Agenda and minutes

Noted.

(1)       The Minutes of the meeting held on the 19 March 2009 were agreed as a true record.

(2)       Matters arising were dealt with and noted as appropriate.

Thursday  18 March 2010

Thursday  24 June 2010

Tuesday   12 October 2010

Thursday  16 December 2010

(All meetings will be held at Session House, County Hall, Maidstone and commence at 2.00pm)

The Commissioning Body agreed its meeting dates for 2010 as follows:-

            Thursday, 18 March

            Thursday, 24 June

            Tuesday, 12 October

            Thursday, 16 December

All meetings will be held at Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone and commence at 2.00pm.

(1)       Pat Smith placed on record her deep disappointment at the fact that having expressed a desire to attend any meeting arranged for Sub-Group, it had nonetheless taken place without her being able to be present.  Claire Martin explained the difficulties that there had been in trying to agree a date for the meeting and that there was still time to take account of views.  Mr Gibbens said that having noted and appreciated the views that Pat Smith had expressed, he and Cllr Mrs Anderson would arrange to visit Sevenoaks and any other district should they wish them to do so.

(2)       Mr Gibbens said that one of the main outcomes from the meeting of the Sub-Group was the preferred option that local councils should be represented on the Commissioning Body by an elected Member, supported by an officer acting as the Deputy.  As appropriate there also needed to be a focus on training and induction for new Members and officers to help them gain a better understanding of the role and work of the Commissioning Body.  It was also agreed that in future the Minutes from meetings of the Core Strategy Development Group would be included in the papers for meetings of the Commissioning Body so that Members could see the clear linkages between both meetings and the role that officers had played in the preparation of reports and recommendations.

(3)       Mr Gibbens said that in addition to visits as appropriate to districts and boroughs to explain more about these proposals, the Head of Supporting People and the Policy and Strategy Officer would also be visiting districts and boroughs to discuss the next Five Year Strategy.  As part of this they would be asking any elected Members attending those meetings to consider the representation of their district/borough at Commissioning Body meetings.  Mr Littlemore said that in noting that the preferred option was to have the local authorities represented by an elected Member that was not the only option and if a local authority wanted to continue having an officer as its representative then that decision had to be respected.  Cllr Austin said that he supported the proposals and welcomed the emphasis on the importance of training being provided.  Cllr Mrs Anderson said that the guidance from the Audit Commission was clear and that the Commissioning Body should have more elected representatives serving on it.  Ms Martin confirmed that she believed the Audit Commission was interested in evidencing elected member engagement in the Programme, but that this did not necessarily mean that elected members should represent their authority on the Commissioning Body.  This had to be at the district /borough’s own discretion.

(4)       Following further discussion, the Commissioning Body noted and endorsed the actions described by Mr Gibbens in his oral report that the preferred best practice approach would be for an elected Member to represent their district or borough with an officer attending as their deputy.  Future meetings of the Governing Sub-Group would be arranged as needed.

- Report by C Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report provided data on all aspects of Performance Management in the Kent Supporting People Programme.

(2)       During the course of discussion, Amber Christou said she felt more research needed to be done in regard to the reconnection data to try and establish where people come from originally.  It was agreed that she and Ms Vann would meet to consider how best that information could be gathered and presented.  Oliver Mills said he believed that value could be gained by benchmarking this work against that being undertaking in other areas and this was agreed.  Discussion concluded with Cllr Mrs Anderson thanking the Supporting People Team for the detailed work which had been undertaken in gathering and presenting the information contained in this report.

- Report by Ms C Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report provided information on the final outturn on the budgetary position of the Supporting People Programme for the year 2008/09 and the current position for 2009/10.

(2)       Following discussion, the Commissioning Body agreed the contents of the report.

- Report by Ms C Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report provided an overview of current plans and activity in relation to housing/housing related support for young people known to the Youth Offending Service and sought support for a growth bid to be submitted at an appropriate time in the future.

(2)       The Youth Offending Service was undertaking an in-depth review to improve performance and the report detailed the significant work which was being undertaken in order to achieve that.  In particular, work recently agreed with Supporting People included the preparation of a needs analysis with the Probation Service; the development of an alliance with the National Landlord’s Association, and determining how the Service could contribute effectively to the strategy of the Kent Partnership, via the Safer and Stronger Communities Board. It was intended that these areas of work would inform a report to be submitted to a future meeting of the Commissioning Body detailing the business case for the funding of a Youth Offending Service administered Deposit and Rent Guarantee Scheme for the young offending population.

