|
City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
|
|
Meeting |
Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee |
|
|
Date |
18 October 2023 |
|
|
Present |
Councillors D Myers (Chair), Vassie (Vice-Chair), Baxter, Kelly, Rose, Runciman, Wilson, Steels-Walshaw, Waller (Substitute) and Healey |
|
|
Officers in Attendance |
Michael Jones – Head of Housing Delivery and Asset Management Patrick Looker – Head of Service Finance Steve Tait – Finance Manager Peter Rodrick – Director of Public Health |
|
8. Declarations of Interest
Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registerable interests they might have in respect of the business on the agenda, if they had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.
Cllr Vassie confirmed that he has a personal interest in relation to agenda item 4 2023/24 Finance and Performance Monitor 1, as his father was a recipient of support from Be Independent.
9. Minutes
The Committee noted that they had not yet received further information regarding children and adolescent’s mental health services waiting times and that the chair would write to Managing Director (North Yorkshire, York and Selby), Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) about waiting times and KPI data to be shared with the Committee.
It was also confirmed that it had not been possible to provide the Committee with a report on winter provision for homeless people. This would instead remain on the Committees work plan for 13 November 2023.
Resolved:
i. That the minutes of the Health, Housing, and Adult Social Care Policy and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 19 September 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
10. Public Participation
It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
11. 2023/24 Finance and Performance Monitor 1
Officers introduced the report and outlined the Council’s current overall financial position with a forecast overspend for 2023/24 of £11.4m. They noted that action was required to address this level of overspend.
The Committee discussed recruitment and career progression in health visiting services. It was noted that plans would be expected to come forward to deliver change in this public health service, it was also noted that the pandemic had impacted the ability to do this work sooner. Officers also confirmed that the Council had reduced its use of agency workers.
House building and maintenance was discussed. Members were informed that refurbishment work was expected to start in March at Glenn Lodge and would be expected to take 9 months. Members also enquired as to why there had been rise in the number of children in homeless households. Officers confirmed affordable housing in York was not meeting the demand for housing and issues such as no-fault evictions were causing issues. Officers outlined that temporary accommodation is provided by the Council at James House and when required Ordinance Lane or Crombie House, only after these accommodation options were not available would the Council consider bed and breakfast accommodation.
Members enquired about rental incomes and void properties. Officers noted that voids had been brought down to around 60 compared to the high of 120 from the previous year. The Committee suggested due to the importance of keeping on track with standard voids that it be added as a key performance indicator (KPI) to track. Members also confirmed that they would share with officers other areas they thought could be good performance indicators.
Resolved:
i. Noted the finance and performance information;
ii. Officers to provide further detail on the Learning Disabilities direct payments overspend;
iii. Committee members to provide officers with a list of any KPIs they felt should be monitored.
Reason: To ensure expenditure is kept within the approved budget.
12. Work Plan
The Committee raised its disappointment that its request to consider an agenda item on homelessness be brought forward from the Committees November meeting had not been possible. Officers confirmed that the item would be available for the Committees 13 November 2023 meeting.
Resolved:
i. The officers provide the Committee with a written update on the Council’s cold weather protocol;
ii. Noted the Committee work plan.
Reason: To provide the Committee with greater detail about support for homeless individuals in winter and to keep the Committee’s work plan updated.
Councillor Myers Chair
[The meeting started at 5.30 pm and finished at 7.03 pm].