Agenda, decisions 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 at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Fraser declared personal non-prejudicial interests in agenda items 11 (Strategy for Older Peoples Accommodation with Support) and 14 (Social Services 2006/07 Service Plan and Budget 1^st Monitoring Report) as a member of Unison.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 14 August 2006.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last meeting of the Executive Members for Housing and Adult Social Services and Advisory Panel held on 14 August 2006 be approved and signed as a correct record.

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 8 September 2006 at 10.00am.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report outlines details of an opportunity that is available to further invest in modernisation works to the Delwood Sheltered Scheme over and above those currently prescribed within the Housing Capital Programme.

(i)         That Option 2 be endorsed and that, where a customer requests, the bedsit properties in the Delwood Sheltered Housing Scheme be altered to provide 1 bedroom accommodation, with the associated rental alterations being introduced at the start of the 2007/08 financial year.

Members received a report which outlined details of an opportunity that was available to further invest in modernisation works to the Delwood Sheltered Housing Scheme over and above those currently prescribed within the Housing Capital Programme.

The report presented two options for consideration:

·  Option 1 - to undertake the Tenants Choice works and make no alterations;

·  Option 2 – to undertake the Tenants Choice works and make alterations to the layout of bedsits, by relocating the kitchens, to provide one bedroom accommodation, for those customers who wanted this, with the associated rental alterations being introduced at the start of the 2007/08 financial year.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised:

(i)         That Option 2 be endorsed and that, where a customer requests, the bedsit properties in the Delwood Sheltered Housing Scheme be altered to provide 1 bedroom accommodation, with the associated rental alterations being introduced at the start of the 2007/08 financial year.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To allow a choice for customers and, where this is taken, to improve the quality and demand for the housing stock.

To consider a report which seeks agreement to write off a number of former tenants arrears.

 (i)        That Option 2 be approved and the former tenants arrears totalling £61,549.68 be written off, as detailed in the report;

(ii)        That, with regards to the write-offs proposed relating to tenancies ceased in 2006, procedures be re-examined to ensure that further checks are triggered.

Members received a report which sought agreement to write off a number of former tenants arrears.

The report presented two options for consideration:

·  Option 1 – to maintain the former tenants arrears on account;

·  Option 2 – to write the debts off, on the understanding that if necessary they can be reactivated at a later date.

With regards to the write-offs proposed relating to tenancies ceased in 2006, Members highlighted the need to re-examine procedures to ensure that further checks were triggered in case individuals could subsequently be traced and the debts recovered.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised:

(i)         That Option 2 be approved and the former tenants arrears totalling £61,549.68 be written off, as detailed in the report;

(ii)        That, with regards to the write-offs proposed relating to tenancies ceased in 2006, procedures be re-examined to ensure that further checks are triggered.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:(i) In line with the recommendations of the Audit Commission’s 2002 Housing Inspection Report, as detailed in paragraph 2 of the report, and given that the write offs could be contained within the provisions of the Housing Revenue Account, as detailed in the financial implications section of the report;

                        (ii) In case individuals could subsequently be traced and the debts recovered.

To ask the Executive Member to consider a number of different incentives that could be used to reward loyal customers and encourage customers to abide by the terms and conditions of their tenancies.

 (i)        That Option 3 be approved and it be agreed that a pilot be set up to adopt the prize draw and termination of tenancy incentives for a periodof 12 months, subject to funding being approved, but not the loyalty card at this point in time;

(ii)        That the start of the prize draw in the current year be approved, given that the cost can be contained within existing budgets.

Members received a report which asked them to consider a number of different incentives that could be used to reward loyal customers and encourage customers to abide by the terms and conditions of their tenancies.

The report presented three options for consideration:

·  Option 1 – To introduce a number of incentive schemes on a pilot basis:

i)    The piloting of a quarterly prize draw scheme for tenants;

ii)   The introduction of a loyalty discount card for customers which they will be able to use at a number of national and local retail outlets in and around York;

iii)    The provision of a £25 reward to tenants terminating their tenancy for completions of each of the following tasks:

o       giving 4 weeks notice,

o       leaving the property in good condition,

o       allowing a pre-termination inspections and minor repairs to be carried out during the four weeks notice period and, where appropriate, allowing accompanied viewing while the property is still in occupation;

iv)  With regards to the scheme to encourage the homeless to repay their former tenant arrears based on them maintaining repayments over a 26 week period, the provision of an interim payment at 13 weeks to encourage them to maintain momentum;

·  Option 2 – To maintain the current position and not implement these incentive schemes;

·  Option 3 – To partially implement the scheme by introducing one or two of these initiatives.

