Agenda and minutes

1.1  None.

2.1  None.

3.1  None.

4.1  Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

5.1  The Chair welcomed Anna Randle, Head of Strategy and co-author of Managing Demand Building Future Public Services from London Borough of Lambeth and Alice Evans, Director System Change from the LankellyChase Foundation. 

5.2  The Chair outlined the context of the review; highlighting the Commission was looking at new ways in which service users could be supported shifting the focus of services to prevention and developing partnership working across the system to reduce the demand on services.

5.3  The Head of Strategy from London Borough of Lambeth presented information about the findings from her research work with RSA looking at demand management.  The research explored the different tools and techniques use to manage demand e.g. nudge technique.  The Head of Strategy also informed Members about the changes Lambeth Council have been making in relation to this; outlining the lessons learnt on their journey towards establishing a more equal relationship with their citizens and the process of changing the organisation into a Cooperative Council and implementing a new commissioning structure.

5.4  The following substantive points were made in the presentation:

5.4.1  The managing demand research identified a small number of Council’s building collaborative approaches but these were within borough boundaries.  She explained taking the whole place , whole system approach would mean building collaborative strategies based on local circumstances to influence  behaviour; addressing need outside of the service lens; and reconfiguring service delivery mechanisms through understanding how demand manifests across a ‘whole system’ and a ‘whole place’.  The research revealed this approach required a different relationship between the citizen and state.

5.4.2  The research found many examples of demand management being effective for small scale changes e.g. a specific service area but none across a whole place or whole system. 

5.4.3  Taking a whole place, whole system approach to change would mean going beyond the service lens - they found that services did not reflect demand the way that service users experienced or needed it.  It was explained that the divers for demand are not fully understood, meaning services are being made available at the wrong point and therefore not solving the problem.  In some cases the structure of services can be re-enforcing the problem.  Upon reflection services will need to get closer to the community to understand their needs; then look at how services can work better together.  This may mean cultural and structural change.  In essence effecting organisational change to meet service user needs.

5.4.4  Changing the system goes beyond partnership working instead starting with the people and working backwards.  In some cases this may mean new relationships and collaborating across agencies and sectors because the drivers for demand are often the same across the system.

5.4.5  Changing the system requires a shift in mind-set for the professionals and the organisation.  Changing behaviour is often critical and residents need to be viewed as assets and supported to get involved in the service redesign.  She highlighted organisations need to get better at Involving people in the process of co-designing, co-commissioning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.1  The Chair welcomed Michael Honeysett, Assistant Director Financial Management; Kay Brown, Assistant Director Revenues and Benefit and Cllr Geoff Taylor, Cabinet Member Finance from London Borough of Hackney.

6.2  At the previous meeting Members of the Commission requested for information on the interdependency of the different housing benefit changes and the cumulative impact of these on residents.  A detailed presentation was provided on pages 143-194 in the agenda.  The presentation outlined the welfare reform changes and the impact of these on Hackney residents.  The substantive points highlighted are detailed below.

6.2.1  The Governments objective for implementing the welfare reform was to promote work and personal responsibility; simplify the system to make work pay; reduce welfare dependency and reduce the cost of the welfare budget.

6.2.2  The Assistant Director Revenues and Benefits referred to the list of welfare benefits that had been impacted.  Particular emphasis was placed on the changes to:

·  Incapacity benefit reassessments – this benefit is a passport to access other support.  The Council still need to improve in this area to support this cohort.

·  Disability Living Allowance – implementation of changes to this benefit started in Scotland and are due to be implemented in Hackney in 2015.  The aim is to reduce expenditure of this welfare bill by £2.4 billion.  This is expected to have a significant impact on Hackney residents once implemented.

6.2.3  In relation to the implementation of the under occupancy / social size criteria, in April 2013 the social rented sector had 4,255 households affected; of which 1,956 were Hackney Homes tenants and 2,299 were with registered providers - Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). 

6.2.4  As of the end of January 2015 3,190 households are affected; of which 1,515 are with Hackney Homes and 1,675 are with registered providers. 

6.2.5  As of the 31^st December 2014 the financial implications for these tenants meant an average weekly loss - for under occupancy - of £25.08 per week.  For Hackney Homes the average loss was £22.59 per week and for RSL tenants the average loss was £27.33 per week.

6.2.6  50.2% of Hackney Homes tenants affected by the under occupancy are in rent arrears.  This number rose over 50% from January 2015.  Although it was pointed out many tenants were in rent arrears prior to the social size criteria being applied.  The Council continues to express upon residents in this position to work with the Council.  The average rent owed by tenants in this situation has fallen from £751 to £683.  A contributing factor to this is the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP).

6.2.7  Hackney implemented its Council Tax Reduction scheme.  This scheme requires all working age claimants to pay at least 15% of their council tax bill.  It was highlighted Hackney’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme was less stringent than other councils e.g. Waltham Forest were asking residents to pay 16% in 2015/16 and it was expected to increase to 24% in 2016/17.

6.2.8  Since the benefit cap was implemented 1,031 households in Hackney have been affected.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.1  The Chair advised the work programme for G&R was on pages 197 - 201 of the agenda.

Members noted the work programme.

7.2  The Chair informed the Commission residents would be consulted about their views and ask them to identify their local concerns during purdah. 

7.3  Members agreed to make suggestions to the Chair and Overview and Scrutiny Officer about future work programme discussion items and topic areas for a scrutiny review.

8.1  None.