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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Members
expressed dissatisfaction with the late delivery of the reports to
the Select Committee.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Chair
of the IMHN noted that mental health had been omitted from the
Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA), and ...
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