Agenda item

To consider public questions (if any)

Question from Sushri Wells to Councillor C Hart, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities

“Given that the Asian Association of Chesterfield and North Derbyshire has been receiving discretionary grants from Derbyshire County Council for many years, and considering the potential removal of these funds following the consultation process, could the Council please clarify the specific criteria used to determine the continuation or removal of these grants? Additionally, what measures will the Council put in place to support the affected communities if these funds are withdrawn?”

Councillor Hart responded as follows:

“As you acknowledge in your question Derbyshire County Council have been providing your organisation that you are representing today, and many others, grants for many years.  In fact I think we are talking in your case something like 20 years or more?  Longer than that. 

We did start a review on all our grants before Covid just to make sure that help is delivered to our residents’ priorities.  When Covid happened of course we had to put that on one side but we picked it up again last year.  Since we have picked it up we have made sure that organisations we give grants to do know that it isn’t guaranteed funding every year and there may be changes.

I don’t know whether you read the Cabinet report that was produced asking us to go out to consultation but it was highlighted of course that the Council is under significant financial pressures due to the demand for services and the cost of providing these services for local people.

As you know the consultation is happening now.  We do have a draft Impact and Equality Assessment and that has helped us to sort of anticipate some of the proposals that might come forward from the affected organisations should that funding be stopped.  In fact it did help us to sort of sort the questions out on the consultation to draw that out.

When the consultation finishes we will then consider all the responses; we will be holding some extra meetings and ongoing engagement, as well as the analysis of the annual reports and the accounts for any possible affected organisations.  Following that we will then consider all the feedback and then of course we will assess the viability and implications before making any decisions.  I hope that covers some of your concerns.”

Sushri Wells asked the following supplementary question:

“When will we know the final decision on the consultation?”

Councillor Hart responded as follows:

“It will take some time once the consultation comes in and all the responses are received so I haven’t got a timeframe exactly for that but I can assure you we will take all the responses in; we will talk to the organisations who put their cases forward.  I am sure that many besides yourself and your organisation will be asking us to relook and rethink so we will be talking with them and assessing as I say the viability and the sustainability and everything else.  We will do it as soon as we can but of course the funding whatever is guaranteed until next April anyway, so I hope that helps.”

Question from David Ingham to Councillor Hoy, Cabinet Member for Adult Care

“I note the agenda item relating to Childrens Services Leadership Changes which is to agree to the regrading of the role of Director of Strategic Commissioning, Quality and Performance from grade 17 to grade 18 following an evaluation of the role and that the job title of the vacant Director of Schools and Learning is changed to Director of Education (the job content remaining the same) which is now currently advertised.

I also note the agenda item relating to seeking approval to amend the senior leadership structure within ASCH.  Can it be clearly explained what is the rationale for these ASCH changes, as there was no reference to a leadership restructuring within the 2024/25 budget documentation and what impact any of these proposed management changes would have on Day Services and Residential Services given that these areas of service provision are still subject to an on-going public consultation?”  

Councillor Hoy responded in writing, as follows:

“Thank you for the question you brought to full Council in relation to the changes to senior leadership structure arrangements in Adult Social Care. In the question you asked for it to be “clearly explained what is the rationale for these ASCH changes, as there was no reference to a leadership restructuring within the 2024/25 budget documentation and what impact any of these proposed management changes would have on Day Services and Residential Services given that these areas of service provision are still subject to an on-going public consultation?”

Having had the opportunity to read the detail within the paper prior to the meeting and having attended full Council in person I would hope that you recognise that the published report lays out a clear rationale for the proposals to restructure the senior leadership arrangements within ASCH and that the Executive Director for Adult Social Care and Health in his response to member questions also clearly articulated the rationale for the changes and so I have nothing further to add other than to confirm that in my view it is essential that what is the largest department in this Council and that which accounts for the biggest spend of Council resources has the right amount of senior leadership capacity to focus on leading, developing and delivering to the core business requirements of the department and that as operating contexts change it is wholly appropriate that leadership structures and arrangements are reviewed and reprofiled accordingly. In terms of the query around what impact these proposed changes would have on Day Services and Residential Services the answer to that is none. These changes, as clearly articulated in the report, relate to senior leadership roles and not operational management functions.”