Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Cllr Sandra Samuels.

No declarations of interests were made.

[For approval]

Resolved:

          That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 21 October 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting]

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

[To approve the development of an enhanced Better Care Technologyoffer and to work alongside Wolverhampton Homes to drive the significant service developments that would be required][report to follow]

Cllr Elias Mattu presented the report which set out the outcome of the comprehensive consultations process into decommissioning existing services at Merryhill House, Nelson Mandela House and Woden Resource Centre and recommission services to provide an improved and developed community based offer. The report also included proposals to progress and develop an ambitious enhanced Better Care technologyoffer and to work alongside Wolverhampton Homes as the Council’s wholly owned housing provider; and to support the progression of discussions with other statutory agencies to explore a collaborative approach for the delivery of the Better Care technology offer.

Resolved:

1.      That the responses received during a public consultation into the decommissioning of existing services be received and noted.

2.      That services at Merryhill House and Nelson Mandela House be decommissioned and recommissioned with a range of independent sector providers.

3.      That services at Woden Resource Centre be decommissioned and recommissioned with high dependency day care in the external market through a personalised approach.

4.      That subject to final confirmation of the financial implications, the progression of the Better Care technology offer and to partner with Wolverhampton Homes to drive and deliver the significant service developments that would be required be approved in principle.  Authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults, Cabinet Member for Resources, in consultation with the Strategic Director for People and the Director of Finance to agree the partnership arrangements with Wolverhampton Homes.

5.      That the progression of discussions with West Midlands Fire Service to explore a collaborative approach for the delivery of the Better Care technology offer be approved.

[To approve the proposals within the report to go out to full consultation][report to follow]

Cllr Val Gibson presented the report on proposals for the fundamental re-design of the Council’s front line services that deliver early intervention and prevention.

Resolved:

1.       That the overarching aim of early intervention and prevention being to safely prevent family breakdown and thereby reduce the number of children being taken into care be supported.

2.     That the outline design of the early intervention and prevention model and associated proposals for the re-design based on the objectives and principles set out in this report be approved.

3.     That the commencement of formal consultation on these proposals be approved.

4.     That a further report be submitted to Cabinet in February 2016, following consultation, to make proposals for implementation.

5.     That any necessary Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006  (TUPE) transfer of employees in Early Help (0-5) Services currently delivered through School Governing Bodies be approved.

6.     That the re-design work being undertaken which is a key component of the transformation strategy for safely reducing the number of looked after children be noted.

[To consider the outcome of the consultation]

Cllr Elias Mattu presented a report on an update on the work carried out with residents and their families of Duke Street residential care home following the initial consultation on the future of the service.  The report also set out the costed options appraisal for Duke Street if it was de-registered as a residential care home and re-registered as a supported living service.

Resolved:

1.     That the implementation of option 2, to de-register Duke Street bungalows as residential care and to change the registration to supported living with the potential of Wolverhampton Homes becoming the landlord be approved subject to further work and discussions taking place and the Council commissioning an alternative provider to deliver the care element. A period of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 would apply to this option.

2.     That the indicative timescales to complete the work to move to a supported living service and maximise potential savings be noted.

[To approve the proposed governance arrangements for the development and oversight of the West Midlands Rail Franchise through WMR Ltd and to approve the Council’s membership of WMR Ltd and the appointment of directors to the board of WMR Ltd]

Cllr Peter Bilson presented the report seeking approval to proposed governance arrangements for the development and oversight of the West Midlands Rail (WMR) Franchise through WMR Ltd.  Approval was also sought the Council’s membership on WMR Ltd and the appointment of directors to the board of WMR Ltd.

Resolved:

1.     That the proposed governance arrangements for the development and oversight of WMR Ltd, established as a company limited by guarantee with a Board of Directors appointed from each of the constituent partner authorities for the purpose of providing local democratic strategic guidance for the specification of the new West Midlands rail franchise being let by the Department for Transport (DfT) during 2017 be approved.

2.     That City of Wolverhampton Council join WMR Ltd as a member.

3.     That the appointment by the Council of the Leader of the Council as a principal director on the Board of WMR Ltd and the Cabinet Member City Assets as substitute director on that Board be approved and that the Council indemnify its appointees to the Board other than for wilful misconduct.

4.     That the Council enter into or execute such documents as are necessary to give effect to these decisions including but not limited to Board Minutes, Company Resolutions or other company documents.

5.     That it be noted that it is intended that WMR Ltd would in due course enter into a formal partnership agreement with the DfT that would set out the rights and obligations of WMR Ltd in relation to the award of the new West Midlands Rail Franchise and related matters and that:

a.       that agreement would require approval by a 75% vote of WMR Ltd’s members and would be the subject of a future report to Cabinet/Council; and

b.       any WMR Ltd member may resign its membership of WMR Ltd at any time, including where the member does not approve the terms of any such agreement.