The People Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Oxfordshire County Council met on Thursday 4 June 2026 to discuss a range of topics concerning adult social care and community support. Key areas scheduled for discussion included the Community Capacity Grants Programme, an update on the Shared Lives Service, and proposed changes to the Adult Social Care Contributions Policy. The committee also reviewed its forward work plan and noted responses to previous scrutiny recommendations.

Community Capacity Grants Programme

The committee was scheduled to consider a report on the Community Capacity Grants Programme, presented by Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Adults, Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Care, and Izzie Rockingham, Head of Joint Commissioning – Age Well. The programme, launched in September 2022, aims to support grass-roots organisations in local communities to help residents live independently and stay well. The report highlighted that from 2022 to 2025, the programme had supported 275 projects and over 30,500 people. The report detailed the programme's administration, which is managed by Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA), Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF), and Community First Oxfordshire (CFO). It also outlined the grant allocation process and provided summaries of the 2024/25 and 2025/26 programmes, including geographical breakdowns of awarded grants. The impact of the programme on wellbeing and social care needs was discussed, with a focus on how it tackles isolation and loneliness. Challenges such as the limited number of projects that can be funded and the difficulty in definitively linking investment to the management of demand on adult social care were also noted. The report also included plans for 2026/27, with continued funding from Adult Social Care and Public Health anticipated.

Update on the Council's Shared Lives Service

An update on the Council's Shared Lives Service was scheduled for discussion, with presentations from Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Adults, Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Services, Sam Harper, Head of Service, Sally Ellis, Shared Lives Team Manager, and Nikki Oleksiw, Shared Lives Social Worker. The Shared Lives service supports adults who need help to live independently by matching them with approved Shared Lives carers, where individuals live as part of the carer's household or receive support through regular visits or short breaks. The report highlighted that Oxfordshire County Council's scheme supports 114 individuals, with 92 in long-term arrangements and 22 accessing short breaks. The rigorous assessment process for carers, including enhanced DBS checks and an independent approval panel, was detailed. The report noted the scheme's 'Good' rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with an 'Outstanding' rating in the caring component. The committee was to consider efforts to ensure equitable access to the scheme, including a strategic ambition to see a higher proportion of young people access the service, with 39% of current users aged 30 or under and 40% of those in long-term arrangements being Care Leavers. The report also addressed the sufficiency of Shared Lives arrangements, discussing recruitment and retention efforts, and highlighted the broadening of the Council's Shared Lives offer, particularly in relation to Care Leavers and young people with disabilities.

Consultation on Proposed Changes to Adult Social Care Contributions Policy

The committee was scheduled to consider a report on the Consultation on Proposed Changes to Adult Social Care Contributions Policy, presented by Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Adults, Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Services, Victoria Baran, Deputy Director of Adult Social Care, and Level Chingalembe, Head of Social Care Finance Payment Management. The report outlined that adult social care support is subject to charges determined by a financial assessment. Three proposed changes were presented for consultation: reducing the initial Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) allowance, introducing a charge for transport arranged by Adult Social Care, and introducing a charge for all telecare service users. The report explained that these proposals were being considered due to increasing demand for adult social care and significant financial challenges facing the council, including a budget shortfall and a forecast reduction in government funding. The consultation process, which began on 11 May 2026 and was due to close on 21 June 2026, aimed to gather views on how these proposed changes could affect service users. The report detailed the rationale behind each proposal, including benchmarking against other local authorities for DRE allowances and the legal basis for charging for transport and telecare services.

Committee Forward Work Plan

The committee was recommended to agree its work programme for forthcoming meetings. The report outlined potential topics for future scrutiny, including the Connect to Work programme, the Council's response to a Good CQC inspection report, the Oxfordshire Adults Safeguarding Board Annual Report, and an update on The Oxfordshire Way . Future topics also included scrutinising climate change impacts on health, reducing Adult Social Care inequalities, and the performance of a healthcare equipment supplier. The work plan also included scrutiny of social prescribing and its impact on the community.

Committee Action and Recommendation Tracker and Responses to Scrutiny Recommendations

The committee was scheduled to note the progress of previous recommendations and actions arising from earlier meetings. This included reviewing the Cabinet's response to the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee report on the Unpaid Carer Strategy. The Cabinet's response indicated that recommendations regarding the review of support timings for unpaid carers and further consideration of the Carers ID card and its participation in lifestyle-offer schemes were not accepted. The report indicated that the Council works with Carers Oxfordshire to provide a comprehensive support offer and that the Carers ID card is a recognition scheme not linked to savings or benefits.