Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point in the meeting, the Executive Member is asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests,

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

 which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

The Executive Member confirmed that she had no personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, nor any prejudicial or discloseable pecuniary interests, to declare in the business on the agenda.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Decision Session held on 16 October 2019.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Decision Session held on 16 October 2019 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Tuesday 14 January 2020.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the Executive Member’s remit.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast ,or recorded, including any registered public speakers, who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at

https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Councils Public Participation Scheme.

Gwen Swinburn spoke on agenda item 4 - Financial Strategy 2020/21. She noted that it was helpful to have the budget decision session which was an improved step to transparency. She thanked officers for providing context to the information in the meeting papers and for making clear the extent of problems and how they would be resolved. She raised questions concerning the self funding market and how the effect of closing council care homes impacted on the cost of new placements, the pay related growth listed in the savings and the Continuing Healthcare (CHC) income  saving of £500k. Her comments were noted by the Executive Member.

This report provides background information for the overall Financial Strategy and presents the savings proposals and growth assumptions for the Health and Adult Social Care portfolio, for consideration by the Executive Member before finalisation of the overall Financial Strategy, which will be presented to Executive on 13 February 2020.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided background information for the overall Financial Strategy and presented the savings proposals and growth assumptions for her portfolio. This provided the opportunity for her to obtain feedback in advance of the finalisation of the overall Financial Strategy which would be presented to Executive on 13 February 2020.

With regard to the closure of council care homes, the Executive Member advised that the reason most homes closed was because they did not meet the standards required by the Quality Care Commission (CQC) and that there was not an economy of scale to run small care homes. She also noted that the continuing health care budget was interdependent with the budgets of other organisations. The Corporate Director for Health, Housing and Adult Social Care explained that all beds were included in re-provision and this was an issue because of the York demographic of self-funders which impacted on the market. The Executive Member clarified that extra care meant extra care in people’s homes.

With regard to continuing healthcare, the Corporate Director for Health, Housing and Adult Social Care explained that the approach to long term healthcare was one of working with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to strengthen commissioning and brokering arrangements. She added that greater savings could be achieved when CYC was commissioning on behalf of the CCG.

The Head of Finance, Adults Children and Education was in attendance to outline the finance strategy. He noted the importance of the social care precept and outlined expenditure and savings as detailed in annexes 1 and 2.

In response to questions raised by the Executive Member, the Corporate Director for Health, Housing and Adult Social Care explained that:

·        The use of robotics was designed to release time for the human contact aspect of delivering care.

·        Increasing independence was the aim of robotics. This was an underdeveloped element of social care nationally and it was the council’s aim that York would be part of determining the debate. The expertise at the universities in York could be capitalised as part of this.

·        With regard to ‘talking points’, rather than expecting citizens to come into the Council West Offices, Officers were going out into the community and talking to people through informal points that had been set up in libraries and community hubs. The intention had been to place the talking points in parts of the city where people wanted them. This had proved to be a positive and meaningful way for people to share their stories. The Executive Member noted the importance of placing those opportunities in communities.

Resolved: 

(i)      That the feedback from consultation for the Health and Adult Social Care portfolio, as set out in Annex 3 to the report, be noted

(ii)      That the following be agreed for inclusion within the overall financial strategy to be presented to Executive on 13 February 2020:

a)           The 2020/21 revenue savings proposals for Health and Adult Social Care portfolio, as set out in Annex 1 to the report.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.