Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - Wallasey Town Hall. View directions

Contact: Lyndzay Roberts 

Items
No. Item

1.

Members' Code of Conduct - Declarations of Interest/Party Whip

Members are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or any other relevant interest in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

 

Members are reminded that they should also declare, pursuant to paragraph 18 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, whether they are subject to a party whip in connection with any item(s) to be considered and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of the whipping arrangement.

 

 

 

Minutes:

Councillor Hornby declared a personal interest by virtue of his appointment as a trustee/Director of Voluntary and Community Action Wirral.

 

Councillor Roberts declared a personal interest by virtue of her appointment on the Management Committees of Arch Initiatives and Wirral Council for Voluntary Service.

 

Councillor P Williams declared a personal interest by virtue of her appointment on the Management Committees of Arch Initiatives.

 

Members declared a personal interest on all items relating to Schools by being virtue of them being LEA appointed Governors.

2.

Introductions and Welcome

Minutes:

The Chair, Councillor Wendy Clements welcomed Members to the first meeting of the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee and indicated that this was a very challenging Committee with a huge remit. She encouraged Members to participate in debate and stressed the importance of the scrutiny function and their role within it. 

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 73 KB

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the last meetings of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18 March 2013 and the Health and Well Being Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 13 March 2013 and 28 March 2013.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the accuracy of Minutes of the meetings of the last meetings of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18 March 2013 and the Health and Well Being Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 13 March 2013 and 28 March 2013 be approved.

 

4.

Terms of Reference and Areas of Responsibility for the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee pdf icon PDF 353 KB

To consider a report and receive a presentation by the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance informing of the Terms of Reference of the Policy and Performance Committees as set out in Article 6 of the Council’s Constitution.

 

The report indicated that the specific service areas that fall under the remit of the Committee were detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

 

Fiona Johnstone, Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance gave a presentation to Members which outlined the key principles, purpose, and committee structure; it also highlighted the remit of the Committee which was also included in the briefing pack (Minute 12 refers) and the meeting procedure rules.

 

Ms Johnstone indicated that following consideration of the report at the Co-ordinating Committee on 3 July 2013, it was agreed that all cross cutting work would be referred to that Committee for consideration. Ms Johnstone indicated that further minor amendments were made to the meeting procedure rules these would be incorporated into the final document.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report and the procedure rules detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be noted.

 

 

5.

Policy and Performance Procedure Rules pdf icon PDF 117 KB

To consider the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance which outlined the meeting procedure rules under which formal meetings of the Policy and Performance Committees should be undertaken. In line with Article 6 of the Council’s Constitution, the Policy and Performance Committee was responsible for determining the Overview and Scrutiny rules and operational protocols. The draft meeting procedure rules were agreed at Co-ordinating Committee held on 3 July 2013 (Minute 11 refers).

 

Ms Fiona Johnstone, Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance introduced the report and indicated that a question had been raised by the Members of the Co-ordinating Committee regarding their role in relation to work programmes. Members agreed that these would be developed by each of the Policy and Performance Committee and overseen by the Co-Ordinating Committee. The meeting procedure rules would be amended to reflect this change.

 

In relation to the call-in procedure, this had been tested recently at a call-in dealt with by the Co-Ordinating Committee on 24 June 2013 and in relation to written documentary evidence, the Co-ordinating Committee agreed that in future this would be accepted only in exceptional circumstances and in consultation with the party Spokespersons.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report and the procedure rules as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be noted. 

6.

The Role of Co-Optees pdf icon PDF 114 KB

To consider the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy & Performance

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance which provided an overview on the role of the co-optees in the former Overview & Scrutiny Committees and presents some proposed options for the role of co-optees on the new Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee.

 

Ms Fiona Johnstone, Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance suggested that the Committee established a Task & Finish Group to look at the issue and made recommendations to be considered by the Committee at its next meeting in September 2013.

 

Members agreed that this was a sensible approach and commented that there was a role for co-optees; however, clarification was needed as to what that role was.

 

Members stressed the need for the co-optees to be involved in the Committees deliberations and commented that at the former Overview & Scrutiny Committee for Health and Wellbeing, the Chief Executive of Arrowe Park Hospital and representatives from the CCG’s had regularly attended. Members felt that any questions posed to them should be done so within a public forum. Representatives from Outside Bodies also regularly attended and contributed to the Committee which was invaluable. In response to Members comments, Ms Johnstone suggested that these issues could be included in the work to be undertaken by the Task & Finish Group.

 

The Chair suggested that the Task & Finish Group also looked at the role of Education Sub-Committees to include the 0-19 Standards Sub-Committee.

 

The Chair asked the Committee for nominations for the Task & Finish Group, these were agreed as follows:

 

Councillor M McLaughlin

Councillor D Roberts    Councillor S Niblock (Deputy)

Councillor P Williams

Councillor M Hornby 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That a Task & Finish Group be established with the membership to include Councillors McLaughlin, Roberts, P.Williams, Hornby and Councillor Niblock as Deputy to look at the options for membership and the role of co-opted members and also education sub-committees e.g. 0-19 Standards Sub-Committee and report back to the Committee in September 2013.

