Oldham Leadership Board (Operational Meeting)

1st October 2014

Oldham College

1-3pm

Present:
Carolyn Wilkins
Jeremey Broadbent / Chief Executive, Oldham Council (Chair)
Oldham Business Leaders Group
Cllr Sue Dearden
Cllr Jean Stretton / Oldham Council
Oldham Council
Paul Cassidy
Elaine Mclean
Emma Alexander
Alan Higgins / Oldham Council
Oldham Council
Oldham Council
Oldham Council
Liz Windsor-Welsh
Supt Caroline Ball
Alun Francis
John Wilkes
Denis Gizzi
Ian Wilkinson
Nigel Elliot
Jayne Clarke / Voluntary Action Oldham
Greater Manchester Police
Oldham College
Pennine Acute (in place of Gillian Fairfield)
Oldham CCG
Oldham CCG
GM Probation Trust
Oldham Sixth Form College
Also in attendance / Mark Reynolds
Richard Spearing
Michael McCourt
Vicky Sugars
Jackie Wilson
Cathy Butterworth / Oldham Council
Pennine Care
Pennine Care
Oldham Council
Oldham Council
Oldham Council
Apologies: / Cllr Jim McMahon
Cath Green / Leader, Oldham Council
First Choice Homes Oldham
Stuart Lockwood
John Schofield / Oldham Community Leisure Trust
Pennine Care
Denis McGinn
Cllr Howards Sykes / GM Probation Trust
Oldham Council
1 / Minutes and matters arising from meeting on 24th July 2014
The minutes of the meeting were agreed as a correct record of proceedings.
2 / Commissioning clustersupdate
Jackie Wilson, Head of Policy at Oldham Council, presented the paper outlining the progress of the co-operatives and neighbourhoods commissioning cluster on behalf of the chair, Cath Green, Chief Executive of First Choice Homes Oldham. This included the focus on BGreen and Limehurst as well as some learning from Hathershaw and the proposal to focus on new approaches to domestic violence.Board members welcomed the progress so far in developing the themes.
Alun Francis, Principal of Oldham College, gave a verbal update on the themes emerging from the economy and skills cluster including the preliminary work pulling together the evidence base for the cluster. Comments and discussion followed on how we ensure the best economic alignment between skills and jobs and how we can best lead Oldham within the city region.
Cllr Sue Dearden updated the Board on the inaugural meeting of the health and wellbeing cluster. This group will be focusing on planning for a change in government policy that will affectsthe health and social care system as well as a strategy to influence greater Manchester and national funding arrangements for Oldham. The cluster will also hold a health away day to progress these and the other identified themes. Board members commented on the productive inaugural meeting and honest conversations it generated regarding the health and social care system in Oldham.
Board members commented that:
  • All of the clusters needed to be explicit about the links with Greater Manchester and what parts of the city region structure will be involved in the cluster work areas
  • The clusters still needed to explore what will change in terms of partnership commissioning arrangements and
  • The evidence base for the clusters needs development.

AGREED/ACTION:
  1. For the comments listed above to be considered and be taken forward by the cluster chairs to be reported back to the next meeting of the Oldham Leadership Board

3 / Partnership budget planning
Emma Alexander, Executive Director for Commercial Services, Oldham Council, presented some partnership budget challenges based upon the meeting held with financial leads from FCHO, Oldham CCG, Oldham College and VAO in August 2014. This included a summary of individual partner challenges and solutions as well as some areas we can work together to mitigate the budget impact on residents and get more out of public service resource.
The following comments were made:
  • We all faced similar challenges in dealing with rising demand at a time of dwindling resources.
  • We need to change how as well as what we spend.
  • In health the big challenge is achieving the balance between expanding primary care and sustaining services.
  • The disparity between 0-16 and post 16 funding means that colleges face stark challenges.
  • The challenges for the community and voluntary sector were dependent on the budget decisions of other organisations and it is essential that we work out a join approach that invests in the sector long terms and puts micro-commissioning and social value at its heart.
  • We need to develop our lobbyingtactics at GM and beyond to get a better funding deal for Oldham.

AGREED/ACTION:
1.To circulate the presentation and seek further views from partners on the joint solutions to partnership budget challenges
2.Hold a further meeting of the financial leads to progress the work areas and report back to the Board at a future meeting.
4 / Oldham Plan refresh
Vicky Sugars, Partnerships and Projects Manager presented some initial thoughts on the content of the Oldham Plan refresh.
Board members commented that:
  • The plan could have a short summary (public facing) and a more detailed plan (partner facing) behind it.
  • The original vision was still valid in terms of what we want to achieve for residents
  • The narrative could reflect what we need for people and what we need for the place.
  • The role of Greater Manchester needs further detail in each cluster heading
  • What we mean by resilience needs to be defined – not just about individuals doing their bit but communities too.
  • Need to explain jargon and use plain English.
  • Unsure if focus on skills is right or rather about the link between skills and jobs.
  • Low wages and low incomes and ‘in work’ poverty is a priority.
  • We could make more use of the university offer and linking this up with the plans for a Royal Oldham hospital. This could be an area for development by the clusters.
  • Place Marketing goes across all the clusters and we need a review on how this is progressing.
  • We need to ensure the earlier community budgets work and its principles are woven into the plan.
  • We need to consider the cooperative message in terms of economic growth particularly around social enterprise, micro-commissioning and social value.

AGREED/ACTION:
  1. For Vicky Sugars to take on board the above comments and start developing a first draft of the plan for further consultation with partners and with a view to sign off the strategy at the December meeting of the Board.
  2. For the proposal to look at the vision for a Royal Oldham Hospital campus be considered by the Health & Wellbeing cluster
  3. For the progress on the Place Marketing Strategy come back to a future meeting of the Board.

5 / Fair employment charter
Elaine Mclean, Executive Director for Neighbourhood’s at Oldham Council introduced the Fair Employment Charter which was further endorsed by Alun Francis, Principal of Oldham College.
Cathy Butterworth, Head of People’s Services, Oldham Council, presented the six sections of the Fair Employment Charter in detail.
Both Oldham College and Oldham Sixth form college expressed an interest in signing up to the Charter at the meeting. Overall partners were supportive of the principles behind the charter.
Board members made the following comments:
  • That business may be put off by the union aspect of the charter and the wording of it could be problematic.
  • We need to clarify sign up as commissioners as well as employers and how this aligns with the social value procurement framework.
  • That minimum sick leave and pension guidance and support could be integrated into the charter as an example of fair and good employment.

AGREED/ACTION:
  1. For partners to notify Cathy Butterworth of interest in signing up to the Charter
  2. For meetings to be arranged with individual partners regarding the sign up.

6. / Inspection of Children’s Services (self-assessment)
Paul Cassidy, Director for Adult Services, Oldham Council urged Board members to look through the circulated Children’s Services Self- Assessment document and asked partners to carefully consider if there was anything they wanted to add from their organisational perspective. He also urged partners to consider the Safeguarding Board arrangements and partner roles, attendance and representation.
Comments were made regarding other high profile national cases and the need for Oldham to continue to try and keep ahead in safeguarding children.
AGREED/ACTION:
  1. For partners to consider the report and feed in any comments direct to Paul Cassidy
  2. For partners to consider the role of organisations on the Safeguarding Board.

7. / Actions, updates and AOB
Board members were reminded of the Partnership half day event that will take place on the 15th January 2015 and urged to save the date in the diary.
Board members were also informed of the decision to submit a GM wide bid as part of the DCLG Transformation Challenge Award.
Date of next meeting
3rd December 2014, 10 am until 12 noon, Oldham Council

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