Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting especiallythose members of the public present.

The Chair introduced Sandra Newbould the new Principal Scrutiny Advisor  to the meeting and asked everyone around the table to introduce themselves. 

To declare any personal / prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81 (3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct.

The following interests were declared on Agenda Item 6 – Income Review for Community Care Services - Consultation:-

The Chair, Councillor J Chapman, declared a personal interest in the above item as she has a relative who works in private industry as a homecare worker (Minute 48 refers).

Councillor P Ewens declared a personal interest in the above item in her capacity as a Member of Older Active People (through Cardigan Centre Board).

Joy Fisher declared a personal interest as a service user in receipt of social care and as a member of the reference group referred to in the report.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors S Armitage, D Coupar and A Taylor.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Adult Social Services.

The Director of Adult Social Services submitted a report to provide Members with an update on the consultation process regarding the Income Review for non-residential community care services and the initial outcomes from the consultation process.

Based on the information provided, Members of Scrutiny Board Adult Social Care were invited to make comments on the consultation process for submission to the Executive Board as part of the final Income Review report.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

·  Income Review Communication and Consultation Plan 2008 (Appendix 1 refers)

·  Income Review – Consultation Events and Briefings (Appendix 2 refers)

·  Adult Social Care – Review of Contributions for Care – Leeds Citizens’

Panel - Survey Form (Appendix 3 refers)

·  Service User Income Review – Survey Form (Appendix 4 refers)

·  Income Review Survey Responses (Appendix 5 refers)

·  Service users income review survey responses (Appendix 6 refers)

·  Services User scenarios – Illustrating the potential impact on service users as a result of changes to the current charging regime (Appendix 7 refers)

The Chair welcomed Councillor P Harrand, Executive Member for Adult Health and Social Care, who gave a brief introduction to the report and highlighted the following points:

·  A charging regime had been in place since the Department for Social Services had been established in the 1970s:  This contrasted with the NHS, which provided services free at the point of delivery.

·  Currently there were serious funding pressures in Adult Social Services – both nationally and locally.

·  The national average for generating income through charges for non-residential community care services was around 13%.  Currently Leeds generated around 6%.

·  Issue around the income review for non-residential community care services needed to be considered in the context of:

·  Funding services for some of the City’s most vulnerable people;

·  Equity issues associated with the current charging regime;

·  Rising expectations of service users and their families;

·  Reducing income;

·  Any decision regarding changes to the current charging regime for non-residential community care services was still to be made.  As such, any proposals from the Board in this regard would be welcomed and considered.

The Chair also welcomed the following Officers to the meeting who provided some additional detail on the report and responded to Members’ questions and comments:-

·  Sandie Keane – Director, Adult Social Services

·  Ann Hill – Finance Manager, Adult Social Services

·  Janet Somers – Business Change Manager, Adult Social Services

·  Matt Lund – Corporate Consultation Manager, Planning Policy and

  Improvement.

The Director of Adult Social Services provided the following additional points for the Board’s consideration:

·  The current charging regime placed a disproportionate pressure on middle income service users.

·  Over recent years, there had been an increasing number of service users supported at home, including an increase in the number of service users that, traditionally, may have moved into residential care.

·  The increase in service users, alongside Leeds being a low charging local authority, continued to place a significant pressure on the Council.

·  Current proposals would still see  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development (report to follow).

This item was withdrawn and rescheduled to be considered at the next meeting

Wednesday 10^th December 2008, at 10.00 am (Pre-Meeting 9.30 am).

Wednesday, 10^th December 2008 at 10.00 a.m. (Pre-meeting scheduled for 9.30 a.m.)

(The Chair thanked Members for their attendance and the meeting concluded at 11.40 a.m.)