Decisions

Use the search options below to find information regarding decisions that have been taken by the council's decision making bodies since 22 May 2015. If you wish to search for decisions prior to this date please use the search function under Search agendas, minutes and reports.

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Earlier - Later

Decisions published

08/10/2019 - LOCYP/03/19 1920026 Opportunity Area Grant Funding ref: 2298    Recommendations Approved

In line with the Opportunity Area Delivery Plan’s Priority Three Commitment to ensure that ‘No Career is out of Bounds’, we have put in place a Careers Hub to bring Careers Leaders in
schools together with employers and universities to develop best practice careers education information advice and guidance. Through the work of this group, the need for meaningful experiences of the world of work has come out clearly as a key need in the borough. To do this Doncaster needs a hub of willing employers on board from all sectors in order to maximise the choice and experience to school children in our borough to enable them to make the right
choices about their ambitions about work.

Decision Maker: Director of Learning, Opportunities and Skills

Decision published: 25/02/2022

Effective from: 08/10/2019

Decision:

To award £106,200 of Doncaster Opportunity Area (OA) grant funding to support the development of a work experience placement support function within Opportunities Doncaster Chamber of Commerce.

Lead officer: Riana Nelson


09/10/2019 - AHWB.049.2019 - Communication Service for Deaf and Deafened ref: 1839    Recommendations Approved

To re-tender the Communication Service for Deaf and Deafened People to commence from 1 April 2020. The current contract ends 31 March 2020.
• This is a statutory Service
• Doncaster Adults service along with DCCG and DBTH have contracted a BSL service for a number of years to meet the communication needs of Deaf, Deafened or Deafblind residents
• This service is to provide Communication Support services that effectively meet the needs of residents, regardless of ethnicity, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation religion or belief.
• The new contract will be jointly commissioned (Doncaster Council, Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group and Doncaster, Bassetlaw Foundation Teaching Hospital) and provides the opportunity to refresh the current Service Specification and to ensure that it fits with the current Adults Transformation Strategy and makes use of new technology.
• The current contract is due to expire 31st March 2020 is held by BID services.
• Quarterly contract review meetings take place with BID and the service is working well and is demonstrating added value (providing an in house interpreter and offering quality
improvement meetings with the deaf community)
• However in 2018 BID were only achieving 75% against performance target of 98% to fulfil assignments, primarily because the contract paid below the market rate exacerbated by a shortage of fully qualified Communication Support Interpreters.
• It was agreed (ODR ref: AHWB 0.68.2018) to increase the rate paid to freelancers from 1 November 2018. The in house interpreter remained at the original rate. This has improved the fulfilment rate, which is currently 94%.

Decision Maker: Director of Adults, Health and Well-Being

Decision published: 14/11/2019

Effective from: 09/10/2019

Decision:

To undertake an EU compliant procurement exercise of the Communication Service for Deaf and Deafened People for a new contract to commence on 1 April 2020 for 36 months with the option to extend for 2 x 12 months. The current contract ends 31 March 2020.

Current Council spend is around £21k per annum. Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospital Trust (DBHT) are charged for any health assignments in addition to this.

The Council wishes to commission a service on an outcome focused approach that will provide Doncaster residents who are deaf, deafened or deafblind with a:
• comprehensive and independent communication service available at the times required by Service Users and other parties involved in the assignment,
• fully accessible service, easy for stakeholders to contact and compliant with all equal opportunities legislation,
• qualified and competent communication support,
• responsive to the communication needs of the Service User and other parties involved in
the assignment,
• person centred, flexible service that can meet complex needs of Service Users’ e.g. dual sensory loss, mental health needs.
Service Review 2019.

A full service review has been undertaken to inform future commissioning. It was identified that there had been some issues around cancellations/non-attendance of interpreters that had been booked for appointments. This appears to have improved since Doncaster Council and partners decided to increase the guaranteed freelance fee from two to three hours.

However, the fees are still below the NUBSLI (National Union of British Sign Language Interpreters) guidelines due to financial constraints of the contract that has now been in place for over 8 years.

BID continues to strive to meet the communication needs of the deaf community in Doncaster by providing a robust accessible booking process and providing high quality communication support and professionals. A team of dedicated co-ordinators manage the booking process and work closely with service users and professionals.
All BID’s interpreters are registered with NRCPD (National Registers of Communication Professionals Working with Deaf and Deafblind People (UK)) with a minimum Level 6 qualification.

In June 2019 BID introduced a new web-based portal booking system.

