Issue - meetings

Purpose of the report: To review and scrutinise the ongoing Accommodation with Care and Support programme of work.

Witnesses:

Mel Few, Cabinet Member for Resources

Steve Hook, Assistant Director of Disabilities, Autism & Transition

Wil House, Strategic Finance Business Partner (Adult Social Care and Public Health)

Jonathan Lillistone, Assistant Director of Commissioning (Adult Social Care)

Sinead Mooney, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health

Peter Walsh, Property Account Manager for Adult Social Care

Key points raised during the discussion:

1. The Assistant Director of Commissioning (ASC) introduced the report. It referred back to the October 2019 Cabinet report. The aim of the programme was to create housing that increased independence for residents and was more cost-effective.
2. The Cabinet Member added that the Council was committed to the delivery of the programme. She was aware of concerns around the pace of the programme, but pacing would now be a priority and the programme would be a consistent item on the Cabinet agenda and, she hoped, on the Select Committee’s agenda too.
3. Members expressed dissatisfaction with the late delivery of the reports to the Select Committee.
4. A Member expressed frustration at the slow pace of the programme and asked what the reason was behind the delay, what the ongoing challenges were, and how sure the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health was of a successful process. The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health expressed sympathy with Members’ concerns but said that the three sites for accommodation with care and support had been approved by Cabinet in October 2019, and her previous references to issues with pace were from that date onwards only. A Member acknowledged that the proposal had been approved by Cabinet in October 2019, but said that there had been conversations between Members and officers about the Pond Meadow site as long as three or four years ago. The Assistant Director of Commissioning (ASC) added that the focus since October 2019 had been on the Pond Meadow tender and a number of other aspects: approaching the market, structuring the lease, and linking that back into care and support. It was important to note that the Covid-19 pandemic had been a challenge for the Council and its partners; for example, the Council had had to redeploy commissioning staff, which had had an impact on progress. However, progress had been made since the end of May 2020 and the Council would be in a position to launch the Pond Meadow tender next week (week commencing 20 July 2020) and award contracts in autumn 2020. Market engagement had suggested that there was very much an appetite to bid for Pond Meadow. The Assistant Director also assured Members that the accommodation would be built in a way that was flexible and allowed the Council to respond to changes in the model of care in the long term.
5. The Cabinet Member for Resources emphasised the progress that had been made in recent months, thanks to the restructuring of the property team as well as private property expertise.
6. The Chair of the IMHN noted that mental health had been omitted from the Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA), and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20