This report is seeking approval for the re-commissioning of an integrated substance use service for adults and young people resident within the county of Herefordshire.  The report sets out the key information relating to the current service provision and the ambitions for the re-commissioned service to commence on 1st December 2020.

The overall aim of the service continues to be to reduce the harm to people, their families and their communities caused by the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

That:

(a)       authority is delegated to the director for adults and wellbeing to initiate a competitive procurement exercise for the recommissioning of Substance Use services to maintain current service continuity and allow for further development of the young person’s element;

(b)       the service is recommissioned using the current evidence based model and with additional funding of £93,000 per annum to support identified gaps in provision for young people and in order to mitigate some of the recruitment and retention challenges which the service has faced over the last 5 years;

(c)       subject to the completion of a tendering process, authority to award a contract for an integrated substance use service for 5 years with a total value of £7,481,658,  is delegated to the director of adult services, in consultation with the s151 officer and Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing.

To approve the Housing Allocation Scheme for Herefordshire 2020.

Under Part VI Housing Act 1996 (as amended) the council is required to have an allocation scheme for determining priorities and providing information on all aspects of the allocation process. This is required even though Herefordshire Council does not have its own social housing stock because it does have nomination rights to a proportion of the properties owned by registered providers (RPs) in the county that become vacant and available for letting.

A housing allocation policy was approved by Cabinet in April 2018 but this has not been

implemented due to issues around the required IT support which are identified below. The delay has enabled review and revision of the 2018 policy in the light of further guidance, notably in respect of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, and the change in procedures arising from the reversion to a choice based lettings (CBL) scheme.

The amendments to the 2018 policy include some changes to the banding criteria, improved clarity on additional preference for armed forces personnel and a band for existing tenants and general applicants. The latter band will not be assessed by the council’s housing register team but will provide a means by which the Registered Providers (RP) can let the percentage of their vacant properties which are not subject to the percentages detailed in the nomination agreements with the RPs. Exclusion and reduced preference has been replaced with suspension from bidding, in the light of recent legal advice. The majority of the amendments however relate to the revision of procedures to reflect the maintenance of a choice based lettings scheme rather than the proposed data transfer and manual nomination process envisaged in the 2018 policy.

In order to support the maintenance of a choice based lettings system and to enable

implementation of the revised housing allocation scheme it is necessary to upgrade the IT system procured as part of the service redesign process, in particular to have an improved advertising module with better connectivity and more features to improve the information available to prospective tenants.

That:

(a) The revised Housing Allocation Scheme at Appendix 1 is approved;

(b) Any minor amendments to the scheme necessary to enable implementation are delegated to the Cabinet member housing, regulatory services and community safety.

To approve the launch of a community seed funding grant scheme.

The aim of the grant is to help address local wellbeing challenges by working through community hubs and other means focusing on how people support themselves, and can be supported in their local communities.

The council is working with communities to help them support people at a local level by providing access to information, advice and signposting within their own community settings.  The grants will help people to connect with each other and to engage in activities in their community, through a community group/hub supporting people to help themselves and each other to remain well and independent.

The purpose of the seed funding is to help communities to provide local signposting, information and activities in a local hub or community setting, promoting wellbeing and independence.

That:

(a)        the community seed funding grant scheme as detailed in Appendix A and Appendix B be approved with a non-recurring scheme budget of £125,000; and

(b)        the director of adults and communities be authorised to determine grants in accordance with the scheme criteria and having regard to the recommendations of the established panel.

To approve the early draw down of funds from the 2020/21 capital programme budget to deliver improvement works to the electrical installation at the Shire Hall, Hereford.

The Shire Hall is a council asset and is used for delivering council services. In addition it accommodates H.M. Court Services and also provides rooms for public use, both of which bring in a revenue income to the council.

Work to the incoming electrical services needs to be undertaken one year ahead of program as there is an increasing risk that this part of the building’s electrical infrastructure could fail. The electrical infrastructure within the Shire Hall is at least 50 years old and contains outmoded electrical switchgear. There is no expected impact on current revenue budgets, although by ensuring the building can function it will ensure revenue income is received and ensure continued service to H.M. Court service and Council..

That:

(a)        £200k of the 2020/21 capital budget allocation be spent in 2019/20 on replacement of the Shire Hall’s electrical switch gear and associated service infrastructures; and

(b)        the assistant director for technical services be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the above recommendation and spend within an approved budget of £200k.

To agree to vote in favour of Hereford BID for the second, five year term.

To agree to pay the levy on Herefordshire Council properties in the BID area to the value of £21,495 per annum.

This report is to request cabinet approval to vote ‘yes’ to the second term of Hereford Business Improvement District in the forthcoming ballot.  Via levy contributions by BID members, the continuation of the BID will have a budget of £1.765m to deliver a programme of projects in the city centre.  These projects and improvements have been clearly defined in the BID Business Plan (Appendix 1) and are additional to any services that are funded by the local authority.  There are extensive benefits, not only to the businesses, but also to the local authority, residents and visitors alike.  These are outlined in key considerations.  Herefordshire Council is required to make an additional annual contribution of £14,790 (compared to 2019/20) as a levy on its properties in the BID area.

