Agenda item

At its meeting in November 2015, the Adults and Safeguarding Committee approved the approach to a proposed new operating model for adult social care (ASC) and agreed an approach to developing an outline business case for an alternative delivery model.  The Committee now considered a report presenting the recommendations from the outline business case. From an initial set of six options, three had been shortlisted as best to deliver the cultural and process change needed to implement the new operating model, and also with the greatest potential to deliver financial savings and additional income.

The six options were:

·         reforming and delivery the service in-house

·         sharing services with public sector partner(s) such as local NHS organisations and/or other London Boroughs

·         a partnership outside the public sector

·         transferring the in-scope services to the Barnet Group, the Council’s Local Authority Trading Company (LATC)

·         establishing a public service mutual agreement, or

·         do nothing.

Officers had applied the following appraisal criteria against each option:

·         Is there appetite amongst potential partners to deliver this option?

·         Can statutory ASC functions be delegated under this option?

·         Could this option deliver the required cultural and process change?

·         Could this option generate savings and/or additional income?

·         Has the option been tested by other councils?

An initial evaluation of the alternative delivery models using the above criteria favoured three of the models be shortlisted and developed in greater detail, namely: a reformed in-house service; a shared service with the NHS; and a public service mutual.

The Committee agreed that in order to make the distinction between the delivery mode and the individual options to be considered, it would be referred to as the alternative delivery vehicle. The proposed new operating model would be subject to public consultation before the Committee consider a further developed business case at its meeting in September 2016.

Further to a query from the Committee, the legal officer advised that the report in September would include consultation responses, an equality analysis of the three shortlisted options, and an analysis of why officers recommended their favoured operating model. The consultation, although not statutory, would include stakeholders, service providers and service users. The legal officer also advised that consultation could include staff and staff representatives but that would be a matter for officers. There would be a separate consultation with staff where there would be changes to staffing.

The Committee agreed that the business case it would consider in September 2016 would also include information regarding staff members’ pension arrangements under each operating model, the level of savings and how the savings will be realised under each option, TUPE arrangements under each option, possible staff restructure and a comprehensive risk assessment of all three options.

Following discussion, Councillor Thompstone  moved and Councillor Hart seconded that recommendation 1 of the report be amended to read as follows:

That the Adults and Safeguarding Committee approves the three shortlisted options for an alternative delivery model vehicle. 

The motion was carried.

Following discussion, Councillor Davey moved and Councillor Longstaff seconded that recommendation 2 of the report be amended to read as follows:

That the Adult and Safeguarding Committee confirms its approval of the proposed new operating model subject to consultation and agrees to public consultation on the operating model and the three delivery model options vehicles, starting in spring 2016.

The motion was carried.

The Chairman moved to the vote and the Committee unanimously RESOLVED that the Adults and Safeguarding Committee

1.    approve the three shortlisted options for an alternative delivery vehicle

2.    confirm its approval of the proposed new operating model subject to consultation and agrees to public consultation on the operating model and the three delivery vehicles, starting in spring 2016.

3.    approve the approach to developing a further business case that will present a single recommended alternative delivery model option to the Committee in September 2016.