Some Members expressed concern that the loyalty card and the prize draw would not provide an additional incentive for tenants to pay their rent, especially given the odds of winning the prize draw.  They also questioned how equity would be ensured between different tenants in different situations.  With regards to the loyalty card, Members highlighted the need to investigate other benefits that may be offered apart from the Countdown discount card, emphasised the difficulty of assessing savings that the pilot scheme achieved  given the crossover with the prize draw, and expressed concern that the Council would be perceived as endorsing the firms involved and about the risks associated with this.

It was proposed that Option 3 be approved, to pilot the prize draw and the termination of tenancy incentive schemes but not the loyalty card at this point in time.  Councillor Horton proposed and Councillor Fraser seconded an amendment to remove the prize draw from the schemes to be piloted.  On being put to the vote, this amendment was lost.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised:

(i)         That Option 3 be approved and it be agreed that a pilot be set up to adopt the prize draw and termination of tenancy incentives for a periodof 12 months, subject to funding being approved, but not the loyalty card at this point in time;

(ii)        That the start of the prize draw in the current year be approved, given that the cost can be contained within existing budgets.

[Councillor Horton requested that his vote against this motion be recorded.]

Decision of the Executive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

This report requests the approval of the Executive Member for the leasehold disposal of two Housing Revenue Account (HRA) owned garage sites to housing associations for the building of new affordable homes.  The approval would be conditional on each site obtaining full planning permission for the schemes outlined.

 (i)        That Option One of the report be approved and the long leasehold disposals of the Victoria Way and Fifth Avenue garage sites to housing associations, on the terms outlined in the analysis section of the report, be supported, subject to satisfactory planning permission and the approval of the Director of Resources/the Corporate Landlord.

Members received a report which requested approval for the leasehold disposal of two Housing Revenue Account (HRA) owned garage sites to housing associations for the building of new affordable homes. The approval would be conditional on each site obtaining full planning permission for the schemes outlined.

The report presented three options for consideration:

·  Option One - To support the long leasehold disposals of the Victoria Way and Fifth Avenue garage sites to housing associations on the terms outlined in the analysis section of the report, subject to satisfactory planning permission and approval from the Director of Resources/Corporate Landlord.

·  Option Two - To support the principle of the long leasehold disposals of the Victoria Way and Fifth Avenue garage sites to housing associations on the terms outlined in the analysis section of the report, subject to a further report or reports being brought to the Executive Members and Advisory Panel when all the planning issues had been addressed and full details of the proposed developments were  known.

·  Option Three - Not to redevelop some or all of the sites.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised:

(i)         That Option One of the report be approved and the long leasehold disposals of the Victoria Way and Fifth Avenue garage sites to housing associations, on the terms outlined in the analysis section of the report, be supported, subject to satisfactory planning permission and the approval of the Director of Resources/the Corporate Landlord.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  This will allow more detailed feasibility work to be undertaken on all the sites immediately and protect the Council’s interest in the land because they will only be disposed of as and when planning permission is granted for affordable housing development.

This report presents the first quarter review of the 2006/07 Housing Capital Programme and the resources available to support it and recommends that the Executive Member approves the variations.

(i)                 That the progress on schemes and minor variations made under officers’ delegated authority be noted.

Members received a report which presented the first quarter review of the 2006/07 Housing Capital Programme and the resources available to support it.

The report advised that there was one minor variation to Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants of £12k reduction due to changes in levels of subsidy and match funding level, and one minor variation to Capitalised Salaries of £17k due to budget amendments on revenue which had been offset by a reduction in revenue contribution. Officers were informed in mid July that they had been successful in achieving 75% grant funding for improvements to the 3 travellers sites of £302k over 2006/07 and 2007/08. More detailed information would be brought back in the second quarter report on expected timescales for delivery of the various elements of the project.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised:

(i)                 That the progress on schemes and minor variations made under officers’ delegated authority be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member.

To provide the Executive Member with updates and progress on Housing Revenue Account Service Plan agreed from April 2006. A separate report details the Housing General Fund.

 (i)        That the progress and achievements made in delivering the HRA Service Plan during the first quarter of 2006/07 be noted.

Members received a report which provided them with updates and progress on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Service Plan agreed from April 2006.

The report advised that the original 2006/07 budget reported to Members on 6^th February 2006 had a working balance of £4,513k. After a number of budget adjustments, including the allocation of recharges and insurances, the balance on the HRA was now estimated to be £4,568k. The net variations of £245k together with the budgeted balance of £4,568k now gave a total estimated balance on the HRA of £4,813k. As part of the budget process Members agreed growth items of £66k and savings of £244k. A review indicated that all growth was currently on target. The savings relating to the repairs partnership (£20k) were being closely monitored to ensure they could be achieved by the end of the financial year.

