Councillor Chris Jones introduced a report by the Director of Adult Social Services reminded the Cabinet that on 14 March it had agreed the following recommendations:

1.  Agree to the establishment of a Wirral Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) model.

2.  Agree for officers to progress the development of the Co-Design Project Group with key stakeholders including staff and parents/carers.

3.  Agree to a further progress report in June 2014 that will include the full project plan and implementation timetable.

The report also brought forward the Strategic Business Case, Implementation and Project Plans and a report in relation to the Due Diligence undertaken.  The Cabinet was provided with an update on progress in relation to recommendation 3, the development of the Co-Design Project Group. 

The Families and Wellbeing Directorate, Department of Adult Social Services (DASS) had identified that there may be a significant opportunity to improve outcomes, achieve efficiencies and create sustainability of service provision by implementing a new approach to delivering its Day Services for people with a learning disability.  With a continued national focus on personalised services and, more specifically, offering more choice through Direct Payments, the Council needed to ensure the sustainability of a range of services within this changing environment.  Moreover, personalisation was driving councils to become commissioners rather than providers of services and the Council needed to consider a delivery model that would strategically meet this impetus. 

Appendices to this report contained exempt information and were included in Part 2 of the Agenda at Item No. 19.  (Minute No. 20 refers.)

RESOLVED: That

(1)  more detailed work is required on some of the financial implications to the Council including the potential savings, business rates and VAT implications. At this stage the business case demonstrates a clear rationale for the establishment of a Local Authority Trading Company that will deliver sustainable services whilst meeting MTP savings. This will be subject to a robust challenge process;

(2)   consideration be given to the potential to include other services to generate greater revenue and deliver services more innovatively; and

(3)   subject to satisfactory outcomes, approved by the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Governance, Commissioning and Improvement and Chief Executive, in relation to the detailed financial and governance implications, it be recommended that:

(a)the Council approves the formation of a Local Authority Trading Company;

(b)the Council agrees to the transfer Day Services and Daytime opportunities into the Local Authority Trading Company and then further defines the Company’s strategic ambitions to plan to move towards an expanded commercial scope;

(c) the Council considers its Council-wide strategic approach and aligns appropriate other work to maximise the benefits of an expanded scope;

(d)an implementation programme is established to oversee the transition of services to the new Local Authority Trading Company;

(e) the Cabinet receives regular updates on progression commencing in mid-September; and

(f)  the business case for transferring Day Services to a Local Authority Trading Company be presented to the Cabinet for final approval after the conclusion of the challenge process.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10