Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Noted a report concerning the local implementation of a new national policy on reimbursement for delayed discharges from hospital, contained in the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Act 2003, which requires local authorities to pay NHS Acute Trusts £120 (in London) for each day a bed is occupied by a patient after the discharge date.  A shadow reimbursement system started on the 1 October and financial payments apply from 5 January 2004.

For 2003 / 2004, Barking and Dagenham Council will receive a reimbursement grant of £227,000.  The grant in 2004 / 2005 will be in the region of £450,000.  The grant acts as an incentive to reduce delayed discharge as any money not required to pay the charge may be invested in community care services designed to reduce both avoidable admissions and delayed discharges.

Received a report outlining details of the existing contract for the supply of refuse sacks, which is due to end in December 2003, and arrangements for the re-tender of this contract to start 1 March 2004 based on a delivery frequency of 26 bags twice a year (two 13 sack rolls) or a single delivery of 52 bags each year, which is being investigated.

The report also outlined proposals to obtain competitive prices from a selection of suppliers for a single cycle of deliveries to cover the interim period.  As the value will be approximately £35,000 (Class C contract), this will be undertaken through the formal tender process. 

Agreed, in order to begin the tendering process, the supply of plastic refuse sacks should be undertaken through an agreed contract for a period of 2 years with the option of a 12-month extension bearing in mind the uncertainty at this time of the long-term use of black sacks.

Received a report setting out the background to the Government’s initiatives on the decent homes target, the appraisal process and the project plan that has been developed to accomplish the appraisal. 

Agreed, in order to ensure that a robust appraisal process is delivered within the timescales set by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and which will engage with tenants, Members and other stakeholders, to:

1. The proposals to progress the appraisal process;

2. Set up the Housing Futures Forum, as a sub group of the Barking and Dagenham Partnership, which will include the Executive portfolio holders for ‘Housing, Health and Social Care’ and ‘Regeneration’; and

3. The Chair of the Scrutiny Management Board to nominate a Member to sit on the Housing Futures Forum in place of the ‘Scrutiny Member’ referred to in section 4 of the report.

Deferred.

Further to Minute 121 (23 September 2003), received a report on Members’ telephones and the possible introduction of an ‘Out of Hours’ IT support facility.

The report addressed a number of concerns previously expressed by Members in relation to telephones and set out the possible advantages / disadvantages and cost implications of several options.

It also outlined a proposal for the provision of ‘Out of Hours’ IT support for Members, including a help desk facility together with a ‘mobile technician’.

Agreed, in order to clarify the issues associated with Members’ telephones, that:

1. If they wish, when the new ADSL computer connections are made, Members be allowed to keep and use the telephone handset, already provided, for incoming calls only at no extra charge to the Council (Option Two);

2. Members are generally expected to continue to use their own private telephones for Council business calls and to meet all related costs from their Basic Allowance;

3. Notwithstanding 1 and 2 above, no change be made to the current allocations of mobile telephones and connections to the Centrex system, as set out in the report; and

4. An ‘Out of Hours’ IT support for Members not be provided at this time.