Agenda and minutes

1.  Apologies for absence

No apologies for absence were received.

No declarations of interest were received.

No questions or deputations were received.

To consider for approval the draft Minutes arising from the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board meeting held on 3^rd October 2022.

The Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board:

RESOLVED:

(i)  To agree the Minutes arising from the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board meeting held on 3^rd October 2022 to be an accurate record.

At the Council Meeting held on 11 October 2022, the following Motion was proposed by Councillor S Caudwell and seconded by Councillor M McLoughlin:

“The Council acknowledges the challenges many residents may face with rising energy bills. We do not accept that fuel poverty should endanger any lives of Solihull residents. The Council stands ready to support, within our means, any residents struggling to stay warm this winter. In supporting residents, we will account for the safety and dignity of those impacted, and any employees supporting these efforts. Whilst we recognise the pressures on Local Government finances, we accept that we have a responsibility to coordinate and deliver additional support to those in greatest need.

This Council:

a. Agrees that no resident of our Borough should be unable to stay warm this winter.

b. Notes the well-documented relationship between fuel poverty and adverse health outcomes; and

c. Acknowledges the steps taken by similar Councils throughout the country to make public buildings and partner facilities available to their residents, to provide safe shelter this winter.

This Council therefore resolves to:

d. Direct the Chief Executive to provide officer and infrastructure support as necessary to ensure the warmth and safety of our residents this winter; and

e. Provide updates on progress through the Stronger Communities and Neighbourhood Services Scrutiny Board and the Cabinet.”

Council resolved to refer this Motion to the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board for consideration.

The Motion is addressed in detail via the report ‘Solihull’s Response to the Cost of Living Pressures’ comprising Item 6 of this Agenda.

At the Council Meeting held on 3^rd October 2022, the following Motion was proposed by Councillor Caudwell and seconded by Councillor M McLoughlin, which was subsequently referred to the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board for further discussion and consideration:

“The Council acknowledges the challenges many residents may face with rising energy bills. We do not accept that fuel poverty should endanger any lives of Solihull residents. The Council stands ready to support, within our means, any residents struggling to stay warm this winter. In supporting residents, we will account for the safety and dignity of those impacted, and any employees supporting these efforts. Whilst we recognise the pressures on Local Government finances, we accept that we have a responsibility to coordinate and deliver additional support to those in greatest need.

This Council:

a. Agrees that no resident of our Borough should be unable to stay warm this winter.

b. Notes the well-documented relationship between fuel poverty and adverse health outcomes; and

c. Acknowledges the steps taken by similar Councils throughout the country to make public buildings and partner facilities available to their residents, to provide safe shelter this winter.

This Council therefore resolves to:

d. Direct the Chief Executive to provide officer and infrastructure support as necessary to ensure the warmth and safety of our residents this winter; and

e. Provide updates on progress through the Stronger Communities and Neighbourhood Services Scrutiny Board and the Cabinet.”

The Chairman read in full the Council Motion for the benefit of the Members of the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board and then invited Councillor Caudwell to address the Scrutiny Board.

Councillor Caudwell stated that since the Council Motion had been submitted matters had progressed regarding the cost-of-living pressures issue.  The original purpose of the Council Motion was to address significant challenges regarding the growing cost of living pressures that residents are facing, which includes energy and inflationary pressures outstripping wage growth.  Furthermore, the Council Motion was intended to highlight and clarify what actions were being taken by the Council to address the cost-of-living pressures, as well as identifying good practice being implemented nationally to do so.

Councillor Caudwell had comments around the ‘Warm Spaces’ initiatives being implemented elsewhere, as referenced in the Council Motion and was pleased to see that the initiative was addressed in the Cost-of-Living Pressures report at Item 6 of the agenda.

A further concern highlighted by Councillor Caudwell related to those people who were living marginally above the recognised poverty line that could not claim any significant support due to means testing thresholds, which had led to an increase in people seeking assistance.

The Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board:

RESOLVED:

i)  To note Councillor Caudwell’s Council Motion from 11^th October 2022 and to discuss the matters raised within it in further detail under Agenda Item 6 ‘Solihull’s Response to the Cost-of-Living Pressure’.

The purpose of this report is to update members of the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board on Solihull’s response to the cost of living pressures. This follows a motion to Full Council on the 11 October 2022.

The report before the Scrutiny Board provided Members with an update on Solihull’s response to the cost-of-living pressures.  This follows a motion to Full Council on 11^th October 2022. Full Council resolved to refer the motion to the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board for consideration.

