Agenda and minutes

The Leader of the Council welcomed Councillor Jonathan Bianco as the new Deputy Leader of the Council and new Cabinet Members, Councillor Susan O'Brien and Councillor Jane Palmer, along with Councillor Duncan Flynn as the new Majority Chief Whip.

Apologies were received from Councillor Richard Lewis.

No interests were declared by Members present.

The decisions and minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 17 December 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

All matters considered by the Cabinet at the meeting were held in public.

The Chairman of the External Services Select Committee, Councillor John Riley, introduced the review report on GP Pressures, which was warmly endorsed by the Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Welcomes the Select Panel report from the External Services Select Committee regarding its review of GP Pressures and endorses those recommendations which fall within the Council’s remit, as set out overleaf; and

2.    Requests that officers, in consultation with the Cabinet Member, liaise with Hillingdon Health and Care Partners to progress the implementation of those recommendations, as set out overleaf, which fall outside the Council’s direct control.

Findings and Recommendations agreed:

·         That Hillingdon Health and Care partners explore the establishment of a single online directory of health, care and wellbeing services (delivered and maintained / updated by Hillingdon Health and Care Partners) to be utilised across the partnership, particularly by GPs, and to link into emerging NHS digital applications being promoted nationally for patients. *

·         That Hillingdon Health and Care Partners work with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to explore the simplification of processes in relation to GP referrals to CAB services. *                                    

·         That Hillingdon Health and Care Partners improve signposting for patients to CAB services and to emerging digital applications via information screens in GP surgeries. *

·         That Cabinet requests Adult Social Care officers make available information sessions to the emerging Neighbourhood Teams on the scope of the Council's Adult Social Care duties.

·         That Hillingdon Health and Care partners explore affordable options to enable homecare to be triaged and deployed more flexibly by the Neighbourhood Teams to support the independence of residents and prevent GP visits and hospital admissions that are avoidable. *

·         That Cabinet welcomes the pilot work by Council officers to streamline GP administrative procedures in relation to patient requests for medical information to support their housing assessments, and requests that this be rolled out across the Borough.

·         That planning officers be asked to notify Hillingdon CCG when processing any planning applications relating to accommodation for the elderly that are subject to CIL.

·         That Cabinet note that the External Services Select Committee will continue to closely monitor any implementation of the above recommendations, along with GP training programmes and the recruitment of new GPs, particularly in the South of the Borough.

* recommendations to be progressed externally.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet considered a report from the Committee, which had established a Select Panel to review pressures on local GPs. These include factors such as an ageing population, challenging and more diverse workloads and difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.

Considering the evidence of a wide variety of expert stakeholders, the Committee made eight recommendations which sought to recognise the positive work already being undertaken by the Council and partners, yet also had identified areas that could be strengthened further to assist in reducing pressures on local GPs and improve resident experience. Cabinet endorsed the recommendations and, along with the Committee Chairman, thanked the Members of the Select Panel and Officers supporting it.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to reject some, or all, of the Committee’s recommendations, or pursue alternative routes to progress the objectives of the review.

Officers to action:

Nikki O’Halloran / Liz Penny – Chief Executive’s Office (monitoring)

Tony Zaman – Social Care (implementation)

Classification: Public

The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1.    Notes the legal, national and local context to stronger communities and equality in Hillingdon;

2.    Notes the good work and approach taken across the Borough, to support stronger communities and equality in Hillingdon and;

3.    Adopts the revised policy statement for stronger communities and equality for the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Reasons for decision

As part of a regular policy review of stronger communities and equality, and following a motion from full Council in 2019, Cabinet reviewed how the Council was delivering against the relevant legislation and duties for cohesion, preventing violent extremism, equality and harassment. Cabinet agreed a revised policy statement for adoption Council-wide that put all residents first.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officers to action:

Vicky Trott / Fiona Gills – Chief Executive’s Office

Classification: Public

The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1.    Notes the statutory requirements placed on the local authority to help tackle modern slavery and support victims to exit such situations;

2.    Notes the good work and approach taken across the Borough working with partners, to help prevent and tackle modern slavery;

3.    Agree that the Corporate Management Team, in consultation with the Leader/Cabinet Members, review implementation of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 annually and publish a report on that.

Reasons for decision

Following a full Council motion in 2019, Cabinet received a report on the modern slavery and work the Council was undertaking across service areas to tackle modern slavery and meet statutory requirements. It was noted that the council worked with a range of partners to tackle this injustice and to support victims of exploitation to rebuild their lives. Cabinet Members detailed the importance of safeguarding as part of this. It was agreed an annual report be published corporately to be transparent and show progress.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Dan Kennedy, Residents Services

Classification: Public

The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agree to enter into a pooled budget arrangement for the Better Care Fund with Hillingdon Clinical Commissioning Group (known as NHS Hillingdon) under section 75 of the National Health Service Act, 2006, at a total value of £92,952k for the period 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2020.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed joint funding budgets with NHS Hillingdon as part The Better Care Fund which would reallocate monies that integrate health and social care and lead to improved outcomes for residents. Officers leading on the integration efforts were praised by Cabinet.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to enter the agreement which would have meant that the Council would not achieve the necessary integration between these two essential public service areas.

Officer to action:

Gary Collier, Social Care

Classification: Public

The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the budget position as at November 2019 (Month 8) as outlined in Table 1.

2.    Note the Treasury Management update as at November 2019 at Appendix E.

3.    Continue the delegated authority up until the February 2019 Cabinet meeting to the Chief Executive to approve any consultancy and agency assignments over £50k, with final sign-off of any assignments made by the Leader of the Council. Cabinet are also asked to note those consultancy and agency assignments over £50k approved under delegated authority between the 17 December 2019 and 23 January 2019 Cabinet meetings, detailed at Appendix F.

4.    Resolves to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding to participate in the London Business Rates Pool from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021, and to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property & Business Services to negotiate, finalise and execute the Memorandum of Understanding.

5.    Ratify the four decisions taken on 6 December 2019 & 7 January by the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services detailed in Appendix G.

6.    Ratify a decision taken on 14 January 2020 by the Leader of the Council and [the previous portfolio] Cabinet Members for Education & Children’s Services and Social Services, Housing, Health & Wellbeing to agree a 1 year contract extension at a cost of £4,798,158 to enable Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust to continue to deliver an integrated Healthy Child Service which meets the mandated requirements of the Healthy Child Programme.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet was informed of the latest forecast revenue, capital and treasury position for the current year 2019/20 to ensure the Council achieved its budgetary and service objectives. Additionally, Cabinet entered into agreements to benefit from the London Business Rate Pool, which seeks to provide funding for investment projects London-wide. Cabinet also ratified five recent decisions taken under the Leader of the Council’s delegated authority.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Paul Whaymand, Finance

Classification: Public

The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

No additional items were considered by the Cabinet.

The meeting closed at 7.24pm.

*Internal Use only - implementation of decisions

When the Cabinet’s decisions come into effect

Meeting after Cabinet, the Executive Scrutiny Committee did not call-in any of the Cabinet’s decisions. These, therefore, can be implemented by officers upon the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:

from 5pm, Friday 31 January 2020.

Officers to action the decisions are indicated in the minutes.

The minutes are the official notice for any subsequent internal process approvals required by officers to action the Cabinet’s decisions.

If you would like further information about the decisions of the Cabinet, please contact the Council below:

democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk

Democratic Services: 01895 250636

Media enquiries: 01895 250403

To find out more about how the Cabinet works to put residents first, visit here.