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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SOCIAL SERVICES NORTH WEST HELD ON 20 SEPTEMBER 2002AT BOOTLE TOWN HALL, SEFTON
Present
Members
Councillor Morris (Chair)
Bolton Officers B. Walker
Wigan SSNW 02/13 Apologies for absence were submitted on
behalf of:
Councillors:Councillor Froggatt (Cumbria), Councillor Candler
(Stockport), Councillor Middleton (Tameside), Councillor Holtom
(Lancashire), Councillor Gorton, (Blackburn with Darwen), Councillor
Rennie (Wirral), Councillor Bridson (Wirral), Councillor Royle
(Manchester), Councillor Cooley (Manchester) Officers:J. Daintith (Stockport), C McKinless (Tameside), D Whitehead (Warrington), K Miller (Wirral), D Kerambrum (Blackburn with Darwen), A Marsland (Knowsley) SSNW 02/14
Minutes RESOLVED That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2002
at Bury be approved as a correct record and signed by Councillor Morris
(Chair). There were no items under matters arising, except those arising later in the agenda. SSNW 02/15 Appointment
of Co-ordinator
The Co-ordinator gave a verbal report that he has resigned form his post with effect from 31 December 2002. The advert for the appointment of a new Co-ordinator had been placed in the Guardian with a closing date for applications of 27 September 2002. Dates have been fixed in October 2002 for short listing and interview. Pauline Oliver, Director of Lancashire is supporting members in the appointment process SSNW 02/16 Annual
Accounts
The Co-ordinator presented the accounts for the year
2001/02 on behalf of the Treasurer. This
was the first time they had been prepared by Lancashire since the transfer
of accounts from Oldham 18 months ago.
They reflect a healthy surplus and it had been possible to
deregister Social Services North West for VAT purposes. The Co-ordinator
asked that David McNeice, a senior finance manager in Lancashire Social
Services, be thanked for his assistance in all these matters RESOLVED
1. That the annual accounts as submitted for the year 2001/02 be accepted as a correct record of the finances of Social Services North West. 2. That David McNeice of Lancashire Social Services be thanked for his assistance with the accounts. SSNW 02/17 Topss
England North West Regional Training Forum The Co-ordinator said that Councillor Middleton (Tameside)
represented Social Services North West on the NWRT Forum and has been an
active and valued contributor. As a result at the request of the last
meeting, Annette Baines Regional Development Officer for Topss England,
has been invited to give a brief talk on the work of organisation
nationally and in particular with regard to their work in the Region.
Topss England is dedicated to the improvement of social care services and
the creation of a better skilled workforce.
Funding is currently being allocated to promote partnerships
between agencies offering training opportunities for Registered Managers
in Residential Care Homes, along with assessors, mentors and verifiers, as
well as new care staff requiring induction in training in social and
personal care. Links are also being made with other organisations in the
region including Learning & Skills Councils and NHS Workforce
Confederations. An information pack was distributed at the meeting and
copies are available from the SSNW office at Preston on request.
Councillor Roderick (Liverpool) asked about the representation of
the Mersey Region and Annette
Baines confirmed that this
was to be an area of greater focus especially for smaller projects.
Children’s services would also be emphasised more in future. The
Chair Councillor Morris then thanked for her contribution. RESOLVED
1. That the presentation be noted. 2. That Annette Baines be thanked for her presentation.
SSNW 02/18 White
Paper Your Region, Your Choice
The Co-ordinator reported that at the request of the
previous meeting, a response had been sent to the Deputy Prime Minister on
behalf of the Committee, making points about the social services
perspective on regional government, especially in relation to the delivery
of health and social care. He
also drew members’ attention to the response of the LGA to the White
Paper. Members discussed the issues and Councillor O ‘Neill expressed
concern that local authorities’ powers could be reduced by the addition
of another tier of government. Councillor
Connor agreed and said that Social
Services North West should stress the importance of local solutions to
local issues at every opportunity. RESOLVED
1. That the response sent by Social Services North West in response to the Government ‘s White Paper Your Region, Your Choice be endorsed, and that the response of the LGA be noted. 2. That a letter be sent to the LGA expressing Members’ concerns about the potential and on going diminution of local authority powers. SSNW 02/19 Key
Service / Financial Pressures
The Professional Assistant referred to the letter
sent on behalf of the committee to the Secretary of State for Health Alan
Milburn, welcoming the extra resources but expressing concerns about
continued financial pressures, including children’s services, which
would not be covered by the new money.
A response to this letter had yet to be received.
Since then the Government’s consultation document on proposed
penalties for delayed discharges has caused particular concern.
Another letter has been sent by the Chair to the Secretary of State
for Health expressing concerns about the unexpectedly wide remit of the
proposals, the cost implications - for instance administration - and
opposition in principle with the idea of reimbursement.