It is clear from the previous feedback from service users there have been some issues around cancellations/non-attendance of interpreters that had been booked for appointments.
The issues appear to be with the freelance interpreters rather that the contracted staff members, we have addressed this by increasing the appointment times from 2 to 3 hour minimum slots in-line with other organisations using the freelance interpreters.

Lead officer: Marie Hall


10/10/2019 - AHWB.048.2019 - Home from Hospital Service ref: 1838    Recommendations Approved

This ODR is in line with the following Adults Health and Wellbeing Commissioning 2018/19 Cabinet Report (27 March 2018) approved recommendations:

• To approve the Commissioning Procurement Plan for 2018/19 including the proposals and activity contained in this report.
• Delegation of authority to agree and sign off commissioning recommendations, to the Director of People, or nominated deputy, as the work plan is progressed.
• Delegation of award of contracts to the Director of People in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.
Background

1. Doncaster Council (Adults Health and Wellbeing) and Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group jointly commissioned a Home from Hospital service. The contract was awarded to Age UK Doncaster for 2 years with the option to extend for 1 year. The contract commenced on 1st April 2019.

2. The primary aims of the service are to:

• support planned discharges from hospital
• reduce re-admissions into hospital
• prevent premature admission to residential care
• Deliver a flexible person-centred service and support carers.

3. Quarterly contract review meetings take place with Age UK and the service is working well and is demonstrating added value:

• It offers timely intervention including ‘Ready for Home Support’ to aid discharge, and has proven to reduce re-admissions. Positive relationships have developed with referrers (e.g. Hospital Ward) with regular discussion as to appropriate discharge options. On average the Service receives 360 referrals per year. The ward contacts Age UK Home from Hospital Service, who will contact the service user on the same day and support a safe discharge to ensure the length of hospital stay is no longer than it needs to be.

• Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) indicators have consistently exceeded national and contractual targets. Latest performance for ASCOF 2b (proportion of older people supported to remain at home 91 days after discharge from hospital) shows the service achieved 100%, above the 81% national target.
• Client feedback has highly rated the Service over the past 5 years. 95% of clients said the service was useful and 100% of clients said they would use the service again.
• A person centred approach is taken to support increased independence post-discharge. Qualitative feedback from service users showed 47% said the best of the service was ‘getting their independence back’.

4. The long-term strategy for Intermediate Care is still being determined and agreed, however the type of service offered by Age UK Doncaster provides invaluable support in aiding people to return to and remain at home. This service is likely to be a key component either in its current form or re-designed.

5. The Better Care Fund (BCF) Business Case to fund the service at £100K per annum (£71.5K Better Care Funding, £28.5K General Fund Revenue Funding) was approved by Joint Commissioning Operational Group (JCOG) at the meeting on 25.09.18.

Decision Maker: Director of Adults, Health and Well-Being

Decision published: 13/11/2019

Effective from: 10/10/2019

Decision:

To seek retrospective approval to award a contract following an EU compliant tender exercise for a period of 2 years with the option to extend for 12 months, for the provision of a Home from Hospital Service.

Lead officer: Andrea Hedges


11/10/2019 - PH 2019/12/PH/FitRovers ref: 1826    Recommendations Approved

Weight management continues to be a priority for Doncaster as the obesity statistics for Doncaster remains unchanged and could potentially grow further. The impact of increasing obesity levels (and associated long term conditions). on health and social care services would be increased without low level prevention and upstream approaches, and the longer term impact on our increasing ageing population would need to be factored in to the future planning of services and budgets.

The Fit Rovers health and wellbeing programme will compliment the current healthy weight portfolio and provides a frontline initiative for males and females around weight reduction and behaviour change approaches in the absence of a Tier 2 weight management service.

The current service has received some short term funding from the Doncaster Clinical Commissioning group and previously a small grant from the Sport England fund however those funds are now depleting although some CCG funding will continue to support the marketing and wider health benefits of the service and compliment the DMBC grant as it will not meet the full service costs. The DMBC grant will support delivery costs only for part year 2019/20 and the funding for 2020/21 onwards will need further consideration in line with finance planning going forwards in 2020/21 but there are no formal commitments for this at this stage.

There is currently no alternative weight management service in Doncaster other than the Tier 3 weight management service which is a pre-bariatric service for the morbidly obese and therefore the Fit Rovers service currently fills a gap in the lower level prevention (tier 2) weight management services approach.

Current data from the programme demonstrates good uptake, retention and outcomes from males and females and the large waiting list (over 200) indicates the need and demand for such a service in Doncaster.

