Agenda and minutes

Members of the public are welcome to attend our meetings to watch them in person at any of the venues across the County. Publicly accessible meetings held in County Hall will be webcast, which means they are available to be watched live or recorded on our website. Please see our webcasting notice here. The Committee may, in certain circumstances, resolve to hold part of the meeting in private. If this is the case, you will be required to leave the meeting.

Venue: Committee Room 'B' - The Diamond Jubilee Room, County Hall, Preston. View directions

Contact: Sam Parker  Tel: 01772 538221, Email:  sam.parker@lancashire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence received.

 

The following speakers were welcomed to the meeting:

Angela Esslinger – Complaints Manager

Sakthi Karunanithi – Director for Public Health and Wellbeing

Jackie Brindle – Safer Travel Manager

Chief Inspector Damian Kitchen – Lancashire Constabulary

Rhiannon Leeds – Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety Coordinator

Paul Bond – Head of Service Legal and Democratic Services

Donna Talbot – Head of Service Business Intelligence

Richard Cooke – Health, Equity and Welfare Partnerships Manager

 

2.

Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

Minutes:

None.

3.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 October 2016 pdf icon PDF 83 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members attention was drawn to the BTLS Staff Engagement Survey circulated with the minutes.

 

Resolved: That;

  i.  The minutes of the meeting held on the 25 October 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

  ii.  The BTLS Staff Engagement Survey – August/September 2016 Results circulated with the minutes be noted.

 

4.

Annual Statutory Report for Social Care Complaints and Customer Feedback pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Angela Esslinger, Complaints Manager, provided members with a summary of the report circulated with the agenda.

 

It was reported that overall, complaints form 1% of both adults and children's social care cases with an open referral in 2015/16.  Members were advised that complaints have risen across both adults and children's social care although it could be attributed to a number of areas such as:

 

  • Overall activity levels which have risen with assessments.
  • Ongoing financial complaints such as duplicate billing, incorrect invoicing etc.  It was confirmed that there is currently a drive to reduce this but due to the nature of these type of complaints relating to a system, it was acknowledged that these issues could not be resolved quickly.

 

In addition, it was reported that systems now in place make it much easier for complaints to be made although it was highlighted that this can add value to services by ensuring the learning is ongoing and is embedded.

 

For children's social care, it was reported that the overall rise could also be attributed to an increase in non-statutory CYP complaints.

 

It was highlighted to members that in adult's social care, there has been a rise in compliments.  The most significant increase for compliments has been around equipment and adaptions.

 

Members were invited to comment on the information presented and a summary is provided below:

 

A query was raised in relation to the rise of complaints for assessments.  Members were advised that a number of complaints related to either non-eligibility or to the assessment process.  It was highlighted that assessments were always subject to complaints by their nature and a potential negative outcome for the recipient (or family of the recipient).

 

Members emphasised the need to focus on areas that have higher numbers of complaints and where data shows that no significant change has been made.

 

A query was raised in relation to the fostering and adoption complaints.  It was confirmed that there were no specific themes to the complaints and these form of complaints were very individual in nature.

 

Resolved: That the report be received and acknowledged.

 

 

5.

Child Road Safety in Lancashire pdf icon PDF 308 KB

Minutes:

Sakthi Karunanithi, Director for Public Health and Wellbeing, CI Damian Kitchen, Lancashire Constabulary and Rhiannon Leeds, Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety Coordinator presented the report which provided an overview of children killed or seriously Injured (KSI) in Lancashire in the last five years and the actions aimed at reducing child casualties in Lancashire and proposals for future improvement.

 

It was reported that although there continued to be a declining trend nationally, Lancashire was showing an increase.  The following information was highlighted to members:

 

  • Peak hours for reported incidents were identified to be between the hours of 3-5pm for older children and 4-6pm for younger children.
  • Education packages were confirmed to be in the process of review to ensure they are accurately targeted.
  • Focus was required on secondary schools and were working on engagement.
  • Data has shown that between June 2015 and July 2016, 66 out of the 79 incidents reported were not in vehicles and in addition 50% of those were in the 11-15 year old age group.  From this, it was confirmed that 11-15 year olds age range should be a priority target area. 

