Issue - meetings

This report provides Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members with an update on the Council’s recovery from the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) global pandemic, following a previous report to the Committee and Cabinet (30 March 2021). The report will also be considered by Cabinet on 21 September 2021. 

Discussion:

The Committee considered a report that provided an update on the Council’s recovery from the Covid-19 global pandemic. It was noted that the approach was to resume services as soon as possible, ensuring that Medway emerges stronger and more resilient, making the most of opportunities to build back better. New ways of working and operational models would be adopted as the Council returned to business as usual.

The report outlined the three phases of the recovery plan, Rebound (2021-22), Rebuild (2022-23), and Reimagine (2024 onwards).

Members raised the following issues which were responded to:

·       The Council’s membership of the Kent and Medway Employment Taskforce - Reference was made to quotes in the media from Locate in Kent that it would be working with Medway and clarification was sought on the success of the Council’s engagement with such groups on skills, employment and economic development. Officers undertook to provide a response.

·       Debt owed to Adult Social Care – Asked what steps were being taken to reduce this debt, officers responded that that debt levels had increased whilst the Council had supported the hospital with swift discharge pathways to move patients from hospital and into care. It was noted that a lighter touch to debt collection had been taken throughout the pandemic but that this was now ending.

Concern was expressed that people did not realise that they would be expected to pay for their care package when they were discharged from hospital at the earliest opportunity and that this was causing additional hardship and levels of debt. Also, the new adult social care strategy relied too heavily on the support of the voluntary sector that was not in the position of resilience that it had been before the pandemic.  Officers responded that funding from the CCG was available to facilitate hospital discharges. However, this had reduced to the first four weeks following a patient’s discharge. There had been improvements in linking care and financial assessments but the volume of assessments required had been a challenge.   

·       Care Quality Commission suspension of assurance visits – Officers clarified that this referred to care homes and not people within their own homes.

·       Bus Back Better – Clarification was sought on the Council’s commitment to the bus back better aspirations set out in the National Bus Strategy. Officers confirmed that a service plan was being developed and this would be a priority for the Transport team in the coming months.

·       Engagement with vulnerable children and families during the pandemic - Officers said that the service had been trying to engage with those vulnerable families it was aware of, and whilst it had adapted to new ways of working, face-to-face contact was always preferable where possible.

·       Support for Medway residents working from home - Officers advised that the Council was working with broadband providers on how the providers could improve broadband accessibility across the borough. In addition, once a better sense of the new normal had been established in terms of people’s working arrangements, initiatives such  ...  view the full minutes text for item 276