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SOCIAL SERVICES NORTH WEST (NWASSA)
MEETING ON 16 JUNE 2000 AT ST HELENS
REPORT OF THE CO-ORDINATOR
WORKING WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
1. Matter for consideration
To report on progress made in strengthening the link between Social Services North West and the Local Government
Association.
2. Information
2.1 At its meeting in March 2000, Social Services North West recognised the importance of raising the profile of
the organisation in a number of respects. Particularly, there was a focus on developing links with other regional
and national bodies:
"Liaison with other regional and national bodies can be further developed so that the potential of Social Services North West to represent its members, and develop collaborative links on their behalf, is fully realised. Specifically, it is hoped to develop closer links with the Local Government Association (LGA), to support and inform their representation of social services issues nationally."
2.2 Approaches were made accordingly to the Local Government Association, which drew this response from John Ransford, their Head of Social Affairs, Health and Housing:
"You should know that the regional agenda is developing here and your initiative is timely. The Social Affairs and Health Executive want to arrange some regional meetings over the next year or so and it would seem sensible to do this in conjunction with you. There are various aspects of a creative national/regional relationship which we can pursue."
2.3 A meeting was subsequently held in April, from which came a proposal that Social Services North West host a regional meeting for the LGA, which would be attended by the four spokespersons on the the LGA Social Affairs and Health Executive (Labour, Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Independent). The following response was subsequently received:
"I raised the possibility of a meeting between your organisation and the LGA at a meeting of the Social Affairs and Health Executive yesterday. Members are very enthusiastic about the proposal. As I said to you the Regional dimension is very important to us and your infrastructure would give the right framework for a useful interchange."
2.4 Members are therefore asked whether they wish to pursue this opportunity, some time during the Autumn. Councillor
Rita Stringfellow, the Chair of the Social Affairs and Health Executive, is unavailable on the dates of our September
and December meetings, so another date would need to be specifically sought for the joint meeting.
2.5 Such a meeting would give Social Services North West an opportunity to feed its current concerns directly to
national representatives. It may also be possible to show that contributions from its work programme could be useful
also at national level, as has been the case with NWASSA on a number of occasions in the past. An incidental benefit
would be the opportunity to showcase current developments within SSNW to the three non-member authorities (Cheshire,
Stockport and Wirral)
3. Recommendation
That members indicate whether they wish to host a regional meeting with the Local Government Social Affairs and
Health Executive, under arrangements to be agreed with the Chair and Deputy Chair.
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