Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health

The Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health submitting the New Directions Business Plan for review, and outlining how Adult Social Care would support and inform the delivery of the plan to ensure that it was delivered in alignment with its commissioning intentions, strategic priorities and proposed future contractual and market management arrangements.

The Draft New Directions Strategic Business Plan was attached to the report at Appendix A.

Decision Made:

That

the contents of the report and the submitted draft Strategic Business Plan be noted and:

(1)      any comments on the draft plan be submitted to the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health and authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member - Adult Social Care and Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health to approve the future commissioning decisions which may impact on New Directions in meeting the Local Authority duty under the Care Act in relation to sufficiency of excellent quality social care services;

(2)      the approach on the proposed future service development and contractual arrangement with New Directions, be approved, under the principle that any such new arrangements fall within the current financial envelope;

(3)      in the event of any material variations to the plan or that financial performance is compromised which may put the Council at risk, a subsequent report be presented to the Cabinet, together with a remedial action plan; at the earliest opportunity; and

(4)      the intention for a further update report to be provided to the Cabinet in October 2022, be noted.

Reasons for the Decision:

New Directions is a company whose sole shareholder is Sefton Council. The Cabinet Member - Adult Social Care is the shareholder representative. Councils are required to submit to the Cabinet the business plan, in line with good practice and to outline to the Cabinet how the Council will support and inform delivery of the plan, and monitor all risk associated with quality and funding impact.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

Not Submitting the plan to Cabinet – this option was considered and rejected as New Directions are required (and in line with good practice) to produce and submit to its sole Shareholder an Annual Report and Business Plan.