Agenda item

The Panel will have an opportunity to ask questions to the Cabinet Member and to receive an update on any current issues.

The Chairman informed the meeting that Jane Shayler (Programme Director for Non-Acute Health, Social Care and Housing)  would introduce the Cabinet Member update (attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes) in the absence of Councillor Simon Allen (Cabinet Member for Wellbeing).

Councillor Bryan Organ said that older people are mainly interested in the quality and cost of care.  Councillor Organ also said that Social Care and Funding is quite difficult issue to deal with considering increasing number of older people in the country and increasing cost of care.

Councillor Vic Pritchard commented that the White Paper on Social Care and Funding (summary briefing and commentary by the Local Government Association is attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes) has some quite significant changes and asked if those will be implemented or they are there to stimulate the debate.

Jane Shayler responded that her understanding is that we are not expecting proposals in the White Paper to be implemented until 2014, which is part of the usual legislative process.  This is the next stage in quite lengthy process.

Councillor Katie Hall agreed with Councillor Organ on this matter and asked about whether the White Paper includes clarification of social care eligibility criteria and what should be considered a “substantial” level of need and what should be considered a “critical” level of need within national framework.

Jane Shayler replied that she was not aware that proposals rule out on Local Authorities’ view on what was considered critical/urgent only although there are proposals on tighter national guidance on what critical looks like, what substantial looks like and what moderate looks like.  There are quite a lot of variations as in some areas what might appear to be “moderate” level of need might be in other local authority seen as either “substantial” or even “critical”.

Councillor Hall asked how we, as authority, compare with other authorities on this matter.

Jane Shayler responded that our criteria are not as detailed as some areas’ criteria so it is more open to the practitioners’ judgement.  Jane Shayler also said that she does not have more detail on what the national picture is likely to look like.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson said that it was regrettable not to have Cabinet Member for Wellbeing to hear his views on this matter.  Councillor Jackson also regretted that White Paper is far too over-cautious and there is need for a radical thinking on this matter.

Councillor Lisa Brett asked if this authority will be feeding their views in the Care and Support Bill consultation and how the panel could be engaged on this matter.

Jane Shayler responded that it would be expected from Bath and North East Somerset to provide a response.  Jane Shayler also said that she would be happy to work with the Panel and the relevant Cabinet Member and agree a response via email.

The Panel unanimously AGREED to be involved in consultation on the Care and Support Bill via email.

Councillor Pritchard felt that Cabinet Member for Homes and Planning should be also present to discuss the appointment of the West of England Care & Repair (WE C&R) as the future provider of home improvement services in Bath and North East Somerset.  Councillor Pritchard asked what will happen with services that Mendip Care & Repair provided so far.

Jane Shayler responded that new provider will provide the services set out in the specification and it will actually deliver more service to greater number of people.  There are some things that are let to the current provider under a different contract, such as services funded through the “Section 256” funding.  Some of these pilot services that were facilitated by the Mendip Care & Repair might become permanent services.  If that is the case then they would need to go through a full commissioning process.

Jane Shayler also said that she will check what will happen with gardening services for people with learning difficulties in Radstock which was initiated by Mendip Care & Repair.

Councillor Pritchard said that it would be welcome if the Panel get information about the future of those services.

Councillor Organ said that Action for Pensioners were pleased with services from the Mendip Care & Repair and hopefully the new provider would be as good as the previous.

The Chairman thanked Jane Shayler for an update and asked that comments from the Panel be taken on board.