 

 

 

 

7.

Families and Wellbeing Directorate Plan

To receive a joint presentation from Clare Fish, Strategic Director, Families and Wellbeing, Julia Hassall, Director of Children's Services and Graham Hodkinson, Director of Adult Social Servicesin relation to the Directorate Plan.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a joint presentation from Clare Fish, Strategic Director of Families and Wellbeing, Chris Beyga, Head of Delivery, Adult Social Services Department and Julia Hassall, Director of Children’s Services outlining the Families and Wellbeing Directorate Improvement Plan for 2013 -2016 and the improvement journeys of both the Children and Young People and the Adult Social Services Departments detailing the vision for 2016; organising services differently and the priorities for the departments.

 

In relation to the Improvement Plan, Ms Fish indicated that the Improvement Plan focused on four main themes; managing the money, delivering differently, working together and transforming our business.

 

The Directorate needed to contribute to the savings needed to provide a balanced budget; work on their approach to commissioning services and letting of contracts, and the effective delivery of internal services such as combined safeguarding for services for children and adults.

 

Ms Fish indicated that she would be looking at best practice models across the country, integration opportunities to enable services to be pooled making them more effective, and improved working practices with improved IT services would also be considered.

 

Ms Hassall indicated that following a visit from a peer challenge team in June/July 2012 looking at how the Department provided family support to vulnerable children, the team felt that the Department focused on those young people in the community with lower levels of need more than those with more complex needs, requiring multiagency intervention. Following this Children’s Services developed a new approach to targeting services with a view to reducing the number of children needing more specialist support. This approach incorporated the work with Troubled Families. 

 

Ms Hassall indicated that new organisational arrangements for delivering Children’s Services were now in place:

 

  • Universal Services provided core statutory functions in respect of schools as well as co-ordinating partnership arrangements

 

  • Targeted Services provided a new integrated approach to working with vulnerable families, alongside a new cross phase school school improvement service

 

  • Specialist Services provided social work support to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable children as well as services for children with special educational need and/or disabilities.

 

Safeguarding and quality assurance services were being strengthened to become a corporate safeguarding team in future, which would work across the Families and Wellbeing Directorate.

 

It was reported that the recruitment process was still on-going for the Head of Targeted and Specialist Services posts.

 

In relation to the educational outcomes for Looked After Children (LAC) in care, in terms of education, Ms Hassall indicated that the outcomes were not as good as they should be, this was being looked at by the Corporate Parenting Group which was a multi-agency group looking at all aspects of LAC in care. Ms Hassall agreed to circulate the Minutes of Corporate Parenting Group to Members.

 

Ms Hassall indicated that the Troubled Families Programme allocated each family a worker specifically appointed to co-ordinate services tailored to their needs.

 

In relation to Adult Services, Ms Beyga indicated that the Department would be working alongside Children’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Families and Wellbeing Dashboard pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To consider the report of the Strategic Director of Families and Wellbeing

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance which outlined the proposed performance management report to support the delivery of the Corporate Plan for 2013/14.

 

The report detailed the priorities set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan into a coherent set of performance outcome measures and targets. The Committee was informed that they would be used to evaluate the achievement of strategic priorities over the next year of the Plan.

 

It was anticipated that the development of the Corporate Plan would be an iterative process during 2013/14 based on the feedback and requirements of Elected Members and portfolio leads.  It would run in parallel to the wider development of the underpinning business planning and performance management infrastructure within the Council (e.g. Performance Management Framework Policy, electronic provision of performance information to Elected Members, transition from targets to outcomes).

 

Ms Beyga indicated that in relation to the target for permanent admissions it was felt that with the redesign of specific services this target was achievable.

 

In relation to the publication of those nursing homes that fell below the standard, Ms Beyga indicated that the figure were not published; regular visit were undertaken and those that were reported as a poor performance concern, officers worked alongside managers and staff to resolve the issues.

 

Members sought assurances that the targets set by the Department were not below the National targets, in response; Ms Fish confirmed that the targets were reflected in the Council’s benchmarking and not set lower than the national targets.

 

In response to Members comments in relation the percentage of Looked After Children leaving care who were adopted, Ms Hassall indicated that the percentage nationally had seen a reduction, although the Council needed to work and get those children in care where appropriate, placed with family on a permanent basis through either special guardianship or adoption.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That information contained within this report be used to inform the Committee’s future Work Programme.

 

 

9.

Public Health Dashboard pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To consider the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance which outlined the proposed performance management report to support the delivery of the Corporate Plan for 2013/14.

 

The report detailed the priorities set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan into a coherent set of performance outcome measures and targets. The Committee was informed that they would be used to evaluate the achievement of strategic priorities over the next year of the Plan.

 

It was anticipated that the development of the Corporate Plan would be an iterative process during 2013/14 based on the feedback and requirements of Elected Members and portfolio leads.  It would run in parallel to the wider development of the underpinning business planning and performance management infrastructure within the Council (e.g. Performance Management Framework Policy, electronic provision of performance information to Elected Members, transition from targets to outcomes).