(3)       During the course of discussion, it was said that whilst the importance of this work was appreciated, more work was needed and therefore any decisions to be taken at this time should be deferred.  Cllr Mrs Belcourt supported by Cllr Mrs Nicholas said that the proposals needed to be taken forward without delay and therefore the recommendations set out in the report should be adopted.  This was agreed.

(4)       The Commissioning Body agreed to support in principle the presentation of a business case from the Youth Offending Service to the Supporting People Commissioning Body under the auspices of a new growth bid process for a Deposit and Rent Guarantee Scheme which the Service would be responsible for administering.

(– Report by Ms C Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report supported by a presentation given by Mr Brendan Ryan of Thanet District Council, provided an evaluation of the inter-connected issues of Neighbourhood Deprivation and the housing market in the two most deprived wards in Margate, Thanet.  The report and presentation detailed how these challenges could be tackled by a multi-agency partnership approach and how the District Council working with the Supporting People Programme and other partners could contribute to the overall strategy to regenerate these areas. 

(2)       Mr Ryan said that the two wards of Margate Central and Cliftonville West were areas which were suffering particular concentrations of deprivation.  The situation within these two wards was, to a large extent, a result of historic problems in the housing market and the fact that the majority of properties were Victorian and over the years had become too large for retention as single family homes.  Many therefore had, over the years, been converted into care homes for children or vulnerable adults.  Other premises had been purchased and then sub-divided creating additional flats and a greater percentage overall of privately rented accommodation.  The position has been made somewhat worse by statutory agencies or voluntary organisations placing vulnerable adults and homeless people into the area.  Cllr Mrs Wiltshire said that despite the problems which these areas faced, the District Council together with other partners was introducing significant and radical proposals and policies aimed at bringing about renewal and regeneration.  These policies were reflected in a significant and comprehensive study undertaken by consultants and a copy of that study was presented to the Commissioning Body as part of this report.

(3)       During the course of discussion, Members of the Commissioning Body said that as a result of this comprehensive report and the presentation there was now a much clearer understanding of the issues faced and also an appreciation of the detailed and targeted work which was being undertaken by the District Council to address these in close collaboration with other agencies.

(4)       Following discussion, the Commissioning Body agreed the principal of commissioning an intensive accommodation-based short term supported housing scheme within the areas of Margate Central and Cliftonville West when a business case was presented.

– Report by Ms Caroline Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report set out a proposed growth bid process which would enable the Commissioning Body to make decisions about the future commissioning of Supporting People services.

(2)       In welcoming this report, the Commissioning Body agreed the proposed methods of dealing with commissioning new services.

- Report by Caroline Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report provided information on the achievement of the targets in the Annual Plan for 2008/09 and also outlined the relevant targets for the Supporting People Annual Plan for 2009/10.

(2)       Following discussion, the Commissioning Body noted the contents of the report and agreed the Annual Plan for 2009/10 as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

– Report by Ms C Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report detailed how the work of the Supporting People Team, the Supporting People Commissioning Body and the Core Strategy Development Group was to be co-ordinated over the next 12 months.

(2)       Following discussion, the Commissioning Body agreed the 2009/10 Work Plan as set out in the Appendix to this report.

– Report by Ms C Highwood, Director of Strategic Business Support, Kent Adult Social Services)

(1)       This report provided Members of the Commissioning Body with an update on the development on the next Five Year Supporting People Strategy.  The Kent Supporting People Programme Strategy is due to be reported to the Commissioning Body for decision in March 2010 and the project and action plan to deliver that strategy was reported and agreed by the Commissioning Body at its meeting in March 2009.

(2)       The Commissioning Body noted that the Supporting People Team had organised a workshop for Members to be held on 14 July 2009 and that a consultation conference had also been organised and would be held on 17 September 2009 at Kingshill, Kent.  The consultation conference would also be attended by Members of the Core Strategy Development Group, the Executive Board of Providers and representatives of the East and West Kent Provider Inclusive Forums.  At the conference the Supporting People Team would present findings of work carried out so far and invite comments to be made in regard to shaping the final plan.

(3)       Following discussion, the Commissioning Body noted the contents of the report.