Agenda and minutes

Co-opted Member present – Dr J Beal

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 25* of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded).

(* In accordance with Procedure Rule 25, notice of an appeal must be received in writing by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting).

There were no appeals.

1.  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2.  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3.  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

  No exempt items have been identified.

There were no exempt items.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

No declarations of interest were made at the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies had been received from Councillor J Gibson, Councillor M Iqbal and Councillor E Taylor.

Councillor K Renshaw attended the meeting as substitute for Councillor M Iqbal and Councillor E Thomson attended the meeting as substitute for Councillor E Taylor.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th October 2023.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th October 2023, be approved as an accurate record.

Minute 45 – With regard to the Board’s earlier discussions around access to General Practice in Leeds, it was noted that Board Members had been provided with further additional information categorising those GP appointments made outside of the 14 day timeframe.

Minute 46 - In noting the key indicators and areas of progress that were set out in the briefing paper provided by the Leeds Health and Care Academy, a request was made to illustrate the trajectory of progress over the last 6 months in the form of graphs/charts.  It was confirmed that this information had been provided to Board Members and will also feature in future updates.

An update was also provided in relation to an earlier minute (Minute no 21) regarding the Board’s request to receive a briefing paper from the Drug and Alcohol Team on the issue of cannabis use.  It was noted that this had been received by the Chair and would now be shared with Board Members following the meeting.

To receive a report from the Head of Democratic Services which presents a progress report produced on behalf of the Independent Chair of the LSAB for the Scrutiny Board’s consideration.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report which presented a progress report produced on behalf of the Independent Chair of the Leeds Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB).  The report reflected upon the LSAB Annual Report 2022/2023 and LSAB Strategic Plans for 2023/24 and provided an account of the progress being achieved to safeguard adults at risk of abuse and neglect. Safeguarding performance data had also been provided by the Adults and Health Directorate as additional information for the Board’s consideration.

The following were in attendance:

·  Councillor Fiona Venner, Executive Member for Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships

·  Caroline Baria, Interim Director of Adults and Health

·  Victoria Eaton, Director of Public Health

·  Shona McFarlane, Deputy Director Social Work and Social Care Service

·  Rob Wood, Intelligence & Policy Manager

·  Richard Jones CBE, Independent Chair of the Leeds Safeguarding Adults Board

The Chair welcomed the attendance of the Independent Chair of the LSAB and invited him to briefly introduce the LSAB report.  The LSAB Chair began by explaining that while the LSAB does not deliver any frontline safeguarding services, it does work strategically to coordinate the work of its members and other agencies and ensures the effectiveness of what each of its members does.  Linked to this, Safeguarding Adults Boards have specific duties which relate to producing Annual Reports, Strategic Plans and the undertaking of Safeguarding Adults Reviews.  The LSAB Chair then took the opportunity to formally relay his thanks to all frontline staff across the statutory agencies and also those from Third Sector organisations for their ongoing commitment and valuable contribution to the safeguarding agenda.

Within the report, the Board’s attention was drawn to the seven key areas of priority and the LSAB Chair elaborated on 3 areas in particular.  The first area related to the work undertaken to promote awareness of safeguarding services and increasing confidence to reach out to statutory agencies amongst ethnically diverse communities.  The second area was around building on existing multi-agency working to continue improving the effectiveness and coordination of this approach.  The third area was around the development and implementation of the Leeds Self Neglect Strategy and the ambition to embed a citywide culture of support and understanding of self-neglect across the city that will lead to improved outcomes of people at risk. 

The following areas were also discussed during the Board’s consideration of the report:

·  Increasing numbers of safeguarding concerns being raised – In consideration of the safeguarding performance data provided by the Adults and Health directorate, attention was drawn to the increasing numbers of safeguarding concerns being raised.  The LSAB Chair explained that this increasing trend was being mirrored nationally given the context of Covid and the current cost of living crisis creating more vulnerable individuals as well as impacting those already considered vulnerable. It was also considered a reflection of the proactive efforts that have been made across statutory agencies and Third Sector organisations to generate greater awareness of adult safeguarding and how to seek support when someone has concerns for a person’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

To receive a joint report from the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment and the Director of Adults and Health that provides a high level progress statement against the recommendations in the commissioned Leeds independent thematic review: Understanding and progressing the city’s learning of the experience of people living a street-based life in Leeds.

