Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

No members of the public were present.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12^th September 2017 were confirmed as a true record.

Purpose:

The report presents options for the development of a new residential home to replace the current services provided at Severn View Residential Home in Chepstow. This development is a unique opportunity for Monmouthshire to lead within the county and nationally on a new model of residential care based on bespoke building design and a bespoke staffing model that supports the highest possible quality of life for people needing 24 hour care who are living with dementia. The report presents, for consideration, the reasons that underpin the need for this development, the options available but specifically seeks feedback prior to the commencement of the next phase of the project.

Key Issues:

1.         The current home at Severn View in Chepstow was built c1979 and although the layout is good, it has a number of significant weaknesses:

      i.        Bedrooms are not en-suite. This is becoming increasingly unviable and there is the potential to be given a non-compliance order from Care and Social Services Inspectorate in Wales (CSSIW) in due course.

     ii.        The layout is one of long corridors which is seen as poor practice in care home design; particularly in respect of people living with dementia due to difficulties in orientation and feelings of restriction.

    iii.        The home is on two floors, and this prevents ease of access to outdoor spaces.

   iv.        Respite Services for people with dementia are supported on the same wings as those occupied by our long-term residents. Best practice would be to separate out the respite for people with dementia to avoid disruption to our long-term residents. Residential respite for people with dementia is significantly over subscribed.

2.         In-house provision has a role to support the market. Demand and availability of long and short terms beds for older frail people [not living with dementia] suggests that this should not form part of future plans for the new build. Before a decision is made in this respect, further detailed discussion is required.

3.         There are elements of fragility in the market with two independent sector provider homes closing in the last two years. Demand is set to increase and a balanced, resilient and stable cross sector provision is required to meet the demands of the future

4.         The development of the home sits within a complex picture demographically. In summary:

      i.        There are 19,863 people over 65 years old in Monmouthshire, approximately 22% of the population, this part of our community is projected to grow by 56.9% to 31,157 between 2012 and 2033. In the South of the County 18% (7,138) of the population is 65+ according to the 2011 census. This shows a 30% increase in people who are 65+ between the 2001 and 2011 census (5484 to 7138).

     ii.        According to research conducted for Dementia UK in 2013 (Alzheimer’s Society 2014) 95% of people with dementia in the UK are 65+.

    iii.        The over 85 age group is expected to increase in Monmouthshire by 153% from 2,714 in 2012 to 6,863 in 2033. Between 2001 and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the Supporting People funded Housing Support Gateway, to raise awareness of the benefits, (to clients and partner agencies) and to highlight activity levels and future risks.

Key Issues:

1. The role of the Gateway team is to provide a single point of contact and access for Monmouthshire Housing Support services. The Gateway manages the receipt and processing of housing support referrals, undertake support assessment from or in respect of vulnerable households, manage the waiting list and arrange the ‘timely’ allocation of support packages to a range of Supporting People funded support providers.

2. As part of this core function, the team will provide information, advice, assistance and assessment of need(s) to households prior to referring to a suitable Support Provider. For example, Gwalia who provide generic floating support; MIND who provide mental health related support and Llamau who provide support for victims of domestic abuse and those needing to overcome barriers to accessing employment, skills or training.

3. An additional function of the service and when appropriate, is to provide direct support to individuals and families through the Prevention & Intervention service. This service is in effect a crisis service, where the Gateway will seek to address any immediate issues prior to referring on to a suitable Support Provider. For example, the team can undertake immediate visits, assisting with urgent appointments (e.g. benefit interviews) or form filling where time is critical and directly re-housing people. Liaising with Foodbanks is not uncommon.

4. The Gateway has recently been commissioned to provide a review service on behalf of Supporting People Commissioning. This is important because this supports quality assurance, ensuring eligible activities have been undertaken; contributes to operational efficiency (e.g. making sure cases aren’t open longer than a client needs and collating ‘what matters’ and satisfaction feedback.

5. The Gateway is a key partner to a number of other services. The Housing Options Team being one of these. All approaches made to the Council and the Housing Options Team in respect of homelessness are simultaneously passed to the Gateway in order for housing support to commence as soon as possible for individual homeless applicants.

The aim of this arrangement is for support providers, including the Gateway Prevention & Intervention Service, is to provide a complementary prevention service over and above the statutory role of the Housing Options Team.

6. Other partnerships include supporting Social Care, collaborating in the development of the “place based” Housing & Well-Being and Social Inclusion services which is housing support delivered through an integrated approach from the four Monmouthshire Hubs.

7. The Gateway provides an important role in respect of supporting the Council’s Safeguarding responsibilities and helping to identify and support vulnerable people in circumstances such as domestic abuse and the abuse of both children and adults.

Member Scrutiny:

The Select Committee received a presentation from the Senior Housing Support Officer with Monmouthshire’s Housing Support Gateway and had the opportunity to ask questions. The Officer was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Purpose:

To seek approval for the introduction of the Pitch Allocation Policy for any future Council owned Gypsy and Traveller Site in Monmouthshire.