The projects proposed by the BID have been in consultation with BID businesses and Herefordshire Council.  The projects provide value added services and do not duplicate existing activity.  The projects also meet the council’s aspirations for improving the city centre and it is noted that they will enhance the city’s overall offer.

That:

(a)       the Economic Development Manager be authorised to vote in favour of Hereford BID for the second, five year term (2020-2025);

(b)       payment of the levy on Herefordshire Council properties in the BID area be approved, valued at £21,495 in year one (an increase of £14,790 on the current levy paid) for a period of up to five years; and

(c)       The Director of Economy and Place (liaising with Legal Services) be authorised to finalise and arrange for the execution by the Council of all necessary contract documentation relating to the BID extension.

To approve the draw down from the IT reserve for specific projects.  The report also seeks approval to adopt the Digital Declaration as a joint statement between national and local government on standards for utilising digital services for the benefit of residents.  The report will also provide an update and outline of the delivery of the council’s digital strategy for the financial year 2019/20.  These initiatives ranging from increasing IT security, improving the council website and systems that support the effective delivery of services.  Within the delivery is an outline of where reserve draw-down will be used or if part of existing revenue spend.

The application was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation.

The application was referred to the secretary of state for determination, in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation.

The application was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation, with amended conditions.

The application was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation.

The application was refused in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation.

To provide further assurance in respect the council’s role as accountable body for the section 31 grant from the Department of Education to NMiTE

To approve the business case, draw-down of approved capital funding and the implementation arrangements for a programme of energy efficiency measures on leisure facilities managed by Halo Leisure, on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To approve payments to Hoople for services as specified in the Hoople service level agreement for 2019/20 and establish the overarching agreement (the Hoople Services Contract) which sets out the contract between Hoople and the council for 2019/20 onwards following the expiry of the prior agreement.

Hoople provides a range of service to the council, including revenues and benefits, finance, human resources, ICT, training and education, and reablement services, they also assist the council in its management of ICT applications that are provided to the council by others. These services support the operation of the council across all directorates. The cost to the council of services provided by Hoople in 2019/20 is expected to be £5.699m. The services that Hoople are to deliver in each financial year are described in an annual plan, which is known as the Hoople service level agreement or the ‘Hoople SLA’. As a teckal company those services are to be provided to the council at cost with no profit element. For 2019/20 the overarching agreement (the Hoople Services Contract) which sets out the contract between Hoople and the council is to be re-established following the expiry of the prior agreement. The expired agreement has been reviewed for any contractual mechanisms, which refer to processes that are still deemed to be active. These being moved into a current document overarching the annual Hoople SLA document.  Amongst other things that agreement sets out the payment mechanism through which payment will be made to Hoople. That payment mechanism is entirely compatible with the arrangements that are necessary for the council to maintain the teckal exemption under which this provision must operate. As such approval of the new overarching agreement is also sought in order to enable Hoople to be paid for the services specified in the Hoople service level agreement for 2019/20, or the agreed variant thereof. This new overarching agreement will then be the subject of regular review.

The recommendations put forward enable the client/provider relationship between the council and Hoople to continue on a sound contractual footing, they enable the services that Hoople are commissioned to provide to be fully described, adjusted as may be required to support the council’s operations and then paid for to the extent that they have been provided.

That:

(a)   the acting assistant director for highways and transport be authorised to finalise the Hoople Services Contract, taking the form in Appendix 1 the term of which will run until terminated, the annual value of which will be in accordance with each year’s Hoople SLA;

(b)  the Hoople Services Contract be reviewed on a frequency no less than 5 years.

(c)   subject to finalising the Hoople Services Contract, the acting assistant director for highways and transport be authorised to finalise and sign the Hoople SLA for 2019/20 attached at Appendix 2 at a value of c£5.669m;

(d)  the acting assistant director highways and transport be authorised to agree, in accord with the Hoople Services Contract, and the authority obtained by relevant budget managers, any in year adjustments to the Hoople SLA for 2019/20;

(e)   the acting assistant director for highways and transport be authorised to approve payments to Hoople in accord with the Hoople Services Contract for those services planned as the SLA for 2019/20, this within the approved annual budgets for the services therein;

(f)    until such time as the Hoople Services Contract is signed off, the acting assistant director for highways and transport be authorised to approve payments to Hoople in accord with the contractual obligation established by the 2018/19 Hoople SLA; and 

(g)  In the event that a Hoople SLA for 2020/21 is not agreed by 1 April 2020, the acting assistant director for highways and transport be authorised to approve payments to the value of £2m to Hoople for the period up to end June 2020 in accordance with the Hoople Services Contract for those services that Hoople must continue to deliver to maintain the council’s operational capability.

To approve a loan from school balances of £50,000 to Madley Primary School to enable the upgrade and replacement of their ICT infrastructure and to refurbish their ICT suite.

The school has recently conducted an IT infrastructure review and found the current hardware and technical infrastructure to be outdated and no longer fit for purpose; their previous hardware refresh took place in 2002 with adhoc maintenance, repair and exchange to date. The school have been advised that there is an imminent risk of failure of the server which could result in a loss of data.