The Head of Housing Services reported that the HRA Business Plan was currently being updated and would be brought back to the December 2006 meeting of the Executive Member and Advisory Panel (EMAP).

The Executive Member for Housing thanked staff for their hard work delivering the achievements set out in the report.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised:

(i)         That the progress and achievements made in delivering the HRA Service Plan during the first quarter of 2006/07 be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member on progress on the service plan and progress against objectives.

To provide the Executive Member with updates and progress on Housing General Fund Service Plan agreed from April 2006. A separate report details the Housing Revenue Account.

 (i)        That the progress and achievements made in delivering the Housing General Fund Service Plan during the first quarter of 2006/07 be noted.

Members received a report which provided them with updates and progress on the Housing General Fund Service Plan agreed from April 2006.

The report advised that the original budget estimate for the Housing General Fund approved by Members was £1,333k. After approval of savings and growth and other approvals including insurance and recharge adjustments, the approved Housing General Fund budget was now £1,238k. This review indicated that overall there was no variation to the approved budget.As part of the budget process Members agreed growth items of £29k.  In order to balance the Council’s overall budget, savings of £86k were also agreed. All growth and savings were currently on target.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised:

(i)         That the progress and achievements made in delivering the Housing General Fund Service Plan during the first quarter of 2006/07 be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member on progress on the service plan and progress against objectives.

            This report outlines detailed proposals for accommodation for older people with support.

 (i)        That the proposals contained within the report be noted and approval for a detailed feasibility study and consultation exercise to be undertaken be given;

(ii)        That the proposal for the use of the 11 beds at Grove House as a mixture of permanent and respite beds for people with high dependency be approved.

Members received a report which outlined detailed proposals for accommodation for older people with support.

The report advised that the overall strategic options were as follows:

Option 1:  To make no further changes to Elderly People’s Homes bar the changes already agreed at Morrell House and Windsor House.

Option 2:  To develop a coherent 5-10 year strategy with health and housing partners which can meet the known current and future needs of older people by providing a range of specialist services across the city.

In the light of the Primary Care Trust’s (PCT) decision to withdraw funding for staffing to support 11 intermediate care beds at Grove House, there were also specific options that needed to be considered in relation to these beds:

Ø      To leave the beds empty and redeploy staff elsewhere within Adult Services within the council redeployment policies.

Ø      Remove the beds and use the space as office accommodation for the specialist home care team, which was currently short of space at Marjorie Waite Court.

Ø      The retention of the 11 beds as High Dependency beds. (Either permanent or mixture of permanent and respite).

Ø      To use the beds as step up / step down (recuperation) with charges applied as against the current position of beds offered free as part of the intermediate care system.

The Executive Member for Adult Social Services expressed regret at losing the intermediate care beds at Grove House owing to the PCT’s financial problems.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised:

(i)         That the proposals contained within the report be noted and approval for a detailed feasibility study and consultation exercise to be undertaken be given;

(ii)        That the proposal for the use of the 11 beds at Grove House as a mixture of permanent and respite beds for people with high dependency be approved.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASONS:(i) To support the effective development of services to meet changing demographic requirements and customer needs;

(ii) To maximise the efficient use of resources.

To inform the Executive Members of the work of the Adult Protection Committee for City of York and North Yorkshire as set out in its third Annual Report.

 (i)        That the comments on the work of the Adult Protection Committee and the issues highlighted in the report be noted.

Members received a report that informed them of the work of the Adult Protection Committee for City of York and North Yorkshire as set out in its third Annual Report.

Comments were invited on the whole report but the following issues in the Annual Report were highlighted for noting:

·        There was improved data available on the number and type of abuse cases reported for investigation. Across the whole area about 60-70 cases were being investigated per quarter with about 18 of these in the York and Selby area. Abuse was substantiated in just over a quarter of the cases.

·        Physical abuse was suspected in 50% of cases and the vast majority of allegations (86%) concern abuse in the person’s own home or in a residential setting.

·        Across the area as a whole most abuse concerns older people (68%). That proportion was lower in York/Selby but largely due to a high number of reported cases concerning people with learning disabilities in one quarter of 2005 (which may be due to an aggregation of cases being logged at one time).

·        The data enabled the comparison of the area against national and regional benchmarks and as it continued to be refined could be used more to plan preventative work.

·        The APC had been in existence now for over 3 years and it was an appropriate time to take stock. The foundations and building blocks were in place for an effective system but there was a need to strengthen links to other strategic bodies and also consider how adult protection fits within Local Strategic Partnerships (and Local Area Agreements), neighbourhood safety initiatives and the work to improve the general well being of adults set out in the Health and Social Care White Paper – “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say”. The Adult Protection Committee would be starting work this Autumn on working through these issues.

