Agenda and minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein’.

Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Felicia Opoku, Cllr Yvonne Say and co-opted member, Helena Kania.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business (late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with as noted below).

None.

A Member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest

becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Members’ Register of Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interest are

defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

None.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 29 of the Council’s Constitution.

None.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

In relation to the action points from the minutes of the meeting held on 1^st November 2018, Cllr Connor confirmed that she had written to Cllr Charles Adje, Cabinet Member for Strategic Regeneration and Cllr Emine Ibrahim, Cabinet Member for Housing & Estate Renewal regarding suicide prevention and the construction industry. She had also raised the issue of suicide prevention at the Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee for the NCL area which had discussed the peer-to-peer support app for 10-16 year olds, known as Kooth. The app was quite expensive however, so the cost may be more usefully discussed across the whole five-borough area.

Charlotte Pomery, Assistant Director for Commissioning, noted that Kooth had presented to the CAMHS Transformation Board earlier that day and had been well supported so options for funding and implementation were being considered. 

Details on action points on mental health training, safeguarding data and the Priority 2 budget position for Quarter 1 of 2018/19 would be circulated to panel members shortly.

AGREED: That the minutes of the Adults & Health Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 1^st November 2018 be approved as an accurate record.

For the Panel to consider and provide recommendations to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the 2019-20 Draft Budget and on the MTFS 2019/20 – 2023/24 and savings proposals relating to the Panel’s remit.

Paul Durrant, Senior Business Partner, introduced the report on the 2019/20 Draft Budget, the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2019/20 to 2023/24 and the savings proposals that relate to the Scrutiny Panels’ remit. Scrutiny panel recommendations would be referred to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for discussion on 28^th January, then referred to Cabinet for discussion on 12^th February with final proposals put forward for consideration of Full Council on 25^th February.

The report refers to £6.5m of additional budget reductions for 2019/20 that are required on top of the £7m of budget reductions for 2019/20 already submitted to the four scrutiny panels. However, following the finalisation of the funding settlement this figure has reduced to £5.2m. Cllr Patrick Berryman, Cabinet Member for Finance, said that work was ongoing on how to resolve this £5.2m gap and present a balanced budget ahead of the Cabinet meeting in February.

The budget reduction proposals for Adult Services total £3.624m over five years. £2m of these were proposed for 2019/20, a further £1.049m in 2020/21, £195k in 2021/22, £280k in 2022/23 and £100k in 2023/24.

Asked about the previously identified savings Beverley Tarka, Director of Adults & Health, said that in the 2018/19 MTFS there had been a £2.4m savings target for 2019/20 based on demand management. An authorisation panel, chaired by either Beverley Tarka or John Everson, had been put in place to oversee care purchasing spend and ensure that the best outcomes and value for money were being obtained. The £2m of new savings for 2019/20 set out in the report is in addition to this £2.4m savings target.

John Everson, Assistant Director for Adults, introduced each of the budget reduction proposals for Priority 2. Questions from the panel members were responded to by Cllr Patrick Berryman, Beverley Tarka, Charlotte Pomery, John Everson and Paul Durrant.

PA1 - Charging for Managed Accounts

This proposal involves:

• introducing a new administration fee when the Council acts as an Appointee (managing benefits on behalf of someone who cannot manage their own affairs, for example because they lack capacity)
• introducing a new charge for people who fund their own care but choose to have their care package managed by the Council.

Panel members expressed concerns that those requiring an Appointeeship are likely to be the poorest and most vulnerable and queried whether this measure would be fair or equitable. Panel members observed that savings of £70,000 across 200 people identified under this proposal averaged an annual charge of £350 per person.

The panel was informed that the Equalities Impact Assessment was the tool used to identify these potential inequalities and to mitigate this and ensure that groups with protected characteristics are not disadvantaged. There are a number of people supported through an Appointeeship who do have significant funds so are not all necessarily among the poorest. People’s ability to pay will be assessed and legislative guidance applies to how these charges are levied. It was confirmed that clients paying the charge  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

To consider any items admitted at item 3 above.

None.

·         29^th January 2019

·         4^th March 2019

·         19^th March 2019 (Provisional Joint Meeting with Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Panel)