Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Scott.

No declarations of interest were received.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2013 were agreed as a true and accurate record.

Cabinet received a report seeking its approval of the ECAP for the purpose of public consultation. Officers proposed to consult with the public and stakeholders on the draft Plan in early 2014. The Plan would provide, for the first time, a clear vision for how the ‘Creating the UK’s Environment Capital’ strategic priority would be delivered. The Plan was based on the internationally recognised concept of ‘One Planet Living’, defined as a vision of a sustainable world where people lead prosperous, happy, healthy lives within their fair share of the earth's resources.

Councillor North introduced the report and highlighted the structure of the ECAP. As well as it being an action plan to foster healthier and happier lives, it would support economic prosperity and security for residents of the city and help to generate stronger, cohesive, supportive communities. In achieving this it would also help to improve the local environment and contribute to minimising and mitigating against the effects of climate change.

With two different set targets, 2013-2016 targets which mostly already existed in the city, and 2050 targets which were designed to be visionary, the Plan had been developed with key stakeholders and was intended to be a true reflection of what they could commit to within existing resources.

Councillor North and the Council’s Climate Change Team Managers’ responses to questions included:

·         An increasing amount of work was being undertaken alongside the Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT). This worked well from a number of perspectives, but particularly from a funding perspective;

·         The adoption of visionary targets up to 2050 set Peterborough apart from other councils, however the One Planet Living Framework had been adopted by Brighton and Middlesborough, although they had approached it very differently to Peterborough;

·         Food was one of the ten themes within the Plan as to which there was a lesser understanding, hence an action contained within the Plan to seek funding to carry out a full feasibility study into local food production;

·         Engagement with Transition Peterborough would be undertaken as part of the process; and

·         In relation to the eradication of fuel poverty in the city, going forward there would be real benefits to utilising local and quality green energy.

Following questions, Councillor Cereste congratulated the Team on the report and on all of the work undertaken, further highlighting that there were a number of innovative money saving projects being undertaken in the city including the Energy Switching Scheme.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to:

          Approve the ECAP for public consultation.

          REASONS FOR THE DECISION

The approval of the Plan for public consultation would help deliver the city’s Environment Capital priority by providing clear strategic direction for the priority whilst creating, for the first time, a set of targets with which the progress of this priority would be measured.

          ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

The alternative option was to not produce a Plan. This was rejected because this would mean that there would be no clear vision and targets associated with the Environment Capital priority, making  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Cabinet received a report updating it on the implementation of the new local Council Tax Scheme in 2013/14 and seeking its approval for the draft scheme for 2014/15, to be used as the basis for undertaking public consultation, to be the same as the current year. The report further outlined the approach for consultation and outlined the timescales for implementation.

Councillor Seaton introduced the report and provided an overview of the 2013/14 implemented local scheme, which had been extensively consulted upon prior to its approval at Full Council in January 2013. The consultation included many options of how the local scheme could operate and it had been agreed that a fair and simple approach was to reduce benefit for all by 30%. The impact of the new scheme, both on the council’s finances and on individuals had been monitored over the course of the year and upon review, it was clear that the financial challenges remained the same. It was therefore proposed that the Scheme remained the same as it was for 2013/14. 

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to:

Approve that the draft Council Tax Benefit Support Scheme for 2014/15 should be the same as for the current year, and to use this as a basis for consultation. 

          REASONS FOR THE DECISION

          The Constitution required Cabinet to approve the consultation on the new Council Tax Support scheme.

          ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

The alternative options available to the Council were:

i)     To do nothing. This was rejected because if the Council did not agree a local scheme, legislation meant that a ‘default scheme’ would be applied to any council that did not formally adopt a Council Tax Support scheme by 31 January 2014. For Peterborough this would result in an additional pressure of £2.4m and savings to be made from elsewhere in its budget. This could also affect the services provided by the Fire and Police Authorities as over 17% of the council tax that was collected was distributed to these preceptors; and

ii)  Somewhere in between, a lower than 30% reduction. This was rejected because absorbing any deficit from a shortfall in funding would impact on the services that the Council delivered, but would mean a lesser impact on benefit recipients.

Cabinet received a report which informed it of the scope and progress made on the Transformation Programme for Adult Social Care. The report enabled review of progress against the Cabinet decision to:

i.       Revise the Eligibility Criteria for Adult Social Care from high/moderate to critical/substantial, in line with Department of Health categories with effect from April 2013 for new service users and for existing service users from the date of their annual review or sooner if there was a change in circumstance which merited earlier review;

ii.       Provide Reablement to all existing and new service users who would benefit;

iii.      Offer longer term transitional support to younger adults with long term conditions including those who fall below critical/substantial needs as part of the Council’s preventative offer; and

iv.      Re-commission and further invest in ‘a preventative offer’ available to the wider community.