Key Issues:

1. Under the requirements of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, the Council carried out its duty to assess the needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community in 2015 when it undertook the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA). The GTAA identified a need for eight pitches in Monmouthshire over a five year period.

2. As part of the ‘next steps’ section of the GTAA there was a commitment to introduce a pitch allocation policy.

3. The Welsh Government’s Managing Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Wales strongly

recommends that Local Authorities operate such a policy as a positive and proactive means of engaging with Gypsy & Travellers. Councils are expected to publish their policies and procedures for allocating pitches, including assessment criteria, expected timescales and how to apply and how priority need is defined. Where a waiting list is in operation, the Local Authority should clearly explain how the list operates and inform applicants of their general position on the list when requested.

4. The Policy

4.1 The proposed policy is intended to be structured similar to the Monmouthshire

Homesearch allocations policy.

4.2 The proposed policy sets out the criteria that will be used to establish eligibility and ineligibility to register for a pitch in Monmouthshire and the criteria that will be used to assess need.

4.3 The proposed policy would ensure an appropriate ‘needs assessment’ is completed and a system of prioritisation is applied to determine that pitch allocation is based on those households with the greatest need.

4.4 All applicants will have their housing needs assessed and be placed in one of five

housing needs bands according to their circumstances.

4.5 The Bands will be bands 1 to 5 with band 1 being the highest priority and band 5 the lowest priority.

Member Scrutiny:

Following presentation of the draft report by the Housing Strategy and Policy Officer, questions were asked by Members of the Select Committee:

The Chair asked if there will be a need to revisit the policy due to applicants from within the EU after Brexit.  It was explained that there is no information available at the current time so the Council will have to work within current rules.

Clarification was sought on the term “over a 5 year period”.  It was responded that the 5 year period referred to the needs assessment that ends in 2021 when a new needs assessment will be undertaken.

A Member stated that the Council is 3 years into the Local Development Plan and is without any pitches.  He questioned what sanctions might be applied.  It was explained that the Welsh Government have the power to force local authorities to act on their needs assessment.

A Member asked if there was a different issue in Monmouthshire as it does not have a typical seasonal horticultural/agricultural culture that travellers might follow noting that some Gypsies and Travellers live  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Purpose:

To consider the attached Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) which details the Council’s proposed response towards rough sleepers in times of severe weather conditions and make recommendations as appropriate

Key Issues:

1. Although there is no strict definition of what counts as “severe weather”, it is proposed the Council will adopt a common sense approach and identify any weather that could increase the risk of serious harm to people rough sleeping, this can include extreme cold, wind or rain.

For the purposes of the protocol a rough sleeper is as defined as:

      i.        People sleeping, about to bed down (sitting in/on or standing next to their bedding) or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the streets, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments). People bedded down in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations or “bashes”).

2. Every year Local Authorities have to report to Welsh Government on the number of rough sleepers there are within their area. Data collection takes the form of two counts, a one night count and a count over a period of time.

      i.        One Night Count - this takes place on a pre determine date and in known geographical areas where rough sleepers are known to bed down or likely to bed down. During 2015 the count took place on the 25th November between the hours of 11pm to 3 where one person was identified as sleeping rough. For 2016/17 the count took place on the 4^th November between the hours of 10pm to 5am. No rough sleepers were identified.

     ii.        Count Period – data is collected over a two week period with assistance from the voluntary sector, faith groups, local businesses/residents, health and substance misuse agencies, and the police. For the winter of 2015/16 this took place during 2^nd – 15th November and identified five people sleeping rough. For the winter 2016/17 and took place during the 10th – 23rd October and identified one person as sleeping rough.

3. There is an expectation within Welsh Government that local authorities should ensure that there is provision in place to address the needs of rough sleepers in their area during period of severe weather conditions, particularly so during the winter months.

4. It is aimed to introduce what is known as the ‘Severe Weather Emergency Protocol’ or SWEP from winter 2017. The protocol will ensure that any verified rough sleeper with or without a local connection is found accommodation during periods of severe weather, particularly when extreme cold temperatures for extended spells can threaten their safety and wellbeing.

5. Who is Eligible?

      i.        Any person sleeping rough on the streets in the extreme cold. This includes those without recourse to public funds such as A10 nationals from the EU accession. This states the rough sleeper must:

·         be at risk if they continue to sleep rough during the course of the severe weather

·         have nowhere to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Actions listed from the last meeting have been addressed. 

The Council and Cabinet Plan was noted. Members were advised to look out for the weekly e.mail that provides an updated version of the Plan each Friday to enable Members to keep abreast of changes and developments.  Members requested forward dates only.

The Forward Work Programme was noted. 

A Special Meeting of Children and Young People’s Select Committee will be held on 13^th November 2017.  One of the items under consideration is a Safeguarding Evaluative Report.  Members of Adults Select Committee are invited to attend.

The Scrutiny Manager was requested to send out the mandates relevant to Adults  Select Committee.

Budget report for each and proposals split according to relevance.  Organise a special Joint Select Committee in the new year to review all the mandates to be attended by Cabinet Members.

A Member was advised to contact the Assistant Head of Finance for a list of statutory duties.