Health & Social Care Committee

Tuesday 23 October 2007 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost McCormick, Councillors Ahlfeld, Brooks, Fyfe, Grieve, McCabe, McIlwee, McKenzie, MacLeod, Moran and Rebecchi.

Chair:  Councillor McIlwee presided.

In attendance:  Corporate Director Education and Social Care, Head of Social Work Services, Head of Community Care and Strategic Services, Head of Support and Development, Mr F Jarvie (for Head of Legal and Administration), Ms A Edmiston (for Chief Financial Officer) and Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

The following paragraphs are submitted for information only having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

660

Revenue Budget 2007/08 - Period 5

660

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care and Chief Financial Officer on the position of the Revenue Budget 2007/08 as at Period 5 (31 August 2007).  The report advised that the latest projection was an underspend of £8,000 arising from projected overspends in Children and Families which had been offset by additional income from other local authorities and savings within Community Care monies and Parenting Orders.

(Councillor Rebecchi entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)                                                                                                   that the Committee note the projected underspend of £8,000 in the 2007/08 Revenue Budget and the action being taken by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care to contain expenditure within the current budget; and

(2)                                                                                                   that the virement request as detailed in paragraph 6.1 of the report be approved.

661

Social Work Annual Performance Report 2006-07 and Social Work Services Commitment Statement Business Card

661

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care seeking approval of the Social Work Services Annual Report 2006-07, circulated separately to Members, and the Social Work Services Commitment Statement Business Card, copies of which were circulated at the meeting.

Decided:  that the Committee approve the Social Work Services Annual Performance Report 2006-07 and the Social Work Services Commitment Statement Business Card and also the arrangements for their distribution as detailed in the report.

662

Inspection of Social Work Services by SWIA - Action Plan Progress

662

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care on the progress of the action plan developed in response to the recommendations made by the Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA) in their report of September 2006.

Decided:  that the action plan progress detailed in the appendix to the report be endorsed.

663

Single Shared Assessment Process and Performance Management Data

663

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care (1) on the single shared assessment process and (2) explaining the way in which the performance management data relating to assessments is used operationally.

Decided:  that the contents of the report, including the proposals for the introduction of a workload management system in 2008, be noted.

664

Christmas Vouchers Consultation

664

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care (1) advising that the results of the survey of 600 older people who received a Christmas gift voucher in 2006 showed that the majority wished to continue to receive a gift voucher in preference to a parcel and (2) recommending continuation of the Christmas gift voucher and lunch subsidy for older people deemed in need within the community.

(Councillor Grieve left the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)                                                                                                   that agreement be given to continue with the provision of Christmas gift vouchers and the Christmas lunch subsidy for older people deemed in need within the community; and

(2)                                                                                                   that a Sub-Group comprising Councillors MacLeod, Moran and Rebecchi be established to review the current arrangements and that a report on the findings of the Sub-Group be submitted to the Committee in due course.

665

North Strathclyde Community Justice Authority - Area Plan 2008-2011

665

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care appending the North Strathclyde Community Justice Authority Area Plan 2008-2011 which will be submitted to the Scottish Government for approval.

(Councillor Grieve returned to the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:  that the Committee endorse the 2008-2011 North Strathclyde Community Justice Authority Area Plan appended to the report.

666

Inverclyde Carers Charter

666

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care proposing that Inverclyde Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, through the Joint Care Board, adopt the Inverclyde Carers Charter.

(Councillors McCabe and McKenzie left the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1)                                                                                                   that it be agreed to sign up to the Inverclyde Carers Charter as partners with Inverclyde Carers Council; and

(2)                                                                                                   that the Council participate in the launch of the Charter on Carers Rights Day on 7 September 2007 and that agreement be given to the launch event being hosted by the Convener.

667

Progress of “Choose Life” Strategy

667

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care providing an update on the local implementation of, and developments in, the “Choose Life” initiative within Inverclyde.

Decided:

(1)                                                                                                   that the Committee endorse the approach adopted locally in response to the National Suicide Prevention Strategy and that support be given to its continued development to March 2008; and

(2)                                                                                                   that the Committee note the findings of the progress report appended to the report which had recently been submitted to “Choose Life”.

668

Disabled Persons Parking Badge Scheme

668

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care informing the Committee of the changes introduced in April 2007 in relation to the Disabled Persons Parking Badge Scheme (Blue Badge).

Decided:

(1)                                                                                                   that the report be noted; and

(2)                                                                                                   that the changes in the eligibility criteria as detailed in the report be endorsed.

669

Inverclyde Joint Care Board - Minute of Meeting of 9 August 2007

669

There was submitted minute of meeting of the Inverclyde Joint Care Board of 9 August 2007.

Noted