Agenda and minutes

Noted.

The minutes of the meeting of the Commissioning Body held on 20 January 2011 were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.  Matters arising were dealt with as appropriate.

The Commissioning Body noted for information the Minutes of the meeting of the Core Strategy Group held on 28 February 2011. 

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

(1)       At its last meeting the Commissioning Body had considered a report setting out options for the savings which needed to be made in 2012/13.

The Commissioning Body had supported in principle the adoption of option two but agreed that both option one and option two should be the subject of more detailed analysis by the Core Strategy Group. The views of Gravesham Borough Council were reported at the meeting which were to support option two.

(2)       The conclusion of the Core Strategy Group was endorsement to option two, with two provisos which had been recognised within the report and its appendices. Those related to the implementation and the Equality Impact Assessment. The Supporting People Programme would ensure that the priorities of the CSG in relation to the implementation of the savings were delivered.

(3)       During a wide ranging and comprehensive discussion members of the Commissioning Body raised a number of points of detail to which members of the Supporting People Team responded as appropriate.     It was agreed that there would be an impact assessment provided by the team to the next Commissioning Body relating to the impact of the current reduction in investment in floating support. It was also agreed that the Supporting People team would undertake joint assessments of the service users who were potentially impacted by the savings. This would identify mitigations that could be put in place to reduce the impact of delivering the savings. The Supporting People team confirmed that a report on commissioning floating support would be submitted to the Core Strategy Group in May and the Commissioning Body in June 2011.   

(4)       Subject paragraph 3 above, the Commissioning Body agreed that Option 2 should be implemented which would achieve savings of £7m on the Supporting People Programme between 2011/12 and 2012/13.

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

(1)    The Kent Supporting People Programme was required to deliver a 22%

                        Savings target within the main programme. The Commissioning Body had suggested that the team should commit to the same level of saving on the cost of the administration of the Programme, and this report sets out the proposals for achieving that.

                        (2)    The Commissioning Body noted the report and agreed to the proposal that the Supporting People Programme should deliver a saving of 22% in administration by reducing the number of staff within the team and by reducing other costs associated with the administration of the Programme. In order to achieve these savings the administration costs of the team would be reduced to £540K per annum from 2012/13 with staffing numbers being reduced from twelve to nine.

report by Angela  Slaven, Director of Youth and Community Support Services)

(1)       This report provided details of the anticipated outturn in relation to the administration of the Programme and the commissioned services within the Programme. There would be a further report submitted once the current financial year was over, which would provide a final financial position for the current financial year.

(2)       The Commissioning Body noted the report.

– report by AngelaSlaven, Director of Youth and Community Support Services)

(1)       The Commissioning Body had previously asked whether or not it would be possible for it to be granted delegated authority so that it could have some jurisdiction over the setting of the budget in relation to the Supporting People Programme.

(2)       Having sought appropriate advice it was the case that the ultimate responsibility and jurisdiction for the management of the Programme had to be with the County Council. And although the Memorandum of Understanding did not have any legal status it provided emphasis and transparency to the way the Commissioning Body undertook its work on the basis of best practice. Therefore whilst the Commissioning Body could not of itself have overall control of the budget it nonetheless played an essential and effective part in the management of the pooled financial resource.

(3)  The Commissioning Body agreed that The Memorandum of Understanding agreed on 20 January 2011 should remain in place and that it be noted that it was not possible for the Commissioning Body to be given any formal delegated powers related to the Programme.  The Commissioning Body further noted that it would be advised in good time of the indicative budget allocation to made to the Programme by the County Council.

Angela Slaven informed the Commissioning Body that KCC was going through a period of structural change.

As this would be the last meeting that Oliver Mills would be attending Mr Hill placed on record his thanks on behalf of the membership for all the work and support Oliver had given to the Commissioning Body and he wished him well for the future.

The date of the next meeting of the Commissioning Body is on Thursday 30 June 2011 in the Darent Room, Sessions House County Hall, Maidstone commencing at 2:00 PM