Agenda and minutes

The Chairman introduced the minutes of the last meeting.  A Member questioned if it was possible for Members who had not attended the previous Committee as they were then Councillors, to vote upon the accuracy of the minutes.  The Governance Officer in attendance advised that it was possible.  Following further questioning, the Legal Officer in attendance advised the Committee that if Members did not wish to vote on minutes at a meeting that they had not attended, then they could abstain if they wished.

Following discussion on the matter, the Chairman moved to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting dated 22 January 2018 be agreed as a correct record.

None. 

None. 

None. 

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor Brayne introduced her Members Item. 

Following discussion on the item, the Chairman suggested that the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be the most appropriate avenue for the consideration of the issues raised. 

Following discussion, the Committee requested that the Barnet Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee consider working with “Race on the Agenda” (ROTA) in partnership with BAMER organisations in order to deliver better mental health services for BAMER service users and in doing so, note point 3 set out in the Member’s Item which suggests the committee consider “inviting ROTA to speak with Councillors about their work and how we can provide better mental health services for our BAMER constituents.”

RESOLVED that the Committee issues their instructions as set out above. 

None.

The Chairman introduced the report, which provided the Committee with an update on the Personal Assistant (PA) Service provided by Your Choice Barnet. 

Councillor Jess Brayne MOVED the following motions:  

1. That the Committee agrees to write to Secretary of State for Adults Social Care and Health, asking for Barnet to receive its adequate and fair share of funding for Adult Social Care.

2. That the Committee request that Barnet Members of Parliament make similar representations on Barnet’s behalf.

The Chairman moved to the vote on the motions.  Votes were recorded as follows:

The motion was LOST.

The Strategic Director for Adults, Communities and Health suggested that the Committee could consider a report on integrated care and the Care Closer to Home Network.  The Chairman advised that he would welcome such a report.  Ms. Wakeling undertook to add this to the Forward Work Programme.

A Member noted that the report stated that the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) had suggested that an additional £1 billion was needed to cover the unavoidable costs of demography, inflation, and the national living wage, and questioned what the expectations of Barnet’s contribution to this would be.  Ms. Wakeling undertook to provide this information to the Committee outside the meeting.       

Following the consideration of the report, the Chairman MOVED to the vote on the recommendations set out in the report.

The Committee unanimously RESOLVED:.

1.     That the Adults and Safeguarding Committee notes the performance of the Personal Assistants Service and the continued work to maximise referrals to the service from the direct payment service users. 

The Chairman introduced the paper which set out the annual overview of performance of the End of Year 2017/18, and included provisional budget outturns for revenue and capital, and progress of key activities and indicators. 

A Member noted that the report provided information on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and questioned if it would be possible to have further information on how such indicators and confidence levels were established.  The Chairman suggested that Officers arrange a briefing session for all Members on KPIs to assist Members in fully benefiting from performance reports.

Following the consideration of the report, the Committee unanimously RESOLVED:

1.     To review the finance (provisional), performance and risk information in relation to the Theme Committee’s Commissioning Plan.

The Chairman introduced the report, which provided the Committee with an update on the report received by the Adult and Safeguarding Committee on 22 January 2018.

Councillors had the opportunity to ask officers questions on the report. The Strategic Director for Adults, Communities and Health highlighted the work being done with Barnet residents with lived experience of safeguarding to co-design and develop services, specifically through 3 routes;the safeguarding adults user forum, involvement board and the Communities Together Network.

A Member asked whether these residents were paid for their time and Ms Wakeling confirmed there is a reward and recognition policy.

Following the consideration of the report, the Chairman MOVED to the vote on the recommendations set out in the report.

The Committee unanimously RESOLVED:

That the Adults and Safeguarding Committee notes the progress of the Adult MASH.

Members considered the Forward Work Programme as set out in the report.

The Chairman asked that officers bring a report to a future meeting on integrated care around CHINS as mentioned in Item 7. Ms Wakeling confirmed that this would be brought to the meeting, as well as a report on performance.

A Member requested if it would be possible to receive a report on the plans for preparing for winter pressures, particularly in relation to integrated working with health and social care, as well as a report on the financial recovery plan, particularly in relation to the risk assessment on areas of overspend. The Chairman agreed he would arrange with officers to bring both these reports to the next meeting if possible.

Councillor Patel advised the Committee that she wished a motion to discuss the impact of Brexit on the social care workforce in Barnet and the impact of Brexit on demand for residential care in Barnet.

The Chairman highlighted that the Policy and Resources Committee would be the appropriate committee to discuss the implications of Brexit on Barnet residents and that the Adults and Safeguarding Committee was not the appropriate forum for this topic. The chairman, acting upon advice from the Legal Officer, ruled the motion out of order on the grounds that the suggestion did not fit within the Terms of Reference of the Adults and Safeguarding Committee and was instead within the remit of the Policy and Resources Committee.

RESOLVED that the Committee note the Forward Work Programme.

The Chairman thanked the retiring Governance Officer for her service to the Adults and Safeguarding Committee over a considerable amount of time and welcomed the new Governance Officer to the Committee.