The report also provided Cabinet with an overview of the internal background and external drivers for the transformation of Adult Social Care Services in Peterborough and informed on the scope and progress made on the Adult Social Care, Transformation Programme and the expected delivery date of the detailed business case upon which the Council would decide on the future operating model to be implemented from April 2014.

Councillor Fitzgerald introduced the report highlighting that it was part of the wider ongoing work and certain issues, including the Customer Strategy, were still a work in progress. Further key points highlighted included:

·         Transformation would be driven by a number of factors, not solely financial. The response to the factors driving change was the creation of a service which supported the principles of personalisation;

·         Two key strategies were being finalised, the Customer Strategy and the Digital Strategy and the report detailed how the resources were being managed due to the ongoing spending review in terms of public finances;

·         Personalisation was a key word, with people’s destinies being put into their own hands wherever possible. Managed accounts by the Council would only be offered where all other options had been explored; and

·         The consultation had been fully inclusive and emphasis had been placed onto carers as much as the service users themselves. There was a good Carers Strategy in place that was under constant review.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to:

1.      Note the report about the ongoing Transformation to a Personalisation model in Adult Social Care;

2.      Note the next stages in the Transformation to a Personlisation model in Adult Social Care; and

3.      Discuss and feedback any comments to the Adult Social Care Team.

          REASONS FOR THE DECISION

To ensure that Cabinet were informed of the scope and progress made on the Transformation programme for Adult Social Care.

          ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

There were no alternative options considered.

Cabinet received a report which informed it of the review of day opportunities for people under 65 with physical and learning disabilities, including employment services and day centres. The report further informed Cabinet of a set of proposals that had been put together following extensive engagement from May 2013 to November 2013, with the people who use the services and their families and carers, as well as staff, other day service providers and other local authorities that had modernised their services.

The report also sought Cabinet’s approval to go out to public consultation on the proposals on how activities and lifestyle opportunities for adults under 65 were to be provided in the future. Following completion of the consultation, and consideration of all responses, a further report would be presented to Cabinet to seek its approval for a final set of proposals on how day opportunities for adults under 65 with learning and physical disabilities could be offered in the future.

A short video on the Transformation of Day Opportunities for Adults was shown. Following this, Councillor Fitzgerald introduced the report and highlighted that there would not be a ‘one size fits all’ model, it would be for trained Adult Social Care staff to determine the right outcomes for individuals. The Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health and Wellbeing added that the proposals were a major turning point for Adult Social Care, giving aspirations and hope to people and making sure that even those individuals with profound disabilities had the opportunity to make choices about their lives.

Cabinet debated the report and comments included:

·         There were many individuals who could develop further with the right support and dramatic improvements could be made to people’s lives;

·         Sporting and leisure activities had a role to play within the strategy as a way of raising people’s confidence within themselves; however it was about getting the right balance in the first instance, by teaching individuals to manage their own lives and enabling them to make the choice to take part in sports and leisure activities as part of their daily routines;

·         Support could be provided by a number of areas within the Council and within outsourced areas such as Vivacity, Opportunity Peterborough and the Education Academies;

·         Digital inclusion was extremely important and there were protected social networking sites available for people with learning disabilities; and

·         It was of the utmost importance to ensure that all individuals were given the opportunities to reach their maximum potential.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to:

1.   Consider the proposals outlined within the report and in the accompanying consultation document for modernising day services for adults under 65 with physical and learning disabilities; and

2.   Agree for the proposals to go out to public consultation for a period of eight weeks to allow the Executive Director for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing to formally consider the views of users of the services, other organisations, residents and other interested parties.

          REASONS FOR THE DECISION

          The recommendation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

          Cabinet received a report updating it on the progress being made in response to petitions in accordance with Standing Order 13 of the Council’s Rules of Procedure.

          Councillor Cereste introduce the report.

          Cabinet debated the report and comments included:

·         In relation to the petition proposing a dedicated cycle lane along Bridge Street, Peterborough, a motion had been moved at the meeting of Full Council held on 9 October 2013 and the motion had been defeated by a margin;

·         In relation to the petition requesting the removal of a parking barrier at Crowhurst, Councillor North stated that it was an important local issue and he had been working with officers and ward councillor on this towards a resolution; and

·         The Council’s Petition Scheme was being looked into, following comments at the meeting of Full Council held on 4 December 2013, and a report would be presented to Full Council in January 2014.

          Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to:

          Note the action taken in respect of petitions presented to Full Council.

REASONS FOR THE DECISION

Standing Orders required that Council received a report about the action taken on petitions.  As the petitions presented in the report had been dealt with by Cabinet Members or officers, it was appropriate that the action taken was reported to Cabinet, prior to it being included within the Executive’s report to full Council.

          ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

          Any alternative options would require an amendment to the Council’s Constitution to remove the requirement to report to Cabinet.