Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting. No declarations of interest were made.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th July 2018.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th July 2018 be confirmed and signed.

See explanatory note below. Please contact the Committee Officer whose details appear at the top of this agenda if you need further guidance.

There were no public questions. 

Councillor Ford (Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care), was in attendance and presented to the Committee a report summarising progress and performance in respect of each of the following service areas within his portfolio of responsibility:

·        Adult Services (older people, people with a learning disability, physical disability and mental health)

·        Adult Voluntary Sector Contracts

·        Implementation of Care Act 2014

·        Adult Local Safeguarding Board

·        Public Health – including health promotion, prevention and health and wellbeing services

·        Supported Housing

·        Learning Disability Partnership Board

·        Maintaining links between the Council and partner organisations in the Health Services

·        Oversight of Better Care Fund and joint Commissioning of Adult Social Care and Clinical Commissioning Group.

·        Mental Health Champion – the Local Authority Mental Health Challenge

·        Swindon Borough Council representative on the Sustainable Transformation Partnership Sponsoring Board and Integrated Care Alliance Board Swindon

In overseeing these areas, the Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care is responsible for delivering Priority Four and Pledges 26, 27 and 30 of Swindon’s vision for 2016-2020. Priority Four focuses on supporting vulnerable adults to live as independently as possible and enjoy safe and fulfilling lives. The three pledges committed to delivering against this priority include:

·        Work with the Clinical Commissioning Group and GP surgeries to help people with long term health and social care needs to manage their health effectively with support from community groups and multidisciplinary teams.

·        Ensure that more people and their carers are supported to live as independently as possible and reducing the length of time people need to spend in residential care.

·        Reduce smoking prevalence to less than England average

Councillor Ford responded to the observations and questions put by Councillors Steve Allsopp, Dale Heenan, Brian Mattock, Jane Milner-Barry, Des Moffatt, Maureen Penny, Jim Robbins, Tim Swinyard, Vera Tomlinson, and the Chair on the following matters:

·        The amount of resources spent on learning disabilities out of area placements.

·        Working with Parish Councils with regard to Dementia.

·        How personal budgets for Adult Social Care are assessed.

·        Supported housing provided by Swindon Borough Council and Housing Associations.

·        The amount of input the Council had concerning the design of the Hawthorns supported housing units.

·        Community Centres being nominated as Places of Safety.

·        The stability of care staff in the social care sector and the possibility of difficulties in the future in recruiting staff.

·        Public spaces being made smoke free areas.

·        A digital approach to sexual health.

·        Public Health funding in Swindon compared to other local authorities.

·        Whether the Council’s head count in social care is reducing.

·        The low take-up of information by the public in respect of type 2 Diabetes.

·        The outcome of the Green Paper relating to integration between health and social care.

·        The Council’s relationship with the Clinical Commissioning Group.

·        The need for additional visits by Healthwatch in North Swindon.

·        Representation to the Government to properly fund Adult Social Care.

·        The amount of the Council’s total budget being spent on Adult Social Care.

·        The recognition of family members who provide care.

·        The length of time  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services setting out the topics for inclusion in the 2018/2019 Scrutiny Work Programme, as agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 18^th June 2018, and updated during the course of the Municipal Year.

The Chair commented that the Police do not wish to engage with the Overview and Scrutiny process. He mentioned his thanks to the Leader of the Council for his help concerning this issue and that the Council would need to use its Police Committee representatives to ask questions of the Police on behalf of the Council.

It was noted that this Committee would receive a report concerning services no longer provided by the Council but by other organisations by the end of the Calendar Year.

The Committee received an updated report advising on the status of outstanding issues and member requests for information.

Resolved – That the report on the status of outstanding issues and member requests for information be noted.