 

Members were invited to comment on the information presented and a summary is provided below:

 

A general discussion was held around the 20mph speed limit areas in relation to data on child KSI and speed enforcement.  It was confirmed that police can enforce in a 20mph area although as a result of the reduction in resources, there has been a need to measure this requirement against other demands.

 

In relation to areas with dense housing with high numbers of children, it was confirmed that there would be a focus on these areas and at a smaller geographical footprint to identify where support can be given.

 

Members queried the causes around why the trend in Lancashire is different to nationally, and it was felt that there was a need to identify this as a priority to ensure that measures introduced would be effective.  It was agreed that a further report could be brought back to the Committee on this.  In addition, it was requested that comparators with our closest neighbouring authorities be included in the report.

 

Resolved: That;

  i.  The report and actions undertaken be noted.

  ii.  Further report be provided to the Committee after Easter (potentially 27 June meeting).

 

6.

Risk and Opportunity Register Quarter 3 pdf icon PDF 96 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Paul Bond, Head of Service Legal and Democratic Services, provided an update to members on the Risk and Opportunity Register Quarter 3 report circulated with the agenda which highlighted the issues which remain on the register as a result of the residual risk score.

 

It was reported that there have been no additions or deletions and that the report will also be presented to the Audit and Governance Committee at the end of January.

 

Resolved: That the report be noted.

 

7.

Quarterly Corporate Performance Monitoring Report - Quarter 2 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 324 KB

Minutes:

Donna Talbot, Head of Service Business Intelligence, presented information from the Quarter 2 Corporate Performance Monitoring report circulated with the agenda which included a post Ofsted inspection update (attached as Appendix A).

 

A number of areas were highlighted to the Committee from the performance summary against the themes of Start Well, Live Well and Age Well.

 

It was reported that from the information on the Highlight Reports – Quarter 2 performance with regards to the City Deal, the reported £124k investment of private sector capital by the end of quarter 2 was now over £1m.  In addition, the six month trajectory value of £2.3m was being reviewed it light of more recent local contextual information and data - as it was seen as high.

 

Members were invited to comment on the information presented and a summary is provided below:

 

In relation to the data presented on social worker caseloads, a suggestion was made as to whether further assessment was required to ensure that not only the number but the complexity of cases was clearly identified to ensure appropriate distribution. 

 

It was confirmed that in relation to the mandatory training for children's social care staff, the 9% of staff who have not yet accessed the training will be targeted to complete the LCS eLearning.

 

A query was raised in relation to the data on Lancashire Care Homes and the decline in nursing care as a result of a number of homes removing this service.  It was agreed that further information would be provided to members.

 

Richard Cooke, Health, Equity and Welfare Partnerships Manager presented information from Appendix A of the report on the Ofsted Post Inspection update.

 

Members were advised that 57 newly qualified social workers have been recruited as a result of the successful recruitment campaign. 

 

The Skylakes arrangement was reported to end in January.  It was anticipated that there would be an initial rise in caseload numbers but plans were confirmed to be in place to ensure children's social care were prepared.

 

It was confirmed that the next Ofsted monitoring visit will be 11 and 12 January 2017.

 

A query was raised in relation to the recent incentive offer of £500 to recommend a friend who has over 12 months qualified social work experience.  It was confirmed that this was from a suggestion which came to the Children's Social Care Post Inspection Improvement Board and was a scheme used in other parts of the country to help support the recruitment drive for more experienced social workers.

 

Resolved: That the report and comments be noted.

 

 

8.

Urgent Business

An item of Urgent Business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the minutes, the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Members' intention to raise a matter under this heading.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

9.

Date of Next Meeting

Tuesday 7 March 2017 at 9am, Cabinet Room B, County Hall, Preston

Minutes:

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Tuesday 7 March 2017 at 9am, Cabinet Room B, County Hall.