Agenda and draft minutes

To elect a Vice-Chairperson for the remainder of the municipal year.

Councillor Campbell was elected as Vice-Chairperson for the remainder of the municipal year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Campbell and Hyne.

Apologies for absence were also received from the following invited guests: Councillors Howcroft-Scott and Mrs Turpin.

To approve the record of the meeting held on 18 June 2024.

The record of the meeting held on 18 June 2024 was agreed and signed by the Chairperson as correct.

The Chairperson will announce any late items which do not appear on the main agenda but which he/she has agreed should be considered by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the report. 

There were none. 

Members are invited to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in accordance with the Member Code of Conduct. Guidance on this is set out in agenda item 5.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

Attached to this report is a paper from the Integrated Care Board (ICB) which gives an update on the procurement of community services. Also attached is an updated substantial variation assessment questionnaire for the Committee’s consideration.

Discussion:

The Chairperson asked the Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Governance from NHS Kent and Medway, as well as the Deputy Leader of the Council and a representative (Opposition Spokesperson) from the Children and Young People (CYP) Overview and Scrutiny Committee to introduce themselves. The Chairperson explained that both the Chairperson and Opposition Spokesperson (Independent Group) of CYP were unable to attend the meeting whilst the Vice-Chairperson of CYP was also a member of this Committee.

The Chief Executive of NHS Kent and Medway (CE, ICB) introduced the item and apologised unreservedly to the Committee that a report on children’s community (physical health) services had not been brought before the Committee before the decision had been made to include it within the re-procurement exercise, alongside adult services.

Members were informed that there was a history of a successful joint commissioning arrangements with NHS Kent and Medway and Medway Council and due to previous evidence, at the time that the decision was made to procure adults services, procurement of children’s services was not a consideration. He advised the Committee that subsequently a joint decision had been made earlier this year to include children’s services as part of the procurement process and create a grouping of services for Medway and Swale. This was because contracts for children’s community health services had grown significantly over the last few years. Services were currently being provided by various organisations and a procurement process had not taken place for nearly 10 years. The decision was made in order to test the market to establish what could be delivered for children and procure the best quality services for children and young people.

Consultation had taken place to obtain views, this included engagement events, surveys and interviews as well as adult and children’s surveys.

He advised that discussions had taken place with Medway Council senior officers and the decision to procure had been made jointly. Assurance was provided to Members that the Integrated Care Board (ICB) did not plan to change any of the current services or diminish access for the people of Medway as part of the procurement process.

The Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Children and Adults Services stated that the joint commissioning arrangements between the ICB and Medway Council worked very well and the recent Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) inspection where the joint partnership arrangements were praised by inspectors was a testament to that partnership arrangement. The apology by the ICB on not bringing this matter to the attention of the Committee was acknowledged but had highlighted a need for more work to be undertaken to reinforce the statutory responsibilities of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee that must be taken into account by officers of the ICB and the Council in their decision making and ensuring that matters were brought to the attention of the Committee in a timely manner.  A training offer was proposed in relation to the functions of health scrutiny to ensure that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 201.