Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public note of of the inquorate meeting held on 27 September 2022.

The note of the inquorate meeting on 27 September 2022 was noted.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2022 were approved as a correct record.

To review the Committee’s workplan.

Members reviewed the Committee’s workplan for the meetings in 2023.

RESOLVED, that – the workplan be approved.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk relative to the annual review of the Committee’s terms of reference.

Members noted the proposal from officers to include a reference to the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013 in the terms of reference.

RESOLVED, that – the suggested revisions to the terms of reference be endorsed.

Officers from Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

Members received presentations from Officers in the Department for Community and Children’s Services relative to employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism.

The following points were noted:

• Following the signing of an agreement with the National Development Team for Inclusion and the Department of Education, officers from the Department for Community and Children’s Services would be establishing local employment forums to secure work placement and supported internship opportunities for young people with educational needs.
• Officers have secured a grant of £50,000 to run a programme until the end of March 2023 with the aim of targeting up to ten young people. This grant also offers the chance for additional funding if there is an increase  in the number of learners requiring support.
• The City Corporation, as a body exercising local authority functions, needed to ensure that the forums were in place, and that employers had knowledge of them, and access to them. Employers also needed to have detailed information as to the expectations of the employer, the young person and the local authority.
• The key element was to have active membership in the forums, and to have active involvement from the employers.
• The City Corporation had had to supply anticipated numbers of 10-12 participants as part of the grant application, but hoped numbers would rise to around 15-20. Officers wanted to ensure they had the time and resource to give participants as much as support as possible.
• There were 12 adults with learning disabilities known to the Adult Social Care team, aged between 29-60. Support schemes had been impacted by the pandemic, and the team were currently working restarting these.

The Chairman informed Members that he had requested for this topic to be included on the agenda as it was a problem across the country, and he wanted

Report of the Independent Chair of the City and Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board.

Members received a report of the Independent Chair of the City and Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board, relative to that Board’s Annual Report for 2021/22.

The Chairman commented that while the report covered both the City and Hackney, it was mainly focused on the latter. He asked if there were any supplementary processes for extra oversight of vulnerable individuals in the City of London population. Officers replied that the City and Hackney Safeguarding Board had a specific sub-board for the City of London, involving all the partner agencies.

The Chairman while the report included information on supporting the victims of modern slavery, he would also like to see more work done on the identification of cases. In reply, officers said that this was a priority for 2022/23. The Chairman requested that a follow-up on this work be brought to the Committee in twelve months’ time.

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.

There were no questions.

The Member representing City Healthwatch expressed his concerns regarding the concept of virtual wards. They approved of the idea but felt that it was the worst possible time for the initiative to be deployed. They asked if it was planned to use virtual wards in the City. Officers replied that City and Hackney were currently considering the use of virtual wards. The Chairman requested that an update on the issue of virtual wards be brought to the Committee at its meeting in May 2023. Officers suggested that it might also be beneficial to include information on anticipatory care in this report.