Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Officer Commissioning on the progress of the joint Adult Social Care and NHS Leeds Review of Leeds Neighbourhood Network Schemes (NNS) to date and of ongoing and future tasks.

The Chief Commissioning Officer submitted a report to inform the Board of the progress of the joint Adult Social Care and NHS Leeds Review of Leeds Neighbourhood Network Schemes (NNS) to date and of ongoing and future tasks.

The report provided Members of the Scrutiny Board with a detailed account of activity carried out by the joint Adult Social Care and National Health Service (NHS) Leeds project team, established earlier this year to conduct a review of the 38 geographically based Neighbourhood Network Schemes, which provide support to older people across the City of Leeds.

The Scrutiny Board were also informed that the current Service Level Agreements between the Neighbourhood Network Schemes (NNS) and both Adult Social Care and the Primary Care Trust (PCT) were due to run out on 31^st March 2009 but have now been extended for a further year.

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

·  Appendix 1 – List of Neighbourhood Network Schemes included in the

  2008/2010 Review

·  Appendix 2 – Size of Neighbourhood Network Schemes by Total Funding

The Chair welcomed the following attendees/witnesses to the meeting who outlined the report and responded to Members’ questions and comments:

·  Dennis Holmes – Chief Commissioning Officer.

·  Tim O’Shea – Head of Commissioning (Adults)

·  Susan Gamblen – Voluntary Organisations Development

·  Mick Ward - Head of Strategic Partnerships and Development

Board Members thanked Officers for producing such a helpful and informative report.

In brief, the main areas of concern were:

·  Members noted that the consultation meetings and wondered what steps had been taken or proposed to be taken to discuss the review with  individual Ward Members as it might helpful to the overall transition if Members understood what was going on with the review, especially in their own particular Wards.  It was felt that all Members of Council should be kept up to date with the review of the Leeds Neighbourhood Network Scheme.

  In response, the Officer informed the meeting that arrangements will be   made for regular newletters, together with a copy of today’s report and   appendices to be circulated all Members of Council in order to keep them up to date on the review.  Members will also receive a covering letter   explaining why Members should read this information.

  Members noted  that a further report is scheduled in the work programme and will be submitted to this Scrutiny Board on the 11^th of March 2009.

·  Members suggested that the new tendering process for NNS funding should be started within the next six months in order to establish what services are to be provided from March 2010.

In response, the Officer informed the meeting that Adult Social Care and the Procurement Unit are still in the process of putting a tendering process together, and that a procurement timetable will be included in the forthcoming report to the Scrutiny Board. 

The Chair thanked Officers for their attendance.

RESOLVED - 

(a)  That the contents of the report be received and noted.

(b)  That any outstanding issues referred to above be dealt with by those   Officers now identified within the minutes and reported back to Board   Members. 

Note:  Councillors Mrs R Feldman, D Coupar and A Taylor left the meeting at   the conclusion of the above item.