Community Policy and Review Panel - Thursday, 25th January, 2018 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 16th November, 2017 (copy attached).

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 16th November, 2017 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

To receive a presentation on the Supporting Families Programme from Ian Langley (Strategic Lead) and Julia Dixon (Health Lead) from HCC’s Supporting Families Programme, and Qamer Yasin, Head of Environmental Health and Housing Services.

The Panel welcomed Ian Langley (SFP Strategic Lead), Hampshire County Council, Julia Dixon (SFP Health Lead and SFP Central Team Lead for Rushmoor), and Qamer Yasin, Head of Environmental Health and Housing and Senior Responsible Officer for Rushmoor SFP, who gave a presentation to update Members on the Supporting Families Programme in Hampshire.  The Panel was reminded that the Programme had been rolled out nationally in 2012 and was led in Hampshire by Hampshire County Council.

The presentation covered the following areas:

·           Background

·           Identification of eligible families

·           Core principles

·           Troubled families cohort

·           Hampshire’s delivery approach

·           Rushmoor and Hart programme and process

·           Characteristics and location of Rushmoor families

·           Support available

·           Finances for Rushmoor programme

·           Evaluation and business case

·           Challenges ahead

It was explained that, at present, Government funding for the Supporting Families Programme would end in 2020.  The Panel discussed the presentation and, in particular, asked questions relating to the effect of the local programme being shared with Hart, young carers, levels of deprivation in the Borough, mental health issues, the importance of the evaluation of the Programme to demonstrate its effectiveness and the monitoring of families that had been through the Programme in previous years. 

The Panel NOTED the presentation.

To receive a presentation on the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy from Caroline Ryan, Community Safety Manager. 

As background, enclosed is the report on Safeguarding Policy and Procedure approved by Cabinet in October 2017.

The Panel welcomed Caroline Ryan, Community Safety Manager for Safer North Hampshire, who gave a presentation on safeguarding.

The presentation covered the following areas:

·           Background

·           Role of local authorities

·           Case studies – including Victoria Climbié, Alex Malcolm, Tower Hamlets

·           Key legislation

·           Serious Case Review

·           Prevent (counter terrorism) – including case studies

·           Modern vulnerabilities – including modern slavery

·           Vulnerable adults

·           Information sharing

·           Rushmoor Borough Council’s ‘Safeguarding Champions’

·           Recording and reporting procedures

The Panel discussed the presentation and explored a number of issues, including the number of safeguarding referrals that had been made in Rushmoor over the previous year, safeguarding training for Members, domestic violence, modern vulnerabilities and the Prevent initiative.

The Panel NOTED the presentation.

To receive a presentation (copy enclosed) from Amanda Fahey, Head of Financial Services and Chief Finance Officer, on the Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme.

The Panel welcomed Amanda Fahey, Head of Financial Services, who gave a presentation on the Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme 2018/19.

Members were informed that the Welfare Reform Group had met a number of times during the previous year.  Its terms of reference enabled it to make recommendations in relation to the local Council Tax Support Scheme.  The Panel was reminded that, prior to 2013, Council Tax benefit had been a national scheme.  Since then, Rushmoor had developed its own scheme, which had been subject to an annual review, with a public consultation exercise carried out if any changes had been proposed.  The 2013 scheme had required working age recipients to make a minimum contribution of 8% regardless of their income.

Members were given a definition of Council Tax support and data was provided on the amount of support awarded and the breakdown of the classifications of recipients.  It was explained that Rushmoor’s current minimum contribution of 10% was at the low end of schemes within its audit grouping of Councils with similar demographics.  The Welfare Reform Group had considered the responses from the public consultation exercise on potential changes to the Scheme for 2018/19 and had recommended a number of changes to the Support Scheme and to the level of Council Tax discounts to the Cabinet, including an increase in the minimum contribution to 15%.  The Cabinet had considered these at its meeting on 9th January, 2018 and had decided that it was more equitable to increase the level of the contribution to 12% in 2018/19, with a view to a further increase to 15% in the following year, depending on how the increase to 12% impacted on recipients.

The Chairman explained that Members would have an opportunity to express any views on the proposed changes when the recommendations were considered at the Extraordinary Council Meeting on 30th January, 2018.

The Panel NOTED the presentation.

To note the Community Policy and Review Panel’s updated work programme for 2017/18 (copy attached).

The Panel NOTED the updated work programme for the 2017/18 Municipal Year.