A joint report from the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment and the Director of Adults and Health was submitted to the Board which presented a high level progress statement against the recommendations in the commissioned Leeds independent thematic review: Understanding and

progressing the city’s learning of the experience of people living a street-based life in Leeds.

The following were in attendance:

·  Councillor Fiona Venner, Executive Member for Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships

·  Caroline Baria, Interim Director of Adults and Health

·  Victoria Eaton, Director of Public Health

·  Shona McFarlane, Deputy Director Social Work and Social Care Service

·  Richard Jones CBE, Independent Chair of the Leeds Safeguarding Adults Board

·  Simon Hodgson, Head of Community Safety Services

·  Magdalena Boo, Head of Public Health (Drugs, Alcohol, Safer Communities)

The Chair invited the Head of Community Safety Services to introduce the report and in doing so, the following key points were highlighted:

·  In the winter of 2019/20, Leeds Safeguarding Adults Board commissioned a thematic review, with the specific intention to understand and progress the city’s learning of the experience of people living a street-based life in Leeds.

·  Much has been achieved in Leeds during this period, including national recognised innovation, as the city compares favourably with other core cities and is highlighted as good practice relating to homeless prevention and for the action collectively undertaken for new presentations on the street.  However, the council is not complacent as there remains significant and emerging challenges, with real pressures in and across the system, some of which are beyond the council’s control.

·  In July 2023, the Councils Executive Board formally approved the new statutory required, ‘Homeless and Rough Sleeping Strategy’ (2023 – 2028).

·  September 2023 also saw the 5th year anniversary of the Leeds Street Support Partnership, and reducing the scale, prevalence and impact of rough sleeping remains a priority for the city.

·  It is acknowledged that any instances of rough sleeping should be rare, brief, and non-recurrent, so throughout the ‘pathways’ from street to home, the ‘system’ needs to work in an integrated way, making every adult matter and making every contact count.

·  Those on the street, at risk of and/ or returning to rough sleeping will have unique personal experiences, histories, and circumstances. Many will have experienced trauma, often in their childhood and/ or early adulthood, for

example abusive childhoods, family breakdowns, violence, debt and compounded by other known factors of multiple disadvantages.

·  For people with ‘severe complex needs’ and who display ‘risky behaviours’, they are subjecting themselves, their families and communities to harm, or significant risk of increased harm.

·  Many will also have mental health issues, including a high prevalence of self-harm and general poor health is evident.

·  The ease and availability of drugs on the street can affect an individual’s decision to use drugs and/or reduce the likelihood of them accessing treatment for their physical and mental health.

·  For those on the street for the first time, experiencing homelessness can make them extremely vulnerable with increased risk of exploitation, violence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

To consider the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2023/24 municipal year.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report that presented the

Board’s latest work schedule for the forthcoming municipal year.

The Chair highlighted that a summary of the key points raised during the Board’s working group meeting on 23^rd October 2023 around children’s neurodiversity had been set out within the report for Members information.

Board Members also acknowledged the appended letter from the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust which provided an update to all Councillors on its mortuary service after undertaking a review of its out of hours bereavement arrangements.  It was noted that the Board will also be receiving a report from the Trust during its January 2024 meeting, which will include an updated position surrounding the introduction of a new statutory Medical Examiner System.

The Chair also proposed that the Board uses its February 2024 meeting to discuss the Leeds Drug and Alcohol Strategy. In supporting this suggestion, the Director of Public Health also advised the Board that the Strategy was in the process of being refreshed.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2023/24 municipal year be noted.

(b)  That the summary of key points raised during the Scrutiny Board’s working group meeting on 23rd October 2023 around children’s neurodiversity, as set out within the report, be noted.

(c)  That the Board considers the Leeds Drug and Alcohol Strategy as part of its February 2024 meeting.

Tuesday, 16^th January 2024 at 1.30 pm (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 1.00 pm)

RESOLVED – To note the next meeting of the Adults, Health and Active

Lifestyles Scrutiny Board is scheduled for Tuesday, 16^th January 2024 at

1:30pm (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 1:00pm)