Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr S Collins, Mr D Gawne and Dr S Haraldsen (Mr A Wonnacott substituting).

To report and note changes to the membership of the Board.

It was noted that the following changes had been made to the Board membership:-

Mr S Collins had replaced Mr N Cotton and Mr M Hawkins had replace Ms C Driver as members of the Board.

Members are invited to disclose any disclosable pecuniary interest they have in any item on the agenda which comprises

1          Details of any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

2          Details of any payment or provision of any other financial benefit (other than from the authority) made or provided within the relevant period in respect of any expenses incurred by you in carrying out duties as a member, or towards your election expenses.  (This includes any payment or financial benefit from a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

3          Details of any contract which is made between you (or a body in which you have a beneficial interest) and the authority

(a)     Under which goods or services are to be provided or works are to be executed; and

            (b)     Which has not been fully discharged.

4          Details of any beneficial interest in land which is within the area of the authority.

5          Details of any licence (alone or jointly with others) to occupy land in the area of the authority for a month or longer. 

6          Details of any tenancy where (to your knowledge)

            (a)     The landlord is the authority; and

            (b)     The tenant is a body in which you have a beneficial interest.

7          Details of any beneficial interest in securities of a body where

(a)     That body (to your knowledge) has a place of business or land in the area of the authority; and

(b)     Either –

         (i)        The total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body; or

         (ii)       If that share capital of that body is of more than one class, the total nominal value of the shares of any one class in which the relevant person has a beneficial interest exceeds one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that class.

In addition, you must also disclose other non-pecuniary interests set out in the Code of Conduct where these have not already been registered.

Note

A “disclosable pecuniary interest” is an interest of a councillor or their partner (which means spouse or civil partner, a person with whom they are living as husband or wife, or a person with whom they are living as if they are civil partners).

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

There were no items of business that required the exclusion of the press and public.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults held on 26 March 2021 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED,that the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2021 be agreed as an accurate record.

To receive a presentation by Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

The Executive Director – People introduced the reports.  He noted that the first report was the Winter Plan this identified the significant pressures both nationally and locally especially coming out of Covid.  The plan does move on a daily basis and demonstrated how Cumbria County Council will manage in the next few months.  The second part is the Adult Social Care Vision and Strategy which was on its way to Cabinet.  With Local Government Reorganisation coming it was very important that there was a clear and confident plan.

The Assistant Director - (Deputy DAS) gave a presentation on the Adult Social Care Strategic Position which included the following areas:-

·      Health & Social Care System

·      Current Situation

·      Change to Demand Volumes and Profile

·      Capacity Constraints

·      Current Key Mitigations

·      Adult Social Care Winter Pressures Plan

·      Immediate Actions

·      Medium to Long Term Actions

A member asked for further clarification on the Local Resilience Forum and the emergency situation.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) commented that on 2 September that the volume of people who needed an Adult Social Care response was higher than before.  It was deemed necessary to raise the matter to the Local Resilience Forum.  The focus was with District Colleagues and the Voluntary Sector.  She noted that it could be set back up within 30 minutes.  It was important to have the framework in place to help.  The system had been overwhelmed.

A member commented on the Immediate Actions and queried about staff pay levels.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) commented that under the Local Resilience Forum this brought together a group who wanted to see the care market as an attractive area to work.  The Assistant Director – Provider Services noted that Cumbria County Council was a market leader within the Care Sector however it struggled to compete with the hospitality industry.  We need to make the Care Sector an attractive place to work.  We need to demonstrate the impact made by people and the potential career progression.

A member remarked about independent carers and wondered if there was a network of independent carers and did Cumbria County Council recognise the work of independent carers.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) explained about Community Catalysts.  There was a pilot in the Keswick and Solway area where an organiser created a list of people who have capacity to help.  People could purchase carers support, it matches people’s skills with other’s needs.  She was happy to circulate a briefing for members on the pilot.

A member commented that Home carers are in position to see problems and issues and wondered if Cumbria County Council provided training to help look for the problems and issues.

The Assistant Director – Provider Services noted that the training was provided.  Every day support workers will discuss strategies for people to help.  If there was a problem they would speak to Social Workers and/or families.  Support workers would not just leave it, they would always support service users.

