Agenda and minutes

To note any apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Carol Bulman and Councillor John Place. Councillor Sarah Bennett-Wake and Councillor Dawn Clark were present as substitutes.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 17 November 2025.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 17 November 2025 be approved as a correct record.

In accordance with paragraph 2.24 of the Council’s Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking, set out in the Constitution, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.

Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days’ in advance of the meeting.

Petitions - To receive any petitions which have met the criteria - Petitions Scheme Criteria, and falls within the remit of the Committee. Petition organisers will be allowed up to three minutes to speak.

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There were no public speakers.

To receive a report to scrutinise the progress of the Adult Social Care Transformation Plan.

The committee received a report on the progress of the Adult Social Care Transformation Plan.

Members received an update from Chris Benham, Director of Finance (Deputy S151), on the Financial Review 3 (FR3) period and the latest MTFS position. It was agreed that a written briefing for all committees would be provided.

It was noted that for FR3 the Adults and Health Committee was showing an improvement in financial position from FR2 and was now showing a net pressure of £24,000. Increased in costs had been mitigated by staffing costs. It was noted that in terms of the MTFS, the latest position would be presented to the Council’s Finance Sub-Committee on Friday 30 January 2026. It was noted that the provisional government settlement was the outcome of the three-year settlement process and a fundamental review of how central government continued to fund local authorities. It was noted that there had been a significant movement of grants into the core spending budget. It was noted that over the next four year and Adults and Health Committee would reduce costs as a result of its transformation programme, but some of the initiatives may require initial pump priming.

It was noted that FR3 reflected where the committee believed that it would be at the year end. It was noted that there had been an increase in hospital admissions, but the position was more comfortable than where it was this time last year.

Members were updated that there were a large number of self-funders who were returning to the Council due to increases in care home fees resulting in personal resources becoming depleted more quickly, and that the borough was seeing a lot of pressure from local, and out of area, hospitals. Members were updated that levels of flu in the borough had stabilised.

It was noted that the current pressure was a small margin, and that funding from the transformation reserves would be necessary to support any additional staffing which may be required. It was noted that additional staff had been funded via the Better Care Fund to support the increase in staff working directly with hospitals.

The committee were updated that there were several different workstreams within the transformation programme. It was noted that the Shared Lives business case would increase the number of Family Carer placements by twenty two by 2028, with the aim of enabling better outcomes for service users and financial savings for the Council. The Supported Living project had initially assumed a saving of around £5,300 per user, but it was looking as though the project may exceed its savings goals. The Prevent, Reduce, Enable pilot in Macclesfield was showing good results, and would be extended to Crewe shortly. Members were updated that there would be a number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) brought to the next committee meeting in relation to transformation for Members to review. It was noted that there was a need to redesign Adult Social Care as a whole, and there were wider pressures  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

To consider a report which seeks approval to proceed with the recommissioning of Complex Needs Services in Cheshire East.

The committee considered a report seeking approval to proceed with the recommissioning of Complex Needs Services in Cheshire East.

It was noted that the recommission was looking to promote individual independence and to provide users with support within their communities. It was noted that the existing services were provided by two frameworks and the recommission was required as the current frameworks would expire in 2027, and there was a requirement to ensure that services would remain in place to comply with the council’s statutory duties.

Members were updated that engagement with advocates, carers and providers would be the first stage of the process, with events scheduled, and officers expected this stage to run until the end of April 2026. At this point there would be feedback from users and the views of providers on what was required. From May 2026 onwards, a model based on the feedback would be developed, and officers would present a report to Members in September 2026 to specify the type of procurement and models developed, which would need to be in place by 1 April 2027.

It was noted that there was a need to approach the new commissioning with view of the council’s financial position, its transformation programme, and to work with the market to ensure that support offered was in line with the individual needs, and the types of accommodation needed going forwards.

