Issue - meetings

Mr Simon Mitchell, Senior Commissioner, was in attendance for this item. 

1.    Mr Mitchell introduced the report and highlighted the name change of the service from ‘Community Day Opportunities for Individuals with Opportunities’ to ‘Everyday Life Activities, Skills Development and Training Opportunities’.  Mr Mitchell said, as well as supporting adult social care outcomes, the service contributed to the Change for Kent Children Programme to improve outcomes and life chances for children and young people in Kent. 

2.    Mr Mitchell responded to comments and questions from the committee, including the following:

(a)  A Member questioned the change to the service available to people over the age of 26 with learning difficulties, and the subsequent financial savings which would be gained through a self-directed support approach and asked for reassurance that support and better outcomes would be provided.  Mr McKenzie said it was important to understand that the service was part of a wider approach and core to the Making a Difference Everyday Strategy where people were given more choice and control over their lives through individual support planning to enable them to meet their aspirations. Mr McKenzie said he felt the £1million saving would bring financial benefits but more importantly there would be benefits for residents. Mr Smith said self-directed support was a way of giving power and control to individuals to live their lives.

(b)  A Member questioned the use of Dynamic Purchasing Systems for adult social care, in particular for older vulnerable people, where money was withdrawn from basic every day care.

RESOLVED that the decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health (in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services) to:

(a)      APPROVE the creation of the Dynamic Purchasing System for the delivery of Everyday Life Activities, Skills Development and Training Opportunities for People in the Community;

(b)      APPROVE the opening of the Dynamic Purchasing System on a regular basis to enable new services to join the framework; and

(c)      DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health and Corporate Director Children, Young People and Education, to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, to implement the decision.

be endorsed.          

Ms Meade and Mr Streatfeild asked that it be noted in the minutes that they voted against the recommendation.