The project will refresh the existing desktop hardware including a migration to Windows 10 with full cloud capability and supporting infrastructure, and the migration of data to SharePoint.  As a result of this upgrade, the infrastructure lifespan will be in excess of 10 years, with the hardware lifespan between 7-9 years.

The IT suite will be refurbished with new fixtures and fittings (benches and seating) and the flooring replaced.

That:

(a)       A capital loan of £50k to Madley Primary School be approved at 0% interest, repayable from April 2020 in five instalments of £10k to enable the upgrade and replacement of their ICT infrastructure and to refurbish their ICT suite including replacing the flooring.

To approve the recommendations for provision of an out of hours emergency duty service for children’s social care from October 2019.

As a result of Worcestershire County Council transferring their children services to Worcestershire Children First on 1 October 2019, it is proposed that the current contract for the Herefordshire Emergency Duty Team (EDT) service with Worcestershire County Council is terminated and a new contract is awarded to Worcestershire Children First.  This proposal will ensure continuity of this business critical service.

That:

(a)  the existing contract with Worcestershire County Council be terminated early by mutual agreement on 30 September 2019,

(b)  a contract be awarded to Worcestershire Children First to deliver Herefordshire’s children’s social care out of hours emergency duty service for a maximum period of 42 months from 1 October 2019 at a total cost of not more than £440,000; 

(c)  Authority be delegated to Director of Children and Families (in consultation with Legal Services) to settle the final form of contract with Worcestershire Children First

To make the Welsh Newton and Llanrothal neighbourhood development plan as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire and approve the consequential updates to the countywide policies maps.

To fulfil the legal duty to make /adopt the Welsh Newton and Llanrothal neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire.

On 20 May 2016, the Council delegated authority to the cabinet member infrastructure for decisions on all further neighbourhood development plans adoptions, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map.

That:

(a)        The Welsh Newton and Llanrothal neighbourhood development plan is made as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire; and

(b)        The required consequential changes are made to the countywide policies map.

To make the Wigmore Group neighbourhood development plan as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire and approve the consequential updates to the countywide policies maps.

To fulfil the legal duty to make /adopt the Wigmore Group neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire.

On 20 May 2016, the Council delegated authority to the cabinet member infrastructure for decisions on all further neighbourhood development plan adoptions, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map.

That:

(a)       The Wigmore Group neighbourhood development plan is made as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire; and

(b)       The required consequential changes are made to the countywide policies map.

To approve the executive response to the recommendations from the task and finish group’s review of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision.  The task and finish group assessed SEND provision in Herefordshire and made thirteen recommendations to the executive.  It is proposed that twelve of the recommendations are accepted and the responses are set out in appendix 1.

That:

a)    the response to the children and young people’s scrutiny committee’s recommendations regarding the review of SEND provision in Herefordshire, as attached at appendix 1 are approved.

To approve the executive response to the recommendations from the scrutiny review of the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) referrals.  The review assessed the level of referrals to the PRU in Herefordshire and made eleven recommendations to the executive; these recommendations and proposed responses are set out in appendix 1.

That:

(a)        the response to the children and young people’s scrutiny committee’s recommendations regarding pupil referral unit (PRU) referrals in Herefordshire, as attached at appendix 1 are approved.

To approve the executive response to the recommendations from scrutiny review of Court judgements relating to children and families.  The review assessed the response of the council to address concerns raised in the court judgements and the recent Ofsted inspections. The Children and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee made seven recommendations to the head of paid service and three recommendations to the executive.  It is proposed that all of the recommendations are accepted in full and responded to as set out in appendix 1; a further recommendation does not relate to an executive function. The content of training for scrutiny members is an operational matter for the statutory scrutiny officer. 

That:

(a)       the response to the children and young people’s scrutiny committee’s recommendations to the executive regarding the scrutiny review of court judgements relating to children and families in Herefordshire, as attached at appendix 1 are approved.

None.

None.

None.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meetings held on 6 March 2019 and  29 March 2019 be approved as a correct record.

This report seeks the approval of a 1 year extension to the current contractual arrangement for the delivery of NHS Healthchecks to 31 March 2021.

It is recommended that the council directly award a contract extension to Taurus Healthcare to continue to provide NHS Health Checks, including identification and invitations to the eligible population (residents aged 40-74 and not on existing disease registers).  This is based on Taurus Healthcare, as the GP Federation, being the only body currently capable of accessing GP practice lists and able to utilise the day-to-day contact and interaction GPs already have with the patient base.

A contract extension is also recommended to allow time for the establishment of the new Primary Care Networks.  The intention will be to work with Taurus Healthcare as a key strategic partner and as part of a multi-disciplinary steering group to ensure relationships are developed with primary care network directors to support the improvement of the health check service delivery and targeting.  

The existing contract is due to expire on 31/03/2020. The recommendations being made take account of the evidence base, lessons learnt following review of the current service provision and acknowledgement of the development work taking place to establish Primary Care networks throughout the county.

That:

(a)  a 1 year contract extension be awarded to Taurus Healthcare at a value of up to a maximum of £200,000 to provide NHS Health Checks in the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.