 

Ms Fiona Johnstone, Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance indicated that Public Health England had recently published a report which ranked authorities in relation to premature mortality rates, Wirral had been ranked 144 out of 149 these related to alcohol.  This was an area Public Health had made a priority.

 

In relation to the target for smoking quitters this had fallen below target. An action plan was attached to the report outlining the current situation and the actions proposed to meet the target set.

 

In relation to the impact e-cigarettes had on the smoking quitter’s target, Ms Johnstone indicated that the evidence on the impact of these was not clear. Regionally the Directors of Public Health had agreed to look at this and to carry out some research. Ms Johnstone agreed to share any briefing notes arising from this regional work with Members once received. In response to Members concerns, regarding the impact on services if there was increase demand for the smoking quitters service, Ms Johnstone indicated that this would be kept under regular review to ensure a high quality service was maintained and success rates remained high.

 

In response Members in relation to the treatment offered to opiate users, Ms Johnstone indicated that the treatment offered was tailored to the individual but often they were assisted to recovery and where possible rehabilitation back into the community. A range of services were commissioned to offer treatment services and services linked to recovery.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That information contained within this report be used to inform the Committee’s future Work Programme.

 

 

10.

Scrutiny Review Scope: The Implications of the Francis Report for Wirral pdf icon PDF 100 KB

To consider an update from the Chair of the Task and Finish Group

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Members of the Francis Report Task and Finish Group which provided an update on progress with the implications of the Francis Report for Wirral Scrutiny Review. The report sought approval for the Scope of the review as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

 

The Chair of the Task and Finish Group, Councillor C.Povall introduced the report and indicated that at present the Group had not identified any problems or cause for concern from Arrowe Park Hospital.

 

The Group had, had three meetings and had interviewed representatives from Healthwatch and CCG’s, the Group were due to meet again on 27 July 2013.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Scope for the Francis Report Scrutiny Review, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and progress made to date be noted.

 

11.

Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee - Work Programme pdf icon PDF 115 KB

To consider the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy & Performance.

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance, which indicated that the four Policy and Performance Committees had been established to undertake the work of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny function. Each Committee was invited to select items within their remit to be included within their work programme and it was suggested that more effective scrutiny would focus on a small number of the most relevant high priority topics. The Coordinating Committee had an additional role to ensure that there was no duplication between the works of the other Committees and to make sure that resources were available, from both Members and officers, for the work items to be completed in a timely manner. The report outlined various methods of undertaking detailed scrutiny work and envisaged that the work programme would be monitored and updated at Committee meetings throughout the municipal year.

 

The report listed a number of items from previous Overview and Scrutiny Committees, where Members had requested further scrutiny work to take place by the new Policy and Performance Committees. The Scrutiny Support Officer commented that, as part of developing the new work programme, Members may wish to identify items from the list but, it would be beneficial to carry forward only those most significant items.

 

Members raised a number of topics they believed should be included in the Committee’s work programme for 2013/2014. A Member further highlighted the need for early progress to be made, otherwise there would be no prospect of completing the body of scrutiny work before the year end. Accordingly, the Chair proposed that the party spokespersons should meet in the near future, to agree and prioritise the work programme, in order that work may commence as soon as practicable, prior to the next meeting.

 

Concerns were expressed by Members that not all topics identified for scrutiny could be completed by the year end due to the huge remit that the Committee was responsible for. The Chair indicated that on-going items needed to be concluded before work began on new items.

 

In relation to the suggestion by Members to look at the impact of the Welfare Reform, the Chair indicated that as this issue impacted on services across the Council, this item should be referred to the Co-ordinating Committee to look at.

 

In relation to Leisure Services, Ms Fish suggested that the Committee receive a presentation from the Department outlining their progress to date and their plans for the future.

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)  That the following items be referred to the Chair and Spokespersons for consideration for inclusion in the Committees work programme for the 2013/2014 municipal year –

 

·  Francis Report – on-going

·  LAC – ongoing

·  Domestic Violence - ongoing

·  Health Inequalities

·  The Impact of Alcohol Misuse

·  Unnecessary hospital admissions

·  Complaints report

·  Leisure Review

 

(2)  the Co-ordinating Committee be requested to look at the impacts of the Welfare Reform;

 

(3)  the completion and prioritisation of the work programme be delegated to the Chair, party spokespersons and the independent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Scrutiny: Briefing pdf icon PDF 123 KB

The Briefing Note is attached for ease of reference.

 

 

 

Minutes:

For ease of reference, the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance presented the comprehensive Scrutiny Briefing Pack, which had been prepared for the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee and had previously been circulated to Members. It provided a summary of the purpose of overview and scrutiny and contained detail in relation to the relevant service areas.

 

The document provided an outline of the outstanding items from previous scrutiny committees and indicated the key plans and strategies and key policy drivers of relevance to the work of the Committees.

 

Resolved – That the Briefing Pack be noted.