Agenda and minutes

Noted.

a) To agree the minutes of the meeting of the Commissioning Body held on     16 December 2009 and matters arising

b) To note the minutes of the meeting of the Core Strategy Development Group held on 9 February 2010 and matters arising

(1)       The minutes of the meeting of the Commissioning Body held on 16 December 2009 were agreed as a true record.  Matters arising were dealt with as appropriate.

(2)       The Commissioning Body noted for information the Minutes of the meeting of the Core Strategy Development Group held on 9 February 2010.

report by Mrs Angela Slaven – Director of Youth and Community Support Services, Communities Directorate)

(1)               This report presented the final draft of the Kent Supporting People Strategy 2010-15 and incorporated all feedback received since the first draft was presented to the Core Strategy Development Group in November 2009.

(2)               Mr Hill said that the Strategy had been developed in cooperation with key stakeholders and set out the proposed direction and strategic priorities for the next five years.  Also the Strategy had been developed on the basis that Kent would retain its current level of £32m DCLG grant. Any reduction in that level of grant would require the Commissioning Body to reassess the investment in services that existed at that point in time. Claire Martin spoke about the key priorities of the Strategy with a key focus being on young people at risk, dual diagnosis, supporting families and the single homeless.

(3)               During the course of a detailed and wide ranging discussion some members of the Commissioning Body raised concerns around the proposals to reduce funding for extra care sheltered housing needs, long supported housing, and the de-commissioning of some district based floating support services. It was said therefore that it was difficult for some authorities to agree to anything which may put those services at risk due to a reduction in funding or the de-commissioning of some services.

(4)               Claire Martin said that the proposals for extra care sheltered housing the reconfiguration of floating support and long term supported housing would deliver resources required for the potential investment in the services which had been prioritised within the strategy for young people at risk, dual diagnosis, single homeless, and families at risk. It would be difficult to deliver the strategy unless there was some reduction in funding and reconfiguration of services elsewhere. Claire Martin said it was important to be able to move the Strategy forward and if individual members of the Commissioning had concerns then she said she would meet with them individually to discuss them.

(5)               The consensus amongst the Commissioning Body was that the concerns which had been expressed meant that it would not be possible to agree the detail of the Strategy at this meeting and that there needed to be further discussion.

(6)               On the basis of the discussions the consensus of the Group was:

(a)     on the basis that there will be a further report to the next meeting , the principles of the Strategy be agreed

(b)     as required meetings be arranged with individual Councils  and partners represented on the Commissioning Body with the outcomes from those meetings being reported to the next meeting of the Commissioning Body.

(c)      The further report on the Five Year Strategy is to be accompanied by a report providing a strategic review of investment   

(1)            Mr Angell provided gave an oral report on a visit he had undertaken to an older peoples village situated in Milton Keynes. He said he had been very impressed with the concept and believed it could be a blue print for future older person housing provision. Tracey Kerly said that the Milton Keynes village consisted of 280 housing units and there were another 300 under construction. The key to the success of these schemes were building them to a high design standard and choosing the right environment.

(2)             The issue of health inequalities is something which the Audit

Commission is increasingly focussing on and is therefore something which the Commissioning Body needs to be aware of in its work.

(3)            Robert Clark briefed the meeting on the work being done with short term prisoners (those whose sentences are 12 months or less).The government was making significant financial sums available to fund this work which could of itself have possibly have a knock on effect of putting pressure floating support and housing provison.

The next meeting of the Commissioning Body will be held on Thursday 24 June at Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone commencing at 2.00 PM.