Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were received.

RESOLVED:  

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2011 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being that sought approval of a review of Sefton's charging policy for non-residential services.

The report detailed the current maximum charges for non-residential services in Sefton; the results arising from a consultation exercise, approved by Cabinet on 30 September 2010, seeking views on six proposed changes to the charging policy; and summarised the responses to each of the proposals, together with details of the impact of each proposal on the Council's finances and on service users.

The report also detailed the proposal to implement a new structure to deal with appeals arising from the new charging policy.

RESOLVED:

(I)       That Cabinet be recommended to approve:

          (1)      that in principle all service users who have in excess of £23,250 (current threshold) in capital or those who refuse to divulge their financial details are charged a maximum amount, to be determined, towards the actual cost of their day centre place and other care services provided by the Council;

          (2)      that the percentage of disposable income charged against as part of the financial assessment be increased from 65% to an amount to be determined;

          (3)      that couples will only be offered two calculations either as a single person based on their own income, or as a couple based on their combined income;

          (4)      the removal of the £5.00 per week transitional protection;

          (5)      that service users are charged for their reserved day centre and reserved transport place whether or not they use either facility;

          (6)      that the highest rate of Attendance Allowance and the care component of Disability Living Allowance is taken into account as income for those service users who receive night-time services; and

          (7)      the amendments to the appeals process in relation to the revised charging policy;

(II)      in respect of (1) and (2) above, a further report be submitted to a Special Meeting of the Cabinet Member - Health and Social Care and the Cabinet at its meeting to be held on 3 March 2011 to:

(i)agree the maximum amount to be charged for day centre placements and other care services provided by the Council;

(ii)agree the increase in the percentage of disposable income from 65%; and

(iii)consider the financial implications of (i) and (ii) above to the budget target saving of £650,000 and

(III)     it be noted that the proposal was a Key Decision but, unfortunately, had not been included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions.  Consequently, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Health and Social Care had been consulted under Rule 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made by the Cabinet Member/Cabinet as a matter of urgency on the basis that it was impracticable to defer the decision until the commencement of the next Forward Plan because the savings targets contained within the report are a component in achieving the setting of the Council's balanced budget for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

Report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being that updated on the activity and developments regarding Safeguarding Adults in Sefton.

The report indicated that 162 referrals had been received between 1 October and 31 December 2010; and concluded by detailing recent outcomes relating to safeguarding of adults.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the contents of the report updating on the activity and developments in Safeguarding Adults in Sefton be approved; and

(2)       further update reports be submitted on a quarterly basis.

Report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being that updated on his department's Transforming Social Care Milestones; and indicating that a decision on this matter was required to comply with Care Quality Commission performance framework requirements.

The report detailed the milestones relating to:

·                    effective partnerships with people using services, carers and other local citizens

·                    self-directed support and personal budgets

·                    prevention and cost effective services

·                    information and advice

·                    local commissioning

RESOLVED:  

That the Transforming Social Care quarterly progress report be noted.

Report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being

Further to Minute No. 15 of 23 June 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being that advised of activity from 1 April to 31 December 2010 relating to the Sefton Carers Strategy (2010-2013); and that identified the actions to achieve outcomes to improve the lives of unpaid carers in Sefton relating to the following:

·                    access to information

·                    training and advice to carers

·                    choice and control

·                    economic well-being

·                    improved health and well-being

·                    emotional support

·                    planning for emergencies

·                    young carers

·                    making a positive contribution

·                    equality, dignity and respect

The report concluded that the department would continue to work with statutory, independent and voluntary sector partners and carers to deliver key priority areas; and that a further progress report would be submitted in six months.

This was a Key Decision and was included on the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:  

That the continuation of the Carers Strategy from 2011/12 be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being that advised of the outcome of the Assessment for Commissioning for Adult Social Care 2009-2010; and indicating that a decision on this matter was required as it was a requirement of the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The report indicated that the CQC performance assessment was aligned to the seven outcomes identified in the Department of Health White Paper 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say', together with two additional domains of leadership and commissioning and use of resources; detailed how the outcomes were graded; and that the overall grade awarded to Sefton for the delivery of outcomes was "well".

The report concluded that any areas for improvement highlighted in the CQC assessment report would form part of the department's service planning process.

Attached as an annex to the report was a copy of the letter from the CQC to the Strategic Director.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the contents of the letter and report in relation to the Assessment of Commissioning for Adult Social Care, particularly the improvement in outcome 2, in relation to improved quality of life, from performing well in 2008-2009 to performing excellently in 2009-2010 be noted; and

(2)      it be noted that this is the last time a report in this format is required to be submitted.

Joint report of the Acting Director of Public Health and Thematic Chair – Healthier Communities and Older People Partnership Manager

The Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Acting Director of Public Health and Thematic Chair - Healthier Communities and Older People Partnership Manager that provided a summary of the recently published consultation documents supporting the Public Health White Paper "Healthy Lives, Healthy People"; and providing the Cabinet Member with the opportunity to respond to the consultation questions set out in the supporting documents prior to the consultation deadline date of 31 March 2011.

The report indicated that NHS Sefton and Sefton Council were preparing a joint response to the Healthy Lives, Healthy People consultation and the two supporting consultations on outcomes and funding and commissioning routes for public health; and that local partners and key stakeholders were invited to contribute to ensure a whole system response to the proposed changes.

RESOLVED:  

That the report and supporting documents associated with the Public Health White Paper "Healthy Lives, Healthy People" consultation process be noted.