Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Deputy Catherine McGuiness, Henrika Priest, Elizabeth Rogula, Judith Pleasance, Alex Deane and Nigel Priest.

Mr Gareth Moore declared an interest in housing matters, as a tenant of Golden Lane Estate, and Deputy Henry Jones declared an interest in matters relating to the Middlesex Street Estate as he was a residential and business lease holder.

To agree the minues of the previous Committee meeting (copy attached)

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 12^th July 2013 be approved as a correct record.

Matter Arising

1.     In response to a query from Members, Officers confirmed that average number of rough sleepers in the City during August was 16.

2.     Members were informed that the Balfour Beauty Youth Conference had taken place on 16^th September 2013, and Members were grateful for the City Corporation’s support.

3.     The Chairman informed Members that he would deliver a presentation on his trip to Finland at the October Committee meeting.

4.     The Town Clerk was asked to circulate minutes of Health and Wellbeing Board meetings as part of future Community and Children’s Services Committee agendas for the information of Committee Members.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and were informed that in June 2013, as part of the Grand Committee's review of its sub committees and allocation of Lead Members’ responsibilities, it was agreed that the current Chairman of the Adults Advisory Group (AAG) , Deputy Billy Dove, would continue as its Chairman. The AAG meet on a quarterly basis and would report on its activity on an annual basis to the Grand Committee and the Health and Well Being Board.

Officers informed Members that the AAG played a key role in facilitating opportunities for service users, carers, voluntary organisations, officers and Members to help collectively shape practice and policy in Adult Social Care through a process of consultation and co- production.

Members were informed that the focus of the AAG included:

• facilitating opportunities for co-produced policy and practice development;

• updating Members on the transformation of social care and the personalisation agenda;

• updating Members on consultations, guidance and legislative changes in respect of Adult Social Care at national and local level;

• updating members on key issues in relation to safeguarding adults;

• ensuring that adults and older people from socially and/or economically excluded groups are involved in the planning, development and review of services within the City of London Corporation;

• providing opportunities for the representatives of key stakeholder groups to meet together to promote information exchange, networking and disseminate good practice for example representatives from the Safeguarding Adult Board, Older People Reference Group and Commissioning.

In response to a query from Members, Officers said Dementia Cafes provided an area for people to come together and talk about their situation in an informal environment. Members noted that the report had been endorsed by the City’s Health and Wellbeing Board. In

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services informing Members that the City of London in partnership with St Mungo Community Housing Association opened The Lodge at St Ursula’s (The Lodge) in March 2010.

The Lodge, now in its third year, had been very successful and had a major impact on the lives of long term rough sleepers who lived on the streets of London for many years. Guests at The Lodge include 15 individuals from the City streets. It was recognised nationally as a project that worked well with the particular client group

– long term rough sleepers who were over 40 years of age. The Lodge had identified a core group of guests, who having settled from the street, were unlikely to be able to maintain independent accommodation. Central government was approached to consider funding a permanent move on accommodation for this cohort. The funding was confirmed in August 2012 with an expectation that

Lodge II would be completed by April 2015.

A building had been identified in the Square Mile and was ideally located. The building was in Middle Street and currently occupied by Providence Row Housing Association (PRHA).

Officers invited Members to visit the location and said that they would be happy to arrange visits to Lodge II. In response to a query from Members, Officers said they anticipated that once planning had been approved for the development at Grange Road, building would commence in winter 2013. Residents from Middle Street would move in July 2014 to Grange Road. Work would then commence on Middle Street with an expected completion date April 2015.

RESOLVED: That Members approved the decision to allow officers to develop the proposal and to put this forward to the City Corporate Projects Board.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services informed Members on the progress against the Departmental Business Plan for Community and Children’s Services for 2013/14.

Members were informed that the departmental performance and progress was currently satisfactory to good. A majority of performance indicators were either on target or improving. Effective progress had been made in planned improvement actions across all five departmental priorities.

In response to a query from Members, Officers said that in quarter one, 100% of complaints received were responded to within the stage one response target. From April 2013 the final stage of Housing Complaints procedure had changed as complainants were no longer referred to the Local Government Ombudsman but referred instead to the Housing Ombudsman. Links to guidance on the new process have been added to the City of London website. A Children’s Social Care complaint received during quarter one had escalated to stage 2 and an independent  investigator appointed.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services informed Members that in April 2012 Toynbee Hall were commissioned to manage the Portsoken Health and Community Centre. Following this appointment an Early

Intervention Review was undertaken to prepare for the new health and

wellbeing responsibilities in the area. The review had now been completed,

discussed with Portsoken Members and senior officers and distributed to all

partners for comment.

Members were informed that a Portsoken Early Intervention Review project board consisting of officers and key partners (including City and Hackney Primary Care Trust, Toynbee Hall and the Sir John Cass School) produced a brief for the review. The project board, through a competitive tender process, then commissioned Rocket Science to undertake it.

The review recommended a new way of managing the Portsoken Health and

Community Centre, the establishment of a One Portsoken Forum and other

improvements to service delivery and community engagement aimed at

improving the health and wellbeing of both residents and workers in the area.

Members welcomed the report and agreed that the consultation process had captured a good range of people. It was agreed that the onsite café should remain a social environment and not a commercial enterprise. Members suggested that courses should be made available for those who were currently out of work regarding work ethics and basic skills training.

In response to a query from Members, Officers noted that the Health and Wellbeing Board should be engaged in this review and consulted when appropriate.

RESOLVED: That Members:

• Noted the Portsoken Early Intervention Review and any comments received by partners.

• Endorsed in principle the six priorities for action set out in the review:

1. A coordinated approach for the commissioning and delivery of services, bringing the services, providers and facilities

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services informing Members that a recent audit on financial management focused upon the following areas:

• Examined the adequacy of controls in respect of the documentation and

dissemination of procedures covering all key financial processes

• Reviewed arrangements for the monitoring and control of budgets

• Evaluated the adequacy of income collection procedures including recording,

collection, banking and monitoring processes

• Examined procedures in place for the raising of purchase orders and the

reconciliation, authorisation and payment of invoices

• Evaluated the efficiency of debt management procedures

• Determined the extent and effectiveness of communication between

department officers and Chamberlains including the capacity of the finance

team to discharge its duties effectively.

Members noted that a ‘Green’ Substantial Assurance level was provided as a result of the review summarising that there was a sound control environment with risks being reasonably managed. Any deficiencies identified were not cause for major concern. Ten green priority and one amber priority recommendations were made and agreed as a result of the audit. The amber recommendation relates to the creation of purchase orders prior to the receipt of invoices. Reminders to officers had been provided and arrangements made to reinforce this requirement on a regular basis.

Members of the Committee thanked Officers who were involved with the Affordable Housing Scheme on Middlesex Street for all of their hard work.

There was no urgent business.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

MOTION - It was agreed that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

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To agree the non-public minutes of the previous Committee meeting (copy attached)

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 12^th July 2013 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

There was one non-public questions on a matter relating to the work of the Committee.

There was no urgent business.