No disclosures of interest in matters under consideration were received.

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 June and 14 July 2022

 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Asad Shah  – 01274 432270)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 June and 14 July 2022

 be signed as a correct record.

ACTION: Director of Legal and Governance

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Asad Shah - 01274 432270)

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict documents.

Any referrals that have been made to this Committee up to and including the date of publication of this agenda will be reported at the meeting.

There were no recommendations referred to the Committee.

The report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “E”) updates on the procurement of a contract by the Department of Health and Wellbeing to construct a fifty bed resources centre on the site of the former Neville Grange residential care home in Saltaire.

The report provides compliance with Council Contract Standing Orders (CSOs) through which the Authorised Officer must, before inviting tenders or quotations for contracts with a total estimated contract value in excess of £2m, report details to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Recommended – Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee is asked to consider the report as presented and raise any queries and provide feedback regarding the work outlined.

(Iain MacBeath – 01274 432902)

The report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “E”) updated members on the procurement of a contract by the Department of Health and Wellbeing to construct a fifty bed resources centre on the site of the former Neville Grange residential care home in Saltaire.

The report provided compliance with Council Contract Standing Orders (CSOs) through which the Authorised Officer must, before inviting tenders or quotations for contracts with a total estimated contract value in excess of £2m, report details to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The following questions were asked by members and co-opted members about the scheme and responses given:

Q What happens if the remedial groundwork is undertaken and the land is not suitable to build on?

·         The Council will need to undertake the remedial works whether or not the scheme goes ahead.  It may be possible that the land cannot be built on and this is why the Council is engaged with the contractor at this stage.

Q What will be built on the site?

·         There will be 50 bed provision, split across three distinct sections so that each section can operate separately with staff changing and medical facilities in each base.  The provision is being planned in consultation with colleagues from Social Care to learn from past experience and ensure that the facilities are future proofed.  Copies of the plans will be provided for members of the Committee.

Q Is there any risk that a contractor will not be found who will tender for the contract given the £11.3m funding envelope?

Q What are the risks that a contractor may fail to deliver the project?

·         Both of these possibilities have been considered.  The procurement route needed to reflect the present supply chain issues and financial pressures.  It was doubted that a contractor would not be found and tenders would be put to tier one contractors who should be able to take on the risk.

Q Will there be any facilities for relatives, especially for those with family members with dementia?

·         The 50 beds will be to provide assessment and intermediate care to enable service users to go back to their own home.  There will be a cafeteria for relatives and meeting spaces for relatives to meet staff to help support people to move back home.  The beds are to provide short term care as the move is away from long term care.

Q Is guidance being taken from specialists in dementia care to enable people to return to their community?

Q Will the possibility of making provision for relatives to stay with people with dementia be explored?

·         The Council is working with organisations such as the Alzheimer’s Society but also has in house knowledge as two similar provisions have been built.  An outreach support team is being created to help support relatives and people with dementia to get them back into their own homes.   Family members are worked with closely to try to ensure that what is provided is reflective  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

The Report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “F”) provides an update on the Council and CCG’s jointly commissioned Carer Service within Bradford District and Craven.

This report provides information on the emerging needs of unpaid carers as a result of COVID-19 impacts.

Recommended –

That the content of Document “F” be noted.

(Tony Sheeky – 01274 433559)

The Report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “F”) provided an update on the Council and CCG’s jointly commissioned Carer Service within Bradford District and Craven.

This report provided information on the emerging needs of unpaid carers as a result of COVID-19 impacts.

The flowing questions were asked by members and co-opted members and responses given:

Q Why had there been a significant increase in the newly-registered carers from BAME communities?

·         External funding had been provided for community engagement which had an impact on reaching out to all communities which would have to be maintained going forward.  The needs of carers and the complexity of their needs had increased since the pandemic and the service was very focussed on providing support for carers.

Q Feedback received by a member was that Carers Resource provided good support to carers.  What percentage of carers did Carers Resource work with and what was the level of unmet need?

·         At present it was estimated that the service reached 20% of carers.  The target was to increase this to 25% by the end of the financial year.  The needs of long term carers will change over time.  The challenge remained that carers did not always identify themselves as carers.  Those who said they did not need any support were encouraged to receive the quarterly magazine.  Resources are not finite and they were looking at doing things in a different way.  During the pandemic they were in touch with the same number of carers either virtually or by phone.  Since coming out of lockdown the number of peer-led groups had been increased. 

Q What methods are used to reach out to carers?

·         There are good links with local press and radio and the use of social media.  Someone has been employed to focus on engagement and to work with colleagues in VSC.

Q How are we able to identify when carers are not coping?

·         Carers Resource often go into people’s homes and have significant finance for a household support fund.  They pick up things such as needing a bed, as the carer is no longer able to share with the person they care for.  There are robust systems in place to get money to people who need it.

Q Where caring breaks down who is responsible to identify this?

·         Sometimes Carers Resource can intervene but they may have to refer a carer to Social Care for respite provision.  They will do their best to prevent carers getting to crisis point.  A dedicated resource had been allocated to enable the needs of the carer as well as the person they care for to be identified during their assessments.

Q There has already been a substantial increase in peer support groups to 160, do you see this number increasing further? Will you have the capacity to support an increase?

·         The model that is used is that staff identify a need and a staff member will facilitate and try to recruit a volunteer to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

The report of the Interim City Solicitor (Document “G”) presents the Committee’s work programme 2022/23.

Recommended –

(1)       That the Committee notes the information in Appendix A and considers any amendments or additions it may wish to make.

(2)       That the Work Programme 2022/23 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

(Caroline Coombs – 01274 432313)

The report of the Director of Legal and Governance (Document “G”) presented the Committee’s work programme 2022/23.  Member discussed the contents of the Work Programme.

Resolved –

(1)       That the Committee notes the information in Appendix A to Document “G”.

(2)       That the Work Programme 2022/23 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

ACTION: Overview and Scrutiny Lead