Agenda and minutes

(a) To approve as an accurate record, and the Chairman to sign the minutes of the meeting of the Housing, Health & Adult Social Care Select Committee held on 20 February 2013.

(b) To monitor the acceptance and implementation of recommendations as set out at Appendix 1.

(c) To note the outstanding actions.

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2013 be approved and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings, subject to the following amendment:

47. Shaping a Healthier Future, fifth paragraph, last two sentences should be amended to read ‘Charing Cross provided services for the whole of North West London, including 255,000 Hammersmith & Fulham residents. It was forecast that 220,000 (86%) Hammersmith & Fulham residents would use the future facility.’

Apologies were received from Councillors Carlebach, Coleman and Tobias and Ms Maria Brenton.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter.  The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Audit, Pensions and Standards Committee. 

There were no declarations of interst.

This paper presents to the Select Committee the Cabinet report on Public Health 2013 – 14 which was considered at LBHF Cabinet on 4^th March 2013.

Mr Derek Myers and Dr Eva Hrobonova responded to questions in respect of the Public Health Update, as Dr Melanie Smith, the former Director of Public Health, had not transferred to the tri-borough councils, which had agreed to a single public health team hosted by Westminster.

Mr Myers stated that an interim director would be appointed and that a short list of candidates would be with Councillor Ginn within two weeks. There would be a full appointments process for the substantive appointment.

Members raised queries in respect of the public health budget and specifically whether it could be used to support Adult Social Care. Mr Myers responded that all three councils had ended the financial year with a small underspend  on Adult Social Care. The Public Health budget was a ring fenced grant from Public Health England, and could not be used for other purposes.

The PCTs had previously commissioned a range of public health services, for the tri-borough  councils. Those relevant to the new duties of local authorities, as opposed to those of the CCGs, would be transferred. The financial commitment would be known and discreet.

Councillor Cowan stated that the Opposition had concerns and reservations in respect of the arrangements for Hammersmith & Fulham.

Members raised issues in respect of the budget and staffing. Mr Myers responded that, whilst the estimated spend on public health was £101million, this had been split three ways: tri-borough councils, Public Health England and NHS England. In 2013-2014, tri-borough councils would receive £71.3million in public health grant. The public health team currently comprised 48 posts, of which eight were currently vacant. 38 posts had transferred from the NHS and ten from Adult Social Care,

Councillor Ginn responded that the immediate priority was the successful transition of public health. A review of the service, including the public health and commissioning strategies would follow. The value of public health contracts by function, shown in the report, indicated the previous spend. Currently, the grant was slightly higher than commitments. Hammersmith & Fulham, over the next six to nine months would undertake a strategic analysis  of the previous spend and review the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA).

Dr Hrobonova responded to a query in respect of the availability of data, that there was specific health service data, which public health would continue to be able to access, and the negotiation of access to data from all relevant bodies would be one of the objectives included in the JSNA.

A member queried whether any discretion could be exercised in the provision of demand led mandated functions. Coucncillor Ginn responded that whilst mandatory functions would be considered as part of the review of budgetary allocations, information on performance management indicated that councils would be required to report spend against both mandated and non-mandated functions. In addition, there were clear links between these functions, for example the National Child Measurement Programme and Obesity, children.

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The Committee noted the report.

2. An update report be added to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

This report provides a review of the welfare reform legislative changes that have been implemented by the Coalition Government and the Council’s responses.

Mr Mike England, accompanied by Mr Paul Rosenberg, presented the update report in respect of housing-related welfare reform, which included: Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Rates; Shared Accommodation Room Rate Changes; and Overall Benefits Cap (from April 2013).

Local Housing Allowance (LHA)

The total number of households in the private rented sector affected by the Cap had decreased from an initial 540 to 100. There had not been a significant increase in private sector benefit claims within the borough, with just over 3,100 claims being managed in April 2011 and 3,150 claims in January 2013.

The reasons for the reduction in the number of households affected by the Cap was likely to be a combination of: people moving out of the borough; use of own resources to pay difference in rent (although this might be a relatively short term solution): households declaring themselves homeless (estimated to be 25/30 households); and landlords reducing rent.

Families having to move out of the borough because of the Cap was being monitored, but currently there was little evidenced of this happening.

Housing Benefit Size Criteria Restrictions for Working age Claimants in the Social Housing Sector (Bedroom Tax)

It was estimated that there were 834 under-occupying cases claiming housing benefit in the Council housing sector potentially affected by the Housing Benefit change. Of these, it was estimated that 629 were ‘under-occupying’ by one bedroom and 205 by two bedrooms. Within the Registered Provider (Housing Associations) sector, it was estimated that 648 households were potentially affected.

The Housing Occupancy Team was currently working with 115 working age under occupiers. 

In March, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had announced a number of further exemptions involving: foster carers; absent members of the armed forces; and persons with a severe disability unable to share a bedroom. H&F Direct would be working with tenants to identify those benefiting from these exemptions.

Overall Benefit Cap

The Benefits Cap of £350 for single households and £500 for a family was scheduled to be phased in from mid-July, with the first households expected to be capped in September. The duration of the phasing was not known.

