Venue: Remotely via Microsoft Teams. View directions
Contact: Liz Jordan 01792 637314
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Disclosure of Personal and Prejudicial Interests Minutes: No disclosures of interest were made. |
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Prohibition of Whipped Votes and Declaration of Party Whips Minutes: No declarations were made. |
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Public Question Time Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions must be dealt with in a 10-minute period. Minutes: No questions were received. |
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Draft Budget Proposals Invited to attend are Cllr Mark Child, Cabinet Member for
Adult Social Care and Community Health Services, Cllr Elliott King, Cabinet
Member for Children Services and relevant Social Services officers. Link to Cabinet
Papers for 17 February 2022, which contain the budget proposals
(papers should be available online from 10 February 2022). The Panel is asked to discuss and agree its views and
recommendations on the budget proposals in relation to Adult Services and
Child and Family Services that it would like to make to Cabinet. The conveners of each of the performance panels will feed in
the views of their panel to the Service Improvement and Finance Performance
Panel, which meets on 15 February and has been convened to
specifically look at the draft budget. Chris Holley, Convener of the
Service Improvement and Finance Performance Panel will then attend Cabinet on
the 17 February to feed in the collective views of the scrutiny performance
panels. Minutes: Councillors Mark
Child, Elliott King and Alison Pugh along with relevant officers attended and
went through the proposed budget proposals in relation to Adult Services, Child
and Family Services and Poverty and Prevention, highlighting the main issues
and answering questions. The Panel agreed the
following views and recommendations on the budget proposals in relation to
Social Services it would like to make to Cabinet:
The Convener of the Service Improvement and Finance Panel will attend
Cabinet on 17 February to feed in the collective views of the scrutiny
performance panels and write a letter to the Cabinet member. |
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Update on Management of Covid-19 Pandemic and Emergency Staffing Plan Councillor Mark Child, Cabinet Member - Adult Social Care
and Community Health Services Elliott King, Cabinet Member - Children Services David Howes, Director of Social Services Minutes: Dave Howes, Director
of Social Services attended to present an update on the current situation
regarding the Covid-19 Pandemic and staffing issues. Discussion Points: · Panel informed contingency planning put in
place during omicron wave is first class.
Infections have plateaued at high levels of community transmission which
is expected to last until Easter time.
It will continue to be highly pressured until then but contingency plans
in place enable some scope to refocus on backlogs. Hope to expand day service
and respite offers in next few months and then from Easter concentrate on
transformation agenda. · Real pressures in Child and Family Services. Implications of number of social workers not
being at levels they need to be meant had to recruit differently qualified
staff, who need to focus on areas that allow for qualified social workers to
concentrate on highest areas of risk and individuals with greatest levels of
vulnerability. · Panel queried impact of long covid on
Department’s plans. Informed elements of
Health and Social Care offer will need to be remodelled and Health Service has
established specialist long covid service in the region, but funding is only
guaranteed until the end of the financial year currently. In terms of
workforce, it is not really significant in terms of numbers, but significant
factor is where got long term absences as a number of those associated with
long covid. · Panel asked Cabinet Members and officers to
pass on how much it appreciates the work and effort of management and staff
within the Department. |