Health and Social Care Committee

Tuesday 14 March 2006 at 3.00 pm

Present: Councillors Blair, Forbes, Gallacher, Hill, Hunter, McKenzie, Nimmo, Roach and Snoddy.

Chair:    Councillor Nimmo presided.

In attendance: Chief Executive, Solicitor to the Council, Mr M Thomson (for Chief Financial Officer), Head of Community Care and Strategic Planning, Head of Social Work Services, Mr A Gerrard (for Head of Property Services) and Mr F Jarvie (Senior Solicitor).

Apologies:  Councillor Robertson.

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

208

Revenue Budget 2005/06 - Period 10

208

There was submitted a report dated 2 March 2006 by the Chief Financial Officer (1) on the position of the 2005/06 Revenue Budget as at Period 10 (31 January 2006) which showed a net underspend of £46,000, a reduction in projected net expenditure of £72,000 since the last meeting of the Committee and (2) requesting the Committee to agree a number of virement requests as detailed in the report.

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

Decided:

(1)   that the current position of the 2005/06 Social Work Services Revenue Budget be noted; 

(2)   that the virement requests as detailed in appendix 3 to the report be approved; and

(3)   that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the strategic issues affecting the provision of services to older people.

209

Capital Programme: Social Work Information System (SWIFT)

209

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive (1) on the progress of the Social Work Information System (SWIFT), (2) outlining plans for further implementation, (3) providing financial information on the expenditure to date and (4) providing details of the relocation of the project team.

Decided:

(1)   that the report be noted; and

(2)   that further position statements be submitted to the Committee on a six-monthly basis.

210

Social Work Capital and CFCR Programme

210

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive on the progress of the Social Work Capital and CFCR (Capital Funded from Current Revenue) projects in the current financial year.

Decided:

(1)   that the current position of the Capital and CFCR projects be noted; and

(2)   that approval be given to (a) additional expenditure of £6,000 in the Hillend project due to contract variations, (b) additional expenditure of £2,000 in relation to the Glenburn Transitional Support Base due to contract variations and (c) the carry forward of £585,000 to 2006/2007.

211

Managing Attendance - Absence Statistics 3 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 (Period 4)

211

There was submitted a report dated 13 February 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council on absence statistics for employees within Social Work Services for the period 3 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 (Period 4).

Noted

212

Inverclyde Joint Care Board - Minutes of Meetings of 8 December 2005 and 26 January 2006

212

There were submitted minutes of meetings of Inverclyde Joint Care Board of 8 December 2005 and 26 January 2006.

Noted

213

Inverclyde Partnership - Initial Report by Joint Improvement Team

213

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive appending the initial report of the Joint Improvement Team following an assessment and scoping exercise carried out within Inverclyde in December 2005.

Decided:

(1)   that the report be noted;

(2)   that the Committee support the development of strategic partnership working for the provision of health and social care services; and

(3)   that the Committee note the requirements of this particular partnership agenda within the context of the Council’s corporate vision and future direction.

214

Inverclyde Carers Centre - Transfer of Management

214

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive on the transfer of management of Inverclyde Carers Centre to a limited company formed from a sub-group of Inverclyde Carers Council.

Decided:

(1)   that the report be noted and approval be given to the transfer of the management arrangements as detailed in the report; and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Head of Community Care and Strategic Planning to put in place arrangements for supervision and contract monitoring.

215

Pilot of Joint Police and Social Work Protocol - Children Missing from Care

215

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive advising of Inverclyde Council’s participation, with Strathclyde Police, Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire Councils, in a pilot protocol for dealing with children missing from care.

Decided: 

(1)   that the Committee note the participation of Inverclyde Council in the pilot protocol;  and

(2)   that a further report be submitted to the Committee once the evaluation of the pilot protocol has been completed.

216

Establishment of Community Justice Authorities

216

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive providing an update on the progress made towards the implementation of the Community Justice Authority for the provision of Criminal Justice Services.

Decided:

(1)   that it be recommended to The Inverclyde Council:

(a)   that the Council representative on the Shadow Community Justice Authority be the Convener of the Health and Social Care Committee; and

(b)   that the named substitute be the Vice-Convener of the Health and Social Care Committee; and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Head of Social Work Services to progress the development of the partnership arrangements and to submit reports to the Committee as required on issues relating to the establishment of the Community Justice Authority.

217

Social Work in Inverclyde - Promotional Information

217

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive appending a booklet describing in summary the aims and objectives of Social Work Services within the context of the current policy and legislative framework which it was intended to distribute to Elected Members, key partner organisations, Social Work staff and related Council services and to make available at Social Work access points across Inverclyde.

Decided:

(1)   that the Committee endorse the approach adopted by Social Work Services to public performance reporting as described in the report; and

(2)   that reports be submitted to the Committee on the development of further promotional material.

218

Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003

218

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive advising of action taken to discharge the Council’s duties under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Decided:

(1)   that the report be noted and approval be given to the service developments described in the report which will assist in meeting the new duties placed upon the Council as a result of the Act;

(2)   that the Committee note the significant increase in workload arising from the Act, particularly in relation to tribunal hearings; and

(3)   that approval be given to the establishment of a dedicated full-time Mental Health Officer from within existing resources and that the establishment of the post be referred to the Head of Personnel Services.

(Councillor Gallacher entered the meeting at this juncture).

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the respective paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act as are set opposite each item.

Item                                                                                                         Paragraph(s)

Social Work Complaints Review Committee -                                  3

Unresolved Complaints 

Curators ad Litem and Reporting Officers                                       6

(Panels)(Scotland) Regulations 2001

219

Social Work Complaints Review Committee - Unresolved Complaints

219

There was submitted a report dated 9 March 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council appending a report by the Social Work Complaints Review Committee into unresolved complaints in respect of the provision of Social Work Services and the Committee agreed to accept the recommendations of the Complaints Review Committee, all as detailed in the appendix.

220

Curators ad Litem and Reporting Officers (Panels)(Scotland) Regulations 2001

220

There was submitted a report dated 15 February 2006 by the Solicitor to the Council seeking approval for the reappointment of individuals previously appointed by the Council to serve as Curators ad Litem and Reporting Officers for the purposes of Children’s Hearings and proceedings in the Sheriff Court.

Decided:

(1)   that agreement be given to the reappointment of the Curators ad Litem and Reporting Officers listed in the appendix to the report for the  period 1 April 2006 to 30 June 2008, subject to no subsequent adverse comments being received by the Solicitor to the Council; and

(2)   that authority be granted to the Solicitor to the Council to approve any further appointments of Curators ad Litem and Reporting Officers to 30 June 2008 as necessary subject to the applicants meeting the criteria set out in the report.