The DWP had estimated that there would be 848 households affected in Hammersmith & Fulham, but it was believed that the actual figure would be 500/550. It was known that 67 households in permanent tenancies (HRA) would be affected. There were 178 households in temporary accommodation, Council directly managed and 187 households in temporary accommodation, managed by housing associations potentially affected.

Mr England noted that first responsibility for responding to the impacts of the welfare reform changes rested with the households.

The Council had met with all housing associations in the borough and established protocols for exchange of information. 

The HB Assist Team were in the process of delivering seven project work streams focusing on: LHA Cap; Benefit Caps; Universal Credit; Temporary Accommodation Subsidy; Employment Links and Under Occupation of Social Housing.

A data matching exercise would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

This report presents the performance of the Housing and Regeneration Department against target for the department’s key performance indicators.

The Committee received the Housing and Regeneration Department performance report for the period ending January 2013.

Mr England stated that the ‘%percentage properties with a valid gas certificate’ was currently 99.6/99.7%.

Councillor Ivimy recommended that, during the current contract negotiations,  the fine detail of gas inspections should be agreed.

ACTION:

Future reports to include data in respect to the qualitative element of the gas checks.

Action: Mike England

Mr England clarified that whilst ‘families living in bed and breakfast for over six weeks’ had been shown as ‘not improving’, the actual number had reduced from 55 at the peak to 31.The high number was a consequence of the dual effect of: the difficulty of providing alternative accommodation in the private rented sector; and the increase in demand resulting from the welfare reform.

In respect of telephony call, Mr Englands would confirm how these were monitored.

Action: Mike England

This report provides a general update on the development of day services for older people, people with dementia, disabled people, people with mental health needs and people with learning disabilities following the cabinet reports in January 2011 “Changes to Day Services” and in March 2012 “Remodel of Day Services”.

Stella Baillie presented the update report in respect of the changes to day services, namely: all age day services; reducing reliance on the use of building based day centres to deliver services; development of mental health services; the move away from block contracts to personal budgets; and day services for people with complex learning difficulties.

Councillor Ivimy commented that significant travel was an issue for many people, and asked for reassurance that a tri-borough approach would not seek to consolidate services. Ms Baillie responded that this was not the general intention. If it was necessary for services for small groups to be consolidated, there would be full consultation.

Councillor Vaughan queried the move away from guaranteed contract funding to a situation where people with eligible Adult Social Care needs used a Direct Payment to arrange and buy their own day services. Ms Baillie responded that the changes, which were at an early stage, would be brought about by a transition process involving a mixture of core and flexible funding. Adult Social Care would work through the changes with individual service providers.

For some service users, there would be a managed budget approach, whereby the budget was allocated but the money not actually given to the service user.

Ms Baillie responded to a comment that the re-organisation of the former Ellerslie Day Service had been successfully completed and the service now had a much smaller staff team, whose role was to produce independent living for those with mental health issues.  

The service had changed in that it no longer provided meals but encouraged service users to cook for themselves. During this period of change, the service had not been open to referrals but this would be reviewed once the service returned to the refurbished Ellerslie building.

Eight service users had been admitted to hospital since the service had changed, slightly higher than the average six per year.

The Ellerslie Day Service and the Nubian Life Resource Centre had not been amalgamated and retained separate budgets.

ACTION:

A further report to be provided to include details of the transition from contract funding to Direct Payments. Services providers and users would be asked to attend as expert witnesses.

Action: Stella Baillie/Sue Perrin

Councillor Cowan asked for information in respect of the Ellerslie Day Centre service users:

·         whether the service users before the redevelopment were still using the service; and

·         an analysis of the number of service users admitted to hospital and for how long, over a number of years. 

Ms Baillie invited members to visit the services at Ellerslie Road.

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The report be noted.

2. An update report be added to the work programme.

The Committee’s work programme for the current municipal year is set out as Appendix A to this report. The list of items has been drawn up in consultation with the Chairman, having regard to relevant items within the Forward Plan and actions and suggestions arising from previous meetings of the Committee.

The Committee is requested to consider the items within the proposed work programme and suggest any amendments or additional topics to be included in the future. Members might also like to consider whether it would be appropriate to invite residents, service users, partners or other relevant stakeholders to give evidence to the Committee in respect of any of the proposed reports.

Attached as Appendix B to this report is a copy of the Forward Plan items showing the decisions to be taken by the Executive at the Cabinet, including Key Decisions within the portfolio areas of the Cabinet Member for Housing and the Cabinet Member for Community Care, which will be open to scrutiny by this Committee. 

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The work programme be noted.

2. The following items be added to the work programme:

(a) Self Directed Support Procurement and HAFAD: Lessons Learnt

(b) Housing Benefits: How the system works and specifically people with temporary jobs.

(c) Hammersmith & Fulham Food Bank

The Committee is asked to note that the dates of the meetings scheduled for this municipal year are as follows:

11 September 2012

14 November 2012

22 January 2013

19 February 2013

09 April 2013

The date of the next meeting will be Wednesday 19 June (not 18 June, as shown on the Council Calendar).