Cabinet: Moreton Day Centre: Carers propose Social Enterprise Model
Present:
Cllr Phil Davies
Cllr Pat Hackett
Cllr Brian Kenny
Cllr Adrian Jones
Cllr Tony Smith
Cllr Chris Meaden
Cllr Chris Jones
Cllr Ann McLachlan
Cllr George Davies
Once Cabinet had approved the minutes of the last meeting and declarations of interest were out-of-the-way, the Chair turned went to the item that most of the people were there for, the report recommending the closure of Moreton Day Centre.
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Cllr Phil Davies said that the central government cuts led to “difficult decisions to take on the budget”, he referred to the three-month consultation on the specific option to close Moreton Day Centre and thanked everybody who had taken part in it. He hoped people had had the opportunity to read the report on Wirral Council’s website.
Mr John Daulby addressed the meeting on behalf of the carers and thanked the Council for giving them the opportunity to offer their proposals for changing day services whilst at the same time making the required savings. He said that the savings in their social enterprise model exceeded those proposed by the Department of Adult Social Services. They disagreed that the £400,000 for central functions should continue as in their view it would remove accountability to the day centre management.
With reference to Moreton Day Centre he said that the “fear and distress experienced by the customers, their families and carers is well documented” and that “uncertainty for Moreton customers still exists”. Mr. Daulby said that the carers wanted involvement in any change and that they wanted to direct any changes, as opposed to having changes imposed upon them.
Mr. Daulby said that their proposal “minimised the angst generated” and would involve changing the day centres to resource centres. They wanted the new service to be a “role model for day service provision across the country” and “transform them not close them”. They would seek alternative income streams but would need “the help and support of Wirral Borough Council” and “hoped it was not too late to abandon the DASS [Department of Adult Social Services] proposals”.
He said, “We know it’s not too late though to fix the location of Moreton and its size as a matter of urgency, find a more effective way of interacting with day service customers, carers and parents, commit the transformation team to work with us to establish a social enterprise and commit DASS to work with us in terms of transforming day service provision.”
John, the last deployment of the Social enterprise model I know of was in 2008 where using £800k of Objective One money grants were given to some 32 enterprises. Casual enquiry highlighted that 5 were set up in Cllr Smith’s constituency and all failed in short order; one in Seacombe which never traded just had one beano with Lord and Lady Mayor and folded. None of the grant money was ever repaid.
The Council gave the money then left them to their own devices. Some must have survived but not necessarily enacting what they promised in their bids.