To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Heakin and Mir.

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.   

There were no declarations of interests.

To consider the Minutes of the Meeting of Health, Schools and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee held 9^th September 2021.

The Committee considered the Minutes of the previous meeting held 9^th September 2021.

The Chair advised that, under his delegated powers, he had exempted certain reports that had been presented to the Integrated Commissioning Board and to the Cabinet, from the ‘Call-in’ process. These specifically related to revised contract arrangements for the Integrated Community Equipment Service and a report regarding proposed ‘Adult Social Care Fee Rates 2022/2023’.

Resolved:

1.      That the Minutes of the meeting of the Health, Schools and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, held 9^th September 2021, be approved, as a correct record.

2.      The actions of the Chair be noted.

To receive the Borough’s Safeguarding Annual Reports for 2020/2021.

The Committee scrutinised the Annual report, 2020/2021, of the Borough Safeguarding Children Partnership and 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 overarching aim of the report was to assist, in any way possible for all people living in the Rochdale borough to lead safer lives. 

The Board’s Annual Report, 2020/2021, showed how agencies had come together during a difficult year, under exceptional circumstances, to continue to do their best to safeguard some of the most vulnerable people living in the Borough.  The COVID-19 pandemic had proved challenging for all, and the Board’s Chair felt that there had been a collective energy across all partners to continue to do our best for the adults, children and young people of Rochdale.

Throughout the last year Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Partnership and Safeguarding Adults Board had prioritised the safeguarding and protection of the Borough’s most vulnerable children and young people, and adults with care and support needs, continuing to hold training and learning opportunities, facilitating learning reviews and obtaining assurance that the response to safeguarding concerns remains strong and effective.   

The Board and Partnership met regularly throughout the pandemic and the Chair expressed her gratitude to all members for their continued engagement and commitment whilst also working under extreme pressure in responding to the extra demands from COVID-19.

The Annual 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 ranges that were identifiable as reflecting good practice.

It was noted that higher than average levels of deprivation continued to have a significant negative impact on the Borough’s population, with both higher levels of child poverty and poorer health and life expectancy being recorded in parts of the Borough. It was noted that the Borough’s population is growing faster in the areas of highest deprivation.

Members sought clarity on how well agencies had responded to the challenges set in 2020/2021 and the risks incorporated within the challenges for 2021/2022.

Resolved:

That the Borough Safeguarding Children Partnership and Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Adults Board’s Annual Report 2020/2021 be commended.

Presentation outlining performance, events and activities relating to Your Trust (formerly Link4Life), by the Trust’s Chief Executive and Director of Finance

The Chair welcomed Your Trust’s (formerly Link4Life) Chief Executive, Mr. A. King and their Director of Finance, Ms. E. Rowe, to the meeting. It had been agreed that Your Trust present quarterly performance reports to this Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to assist Members in developing an understanding of the depth and scope of services provided by the Trust and also how the Trust is performing against recognised key performance indicators.

Your Trust was described, by their Chief Executive, as a delivery partner for Rochdale Borough Council managing leisure and cultural venues in the borough on behalf of the Council. It was an independent charity but on that worked closely with the Council. It is governed by a Board of Trustees, including three Rochdale Borough Councillors, who acted in a voluntary capacity to oversee the management of Your Trust. Key aims of Your Trust were a desire to change things for the better for residents of the Borough, for example by improving the prospects of the Borough’s children and young people’s chances of a hopeful future; to improve quality of life for adults who are at risk of chronic health conditions; and to reduce isolation and frailty in older people.

The buildings in which Your Trust operate are all owned by Rochdale Borough Council but the Trust makes a contribution to their capital cost every year. The Council invests in the buildings (e.g. energy efficiency, gym refurbs) which, in turn, allowed Your Trust to return efficiency savings every year.

Your Trust’s income was generated from three main sources: the Council’s Management Fee (22%), earned income (60%) and external funding (18%). Profits (after efficiencies) are invested back into the community. Your Trust keeps a stability reserve fund (equivalent to 2.5 months budgeted expenditure) and the Trust used £360k reserves in 2020/2021 to cover the deficit as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and are prepared to use more again in the current financial year.

The Chief Executive referred to the Trust’s Management Fee, over half of which was spent on the Events, Arts and Heritage Service, where it is harder to charge commercial fees. However the service also attracted external funding (often up to 50% of gross costs), which enabled Your Trust to provide even more programmes and projects both in venues and in the community. Around 10% of the Management Fee supported the gross costs of the Community Health and Participation Service. However this team generated over three times as much in external income and contracts, which support those most in need in the Borough’s communities.

In terms of the key financial issues relating to Your Trust , the Committee was informed that the forecast deficit to year-end had reduced from original estimates because of the strong ‘build-back’ in income, following the worst months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Your Trust are presently forecasting a £236,000 deficit at the end of the 2021/2022 financial year.  However it was advised that caution should be taken with regard to the forecast  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

The Committee to scrutinise the updated “Making Experiences Count - Joint Complaints Process for Adult Care and Health” policy in order to improve the customer experience

The Committee scrutinised a report of the Director of Strategic Commissioning/DASS regarding the Council’s processes and procedures for dealing with Adult Social Care Complaints. The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 placed a duty on Local Authorities on the way that complaints about Health and Social Care matters were dealt with.

Adult Care Services were those functions exercised by the Council in accordance with the Care Act 2014, which relate to care and support services to adults with a learning disability, physical disability, a mental health problem, older adults and also to carers.  A Health and Social Care complaint was therefore a matter that arose from care and support assessments, adult health or adult care services, members of staff working in Adult Care or health services or any policy concerning these.

