Agenda and minutes

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Panel;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2010 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2010 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

In accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, this item was admitted late to the meeting to allow a Vice-Chairman to be appointed to the Supporting People Advisory Panel for the 2011/12 Municipal Year at the earliest possible opportunity.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Lynda Seymour be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Supporting People Advisory Panel for the remainder of the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Executive Procedure Rule 51 (Part 4D of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting.

Report of the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing.

Officers introduced a report which provided an update on the Supporting People Programme, work conducted since the last meeting of the Panel and background to what services the Programme delivered.   Officers advised that:

·                    Supporting People provided housing related support to approximately thirteen client groups, ranging from teenage parents to the elderly;

·                    there were approximately 2,000 people in receipt of supporting people funding;

·                    the Young and Older People client groups would be reviewed over the next 18 months to ensure that they were receiving the best services for housing related needs and represented value for money;

·                    one of the most important aspects of Supporting People was monitoring the quality of service.  To ensure consistency, service providers were assessed against the five core Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) objectives:

(i)                 Assessment and Support Planning;

(ii)               Security, Health and Safety;

(iii)             Safeguarding and Protection from Abuse;

(iv)              Fair Access, Diversity and Inclusion;

(v)                Client Involvement and Inclusion.

Questionnaires and interviews were also conducted to identify service providers who were not performing to standard;

·                    greater improvement in service providers had been noted in 2011.  An outcome spreadsheet had been developed from which an unannounced spot-check system would be devised.  More than one spot-check would be conducted as part of a successful system that was hoped to continue throughout 2012;

·                    an incident that took place during 2011 included anti-social behaviour and a break-in at the Young People Service in Durley Avenue.  The Supporting People Team had worked closely with local people, police, Councillors and the Harrow Churches Housing Association (HCHA) to resolve concerns.  Additional support hours were now in place, at no extra cost to the Supporting People Service.

·                    approximately 200 people attended an unscheduled party at the Teenage Placement Scheme at Harrow View, a disturbance which resulted in the police being called.  The support provider was Metropolitan Support Trust (MST), who advised tenants that party’s were no longer permitted as part of their tenancy agreement.  The situation at the accommodation was currently stable, with events serving to strengthen relations in the community;

·                    in November 2011, the HCHA advised the Supporting People Team of the intention to utilise the vacant warden’s accommodation at the St Barnabas Court Sheltered Housing Scheme for up to three young people in need of low-level support.  Communication with the HCHA was good and Members would be kept informed of any developments;

·                    a review of the Terms of Reference for the Commissioning Body was ongoing.  It was essential as part of the review to ensure that the Body retained a strategic role in the Supporting People service, and was dependant on the framework of the imminent Health and Wellbeing Boards.  It was intended for the review to be concluded by July 2012.  The next Commissioning Body meeting was scheduled for 16 January 2012.  Feedback from Members on the future and direction of the Commissioning Body was welcomed;

·                    the Floating Support Gateway Service had been in place since December 2010 and had enabled utilisation levels to increase.  An evaluation of the service had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.