To receive a verbal update from the Strategic Director (Children, Families and Adults).
Minutes:
Lorraine Butcher, Strategic Director of Children, Families and Adults, attended to provide a verbal update on changes to the management structure. It was reported that a re-organisation of the corporate management team had be undertaken and within this it had been endorsed that the positions of Director of Children’s Services and Director of Adults Services be merged into one position of Strategic Director.
Lorraine Butcher explained that this change had not been driven by a need to create greater efficiencies, although there would be potential for this in the future but rather from a recognition of a convergence between both the children’s and adult’s agendas. Attention was drawn to the way that Cheshire East might have appeared to have gone ‘full circle’ with the re-appointment of a Strategic Director of Children’s and Adult’s services. Lorraine Butcher explained that when the two Directorates had been brought together under one Director previously, both departments had not been in the position to make the most of the opportunities available. There had been a need to keep them apart in order for them to develop. It was stated that Cheshire East was now in a position were joint working between the children’s and adult’s services would be mutually beneficial.
Lorraine Butcher continued to report on a number of challenges and opportunities that would arise from the ‘joining up’ the management of both Directorates. It was highlighted how a number of common elements along with strong leadership and existing robust processes would enable both Directorates to make the most of the opportunities and overcome the challenges.
The point was made that the transition between children’s and adults services was often difficult for service users. It was queried how the service were planning to manage this and whether the newly developed management structure would aid this in any way. Lorraine Butcher confirmed that this had been recognised and improvements were being sought.
A number of Members noted their appreciation of being provided with an outline of the respective budgets of the children’s and adults’ Directorates. It was noted however, that it would be useful in future for the Committee to receive a detailed breakdown of the adults’ budget, including statutory and discretionary (ring fenced and non ring fenced) elements and information on overspend and under spend.
It was queried whether children’s services tended to take precedent over adults’ services in terms of time and resources due to the extensive regulation framework that existed around children and safeguarding. Lorraine Butcher reported that whilst this might have happened in the past, the regulation framework around adults’ services had increased considerably over the last few years. Additionally, Lorraine Butcher confirmed that neither Directorate would be in competition for resources and that each respective budget would be demand led.
A final point was raised in terms of learning from complaints. It was queried whether there were any good examples of were this had taken place. Sandra Shorter drew attention to the moving of service users from Santune House in Shavington to Lincoln House in Crewe. It was reported that whilst this created a lot of concern, an extensive consultation process had worked to improve the transition.
RESOLVED –
a) That the update be noted
b) That the Committee receive a detailed breakdown of the adults’ budget, including statutory and discretionary (ring fenced and non ring fenced) elements and information on overspend and under spend.