Issue - meetings

The Advice & Information Strategy, revised following consultation and feedback from members of the public, service providers and other stakeholders,  now needs to be approved by Cabinet

Councillor Vic Pritchard in an ad hoc statement said he was pleased that the strategy had reached this point.  He observed however that the Action Plan was not included with the published papers.

Peter Duppa-Miller in an ad hoc statement [a copy of which is attached to these Minutes as Appendix 13 and on the Council’s website] asked the cabinet to consider use of the Town and Parish Councils as information points, particularly for self-service information.

Councillor Simon Allen apologised that the action plan was not yet available.  He explained that there had been two periods of consultation on this issue.  In particular, views had been sought from the Apex providers, CAB, SWAN, Age UK, DHI and the Carers Centre.  This group had been asked to draw up the action plan in conjunction with the Council, as stated in the report.

Councillor Allen said that the strategy was very ambitious because there were a large number of separate sources of information.  He thanked Peter Duppa-Miller for the offer of help from Parish Clerks.

He moved the proposals.

Councillor David Bellotti seconded the proposal.  He recognised that people wanted and needed to be able to get information from a single point.  He wanted to avoid the Council becoming no more than a signpost to other sources of information.  He felt these proposals would achieve that.

Councillor Paul Crossley observed in response to Councillor Vic Pritchard that at paragraph 8.5 the report stated that the action plan would be developed in consultation with the partners.  He asked the Democratic Services Officer to ensure that the action plan would in due course be published.

On a motion from Councillor Simon Allen, seconded by Councillor David Bellotti, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To NOTE the consultation feedback received and subsequent amendments made to the draft document; and

(2) To AGREE the Strategy.

The Advice & Information Strategy 2014/17 was consulted on with members of the public, a wide range of agencies and service providers and was considered by the Wellbeing Policy Development & Scrutiny Panel in January 2014. Cabinet will now be asked to adopt the Strategy

Councillor Allen in proposing the item, said that this was an interim report followed a six-week consultation. The results of the consultation, the review of the Adult Social Care pathway and duties imposed by the Care Act needed to be considered before a further report was brought to Cabinet.

Councillor Hall seconded the proposal and said that she thought it was a very good report. She thought the Council ought to consider example of best practice in other parts of the country.

On a motion from Councillor Allen, seconded by Councillor Hall, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1)  to note the outcome of the consultation on the draft Advice & Information Strategy 2014-17, attached as Appendix 1 to the report; and

(2)  to receive a further draft of the Advice & Information Strategy at its July 2014 meeting, which takes account of

a.  feedback from the consultation;

b.  the redesign of the adult social care pathway;

c.  the detailed implications and requirements of the Care Bill 2013-14; and

d.  the February 2014 Council decision on the 2014-15 budget, which will determine the resources available to respond to the priorities set out in the revised draft Advice & Information Strategy.