Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED

That Councillor Rachel Bailey be appointed Chairman for the 2017/18 municipal year.

RESOLVED

That Dr Paul Bowen be appointed Vice-Chairman for the 2017/18 municipal year.

The Chairman thanked the outgoing Vice-Chairman, Dr Andrew Wilson.

Everyone present introduced themselves.

Apologies for absence had been received from Simon Whitehouse, Dr Paul Bowen, Louise Barry, Tracy Bullock, Tom Knight, Kath O’Dwyer and Councillor Stewart Gardiner.

The Chairman placed on record her thanks to Councillors Paul Bates and Liz Durham for their contribution to the work of the Board. She welcomed Councillors George Hayes and Liz Wardlaw.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 28 March 2017.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th March 2017 be approved as a correct record.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

There were no members of the public wishing to speak.

To provide the Board with details of the review of the Pilot project.

The Board considered the evaluation of the pilot phase of the Emotionally Healthy Schools Project. The objective of the evaluation was to assess the impact of the Project against its intended outcomes.

The evaluation had been carried out by the University of Salford CYP@Salford research group. A presentation on the evaluation and its findings was given by the Principal Investigator of the research group, Celeste Foster.

An important finding of the evaluation was that the schools involved with the pilot phase were already doing a good job in supporting emotional health and wellbeing. Any changes as a result of the pilot were therefore likely to be minimal. However, there were a number of distinct indicators of positive changes with all domains of wellbeing showing improvement.

Whilst overall the evaluation gave a positive picture, the Board noted the relatively low level of staff participation in the pilot and a difference in perception between staff and pupils regarding the issue of bullying which was a significant concern among pupils. The Board also considered the need to involve less engaged schools in the project.

Celeste Foster was thanked for her presentation.

RESOLVED

That the findings of the evaluation be noted and the continuation of the project and the rollout of Phase 2 be supported.

To inform the Board of the new Children’s Improvement Plan for 2017-18 and allow the Board to scrutinise the progress of Children’s Social Care against the Plan.

The Board considered the Children’s Improvement Plan for 2017-18 and progress against the current Improvement Plan.

The Plan aimed to improve the outcomes of the most vulnerable children and young people in Cheshire East through improving the quality of children’s social care services. This year, there would be a change in the way that services were delivered to put the needs of children and young people at the heart of the service and to support families to develop long lasting, sustainable solutions. The quality assurance process would be aligned to the Signs of Safety approach. A campaign for change across the partnership would be implemented to develop a shared culture and ambition for children and young people in Cheshire East. Progress would be assessed through audit reports, feedback from children, young people, parents and carers, staff and partners.

The Board considered the quarter 3 progress report which showed that service improvements had resulted in better quality services and improved decision-making. Significant improvements included an increase in good quality practice, more evidence-based decision-making and smarter child protection plans. The social work workforce had stabilised, and two experienced child protection managers had been appointed to the

Child in Need Protection Team in Crewe. A number of key areas for improvement had been identified.

RESOLVED

That the Children’s Improvement Plan for 2017-18 and the 3^rd Quarter progress report be noted.

To provide the Board with the information on the 3^rd Quarter metrics for the Better Care Fund.

The Board considered the 3^rd Quarter report for the Better Care Fund.

The report provided a summary of the key points arising from the return, and recommended next steps to improve performance within the Cheshire East health and social care system. The report looked in turn at income and expenditure, metrics and next steps.

The draft guidance for the Integration and Better Care Fund planning requirements for 2017-19 had been published but had not been finalised by NHS England and the LGA as at 11^th May 2017. Key changes to the policy framework since 2016-17 included a requirement for plans to be developed for a two-year period instead of one; and the number of national conditions which local areas would need to meet through the planning process in order to access funding had been reduced from eight to four. It was likely that a report on the new plan would be considered by the Board in September.

It was proposed that future reports would include key performance indicators and would be restructured in a way which was more compatible with overview and scrutiny requirements.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the contents of the Better Care Fund 3^rd Quarter report be noted; and

2.    the introduction of the Improved Better Care Fund forthcoming requirements of the 2017-19 plan be noted.

To receive a verbal report.

Jerry Hawker referred to a public document called ‘Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View’ and to plans to cap expenditure on health services within the Cheshire East footprint.

Eastern Cheshire CCG was required to make £24.6M of savings in 2017/18. £15M of savings were already included in expenditure plans, leaving £9.6M further savings to be made. The CCG would be putting options to NHS England the day after the Board’s meeting. It may be necessary to make some difficult choices about accessibility and convenience of services. South Cheshire CCG was facing similar challenges.

Dr Andrew Wilson commented that this was a significant financial discipline and a change of approach.

Mark Palethorpe advised that the proposed expenditure cap did not include social care but did include continuing health care. Overview and scrutiny would want to look at the implications of any significant service changes.

RESOLVED

That the situation be noted and further developments be awaited.

To share the findings from the work to introduce participatory budgeting.

The Board considered a report on the findings from work to introduce participatory budgeting. The report was co-presented by Shelley Brough, Commissioning Manager, and Dan Coyne, Delivering Differently in Neighbourhoods Manager, Cheshire East Council.

Cheshire East Council’s Public Health and Communities Teams had worked together to co-produce a local Participatory Budgeting model with communities which aimed to co-commission community-based early intervention and prevention activities to improve public health outcomes.

Participatory Budgeting directly engaged and empowered local people in making decisions on the spending priorities for a defined public budget. In Cheshire East the defined budget was £400,000 specifically for reduced health inequalities, improved public health outcomes and to support the development of sustainable Local Community Networks. 

It was felt that Participatory Budgeting was an approach that could be developed further and from which important lessons could be learned.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the learning and evidence from the Participatory Budgeting project be used to inform the development of guidance toolkits and best practice for community-based commissioning across Cheshire East; and

2.    commissioners recognise Participatory Budgeting as an option for future commissioning activities.

To provide the Board with the opportunity to vote on additional associate non-voting members of the Board being appointed.

The Board considered proposals to appoint a number of additional associate non-voting members.

Paragraph 5.3 of the Board’s terms of reference gave the Board authority to appoint non-voting associate members to the Board for one year subject to re-selection at the following Annual General Meeting.

The Board considered the appointment of individual representatives of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and the CVS Cheshire East as non-voting associate members for a period of one year.

RESOLVED

That in accordance with paragraph 5.3 of the Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board Terms of Reference, additional non-voting associate members of the Board be appointed for a period of one year (for review at the next AGM) from the following three organisations:

§  The Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office

§  The Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

§  CVS Cheshire East