Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Director (Policy and Governance).

The Chair, Councillor John Walker, welcomed Chris Sinnott, Director (Early Intervention and Support) to the meeting. 

Rebecca Aziz-Brook, Transformation Programme Co-Ordinator, presented the report which provides contextual information with regards to the overall Directorate summary, the budget position and the key performance summary and key project update for 2019/20.  The data within the report reflects the position in quarter one. 

One of the key projects within the Directorate is to deliver a wholly owned company.  A report was presented to the Council meeting in July and the project is now being progressed by Legal and the Commercial Services directorate.  Members noted that staff will not TUPE over to the company and work undertaken for the company by Council employees will be recharged.   

The other key project is to develop a framework for building community resilience and delivery of identified projects.  The project is rated as Amber for quarter one due a delay in producing a draft of the community resilience framework.  The delay to this was due to reduced capacity within the Health and Wellbeing team, as there were issues with back filling a post within the team.

There have been significant changes to the top team at the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust which have impacted on the Integrated Community Wellbeing Service, but it is now the primary delivery vehicle for new ways of working developed through the Chorley Public Service Reform Partnership.  To further embed early intervention and prevention, the service will focus on working more closely with GP‘s as new place based networks are established for the delivery of health and care services.  Social prescribing is a non-clinical link worker who can highlight the services the Council can offer to residents.  Members were pleased with this new service and the potential to track where people are within the different services.

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust contribute £65 thousand pounds to be collocated within the Union Street.  The aim of the Service was to better serve the residents of Chorley and this has been achieved, across services including housing.  There are long term savings for health and social care.  It is difficult to measure the success of the Service, but proposals for performance indicators will be brought back to Overview and Scrutiny.   

Members queried the performance indicators in relation to Cotswold House.  The % of voids are higher for quarter one and this has had a knock-on effect on the % of rent collected which is also lower than anticipated. This trend is due to multiple factors including; a reduction in the number of referrals coming into the service; tenants are moving on quicker due to new builds and the improved service provided by Calico (Accommodation Providing Service).  Not all cases are suitable for Cotswold House and this will be monitored in the next quarter.

Members noted the recent press article in relation to food hygiene standards and the process for establishments to be reassessed.  High risk establishments are inspected more frequently. 

The indicators in relation to volunteering were discussed.  Time credits have been in operation for around ten years and the organisation who run it have changed their approach recently.  A review of the scheme will be undertaken, including how the many small community groups and the contribution they make within Chorley can be recognised.

There is a service level business plan relating to community centre management.  Phase one reviewed the charges for bandings and phase two will review how best to manage each centre.  This will be specific to each centre rather than a one size fits all approach and the Council will retain ownership of the building itself.     

Decision – That the report be noted.