, but value for money couldn’t be benchmarked as the current measures only looked at use of resources and not quality or outcomes

·         An Adults and Health Plan could have its own set of KPIs which could include the following – Covid-19 vaccinations, mid-life health, deprivation of liberty safeguarding, inequality, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic life expectancy, effectiveness in mental health services and staff retention

·         The Council did not have detailed information on care given to people who paid for their own care

·         It was requested that any TFG looking at the service overview has access to consultation output, comments from the residents and families of Marjorie  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

The Committee to appoint one of its members to the Business Planning Group to fill the minority party vacancy.

25.1        Resolved – that the Committee appoints Cllr M Jones to its Business Planning Group to fill the minority party vacancy.

Members are asked to consider the attached Forward Plan of Key Decisions extract in addition to the Committee’s work programme and suggest any items which they believe to be of relevance to the business of the Committee, and suitable for scrutiny.

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

Items suggested can also include, issues raised with them by constituents arising from central government initiatives etc. If any member puts forward such an item, the Committee’s role at this meeting is just to assess, briefly, whether to refer the matter to its Business Planning Group to consider in detail.

26.2     Resolved – that the Committee notes its work programme.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held virtually on 24 February 2021 at 10.30 am.  Probable agenda items include:

·         Proposals to Improve Mental Health Services in West Sussex

·         Responses to recommendations from the Covid-19 Preparedness and Restoration, Recovery Planning in West Sussex Task and Finish Group

·         Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing - Foundations for our Future and learning from Covid-19 – Joint Session with Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee and West Sussex Youth Cabinet

Any member wishing to place an item on the agenda for the meeting must notify the Director of Law and Assurance by 9 February 2021.

27.1        The next meeting of the Committee will take place on 24 February 2021.