Members were updated that a wide range of consultation and engagement events would be planned with those who use the services, including advocates, cares, families and the provider market, and to ensure that there was an established supply and evidence-based model to meet needs. It was noted that as part of process, a multidisciplinary project group would be established to ensure coproduction of services and work in collaboration with people who use the services, and members would be kept up to date with the progress. It was noted that service users could also be invited to join the project group.

It was noted that as a result of the recommissioning, there would likely be no significant change to the number of individuals supported, but the type of services provided may change – including more “person centred” and independent living options. As part of engagement, officers would be engaging fully with individuals in transition to adult services.

It was noted that most of the services commissioned were delivered within the borough, however this was not always possible to deliver due to the complexity and rarity of some services. It was noted that officers would work with registered social landlords who provide accommodation to ensure that they were aware of the council’s need to ensure that service users were based as close to home as possible. However, it was noted that some users received specialist care which was delivered by a neighbouring authority due to the number of other councils which surround Cheshire East, and for some users, being out of the borough was a good solution – if they had family  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

To consider a report which scrutinises the Adults and Health Performance Scorecard: Quarter 2 for the year 2025 / 2026.

The committee received a report on the Adults and Health Performance Scorecard: Quarter 2 for the year 2025 / 2026.

The committee were updated that the scorecard had been updated since the last meeting to include a red, amber, green (RAG) rating for all items, and an indication of the direction of travel. The following key points were noted:

-       Residential admissions for those aged 18 – 64 had increased, with the majority of admissions from those aged 55+, which was primarily linked to early onset dementia.

-       The number of adults supported by Direct Payments was lower than ideal. It was noted that the Transformation Programme would help to address this.

-       The end of year report was likely to show an increase in referrals; which would hopefully be addressed by the Transformation Programme.

-       The number of users requiring “no further care” after their reablement package had reduced, which was related to users being discharged from hospitals earlier, and then being in receipt of assistance from reablement.

-       There was likely to be a rise in the number of cases related to mental health issues.

-       There continued to be a rise in the number of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) cases.

It was noted that as soon as a client made contact with the Adult Social Care team, it was recorded as a “contact”. Following the initial contact the case would be triaged to determine the best outcome, and may be dealt with as a referral, or they may be signposted to another service area for support. Therefore, the Council has a larger number of contacts that referrals.

Members suggested a number of additional Key Performance Indicators which could be explored in connection with the scorecard:

-       The number of cases which had been closed in a one month period.

-       The number of residents who no longer required social care intervention.

-       The number of closed cases which had been re-opened.

-       The number of high cost placements.

The committee were updated that with regard to closed cases, this would be complex to determine, as even closed cases remained on a social worker’s case load as cases to routinely review to ensure that the current level of care being received was still appropriate, and that with regards to high cost placements, users needs would be assessed on an individual basis and they would be receiving care appropriate to their care needs, regardless of the costs.

It was noted that further work was required with regard to housing options, and the council was still awaiting new legislation on DoLS to be defined and implemented by government.

It was noted that the data was presented in a way which enabled it to be comparable to all other local authorities and there were statutory procedures as to how the statistics were recorded.

RESOLVED:

That the Adults and Health Committee:

1.          Note the Adults and Health Committee Scorecard for Quarter 2 of 2025 / 26.

To receive the minutes of the Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board held on 16 September 2025 and 4 November 2025.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board held on 16 September 2025 and 4 November 2025 be received and noted.

To consider the Work Programme and determine any required amendments.

The committee consider the Work Programme and determine any required amendments. It was noted that due to upcoming changes to the Council’s governance system, the Work Programme would be revised from March 2026 and officers were currently looking at decisions which would need to be brought forward to a Cabinet System, Overview and Scrutiny Commitees, and the schemes of delegation.

It was noted that Members would receive a briefing on the Connect To Work Programme in February 2026, and that the report had been removed from the Work Programme.

Members were asked to review the work programme and contact the Chair or Democratic Services with any suggestions of scrutiny items that they would like to put forward for the Committee.

RESOLVED:

Members approved the Work Programme.