The Chair noted that there were weekly meetings and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

To receive a presentation by Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

The Assistant Director - (Deputy DAS) gave a presentation on the Adult Social Care Vision and Strategy.  She highlighted that the Strategy included the values for social care in Cumbria, and what is wanted to achieve for people and that the strategy was a collaborative, bottom up approach.   She concluded the presentation with the quote “We want every person in Cumbria who needs social care to be able to live the life that matters to them; with the people they value, in the places and communities they call home, and with an equal voice in co-ordinating their care.”

A member commented about the work of social prescribers and about what work was done with social prescribers.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) noted that further awareness building was needed within the Social Care Team and that the pandemic had been a catalyst but further work was needed.

A member remarked that it was an excellent document and had wonderful principles however there would be less money and therefore less services.  They noted that there was a dearth of supported living for people with disabilities.  They wanted to know who would miss out.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) commented that Cumbria County Council had increased their Homecare provision massively.  We have invested in the market and the market had grown quicker than demand could be met.  We do people a disservice if we over provide for them.. Most people wanted to live their most independent life .  The challenge is that the Homecare market is full so we could not move people out of reablement.  We had to use what was available differently.  She noted that Cumbria County Council has a statutory provision to look after those in need, it was not a question of money but capacity.  If someone was eligible Cumbria County Council had a responsibility to care.  There are challenges but there was the will and commitment to provide.

A member commented on Day Services provision and how people were signposted to Day Services provision.

The Assistant Director – Provider Services commented that as society was opening up provision was increasing.  There were restrictions as staff could not work across two settings and building capacity.

A member commented on Local Government Reorganisation and how the good practices would be kept and what would happen with the split into East and West unitary authorities.

The Executive Director – People noted that it was too early to say and that long term planning would take place.

A member asked if Cumbria County Council had a good working relationship with Age UK to provide meaningful services.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) confirmed that Cumbria County Council had a very good working relationship with all 3^rd Sector partners.

The Chair noted that this presentation was to be presented to Cabinet and therefore the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults would have input.  He noted that there had been massive success of assisted living Information Technology.  He commented that the presentation should reflect  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

To consider a report by Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding presented a report providing an update and analysis of adult safeguarding activity in the first quarter of 2021/22, briefing members on progress against key areas of performance relating to ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’, providing a benchmark against other local authorities and describing actions planned to strengthen and consolidate improvements in adult safeguarding in Cumbria through the Safeguarding Adults Board.  The Senior Manager highlighted the consistent rise in numbers.

During the question and answer session that followed, a member raised if it was possible to breakdown the 18-64 age category in the age and gender comparison.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding agreed to look into the request.

A member noted that the referrals by location split the county into three areas.  They remarked that it would be better to split the county into two areas mirroring the new unitary authorities.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding would look into the request.

The Chair then thanked the Senior Manager – Safeguarding for his presentation.

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the report be noted;

To consider a report by the Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

Members received a briefing paper that informed of new or updated items of significance to the Adult Scrutiny Advisory Board. Members were informed that the Scrutiny Performance Working Group identified the following issues for consideration by the Board.

·         Working with health partners on improving patient flow (from acute to community / home settings) and the increased / changed demand on reablement and related services resulting from the higher dependency of patients;

·         The future shape of social care sector and the local market;

·         The future of the social care workforce – attracting people into the sector, and improving quality and consistency of practice; and,

·         The financial challenges in respect of social care nationally and locally

Member received the Board’s work programme and were encouraged to submit potential items for consideration.  It was agreed that consideration be given for an item on LGR Adults Workstream to be included as an item for the January meeting.  It was agreed that an Extra Care Housing in Whitehaven to be included on the Board’s programme.

It was agreed that an agenda planning meeting would be set up in early November with the Chair, Vice Chair, Executive Director People and the Assistant Director (Deputy DAS).

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the report be noted;

(2)  consideration by given at the next agenda planning meeting for the inclusion of the discussed items outlined above to be placed on the Board’s agenda.

To note that the next meeting of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults is scheduled for 4 January 2022 at 10:00.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Board will be held on 4 January 2022 at 10.00 am.  A discussion took place about virtual and hybrid meetings.  It was noted that the current legislation does not allow for virtual or hybrid meetings only in-person meetings.