Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17^th June 2014 were agreed and signed as a true record.

Report of the Executive Director, Place

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director, People that detailed the outcome of the Adult Social Care Peer Review and sought approval for the Adult Social Care Commissioning and Personalisation Plan.

A number of significant local and national financial and policy challenges were being experienced across Adult Social Care. Further reductions in the local government settlement, along with increased demand on resources through changes introduced through the Care Act, meant Adult Social Care had to continue to improve the way services were provided in line with managing the increasingly challenging financial position.

The Local Government Association (LGA) launched its approach to Sector Led Improvement, in 2011. This was launched following the removal of national targets and assessments with the aim of driving improvement through self-regulation and innovation. In addition, the LGA's ‘Rewiring Public Services' campaign endorsed the central role that peer challenge played in ending bureaucratic inspection, improving all Councils impacts on issues like economic development, improving social care and pressing ahead with transforming public services.

A regional Adult Social Care Sector Led Improvement Board, chaired by the Chief Executive of the Council, was responsible for driving and monitoring progress of the Sector Led Improvement programme. As part of this regional approach each of the 14 local authorities had agreed to participate in a Peer Review. The Association for Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) had agreed to support this approach as the Peer Review formed part of the wider regional Sector Led Improvement programme. Peer Review included a self-assessment and an on-site review that took place over the period of four days and consisted of a team led by a Director of Adult Services, a lead Elected Member, Assistant Directors and Experts by Experience.  The scope of the review was agreed between the Local Authority and the lead Director.

Coventry City Council’s Adult Social Care was subject to a Peer Review in March 2014.  The scope of this Review was the City Council’s approach to Commissioning and how this could reduce demand for traditional services through the use of community assets, families and friends.  Five key lines of enquiry were identified to give focus to the Review. 

Following the conclusion of the Peer Review the findings outlined strengths and areas for consideration. As a response to this an Adult Social Care Commissioning and Personalisation Plan (2014 – 2016) had been developed to outline the key areas and provide a strategy to progress the responses to the findings of the Review along with the other financial and service challenges facing Adult Social Care.

The Cabinet Member supported the proposals to respond to the findings of the Review through the Personalisation Plan and confirmed that progress of the Plan would be monitored through her Cabinet Member meetings and also through the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board (5).

The Cabinet Member noted that a Briefing on the new Care Act, which was due for implementation during 2015/16 and 2016/17 and was likely to lead  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

There were no other items of public business.