Cabinet Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.  A flowchart providing guidance on interests is attached to assist councillors.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2017.

The minutes of the 26 September 2017 were agreed.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

To receive questions from the public in accordance with the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Plymouth City Council, Ballard House, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five clear working days before the date of the meeting.

The Leader introduced a report on the Administration’s Commitments.  Highlighting the level of high quality jobs which had been improved within the City.  The Leader also confirmed he had written to all Members of Parliament in the South West, to the Defence Secretary and the Local Government Association Chairman regarding the importance to the local economy of amphibious assault ships based at Devonport Dockyard. 

Cabinet members referred to successes including -

·         The delivery of new homes

·         Transport Infrastructure

·         Recycling levels and improvement to Weston Mill recycling centre

·         The completion of the review into a new committee structure

Councillor Downie, Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, announced that at next scheduled Cabinet Meeting proposals for additional enforcement officers would be brought forward.

Agreed to note the report. 

Councillor Ian Darcy, Cabinet Member for Finance and IT, introduced the report. During the discussion Cabinet members made contributions regarding –

·         the Health and Social Care Integrated budget

·         the Public Health Grant

·         Children’s Social provision and increase in demand

·         Dedicated schools grant

Agreed –

1.    to approve and recommend the Medium Term Financial Strategy to the Council at its meeting of 20 November 2017;

2.    to recommend the Leader of the Council writes to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to express the Council’s concerns about the availability of resources for Social Care and request additional funding for Adults and Children’s Services as part of the local government finance settlement.

Councillor Mrs Bowyer, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, introduced the report of the Director for Public Health.  Members highlighted –

·         that Year four of Thrive Plymouth would focus on wellbeing, including mental wellbeing;

·         the Improvements to the response rate to the survey of young people;

·         the Improvements to the numbers of children able to swim;

·         the reduction of you people smoking and drinking alcohol;

·         the ease of accessibility of the report

Cabinet agreed -

1.    the report after offering reflections on the approaches being taken to support health and wellbeing of children and young people in the City through the activity of schools and partners;

2.    to note the challenges identified to support health and wellbeing for children in the school settings;

3.    to the dissemination of the report in council wards either as a whole or in aspects of its content.

Councillor Mrs Beer, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, outlined the report which set out the options for the future shape of the Education, Participation and Skills Department in light of government policy, Council strategy and the statutory requirements placed on the Department.  Members discussed –

·         how further integration could improve standards;

·         the commitment of Schools to future partnership arrangements;

·         Risk.

Agreed to -

1.    approve the attached report to enable the further work to continue with schools to develop a business case for future partnership working.

2.    note the budget requirement of a minimum funding level of £9.2m for 2018/19 for the partnership to progress.

3.    endorse that educational attainment is a priority area for the Council and support the development of a robust plan by the Plymouth Education Board alongside the DFE.

Councillor Mrs Beer, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, introduced the report which set out the current position regarding community health, wellbeing and SEND support in Plymouth, and the proposal for the future integrated delivery of these services.  The business case set out the possible options for integration, the risks and benefits of these approaches,

Cabinet members questioned officers on the procurement process and agreed –

1.    to approve the operational and strategic direction of travel towards integration of community health, wellbeing and SEND services between 2017 and 2019 (Phase One).

2.    to acknowledge that a procurement of the services currently provided by Livewell South West (including Public Health funded School Nursing and Health Visiting services) would be carried out as required by procurement regulations and that procurement will be led by NEW Devon CCG. The commissioned provider will be expected to work in partnership with the existing service providers to ensure the benefits of integration are not disrupted.

3.      that more formal options for longer term partnership working can be researched and considered for possible implementation, if appropriate, from 2019 onwards.