It was reported that information in future reports would be broken down between the York and Selby areas.  It was also suggested that the information should be broken down between the public and private sectors.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised:

(i)         That the comments on the work of the Adult Protection Committee and the issues highlighted in the report be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  In order to improve the Council’s response to vulnerable people affected by abuse.

This report presents the first quarter review of the 2006/07 Social Services Capital Programme and the resources available to support it. The report also recommends that the Executive Member approves the variations.

 (i)        That the progress on schemes and minor variations made under officers’ delegated authority be noted.

Members received a report that presented the first quarter review of the 2006/07 Social Services Capital Programme and the resources available to support it.

The report advised that the approved Social Services Capital Programme for 2006/07 was £586k of which £123k was grant funded income. The outcome of the minor variations agreed within officers’ delegated authority and the variations outlined in the report meant the Programme would stand at £671k of which £205k was grant funded income.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised:

(i)         That the progress on schemes and minor variations made under officers’ delegated authority be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member.

To provide the Executive Members with an overview of progress on Service Plans agreed in January 2006. This report covers service plans for social services and corporate services. The report also highlights a projected overspend based on the first quarter monitoring and updates the Executive Member on action being taken to reduce expenditure.

 (i)        That the progress made in delivering Adult Social Services and Corporate Services plans be noted;

(ii)        That the projected overspend on Adult Social Services and the measures taken and planned to reduce this be noted.

Members received a report which provided them with an overview of progress on Service Plans agreed in January 2006.  The report covered service plans for Social Services and Corporate Services. The report also highlighted a projected overspend based on the first quarter monitoring and updated Members on action being taken to reduce expenditure.

The report advised that after approval of savings and growth and other approvals including insurance and recharge adjustments, the approved budget was £31.7m. This review indicated an overspend of £1,702k to the approved budget before actions were taken to bring the overspend down, an increase of 5.4%. If the actions being taken were achieved, the overspend could reduce to £651k, an increase of 2.1% to budget. Caution should be exercised in relation to the figures for the running costs of the new home care service. Further savings could be considered to reduce the projected overspend of £651k. However, these would all involve either some reduction in service level, increased rationing of care packages or options to increase income. These would be discussed with the Executive Member and further options brought back to the October meeting.

As part of the budget process Members agreed growth items of £305k.  In order to balance the Council’s overall budget, savings of £552k were also agreed. £49k worth of growth and £65k of savings had slipped due to delays in reproviding Windsor House as an Elderly Mentally Infirm (EMI) complex and retendering of the Community Support contract respectively.

With regards to Older People and Physical and Sensory Impairment, Members noted that the delivery of services to carers had improved significantly with the introduction of the flexible services, with 36 carers receiving a service in the first quarter, and requested that information be circulated indicating what proportion of carers this figure represented.  It was reported that implementing fair access to care according to the agreed threshold and guaranteed standards had continued and was near completion.  Members noted that services had been withdrawn where they did not warrant provision under the guaranteed standards and requested that information be circulated indicating how many customers had been affected by this.

Members requested that future reports use a clearer format for the scorecards of performance outcomes and measures attached as annexes.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised:

(i)         That the progress made in delivering Adult Social Services and Corporate Services plans be noted;

(ii)        That the projected overspend on Adult Social Services and the measures taken and planned to reduce this be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASONS:(i) To assure that the objectives for Adult Social Services are being delivered in line with the agreed service plans;

(ii) To ensure that robust plans are in place to bring expenditure on Adult Social Services much closer to the approved budget.

This report gives the City of York Councils response to the Commission for Social Care Inspections Learning Disability Inspection in March 2006

 (i)        That the response to the Commission for Social Care Inspection, and the progress to date on the recommendations, be noted.

Members received a report which gave the City of York Council’s response to the Commission for Social Care Inspections’ (CSCI) Learning Disability Inspection in March 2006.

The report advised that the outcomes of that assessment were sent in a report to City of York Council in July 2006 and were presented to the Executive on 11^th July 2006. There was a requirement that a formal response was given by the City of York Council to the CSCI Inspectors as to the way any recommendations would be actioned. In addition, six months from the report being presented, CSCI would request a progress report.

Annex 1 of the report consisted of a summary of inspection findings and Annex 2 set out, against each recommendation, the proposed or actual action to address the recommendation made.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised:

(i)         That the response to the Commission for Social Care Inspection, and the progress to date on the recommendations, be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To inform the Executive Member.