The report was introduced by the Assistant Director, Communities & Partnerships.  Members were informed that the Council had established a Lead Officer and Partnership Group, which was dynamic in responding to the current cost of living situation. The group convened fortnightly to meet with the voluntary and community sector to liaise and discuss appropriate initiatives. An Action Plan was in place as detailed in the report to the Scrutiny Board, which was updated weekly.  Members comments were sought on any apparent gaps in the Action Plan.

Officers were commencing monitoring the plan dashboard and impacts arising as from November 2022.  It had been noted that the voluntary and community sector was requesting early sight of information pertaining to debt advice. There had been a noted increased source of anxiety in the local community arising from debt advice, hence the request for early notification of such cases. It was noted that the voluntary and community sector were often the first points of contact for the public in times of need and stress.  The report before the Scrutiny Board detailed all of the Council’s current initiatives and further suggestions from Members were welcomed.

The Assistant Director, Communities & Partnerships confirmed that the Council’s libraries were to be badged as ‘Warm Welcome’ centres, with the offer in terms of opening hours, being raised as circumstances dictated. Council Officers were watching other local authorities initiatives and were also exploring further how the Council could work with the voluntary and community sector and faith groups in the delivery of their initiatives and the roll out of the warm spaces concept. 

The Assistant Director, Communities & Partnerships noted that the response to the Cost-of-Living pressures was a Solihull, rather than Council only, response.  Key points that had been recognised to date included making access to advice services as easy as possible and to have in place clear pathways to access financial and debt advice.  The Council and its partners continued to be open and responsive to any further suggestions as to what initiatives could be put in place to assist Solihull residents.

Having received the introduction to the report from the Assistant Director, Communities & Partnerships, Members of the Scrutiny Board raised several related questions to the report, which in summary included the following matters:

Councillor Parker noted that all Councillors had a role to play in keeping residents informed regarding Council services and initiatives that could be of support to them, which included information dissemination via social media platforms. 

Councillor Allen referenced warm hubs and queried how those vulnerable people / groups not currently in receipt of Council services would be recognised and how would vulnerable people be able to access the warm hubs. 

Members were advised that the Council was in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The report before the Scrutiny Board provided Members with an overview of both Corporate and Statutory complaints and compliments activity for 2021/22.

The Customer Relations Manager introduced the report.

Members were informed that the report addressed Children’s Services and Adult Social Care statutory complaints procedures and Corporate Complaints procedures.  The number of Childrens and Adult Social Care complaints had decreased slightly compared to the previous year, as had those pertaining to residential care homes.

Although the number of Corporate Complaints had slightly decreased there had been a rise in those going forward to formal complaint stages. Complaints progressing to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) remained relatively low.

Members of the Scrutiny Board raised several related questions to the report, which in summary included the following matters.

Councillor Gibbin queried how Council staff were supported when managing vexatious complaints. The Customer Relations Manager informed the Scrutiny Board that a Council policy was in place addressing vexatious complaints. In the case of vexatious complaints, the complainant would be contacted and provided with a specific telephone number/e-mail address to contain the complainant from reaching wider staff groups. 

The Council’s Complaints Team liaise with relevant senior managers regarding vexatious complaints and offer support daily to those staff members addressing the complaint. The Complaints Team also has the means to act as a first line of contact for on-going communications for such complaints, as well as liaising with the Human Resources department as part of the staff support protocols as needed.

Having received the introduction to the report, Members of the Scrutiny Board raised several related questions to the report, which in summary included the following matters:

Councillor Allen highlighted the table within the report which detailed categories of issues raised within complaints received and noted that there appeared to be a definite trend in relation to the categories of Attitude or Behaviour of Staff and Unsatisfactory Communication. Councillor Allen noted that both categories were fundamental as to how Children’s Services should be delivered and queried what actions were being taken to address these issues. 

The Customer Relations Manager informed Members that the relevant line or team manager completes a learning form according to the nature of the complaint received.  The Complaints Team follow up through the established complaints learning processes in place, which requires the service area involved in the complaint to confirm to the Complaints Team that all related learning arising through the complaint had been implemented in the business area. Furthermore, the Corporate Leadership Team received complaints data on a quarterly basis for review and Directorate Leadership Teams also received complaints reports data.

Councillor Allen stated that the learning processes in place did not appear to be addressing apparent difficulties with client communications and sought further detail as to how learning was evaluated.  The Customer Relations Manager advised the Scrutiny Board that all highlighted learning was collated and that officers from the Complaints Team attended the respective services team meetings to discuss the nature of the complaint and what further actions could  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.