Issue - items at meetings - Community Meals Service

Report of Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People (copy attached).

(1)       That the principles proposed in paragraph 3.15, that will inform the commissioning planning, are approved.

(2)       That a further report is submitted to the June Cabinet Member Meeting or relevant committee meeting outlining the options considered and recommending a preferred model of service to be commissioned.

52.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People which reported that the council provided a well established Community Meals service through a contract with the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS).  The contract would come to an end in March 2012. 

52.2    The Council was considering the future commissioning plans for this service and the report summarised the key issues that were being considered and the emerging principles that would inform future commissioning plans.   A waiver had been approved to extend the existing WRVS contract initially until the end of September 2012, with an option for a further extension until March 2013, to enable the development of a commissioning plan and allow for any future procurement programme.

52.3    The Head of Performance and Contracting referred to paragraph 3.11 in the report which identified key issues in the review of the service.  Appendix 1 to the report attached the notes of a meeting of the Adult Social Care & Housing Overview and Scrutiny Community Meals Workshop, chaired by Councillor Norman.  The Adult Social Care & Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 8 March had endorsed the report.

52.4    The Cabinet Member stated that he was pleased that this matter had been discussed at scrutiny meetings and that there had been general support for the approach suggested.  It was the right time to look at the overall structure of the service.   In the long term, sourcing meals from a company in Wales was not the right approach.  The Cabinet Member stressed the importance of transitional arrangements.  

52.5    Councillor Norman supported the proposals.  He had wanted to see a better service for some years and it was now possible to move forward.  He stressed that the WRVS had systems in place for delivery of the service.  Councillor Norman wanted to see a service with locally sourced, freshly cooked food.  He agreed with the process but stressed that it must lead to a better service.  He thanked the Head of Performance and Contracting and everyone else who had worked on the review.

52.6    RESOLVED - (1)      That the principles proposed in paragraph 3.15, that will inform the commissioning planning, are approved.

(2)       That a further report is submitted to the June Cabinet Member Meeting or relevant committee meeting outlining the options considered and recommending a preferred model of service to be commissioned.