35.1 Apologies for absence had been received from Mr G Butler and Mrs C Wild.

36.1    Members were reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.

37.1    There were no public questions.

38.1    There were no matters received from Scrutiny/Council.

39.1    There were no reports from the Scrutiny Committees.

Lead Member – Mrs Karen Calder, Portfolio Holder for Health.

Report of the Director of Public Health for Shropshire is to follow.

Contact – Rod Thomson (01743 253934)

(a)  That approval be given to the creation of an integrated Help2Change service by bringing the Help2Quit service, and associated staff who had the right to TUPE transfer, into the Council.

(b)  That approval be given to the transfer of the new integrated Help2Change service to ip&e Limited and authority be delegated to the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Health and the Leader of the Council, to agree the terms of a commissioning contract between Shropshire Council and ip&e Limited and the scope of the services included within the contract.

40.1    Pending the arrival of the Portfolio Holder for Health, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Services presented a report by the Director of Public Health – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the proposed creation of an integrated Help2Change service and its subsequent transfer into ip&e Limited, rather than a separate company as proposed in April 2014, whilst still achieving the original aims of the service.  A full Business Plan had been developed for the service and approved by ip&e’s Board which would be considered in the exempt part of the meeting.  (Minute 42)  The report sought approval to establish the Help2Change service, including the transfer to the Council of existing staff from an external provider, and to agree a commissioning contract with ip&e Limited to deliver preventive health services in Shropshire.

40.2    Upon her arrival at this point in the meeting the Portfolio Holder for Health also spoke to the report during which she emphasised the aim of providing a single point of contact for the services whilst working closely with local partners.  Any income generated would be reinvested back into enhancing and increasing the services for the benefit of people in Shropshire.

40.3    During the ensuing discussion a Member sought an assurance regarding Help2Change’s accountability to Members given the transfer of the services into ip&e and queried the way in which contract monitoring would be carried out and how individual Members would be able to scrutinise the service.  In turn the Leader indicated that the Council’s working relationship with this service would be very similar to the way in which contracts with private companies were monitored and scrutinised.  The Portfolio Holder confirmed that the services’ functions were part of the Public Health Framework and consequently reports on the Help2Change Programme would be submitted to the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board.  The Chief Executive also referred to the contract between the Council and ip&e and arrangements being put in place to ensure services were delivered in the right quantity and to the correct quality and indicated that councillors would be able to ask for and receive information in due course.  Following further concerns expressed by a few Members, the Portfolio Holder reiterated the aim of bringing together all the services into one entity to offer clients a more holistic and joined up service.

40.4    RESOLVED:

(a)  That approval be given to the creation of an integrated Help2Change service by bringing the Help2Quit service, and associated staff who had the right to TUPE transfer, into the Council.

(b)  That approval be given to the transfer of the new integrated Help2Change service to ip&e Limited and authority be delegated to the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Health and the Leader of the Council, to agree the terms of a commissioning contract between Shropshire Council and ip&e Limited and the scope of the services included within the contract.

To RESOLVE that in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and Paragraph 10.2 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the remaining item.

41.1    RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, Section 5 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements)(Meetings and Access to Information)(England) Regulations and Paragraph 10.2 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following item.

Lead Member – Mrs Karen Calder, Portfolio Holder for Health.

Exempt report of the Director of Public Health for Shropshire is to follow.

Contact – Rod Thomson (01743 253924)

That approval be given to the Business Plan developed for the Help2Change service and approved by the Board of ip&e Limited.

42.1    Further to Minute 40 above the Portfolio Holder for Health presented an exempt report – copy attached to the signed exempt minutes – on the Business Plan developed for the Help2Change service and approved by the Board of ip&e Limited.

42.2    RESOLVED:

That approval be given to the Business Plan developed for the Help2Change service and approved by the Board of ip&e Limited.

(The full version of Minute 42 constitutes exempt information under category 3 of Paragraph 10.4 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules and has accordingly been with-held from publication.)