Copies of the latest letter were distributed at the meeting. A letter from Hazel Blears MP, Minister at the DoH
about culturally sensitive commissioning was referred to for members’
consideration. The
Co-ordinator pointed out that Social Services North West never gets drawn
into commenting on the decisions of its individual member authorities.
However it would be appropriate that the letter sent in response should
state that members fully appreciate the need for cultural and religious
sensitivity in all services, and would expect each member authority to
examine each case on its merits, in the light of available resources. Recent developments on care costs in the independent sector and fairer charging were also outlined for members’ information. With regard to the former, an extract from Laing Buisson’s 2001 publication “Community Care Market News” (their most recent a survey of local authority baseline fee rates for 2001/2002) was circulated showing fee structures in the North West. Councillor Roderick expressed his concern about the
unreasonableness of the proposed penalties for delayed discharge and
talked of inappropriately placed patients who could be cared for better in
the community. Councillor
Connor supported this and thought that the penalties provided a perverse
incentive: he said that Salford had set up a joint panel to look at these
issues. Councillor Cheetham
said he did not believe that we could gain much from following the
Scandinavian model, as theirs was a totally different social system.
He believed that local authorities had worked long and hard at
promoting effective joint working, which could now be undermined. This was
supported by Councillor Hornby (Rochdale). RESOLVED
1. That the above report be noted 2. That the Secretary of State for Health again be written to, emphasising the further points made at this meeting and urging an appropriate response. SSNW 02/20 Children’s
Services The Professional Assistant highlighted the Social
Services North West Conference “Growing Expectations” which was to be
held the following Tuesday 20 September.
Around 90 bookings had already been received despite strong
competition from other children’s services conferences and seminars that
same day. The report also
dealt with the proposed Children’s Trusts, and a recent publication from
the joint ADSS / LGA/ NHS Confederation booklet “Serving children well
– a new vision for children’s services”.
This document emphasised the importance of a child-centred approach
in which local authority social services played a central role in
effective joint working . RESOLVED 1. That the report be noted 2. That the continued the issue of children’s services continues to be of major importance for the committee SSNW 02/21 Working
With the NHS The Co-ordinator said that the report covers the
involvement of Social Services North West in developing a Health Strategy
for the North West, which is likely to emerge in draft form soon. Councillor Ken Keith (Deputy Chair) had been involved in
these meetings and in a major conference in Lancaster on 16 September on
Health and Regeneration. The Co-ordinator said that a date for a meeting
is still being sought with the new Strategic Health Authorities and will
probably be held in November or December this year. Councillor Keith said that he found the Health and
Regeneration conference to be very useful, but was surprised by the poor
representation of local authorities at the event. He emphasised the need for members to be involved to help the
Health Investment Programme in each authority area. Councillors from Wirral
(currently considering membership of SSNW) have made a proposal for
joint action on health overview and scrutiny. The Co-ordinator said that
there will be government guidance soon but it would be useful to map the
current position in member authorities.
Officers gave examples of how arrangements were developing for
scrutiny of the NHS across local authority boundaries.
Councillor Morris (Chair) said that we need to share best practice. RESOLVED
1. That the report be noted 2. That further reports be made to the next meeting on the development of the North West Investment Plan, the forthcoming meeting with the Strategic Health Authorities, and the issue of NHS scrutiny across local authority boundaries. SSNW 02/22 Disability
Issues The Co-ordinator introduced a demonstration of the
Valuing People North West website which is being developed in partnership
with the North West Training and Development Team and the Valuing People
Task Force, and in consultation with users and carers. The Professional Assistant reported on the recent
meeting he had attended with the North West Regional Assembly’s Health
and Social Care Disability Task Group.
They have now focussed on the social services aspect of disability
issues with a commitment to prioritise direct payments, social services
assessments, Fairer Charging and Valuing People (widening this to include
all people with disabilities). Housing
accessibility and supporting services will also be of concern, and a
questionnaire on the employment of disabled people in the statutory sector
is being developed. A meeting has been arranged in October between officers of
Social Services North West and the NWRA Project Co-ordinator. Councillor Connor expressed his support for the
website project and suggested that all involved be thanked, including Phil
Palmer who had attended today to assist RESOLVED
1 That the report be noted. 2. That the actions regarding the website development taken be endorsed, and all those involved in the development of the website be thanked for their efforts. 3. That a one off contribution of up £1000 towards the cost of launching and maintaining the website be agreed. SSNW 02/23
Any Other Business
There were no items under this heading.
Councillor Morris thanked Sefton for their hospitality and declared
the meeting closed. SSNW 02/24
Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting of Social Services North West will be held on Friday 13 December 2002 at Wigan
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