Agenda and minutes

The Chairman of the Adults and Safeguarding Committee, Councillor Sachin Rajput welcomed all the attendants to the meeting.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 7 March 2016 be agreed as a correct record.

Apologies received from Councillor Paul Edwards who was substituted by Councillor Jess Brayne.

Councillor Reema Patel declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to Agenda Item 7 (Your Choice Barnet Agreement) by virtue of being a member of Unison.

None.

None were received.

Two Members’ items were submitted as set out under agenda item 6a and 6b.

Councillor Patel introduced the Members’ item in her name. The Commissioning Director for Adults and Health, Dawn Wakeling, suggested that the item could be included within the annual performance report, which is on the agenda for the July meeting of the Adults and Safeguarding Committee.

The Committee provided the following instructions in relation to this Members’ item which was unanimously RESOLVED

That an officer report with analysis of the performance and benchmarking data intended to deliver the Committee’s Commissioning Plan, included in the annual performance report at the next meeting of the Adults and Safeguarding Committee.

Councillor Farrier introduced the Members’ item in her name.

The Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, Councillor Hart and Commissioning Director for Adults and Health, Dawn Wakeling noted that an update report about the Better Care Fund will be reported to the next meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board in July.

Following discussion, Councillor Farrier moved a motion which was seconded:

That an update report from the Commissioning Director for Adults and Health is brought to the next Adults and Safeguarding Committee with information about the decisions of the Health and Wellbeing Board which relate to Adult Social Care.

Having been put to the vote, the motion was declared lost.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The Chairman introduced the report which set out proposals for the future of the Your Choice Barnet Ltd agreement with the Council from February 2017. The Chairman invited Dawn Wakeling, Commissioning Director for Adults and Health, Julie Riley, Director of Care and Support The Barnet Group and Troy Henshall, Chief Executive of The Barnet Group to present the item.

Following a query about staffing, officers provided a response and noted that appropriate staffing arrangements are in place to ensure that employment issues are handled effectively.

Councillor Longstaff moved a motion to amend the wording of the first recommendation to read ‘for five years and two months’ which was seconded. Following agreement by the Committee, the motion was declared carried and became the substantive motion.

It was RESOLVED that:

1.    That the Committee agreed that the Council enter into a contract with Your Choice (Barnet) Ltd (YCB) for five years and two months, from the 1st February 2017 to 31st March 2022, with an extension period of 2 years and a break clause at year three. 

2.    That the Committee agreed the proposals to continue all current YCB services whilst increasing support to service users to move towards more independent living and to participate in the workplace, subject to consultation.

3.    That the Committee agreed to a period of public consultation on the proposals for a new agreement, to take place from July 2016 for a period of 12 weeks.

4.    That the Committee noted that a report will be brought to a future Adults and Safeguarding Committee setting out the consultation findings.

Votes for recommendations 1, 2 and 3 were recorded as follows:

Recommendation 4 was unanimously carried.

Councillor Patel introduced the item in her name which had been referred to the Adults and Safeguarding Committee in accordance with the Council Procedure Rule 23.5 which states that if a Member’s Motion is not dealt with by the end of a Full Council meeting, it will be referred to the appropriate committee for consideration and any necessary action.

Councillor Patel moved the following motion which was seconded:

That the wording as set out in section 1.2 of the report (p.16-17 agenda report) and subject to replacement of ‘Council’ to ‘the Adults and Safeguarding Committee’ at each of the paragraphs except for one instance where the word Council remains unchanged, be noted by the Committee.

Having been put to the vote, the motion was declared lost.

Votes were declared as follows:

The Chairman introduced the report and invited the Community and Well-being Assistant Director, James Mass to join the meeting. Mr Mass presented the item and briefed the Committee about the telecare service and the benefits it delivers in helping people live independently.

In relation to a query from the Committee about safeguarding, Mr Mass stated that telecare services should be viewed as part of the solution, in combination with existing care package arrangements.

The Chairman thanked the Committee for the discussion. It was unanimously RESOLVED:

1.    That the Committee approved the procurement of a new telecare provider to expand the scale and ambition of the service in order to increase independence and social connection for current and future adult social care users and their carers.

2.    That the Committee approved the extension of the current contract with Barnet Assist, awarded in August 2014 to Barnet Assist under Teckal exemption, from 31 July 2016 to 31 March 2017. There is a clause in the current contract to allow for an extension of up to three years.

The Chairman introduced the report which set out the new Safeguarding Adults Board Business Plan for 2016-18 and invited Chris Miller, Independent Chair, Safeguarding Adults Board and Emma Coles, Safeguarding Adults Board Project and Policy Officer to join the table.

Mr Miller noted that for each financial year, the Safeguarding Adults Board must publish a strategic plan in accordance with the provisions of the Care Act 2014 and that the discussions at the Board have informed and developed the new priorities and business plan 2016-2018. Mr Miller also noted the importance of the input from GPs and the voluntary sector and the continued partnership working with the Board.

Following a comment from the Committee, a motion was moved by Councillor Longstaff and seconded to add the wording ‘Fire Brigade’ to the recommendation. Having been agreed, the motion was declared carried.

It was unanimously RESOLVED:

That the Committee noted the new Safeguarding Adults Board Business Plan for 2016-18, which is intended to ensure a continued, robust multi-agency approach to safeguarding adults in Barnet, with involvement from the Council, NHS Barnet, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS Trusts, the Police, Fire Brigade and the Voluntary Sector.

The Adults and Communities Director, Mathew Kendall presented the report to the Committee which provided an update on the impact of the first phase of the Care Act 2014 in Barnet during 2015/16.

It was unanimously RESOLVED:

That the Adults and Safeguarding Committee noted the impact of the Care Act 2014 as described in this report.

The Chairman introduced the standing item on the agenda informing the Committee of the items on the Forward Work Programme for 2016/17.

The Chairman noted that changes were made by way of additions to the Forward Work Programme during this meeting:

• Under Agenda Item 6a, recommendation 1: That an officer report with analysis of the performance and benchmarking data intended to deliver the Committee’s Commissioning Plan is included in the annual performance report at the meeting of the Adults and Safeguarding Committee.

• Under Agenda Item 7, recommendation 4: That the Committee noted that a report will be brought to a future Adults and Safeguarding Committee setting out the consultation findings.

It was therefore RESOLVED:

That the Committee considered and commented as above on the items included in the 2016/17 work programme.

There were none.