Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor David Jefferys, Councillor Terence Nathan and Councillor Melanie Stevens.

Apologies for absence were also received from Care Services PDS Committee Co-opted Members, Catherine Osbourn and Justine Godbeer.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th December 2014 be agreed.

Three written questions were received from Mrs Susan Sulis and are attached at Appendix A.

Report CSPH15SP01

The Portfolio Holder for Care Services considered a report outlining the outcome of the engagement process undertaken with service users, their families, carers and stakeholders on proposed changes to the Non Residential Contributions policy as a result of the Care Act 2014 and recommending that a number of changes be adopted.

A report outlining proposed changes to the Non-Residential Contributions policy as a result of the Care Act 2014 was considered at the meeting of Care Services Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee on 21^st January 2015.  The Care Services PDS Committee supported the proposed changes and requested that engagement be undertaken with current service users, their families, carers and stakeholders across Bromley on the proposed new standard Disability Related Expenditure allowances which reduced the existing system of three standard rates to two standard rates comprising £5.50 per week for the lower rate and £11.00 per week for the higher rate, prior to any change being agreed.  The engagement process took place during January and February 2015, and included a hard copy survey and fact sheet sent to 2,000 current service users, an easy-read survey and fact sheet sent to 399 current service users who had a learning disability, and an online version of both surveys promoted via the Bromley MyLife website and a range of key partners including Bromley Mencap. 

In total 283 responses had been received to the surveys, which comprised 219 responses to the standard survey and 64 responses to the easy-read survey, and was a response rate of 12%.  In considering the responses received, 143 comments were provided to the ‘Comments’ section of the survey, of which 4% of respondents were supportive of the proposal, 40% of respondents disagreed with the proposal and 55% of respondents provided other comments, including that the proposal did not affect them personally, that they did not understand the proposal or that they had comments relating to another proposal.

The proposed changes to the Disability Related Expenditure allowances were expected to realise savings of £200k per annum, in additional to £15k per annum through other changes introduced as a result of the Care Act 2014, and had been included as part of the Care Services Portfolio budget for 2015/16.

In response to a question from the Portfolio Holder for Care Services, the Assistant Director: Adult Social Care advised Members that the proposed changes to the Disability Related Expenditure allowances would affect approximately 1,000 service users who would be expected to contribute an average of £5-£9 per week towards the cost of their care, and that an appeal process was in place. 

In considering the Draft Contributions Policy for Non-Residential Care Services, a Co-opted Member of Care Services PDS Committee was concerned to note that service users who had more than £23,250 in savings and investments would be liable to pay an arrangement fee of £240, charged at the weekly rate of £4.61 from the start of the care package and annually thereafter, to cover the cost of putting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business listed below as it was likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

The Committee considered the report and supported the recommendations.