Issue - items at meetings - Tower House day service

Report of the Executive Director for Adult Services (to follow).

1)        That the Committee agrees to a three month consultation with all service users, and carers as appropriate, currently using Tower House. The purpose of the consultation will be to explore the options available for meeting the needs of service users in a more cost-effective way. The options are:

i)          To maintain the existing day centre service at Tower House, reviewing options to deliver this in a more cost effective way, including, if necessary, reducing the level of provision;

ii)        That people are supported to receive a personal budget and choose alternative activities if possible;

iii)       That people are supported to move to an alternative day service that meets their needs and can be provided in a more cost effective way.

iv)       For Council Officers to explore opportunities to cross subsidise the service by using the facility for other uses on evenings and weekends

2)        That at the end of the consultation period a report is brought back to this committee for a decision as to the future provision for the day service and how best to meet the needs of its service users.

69.1       The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Adult’s Services in relation to Tower House Day Service. The report was brought to the Committee as the service was unable to deliver the required level of savings and a decision was required to enable consultation to begin in order to identify how a more cost effective service could be provided.

69.2       In response to Councillor Miller the Executive Director explained that the terms of lease prevented use of the building in the evenings and weeks; further information was also provided in terms of the number of service users and the costs involved. It was also clarified that work was undertaken to support carers to prevent reduction of costs in one part of the service having a knock on effect in other area. In relation to community share services there was a panel system, and vigour was being applied to ensure resources were used appropriately. Councillor Miller noted that he supported the consultation in principle, but wanted to ensure all options were considered and proposed an amendment to consider subsidising the service by other uses of the facility at evenings and weekends.

69.3       Councillor K. Norman highlighted the importance of providing the best service for the users as individuals, and noted that the provision of a day centre was not necessarily the best means to be this. He went on to state that it would be vital to see what came out of the consultation; in response to a query the Executive Director confirmed that it would be appropriate the share the content of the consultation with Members of the Committee and the Health & Wellbeing Board. Councillor K. Norman proposed amending recommendation 2.1 to add the words ‘if possible’ to the end of the sentence.

69.4       Councillor Mac Cafferty expressed concerns in relation to the report in relation to the assumption that the voluntary sector could support the service users. He highlighted that many service users had created strong friendship bonds amongst one another, and that much of the work would predicate on the use of personal budgets, but some users were reluctant to take on this level of responsibility. Councillor Mac Cafferty went on to propose the amendments from the Green Group and stated that the option to maintain the current day service was based on a recent Supreme Court ruling.

69.5       Councillor Sykes seconded the amendment and stated that full consultation needed to include the option of maintaining the existing to make the exercise truly open and honest for the service users.

69.6       Councillor Hamilton noted that he could see the rationale behind the amendment and did not want to rule out the option of the voluntary sector providing the service.

69.10    The Monitoring Officer confirmed that the wording of the amendment was legally appropriate.

69.11    The Chair then put the proposed Conservative Group amendment from Councillor K. Norman to the vote. This was carried.

69.12    The Chair then put the proposed Conservative Group amendment from Councillor Miller to the vote. This was carried.

69.13    The Chair then put the proposed Green Group amendment from Councillor Mac Cafferty to the vote. This was carried.

69.14    The Chair then put the amended recommendations to the vote.

69.15    RESOLVED

1)        That the Committee agrees to a three month consultation with all service users, and carers as appropriate, currently using Tower House. The purpose of the consultation will be to explore the options available for meeting the needs of service users in a more cost-effective way. The options are:

i)          To maintain the existing day centre service at Tower House, reviewing options to deliver this in a more cost effective way, including, if necessary, reducing the level of provision;

ii)        That people are supported to receive a personal budget and choose alternative activities if possible;

iii)       That people are supported to move to an alternative day service that meets their needs and can be provided in a more cost effective way.

iv)       For Council Officers to explore opportunities to cross subsidise the service by using the facility for other uses on evenings and weekends

2)        That at the end of the consultation period a report is brought back to this committee for a decision as to the future provision for the day service and how best to meet the needs of its service users.