Issue - items at meetings - Intelligent Commissioning Pilots

Report of the Chief Executive (copy attached).

(1)         That Cabinet notes the effective impact of using the Intelligent Commissioning Framework on the future commissioning of domestic violence services.

(2)         That Cabinet approves the city wide strategic outcomes for commissioning of domestic violence services which are set out in appendix 1. 

(3)         That Cabinet notes that, following its approval, the outcomes are to be returned to the partnership groups and organisations which also have responsibility for overseeing commissioning and delivery of domestic violence services.  A further report will be presented to Cabinet on the full commissioning plan including service level outcomes. That report will also provide more detail on learning from the use of the Intelligent Commissioning Pilots.

219.1          The Cabinet considered a report of the Chief Executive concerning the Intelligent Commissioning Pilot on Domestic Violence intended to inform the Intelligent Commissioning Framework for the city, which aims to enable the council with its partners to better meet the needs of residents within reducing resources in the most effective way.

219.2          The Chairman explained that Intelligent Commissioning represented a new way of working that would seek to tackle some of  the city’s underlying and long-established problems by understanding the need and identifying would best meet them within available resources.

219.3          Councillor Simson praised the report and process undertaken in determining the outcomes and actions, which would begin to tackle the issues associated with domestic violence, and in particular welcomed the contributions of all stakeholders, including survivors of domestic violence, which had been instrumental in shaping the report.

219.4          The Chairman invited representatives of a number of the council’s partner organisations speak about their experience of the process.

219.5          Chief Inspector Neville Kemp of Sussex Police advised that tackling domestic violence was an importance issue that took up a lot of time and resources for the Police. He welcomed the pilot, which he felt represented an improved way of engaging partners in collaborative work, and was supportive of the strategic outcomes.

219.6          Gail Grey, Chief Executive of RISE, stated that the pilot was an opportunity to deliver services that survivors deserved by offering a better way of providing integrated services through combining budgets to enable sustainable and increased provision. She praised the decision to include survivors in the process and hoped that the model would be followed; survivors felt they had been listened to and services would be more appropriate as a result.

219.7          Steve Barton, Lead Commissioner, Children, Youth and Families, stated that the pilot had proved that Intelligent Commissioning worked and reported that Ofsted agreed that a good platform had been established for further work in the future. It had been challenging to articulate the shared outcomes, but they would serve to support the Children’s Plan and begin changing attitudes.

219.8          Emma Daniels from the Community & Voluntary Sector Forum (CVSF) reported that it had been a positive process that engaged the sector as equal partners and offered an opportunity to further embed the Community Engagement Framework. She noted that previous engagement work and strong relationships had allowed the process to work.

219.9          Linda Beanlands, Commissioner for Community Safety welcomed the pilot as an exciting opportunity to begin effective work on tackling domestic violence in the city.

219.10      Councillor Randall praised the work undertaken. He noted the role played by alcohol in domestic violence and the number of incidences of violence before they were reported by women; there was a real need to change attitudes. He advised that a stronger emphasis on the LGBT community was needed as well as a total place approach to move forward successfully.

219.11      Councillor Mitchell commended the use of scrutiny workshops in the process and welcomed the presence of survivors comments throughout the report. She commented that the focussed process had highlighted how complex the issue of domestic violence was and she looked forward to the next stage.

219.12      Councillor Norman stated that the cost to sufferers of domestic violence could not be quantified and that early intervention work was key to making progress.

219.13      Councillor Fallon-Khan commented that the pilot had shown that Intelligent Commissioning worked by bringing key stakeholders together to align services and resources. He congratulated all those involved and hoped that opposition parties would now embrace Intelligent Commissioning.

219.14      The Chairman praised those who had worked on the pilot, which had demonstrated the need to work in new ways with all relevant stakeholders and use resources differently.

219.1          RESOLVED - That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet accepted the following recommendations:

(1)         That the effective impact of using the Intelligent Commissioning Framework on the future commissioning of domestic violence services be noted.

(2)         That the city wide strategic outcomes for commissioning of domestic violence services, which are set out in appendix 1, be approved. 

(3)         That it be noted that, following its approval, the outcomes are to be returned to the partnership groups and organisations which also have responsibility for overseeing commissioning and delivery of domestic violence services.  A further report will be presented to Cabinet on the full commissioning plan including service level outcomes. That report will also provide more detail on learning from the use of the Intelligent Commissioning Pilots.