Agenda item - FORMAL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

This is the part of the meeting when members of the public can formally ask questions of the Board or present a petition.  These need to be notified to the Board in advance of the meeting Contact the Secretary to the Board at anoushka.clayton@brighton-hove.gov.uk

38.1                 The Chair noted that there was one public question had been received and that there were no petitions or deputations.

38.2                 The Chair invited Ms Fiona Sharpe to ask her question:

“I would like to submit a question to the Board on behalf of GalvaniseBH - a community lead campaign to end rough sleeping (www.galvanisebh.org)

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reported that 449 homeless people died last year in the UK, at least 20 of them in Brighton. Crisis wants every death of a homeless person to be reviewed by the safeguarding adult system.

While I understand you have already commissioned some work, Will Brighton and Hove City Council:

1.        Immediately establish a review process of all deaths where someone was rough     sleeping, or in emergency, temporary or supported accommodation provided by Brighton and Hove City Council

2.        Use the information from these reviews to inform council practice, procedures and commissioning

3.        Publish the anonymised findings of the review of each death”

38.3                 The Chair responded:

“At the last Board we had two reports and some public questions covering similar issues. Indeed, some questions on this subject were sent to the Housing and New Homes Committee for this cycle and have been forwarded to this Board but too late for officers to prepare formal responses. These will therefore be addressed at the January HWB. But to answer your question specifically:

In Chairs Communications I have highlighted that we have begun a detailed review, firstly of those people in Kendall Court but also of a number of other issues.

This systemic review of all homeless deaths over the past two years will ensure that we agree a process for learning that can be applied to our practice and procedures. This will be additional to those deaths that meet the specific criteria for a Safeguarding Adult Review as set out in the Care Act. I would like to state at this point in Kendall Court that none of the deaths previously notified were open to safeguarding investigations.

You have raised the issue of publishing anonymised reviews. As a relatively small city we have to make this decision on a case by case basis with family and friends rather than have a blanket policy and we will be publishing all. This is to prevent upset and distress. However if you see the Safeguarding Adults desktop review, I think this level of information that is made public is helpful. More detailed learning is already used to help constantly review services and responses”

38.4                 There was no supplementary but Ms Sharpe requested that the council be transparent in reviewing the deaths.