Agenda item

The Chairman welcomed the Minister for Care and Mental Health, Gillian Keegan MP, to the meeting.  The Minister gave an update on her work and the work of her department highlighting the ongoing partnership working between the Department for Health and Social Care and local government.

Following the Minister’s introduction, the Chair of the Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr David Fothergill, and the four party Group Leaders, asked questions in turn and the Minister responded on the following topics:

·         Cover for any local government shortfall in funding due to the ‘fair rate of care’ proposals;

·         The reputational risk to local government of a greater focus on social care via the levy, but the public seeing less of it due to an underfunded sector;

·         The lack of a mention of Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWB) or place in the White Paper;

·         Assessments of the cost of commissioning and wage increases and the impact that will have on delivery;

·         Whether Council and Government could jointly invest the money paid in Apprenticeship Levy by the NHS and Councils in improving the skills offer and to attract a skilled up workforce.

Following these lead off questions, the following topics were discussed with Members and the Minister:

·         The impact of modifying boundaries between Councils, HWBs and the Integrated Care Boards; and

·         Consultation with unions on the proposals in the white paper on workforce.

The Minister thanked the meeting for their engagement and questions, and thanked the Chairman for inviting her to the meeting.  The Chairman thanked the Minister for her attendance.