In the interest of transparency Councillor Lintern disclosed that she worked for a dementia charity (Minute 40)   The interest was not prejudicial and she remained in the meeting during discussion and voting on that item.

ACTION: City Solicitor

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2020 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Jane Lythgow – 01274 432270)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2020 be signed as a correct record.

(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. 

(Jane Lythgow - 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 referrals made to the Committee.

The joint report of the Strategic Director of Health & Wellbeing and the Bradford and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Strategic Director, Staying Well at Home (Document “M”) 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.

Members are requested to consider and comment on the report.

(Tony Sheeky – 01274 433559)

The joint report of the Strategic Director of Health & Wellbeing and the Bradford and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Strategic Director, Staying Well at Home (Document “M”) provided an update on the Council and CCG’s jointly commissioned Carer Service within Bradford District and Craven and on the emerging needs of unpaid carers as a result of COVID-19 impacts.

Appended to Document “M” were Carers Service Outputs April 2019 to March 2020 and a Member questioned the low levels of young carers supported. In response it was explained that figures provided were from the Adult Carers Service and a Young Carers service was funded separately by Children’s Services.

It was queried if Members were being asked to consider the re-commissioning of a Carers Service in the district.  For the benefit of Members who were not on the Committee last year it was confirmed that the report was to provide an update on the service following the report on recommissioning considered in November 2019.  It was further clarified that the contract had already been awarded for a three-year period with an option to extend.

The report detailed a small grants budget process to create additional opportunities for carers more likely to have poorer mental health.  The outcomes of that funding and the type of opportunities grants supported were questioned.  Members were advised that the grants outlined in the report were a new service provided in response to the Mental Health Needs Assessment and were in addition to the small grants process available for recreation and leisure.  The process to distribute those awards was on-going and awards had not yet been granted.  Examples of ways in which that support could be utilised were discussed and included financial support to purchase therapies. 

In response to questions it was clarified that the £100,000 budget small grants process referred to in the report was for Voluntary Community Services (VCS) to provide additional services and that there was separate funding available to individual carers.

A Member referred to a previous small grants payment from the Carers’ Resource and it was confirmed that this was a separate process to the grants being discussed and that this was still available to careers.

It was questioned how long the average waiting time for carers to receive support would be and for how long after a cared for person passed away was support available to their previous carers.  In response it was reported that the average waiting time for support was one week from referral and carers would be supported for up to two years following bereavement. 

In addition to support for carers it was questioned if the service could provide support for those being cared for and it was explained that work was on-going to consider work which could be provided through the Care Act.   That review was being undertaken by officers including the Clinical Commissioning Group; Public Health; commissioning staff and service providers.

The Chief Executive Officer, Carers’ Resource clarified that her organisation sign posted to many other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

The Director of Public Health will present a report, (Document “N”) providing an update on COVID-19 in Bradford District.  It describes the response to the first wave of the COVID 19 pandemic between March and September and includes the latest data on cases, admissions and deaths. 

The report also sets out how the Bradford District COVID-19 response is being managed during the second wave, explaining the leadership role of the COVID-19 Management Group and the ten working groups that feed it. 

The report concludes with a section on horizon scanning, considering developments which may impact on how we control COVID-19 in the future.

Members are requested to consider and comment on the report.

(Kathryn Ingold - 01274 437041)

The Director of Public Health presented a report, (Document “N”) providing an update on COVID-19 in the Bradford District.  It described the response to the first wave of the pandemic between March and September and included the latest data on cases, admissions and deaths.  It was acknowledged that the situation was changing rapidly and that since the publication of the agenda some changes to the statics would have occurred.

The report also set out how the Bradford District COVID-19 response was being managed during the second wave, explaining the leadership role of the COVID-19 Management Group and the ten working groups. 

The report concluded with a section on horizon scanning, considering developments which may impact on how COVID-19 was controlled in the future.

The report revealed that the district had seen a reduction in the COVID-19 infection rate but the Director, Public Health, warned people against being complacent as hospital admissions rates continued to rise. 

The statistics in the report included 167 hospital in patients with 14 people in intensive care.   This was compared to 105 patients at the peak of the first wave. 

A Member queried how that figure compared to other years and questioned if the figure was due to normal winter pressures or were hospitals struggling more than usual.  It was confirmed that hospitals were reporting additional pressure to the seasonal expectations and that some elective procedures had been stopped.  That would result in additional further pressure with people needing to access future routine care that had stopped due to the crisis.

The vaccination process was discussed and concern was expressed that not all GP surgeries would have the storage facilities required. Contingency plans for that situation were questioned and it was confirmed that the currently favoured vaccine would need to be stored at extremely low temperatures.  It was explained that there was an additional vaccine which was able to be stored in a manner which surgeries could accommodate and plans were continuing to be developed.

A Member referred to a door to door COVID-19 test he had taken and questioned the rationale for people receiving that service.  It was explained that up to date information was used to identify the areas with the highest infection rates and that residents were given notice that testing would be conducted in their area.  The Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods and Customer Services, explained that providing two days’ notice of testing had increased the take up rate from 1000 to 2000 in one week alone.  He agreed to pass Members comments about the helpful nature of those conducing the tests to colleagues. 

A Member who was also a doctor at a local hospital reported that he had witnessed a number of younger people being admitted to intensive care wards and suggested that information be communicated to warn people of the dangers.   He questioned how logical the restrictions were as his wife was able to mix with pupils at a large secondary school throughout the week but was unable to visit  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

The Overview and Scrutiny Lead will present Document “O” which presents the Work Programme 2020/21.

Recommended –

That Members comment on the information contained in Appendices 1 and 2 of Document “O”.

That the Work Programme 2020/21 continues to be regularly reviewed and updated on a rolling three month basis up to March 2021.

(Caroline Coombes - 01274 432313)

The Overview and Scrutiny Lead presented Document “O” which reported the Work Programme 2020/21.

The next meeting (Wednesday 9 December 2020) would include a presentation on the activity of the District’s health and wellbeing Voluntary Community Services (VCS).   Members were asked to inform the Overview and Scrutiny Lead of any issues they would like including in that presentation.

Members were also reminded that they were invited to attend the Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1 December 2020 to consider an item on Active Travel School Streets and Play Streets.  The Council had resolved at its meeting on 16 July 2019 that the issue would be of interest to both Committees.

(Council Minute 28 2019-20).

Resolved –

That the Work Programme 2020/21 continues to be regularly reviewed and updated on a rolling three month basis up to March 2021.

ACTION: Overview and Scrutiny Lead