Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Cllr Fraser declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in agenda items 5 – Establishment of the Housing Standards and Adaptation Team (minute 5 refers) and 11 – Review of Home Care Purchasing and Commissioning (minute 11 refers), as a member of Unison.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting during consideration of Annex B to agenda item 11 on the grounds that it contains information relating to the financial affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). This information is classed as exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Member for Housing and Advisory Panel held on 6 March 2006.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Member for Social Services and Health and Advisory Panel held on 9 March 2006.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Panel’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Friday 2 June 2006 at 10.00am.

The Chair reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the council’s public participation scheme.

The report provides information on the proposed consolidation and restructure of the Grants and Adaptations team (Housing and Adult Social Services) with the Housing Regulation team (Chief Executives). It seeks agreement to transfer the Housing Regulation team from Chief Executives and to create the new Housing Standards and Adaptations Team within Housing Services and proposes a new staffing structure.

Members considered a report which provided information on the proposed consolidation and restructure of the Grants and Adaptations team (Housing and Adult Social Services) with the Housing Regulation team (Chief Executives). It sought agreement to transfer the Housing Regulation team from Chief Executives and to create the new Housing Standards and Adaptations Team within Housing Services and proposed a new staffing structure.

Members were presented with two options:

Option 1 - To agree the proposals set out in the report.

Option 2 - To reject the proposals and ask officers to present members with alternative proposals.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve:

(i)                 That Housing Regulation team from Chief Executive Directorate become part of Housing Services

(ii)      That the new structure, as outlined in option 1, be implemented as the Housing Standards and Adaptations team with immediate effect

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing:

This report presents the out turn position of the 2005/06 Housing Capital Programme and the resources available to support it.

Members considered a report that presented the out turn position of the 2005/06 Housing Capital Programme and the resources available to support it.

The report advised that the final outturn position of the Housing Capital Programme was £9.957m compared with the previously reported figure of £10.143m. The variation of £186k was due to an underspend £136k,  £97k on schemes funded by Capital and £39k on the MRA funded element of the programme, and slippage of £50k which included £32k on Installation and Replacement of Heating Systems and £18k for the Homeless Hostel at Howe Hill.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve the changes to the Capital funded and MRA elements of the Housing Capital Programme as set out in the report.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing:

This report provides the Executive Member with an overview of progress on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Service Plan agreed in April 2005.

Members considered a report that provided an overview of progress on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Service Plan agreed in April 2005.

The report advised that the latest approved estimated balance carried forward of £2,832k had increased by £2,307k to £5,139k at outturn. £1,510k of the working balance would be required to fund the capital programme in 2006/07 and £19,800 would be required to fund the carry forward requests below leaving a net surplus of £3,609k on the HRA. This was an increase of £42k on the balance of £3,567k forecast in the previous quarterly monitoring report.  Members were reminded that this surplus was required in future years to meet the decent homes standard in line with the approved HRA business plan.

The carry forward requests which met the criteria were as follows:-

The Executive Member for Housing expressed her thanks to the Tenancy Management Team and the Specialist Income Management Team for their achievements in reducing rent arrears to their lowest figure for 10 years.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to

(i)                 Note the achievements, and progress that was required in specific areas

(ii)               Agree the carry forward requests detailed above and refer them to the Executive

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing:

This report provides the Executive Member with an overview of progress on the service plan for Housing General Fund.

Members considered a report that provided an overview of progress on the service plan for Housing General Fund.

The report advised that the net draft outturn was £1,160k. The outturn figure was £136k less than the latest approved budget of £1,296k. The reasons for the main variations between the approved budget and the draft revenue outturn were detailed in the report.

Officers reported that the supply of affordable new homes was less than what had been estimated and that the outcome of the two planning enquiries into Germany Beck and Derwenthorpe could have a major impact. Members expressed concern that the target of 200 new affordable homes per year was not being met and that a back log could build up causing further problems.

The Executive Member for Housing expressed her thanks for the hard work and achievements made by all officers.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to note the achievements and progress made in delivering the Housing General Fund Service Plan.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing:

This report presents the out turn position of the 2005/06 Social Services Capital Programme and the resources available to support it.

Members considered a report that presented the outturn position of the 2005/06 Social Services Capital programme and the resources available to support it.

The report advised that the final outturn of the 2005/06 Social Services Capital Programme was £964k gross compared to the approved programme of £1062k gross. The variation of £98k from the approved programme was due to slippage of £75k and an overall underspend of £23k.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve the changes to the Social Services Capital Programme as set out in the report.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services:

This report requests the Executive Member of Adult Social Services to endorse an extension of the  6 month trial of the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority revised Continuing Health and Social Care Policy and Assessment Tool.

Members considered a report which requested an extension of the six month trial of the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority revised Continuing Health and Social Care Policy and Assessment Tool.

Members were presented with two options. The first was to cease the pilot and revert to the previous policy. The second was to continue the pilot.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to

(i)                 Support the proposal that the council should extend the revised Continuing Care Policy (including the assessment tool) for a further pilot 6 month period, unless the national position be established or a regional strategic health authority policy be proposed.

(ii)               Receive a report if either of the latter two were achieved within the extension period.

Decision of Executive Member For Adult Social Services:

This report informs the Executive Member of Adult Social Services on the progress of the review of the current purchasing and commissioning arrangements for home care services. 

Members considered a report that informed on the progress of the review of the current purchasing and commissioning arrangements for home care services.

The options presented were to proceed to the next stage of the review of home care services or to retain services within the current structures.

In answer to Members questions, Officers provided an update on the consultation process and advised how the move to fixed hours on a more flexible contract would work.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to approve  

(i)                 That the tendering exercise for the independent locality services be undertaken.

(ii)               That consultation with staff on the proposed restructure and contractual changes continued, with a further report to be submitted to Members on the proposals.

Decision of Executive Member For Adult Social Services:

This report provides the Executive Member with a summary of the year end outcomes for the Service Plans agreed in April 2005. This report covers service plans for social services and corporate services and highlights a year end overspend.

Members considered a report that provided a summary of the year end outcomes for the Service Plans for social services and corporate services agreed in April 2005.

The report advised that the draft outturn expenditure was £30.872m, which was £793k above the latest approved budget.

Officers informed Members that there were two major issues relating to the overspend, namely that support for people at home had come at a cost, and that cover for staff absence across the department had cost £400k.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to

(i)      Note the progress made in delivering Adult Social Services and Corporate Services plans during 2005/06.

(ii)               Note the financial out-turn for the year and the proposed actions to reduce the deficit in 2006/07

Decision of Executive Member For Adult Social Services: