Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and temporary appointments.

Cllr Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, sent his apologies.

See guidance note on the back page.

There were none.

The Committee is recommended to APPROVE the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th December 2024 and to receive information arising from them.

The Committee APPROVED the minutes of the meeting on 4^th December 2024 as a true and accurate record, subject to the correction of a typo in the attendance list.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. 

To facilitate ‘hybrid’ meetings we are asking that requests to speak or present a petition are submitted by no later than 9.00 a.m. four working days before the meeting, i.e., 9.00 a.m. on Friday 14 March, 2025.  Requests to speak should be sent to the Scrutiny Officer at scrutiny@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

If you are speaking ‘virtually’, you are asked to submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that your views are taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9.00 a.m. two working days before the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than one A4 sheet.

There were none.

The Committee has requested an update on co-production in Adult Social Care. 

Cllr Tim Bearder, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, has been invited to present the report.  Karen Fuller, the Director of Adult Social Care, has been invited to answer the Committee’s questions as, too, have Fulya Markham, Strategy Lead (Age Well, Live Well); Marc Borja, Commissioning Officer – Co-production; Megan De Cruz, Commissioning Support Officer – Co-production; Carole Stow, Engagement Consultation Manager.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Care, Fulya Markham, Strategy Lead (Age Well, Live Well); Marc Borja, Commissioning Officer – Co-production; Megan De Cruz, Commissioning Support Officer – Co-production; and Carole Stow, Engagement Consultation Manager, were invited to present the update on Co-production in Adult Social Care and to answer the Committee’s questions. Stephen Chandler, Executive Director (People), also attended to support Officers and answer the Committees questions.

The Director of Adult Social Care presented the update to Members, supported by the co-production team, highlighting the Oxfordshire definition of Co-production as a collaborative process where providers, professionals, and stakeholders equally share responsibility for creating and delivering services. Co-production was underpinned by principles of equality, diversity, access, and representativity.

The presentation covered the progress made since the Local Government Association peer review, including the development of a Co-production handbook, the establishment of a Co-production Advisory Board, and various engagement activities. The emphasis of co-production was on using the strengths and knowledge of individuals to improve service delivery and ensuring that co-production was embedded in everyday interactions and strategic planning.

Members emphasised the importance of plain English in reports to the Committee, given their public nature.  The Committee was advised that officers were acutely aware of the need for clear language when engaging with residents and that they would seek to use simpler language in future reports.

Members asked how residents or clients expressed their needs to the Council and whether the process was consistent across the system. They also inquired about verifying commissioning documents for proper implementation. It was explained that different stakeholders engaged in various ways, such as in the short breaks redesign, and reviewing the process to meet service users' needs was essential. Monthly audits of paperwork conducted by managers and practice supervisors, reviewed by deputy directors and the statutory director, ensured a comprehensive feedback loop.

The importance of effective communication within the co-production process was raised by Members, emphasising that, without a robust communication strategy, the effectiveness of the programme could be compromised.  Officers recognised that creating the right conditions for engagement involved understanding the needs of individuals and tailoring the approach accordingly.

The 'Purple Book' was mentioned as a co-production handbook developed in collaboration with an outside organisation in 2018. It was noted that this handbook had been continuously built upon and was publicly available. The 'Purple Book' served as a resource for understanding and implementing co-production within adult social care. 

The Committee explored how participants were approached for co-production, and how the value of their input was measured. It also asked about the criteria for selecting board members, how members were paid, and if the payment was equitable. The Committee suggested that elected members could be included on the board to provide insights from their casework and community interactions.

The Director of Adult Social Care outlined the criteria for selecting Co-Production Advisory Board members based on expertise and experiences related to council services. Organisations were consulted to identify suitable individuals who could contribute to co-production initiatives.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5/25

The Committee is recommended to AGREE its work programme for forthcoming meetings, having heard any changes from previous iterations, and taking account of the Cabinet Forward Plan and of the Budget Management Monitoring Report.

The Cabinet Forward Plan can be found here: https://mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/mgListPlanItems.aspx?PlanId=433&RP=115

The most recent BMMR, submitted to Cabinet is January 2025, can be found here: https://mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=31293

The Committee AGREED the proposed work programme.

The Committee is recommended to NOTE the progress of previous recommendations and actions arising from previous meetings, having raised any questions on the contents.

The Committee NOTED the action and recommendation tracker.

The Committee is asked to NOTE that no responses to scrutiny recommendations are expected.

The Committee NOTED that no responses were expected.