Agenda item

1.    The Vice Chairman introduced the item and invited the proposer of the call-in, Ms Meade, to provide an overview of the reasons for her call-in. Mr Streatfeild as the seconder was also invited to speak.

2.    Ms Meade set out the reasons for her call-in. She raised concerns that the Making a Difference Every Day strategy did not include the necessary level of detail, when taking account of its financial priorities, implications and impact on residents.

3.    Mr Streatfeild as the seconder gave his reason for supporting the call-in. He emphasised the need for the strategy to include how commissioned service changes would be made whilst also achieving improved outcomes. He stated that detail on resources and accountability was required to ensure that the strategy’s outcomes could be effectively monitored.

4.    The Vice Chairman invited Mrs Bell to provide an overview of the decision.

5.    Mrs Bell gave an overview of the decision, to adopt Making a Difference Every Day: Our Strategy for Adult Social Care in Kent, 2022-2027, as KCC’s adult social care strategy. She outlined the strategy development process over the previous year, including the involvement of a Member Working Group and Cabinet Committee consultation. She stated that the strategy presented a new approach to adult social care and was built upon a principle of coproduction with stakeholders. She stated that the strategy was proportionate to the desired outcomes and had been designed to be accessible to all service users and staff. Whilst noting that an adult social care strategy was not a statutory requirement, she asserted that it represented best practice, with reassurance given to Members that its core principles were in line with the Council’s draft strategic statement. She confirmed that delivery plans would follow, with performance reported to the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee.

6.    A Member commended the strategy’s accessible format as well as the extent of public and Member engagement over the past year.

7.    A Member raised concerns that the strategy did not include risk assessments or business cases for the service redesign. They asked how service users views and experiences would be balanced against future savings. Ms Gillivan confirmed that delivery plans will have key performance indicators which will be reported to the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee. Mr Smith reassured the Committee that Adult Social Care had legal duties and sufficient resources to fulfil them. In terms of delivery, he confirmed that the strategy would be used to hold partners and commissioned services to account on their performance against the strategic objectives.

8.    A Member asked whether delivery plans would be scrutinised by Members prior to implementation. Mr Smith confirmed that as the delivery plans would be operational it was not intended for these to be taken as key decisions.

9.    Members stressed the importance of monitoring delegated actions and delivery on a bi-annual basis at the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee.

10.Mr Streatfeild moved and Dr Sullivan seconded recommendation (c) “that the Scrutiny Committee require implementation of the decision to be postponed pending reconsideration of the matter by the decision-maker in light of the Committee’s comments.”

11.Members voted on the motion. The motion was lost.

12.Mr Jeffrey moved and Mr Love seconded recommendation (b) “that the Scrutiny Committee express comments but not require reconsideration of the decision.”

13.Members voted on the motion. The motion was carried.

14.The Vice Chairman thanked Mrs Bell and the officers for their attendance as well as the Committee for its consideration of the call-in.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Committee express comments but not require reconsideration of the decision.