For the reasons above there is currently no alternative service available and if rejected the programme would inevitably have to close and leave unmet need and add to a growing obesity epidemic and further burden on health and social care services.

The Director of Public Health has already had conversations with our Procurement team and finance to ensure that this meets our corporate policy guidelines around grant agreements. The grant agreement will be facilitated through our legal department following sign off the ODR and conversations have already commenced with that department.

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 14/10/2019

Effective from: 11/10/2019

Decision:

It has been agreed by the Director of Public Health in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder (Councillor Nigel Ball) to provide a grant for 2019/20 (September 2019 -31st March 2020) to the Club Doncaster Federation to support implementation and delivery of the Fit Rovers Health and Wellbeing programmes. A grant of £30k would be paid in 2x £15k instalments for 2 periods (September to December 2019) and January –March 2020 respectfully based on performance reporting/ monitoring and outcome data from the provider.

Lead officer: Dr Rupert Suckling


06/03/2019 - AHWB.008 2019 Early Lift Installation Eden Lodge ref: 1824    Recommendations Approved

Eden Lodge and Wickett Hern are both purpose built, CCQ registered, 24/7 short break buildings owned by Doncaster Council.
Each unit has 9 bedrooms, 18 in total. In each unit there are 4 on the ground floor wheel chair accessible and 5 bedrooms upstairs. Both units will accommodate emergency admissions for those people who experience crises as a result of family or personal issues or who are transitioning into community supported living. Occupancy fluctuates pending on the time of year and the availability of ground floor rooms. Ground floor rooms are sought after and are generally pre booked in advance reducing the offer of emergency respite for people who have complex needs.
The demand for downstairs beds has increased. Snap shot of occupancy comparisons between 2017 and 2018 are set out in more detail in the attached Officer Decision Record.
As a result of limited availability of downstairs respite rooms.
The proposal is to install a lift (one off cost) into Eden Lodge providing 5 rooms that will accommodate people with mobility issues and are at risk of using stairs.
The lift installation would:
- Reduce the need to commission out of area and expensive respite places. (Based on the lowest £257 per night rate from alternative respite services compared to our cost £140 per night. One of the new Eden Lodge accessible rooms x 365 days can save £42,705 per annum per person). This could save the Council circa £213,000 per annum if the 5 rooms were in use.
- Provide consistency of care in Doncaster
- Reduce carer stress and uncertainty for people requiring short stay breaks.
- Support people and their carers through their life changes.
It is recommended the lift be installed before April 2019 due to occupancy levels rising from April. An early installation would avoid disruption to service delivery.
RDASH have approached Doncaster Short Stay services to accommodate people whose respite services cease end of February 2019.

Decision Maker: Assistant Director Adult Social Care and Safeguarding.

Decision published: 10/10/2019

Effective from: 06/03/2019

Decision:

To approve the Capital Bid Application of £97,153.50 to install a Lift at Eden Lodge Short Stay Unit for Adults with Complex Needs plus a wet room costing circa £9,000.

Lead officer: Karen Johnson


13/03/2019 - AHWB.018.2019 - Service Manager Post Extension ref: 1825    For Determination

Backfill arrangements are required for the Head of Service (Adults In House Community Provision) for 3 months as the substantive post-holder is seconded into the Community Assistant Directors post until the end of June 2019.
Further details are provided in the attached Officer Decision Record.

Decision Maker: Director of People

Decision published: 10/10/2019

Effective from: 13/03/2019

Decision:

To approve a 3 month assignment for a Service Manager within Adult Community Provision commissioned through Reeds Recruitment agency.

This contract extension will be effective from 1st April to 30th June 2019.

Lead officer: Damian Allen


08/10/2019 - PH 13 2019 - Get Doncaster Moving Marketing and Communications Tender Award ref: 1821    Recommendations Approved

See attached Officer Decision Record for details.

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 09/10/2019

Effective from: 08/10/2019

Decision:

To award the contract of £150,000 (along with a further £200k budget allocation to be developed and approved by the GDM Programme Board) to an external provider to deliver a marketing and communication approach to address inactivity.

This decision is following the approval by Cabinet on the 23.09.19 to receive £1.8m from Sport England to maximise opportunities from the Local Delivery Pilot and delegate to the Director of Public Health in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and the relevant portfolio holder to ensure spend is in accordance with the bid and for Doncaster Council to undertake the accountable body role.

Lead officer: Clare Henry


01/10/2019 - Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2020/21 to 2022/23. ref: 1817    Implemented

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 01/10/2019 - Cabinet

Decision published: 01/10/2019

Effective from: 01/10/2019