To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr McCarthy and Mr John McGrath (Co-opted member).

Members are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary, personal or personal and prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests relating to items on this agenda and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.   

Resolved that the following declarations of interest be noted:

a.    Councillor Hartley declared a personal interest in the Minute item 49 (Littleborough Primary School Project).

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.

To determine any items on the agenda, if any, where the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

There were no items for exclusion of public and press.

Members are requested to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on

the 21^st September

RESOLVED

That the Minutes held on the 21^st September be approved as a correct record.

Chair of the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Board to report

The Committee scrutinised the Annual report for 2019/20 from the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children’s Board and from the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Adults Board. The report provided details about current needs in the Borough, the availability, quality and effectiveness of services to respond to that need, and on the work of the two Boards themselves.

The Independent Chair of the Boards set out the challenges from 2019/20 which will continue throughout 2020/21, including widening the use of technology to support multi agency work, and improving engagement with stakeholders in relation to: financial abuse of vulnerable adults, Child Sexual Exploitation’ Domestic abuse and Dementia abuse

The report reflected on the information about agency performance derived from data collection and analysis, audits and case reviews.  Many of the performance measures used scored in the range that was seen as reflecting good practice. The audits and reviews continue to highlight some areas still requiring practice improvement.

The Independent Chair updated the Committee that the Board and Partnership have exceptionally met targets during the Pandemic and the team have managed well with the additional demand. Next year’s report will include more detail of Covid-19.

Members sought clarity on how well agencies have responded to the challenges set in 2019/20 and the risks incorporated within the challenges for 2020/21.

Resolved:

That the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Boards Annual Report 2019/20 (Adults and Children) be commended.

HealthWatch Rochdale to report

The Committee scrutinised a report that had been prepared by Healthwatch Rochdale, who had carried out a survey in partnership with the  Council, to understand how the Borough’s residents were coping with the Pandemic and how the problems faced could be made easier with the support of public sector services and the wider community.

The survey ran from 22nd May to 30th June 2020. The survey was mostly multiple-choice questions with some free text boxes to gather general views about the impact of the pandemic on health and wellbeing and experience of health and care services. A total of 673 residents had completed the survey.

In September, Heathwatch Rochdale ran 17 focus groups to allow residents to share their individual experience. From these focus groups 37 responses were collected and analysed.

The survey outlined statistics on the support received during the pandemic, information and advice, access to local information, mental and physical wellbeing, what worked well for residents and what could be improved.

The recommendations from the report had been presented to external partners at the Rochdale’s Local Care Organisation, and the Our Rochdale Board Meeting. These recommendations were  also to be discussed at Healthwatch Rochdale’s Advisory Group meeting later in November 2020 where further escalation could evolve.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Proposals for a new primary school in Littleborough

The Committee scrutinised a report of the Director of Children Services, which provided details of the new build project at Littleborough Primary School funded by the department of education.

The Council was awaiting an announcement from the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the Government Spending Review which is expected to be made on 25th November 2020. The DfE were looking for “shovel ready” construction projects that could be delivered immediately. To this end the Council had been working closely with the DfE team drawing up options for a Littleborough Primary School re-build project. In the event that the project was to be funded as part ofthe Spending Review, the Council would be required  make a decision on the Littleborough Children’s Centre building which fellwithin thepotential new school’s footprint.

Resolved:

1.    That the report be noted

2.    The Cabinet to requested to approve the recommendations, detailed in the submitted report, when they are scheduled to consider this matter, on 1st December 2020

Quarter 2 (2020/2021) performance information relating to Adult Care, Children’s and Public Health Directorates.

The Committee scrutinised a report detailing progress during the second quarter 2020/2021 (1st July – 30th September) towards the achievement of the targets contained in the Adult Care Directorate Plan 2020/2021, Children’s Services Directorate Plan 2020/2021 and Public Health Directorate Plan 2020/2021. 

Resolved:

1.    That the  Committee notes and welcomes the report

2.    The Committee commends the three Directorates for the work they have undertaken in difficult circumstances during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.