Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Barry Nelson-West (Councillor Sital Punja was present as his substitute).

There were no declarations of interest in matters coming before this meeting. 

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2022 be agreed as a correct record. 

RESOLVED:  That all items of business be considered in public. 

The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting.  Mr Tony Zaman, the Council’s Interim Chief Executive, advised that the report gave details of the Council’s strategy, rather than providing Members with a plan, which set out the authority’s ambitions over the next four years.  The anticipated outcomes would provide benefits for the Borough’s residents, such as carbon reduction.  There would be an annual plan that would be developed that would underpin the strategy to help deliver these outcomes in line with the Medium Term Financial Forecast (MTFF).  Although individual issues would still be measured, they could be brought together in a single narrative. 

Mr Dan Kennedy, the Council’s Corporate Director of Central Services, advised that this was a high level strategy document that set out the Council’s ambitions for its residents at a place level.  It set out five commitments to residents: 1) safe and strong communities; 2) thriving, healthy households; 3) a green and sustainable Borough; 4) a thriving economy; and 5) a digital-enabled, modern, well-run Council. 

Consultation on the draft Council Strategy 2022-2026 had started on 8 July 2022 and would end on 9 September 2022.  It had been promoted through various communication channels including through social media and proactive contact had been made with around 350 organisations from across the Borough.  The document would be finalised in October and ready for consideration by Council on 17 November 2022. 

It was agreed that the Committee would want to look at the relevant plans once they had been developed.  Members were keen to see a link between the high level aspirations for the authority and how that translated into actual performance.  Furthermore, they requested that a baseline was provided to establish the impact (positive or negative) of any changes that were subsequently made. 

Mr Zaman advised that phrases such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ had been avoided as it had been recognised that things changed.  Service plans would provide a baseline along with an explanation of any changes that were apparent in the results.  A balanced scorecard-type approach would be used to help the Council to achieve continuous improvement. 

Consideration was given to the digitisation agenda and the impact that this would have on services within the Committee’s remit.  Mr Zaman noted that this would be more about how services were supported rather than how they were delivered.  Members were assured that digital did not mean automating all telephone calls and that officers would still be available to deal with complex enquiries and vulnerable residents.  The digital agenda would mean different things in different areas of the Council.  To some extent, there would be a need to enable residents to become good consumers of the services provided.

It was recognised that technology provided opportunities but that some residents would not be able to use it.  As such, the Council would not be assuming complete change without providing alternative options for engagement to ensure that these individuals were not disenfranchised.  Mr Zaman advised that the Council had intelligence with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Ms Sandra Taylor, the Council’s Executive Director of Adult Services and Health, advised that the review of assisted living technology (ALT) undertaken by the Families, Health and Wellbeing Select Committee had highlighted ALT as being a positive and effective way of supporting care in the Borough.  Assessments needed to be undertaken as soon as possible and might identify that Telecare could meet the resident’s needs, but this was just a small part of what was available.  Vulnerable older people were not necessarily able to use a lot of technology.

Members were advised that there would be significant legislative changes expected in October 2022 in relation to charging reforms for people using social services so it was important that the authority established how these services were being used.  It was anticipated that the demand for Care Act assessments would increase, after which the resident could ask for the (£86k) care cap clock to start.  This new development would have an impact on care providers as well as providing a significant challenge for social care. 

Grant funding had been made available for Hillingdon to establish what the pressure would be.  As such, between now and 14 October 2022, action was being taken to draft a plan to understand how many residents were likely to come through the system so that this could be reported back to the Department of Social Care.  Although most of these residents would likely already be known to the Council, there would be some that were not.  It was anticipated that the Council would have the plan in place by February 2023 about what happened next but that effort would be made to do Care Act assessments early to smooth the pressure (although they wouldn’t get their care cap earlier).  It was agreed that the draft plan would be circulated to Members of the Committee once it was ready.

Ms Jan Major, the Council’s Head of Direct Care Provision, advised that work had been started on the fair cost of care exercise to engage with care providers.  There had been good engagement from providers with a 35% return.  Information would also be collected in relation to the self-funding market. 

Ms Taylor advised that a new inspection regime had been introduced by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) whereby the safety domain of social care would be inspected at some point between April 2023 and March 2025.  Colleagues from across North West London (NWL) had been undertaking peer reviews to help meet the inspection framework which had been circulated in draft but which would not be published until October 2022. 

It was noted that Social Work England undertook an annual survey of qualified and unqualified staff.  This survey had rated every element measured in Hillingdon as good which meant that caseloads were not too high and that social work staff were able to communicate effectively with their managers.  The staff survey undertaken by the Council had been generally positive for Adult Social Care and Health staff but there were queries  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

It was noted that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda and would be considered at a future meeting. 

Consideration was given to the Cabinet Forward Plan.

RESOLVED:  That the Cabinet Forward Plan be noted. 

The Chairman asked that Members of the Committee give some thought to possible review topics which they could either raise during the discussion the meeting on 14 September 2022 or forward to the Democratic Services Manager in the interim.  Options would then be presented to the Committee at its meeting on 12 October 2022.  Members also agreed that the Annual Safeguarding Adults Board Report would be rescheduled for the meeting on 12 October 2022.

It was agreed that the Care Act and public health procurement information requested would be scheduled for the meeting on 22 November 2022 and that an update on public health be scheduled for 26 January 2023. 

As it would be towards the end of the municipal year, it was agreed that the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care be invited to attend the Committee’s meeting on 26 April 2023 to provide Members with the highlights and challenges that the Council had faced over the last year. 

RESOVLED:  That:

1.    Members identify possible review topics for discussion at the meeting on 14 September 2022;

2.    Annual Safeguarding Adults Board Report be rescheduled for the meeting on 12 October 2022;

3.    the Care Act and public health procurement information be considered at the meeting on 22 November 2022;

4.    a public health update be scheduled for the meeting on 26 January 2023;

5.    the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care be invited to attend the meeting on 26 April 2022; and

6.    the Work Programme be noted.