The “Making Experiences Count - Joint Complaints Process for Adult Care and Health” policy had been in place since 2009. This complaint policy referred to adult care and health matters delivered by Rochdale Adult Care Services that service users or their representatives approach Adult Care about. Not all complaints received by Adult Care were eligible to be considered under the statutory procedure, and where a complaint did not meet the criteria, it would be considered under the Council’s Corporate Complaints Procedure.

Due to the increased number of Adult Care related complaints that have been received, in recent years, it was proposed to refresh the “Making Experiences Count” process to make it an ‘outward public facing’ policy to help members of the public be clearer of how Adult Care will respond to their complaint. If agreed, the policy will be placed on the council website in a way that makes it clearer to members of the public how to complain.

An ‘inward facing’ procedure will be written for Adult Care staff to help make the process when dealing with a complaint explicitly clear.  The procedure will contain templates to help provide consistency when responding with a complaint. The procedure launch will be accompanied by training sessions for staff.

The Committee were advised that the submitted report was due to be presented to the Cabinet’s meeting on 14^th December 2021 and the views of the members of this Committee were sought prior to a determination by Cabinet.

Resolved:

1.               That the Cabinet be recommended to approve the updated “ Making Experiences Count- Joint Complaints Process for Adult Care and Health” policy  in order to improve the customer experience should they need to make a complaint.

2.               That the Cabinet be requested to agree for clearer signposting to the Adult Care complaint policy on the Council’s website.

To scrutinise a report that details the capacity of school places in the primary school sector across the borough.

The Committee scrutinised a report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education/Director of Children’s Services, consulting Members on the proposed allocation of primary school places 2022 - 2025.

The Committee were informed that the inflows of pupils arriving into the borough after the start of Reception intake, and in higher year groups, had been higher than ever since January 2021, leading to significant pressures in older primary school year groups. These ‘in-year’ school applications had ‘plateaued’ towards the end of the 2019/2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but had subsequently risen to be above previous levels.

The Committee were advised that the report had been submitted to the Council’s Cabinet meeting on 23^rd November 2021, where the recommendations contained therein, were approved.

Resolved:
That the report be noted.

To scrutinise a report that details the capacity of school places in the secondary school sector across the borough.

The Committee scrutinised a report of the Director of Children’s Services which examined the projected number of pupils that were expected to be attending secondary schools in the Borough from 2022 to 2025 and the provision of secondary schools. The Committee were advised that the new Edgar Wood Academy had opened for 2021’s year 7 intake in Middleton. The second new mainstream Secondary school for Rochdale borough, that was to be run by the Star Academies Trust, was due to open in 2023 in Littleborough. The new Secondary SEN school which will be run by the New Bridge Trust, was now scheduled to be open in 2023.

The submitted report covered details of the new schools and the capacity of school places in the borough’s secondary school sector.

Members were advised that this report had been submitted to the Council’s Cabinet meeting on 23^rd November 2021, where the recommendations contained therein, were approved.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Quarter Two Performance reports (July – September 2021) in respect of Children’s Services, Adult Care and Public Health.

The Committee scrutinised a joint report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education/Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Wellbeing/Director of Children’s Services/Director of Commissioning/Director of Public Health, which set out progress towards achievement of the targets contained in the Adult Care Directorate Plan 2021/2022, Children’s Services Directorate Plan 2021/2022 and Public Health Directorate Plan 2021/2022.

In Adult Care Services 9 (67%) of the actions included in the 2021/2022 Directorate Plan were ongoing, 3 (25%) actions had been completed and one action (8%) was still incomplete after the ‘due date’ had passed. The chart, detailed in the report, showed the overall performance of the Directorate in meeting its plan targets at the end of Quarter 2 (30^th September 2021). In considering this element of the report Members commented on the actions for the Community Mental Health national framework that was to be implemented in conjunction with commissioning, plans that have been developed to modernise community mental health services. The mental health mandate provides a high level plan and includes specific sections on crisis development, dementia and community mental health transformation. It was suggested that a report on mental health mandates be presented to a future meeting of the Committee. A Member referred to the Dementia Action Plan referred to in the report and it was suggested that a specific report on the development of the Dementia Action Plan be presented to a future meeting of the Committee.

In Children’s Services 12 (75%) of the actions included in the 2021/2022 Directorate Plan were ongoing. Two actions (12.5%) were not fully complete and the action due date had since passed and a further two actions (12.5%) were fully completed. The chart, detailed in the report, showed the overall performance of the Directorate in meeting its plan targets at the end of Quarter 2 (30^th September 2021).

In the Public Health Service 10 (67%) of the actions included in the 2021/2022 Directorate Plan were ongoing, 3 (20%) actions were not fully completed and the action due date had since passed and 2 (13%) were fully completed. The chart, detailed in the report, showed the overall performance of the Directorate in meeting its plan targets at the end of Quarter 2 (30^th September 2021).

Members of the Committee felt that it was important to note and record their appreciation of the hard work and sacrifices that staff in these services had made in the past 18 - 20 months, as the Council continues to deal with the effects of Covid-19. Staff in these services have often found themselves in the ‘front-line’ and members commended their dedication and their ability to keep providing services for some of our most vulnerable residents in such difficult circumstances.

Resolved:

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That a report on mental health mandates (Adult Care Service) be presented to a future meeting of the Committee.

3.    That a report on report on the development of the Dementia Action Plan (Adult Care Service) be presented  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.