Category: Employment and Appointments

Employment and Appointments Committee 11th August 2011 Part 1

The agenda and reports for this meeting can be viewed here. The meeting started ten minutes late as Cllr Foulkes, Cllr Davies (Phil) and Cllr Jones (Adrian) who is the Chair and all members of the Labour Party didn’t arrive on time. Cllr Adrian Jones started the meeting by apologising to the councillors, officers and … Continue reading “Employment and Appointments Committee 11th August 2011 Part 1”

The agenda and reports for this meeting can be viewed here.

The meeting started ten minutes late as Cllr Foulkes, Cllr Davies (Phil) and Cllr Jones (Adrian) who is the Chair and all members of the Labour Party didn’t arrive on time.

Cllr Adrian Jones started the meeting by apologising to the councillors, officers and members of the public present over the meeting started late. He thanked people for waiting and asked for any apologies.

Apologies had been already received from Cllr Jeff Green (who sent Cllr Lesley Rennie to deputise for him) and Cllr Johnston (who sent Cllr Gilchrist to deputise for him).

The Chair asked for any declarations of interest. None were declared.

Item 2 on the agenda was Department of Finance – Staffing of IT services with four appendices which were Appendix 1 – ITS structure (31.12.2010), Appendix 2 – ITS structure (post EVS), Appendix 3 – ITS restructure and Appendix 4 – IT Services Manager Job Description and Person Specification.

This item was introduced by Ian Coleman, the Director of Finance. He said it was to do with the restructure of the management of the IT services. Previous to the EVR there had been a Head of Service and four section heads. This would result in savings of £111,000 out of a total staff saving of half a £million. He said there had been a full and lengthy discussion at the briefing.

Wirral Council – Wirral Council 23rd May 2011 – Part 17 – speech (Cllr Steve Foulkes) on Conservative amendments to committee places

Cllr Foulkes said that as the new leader that the Conservatives could put proposals which they would “be here all night over”. The Chair was not likely to use their casting vote. If Jeff Green entrusted the leadership and executive this was churlish. Anything referred from the Employment and Appointments Committee would go back to the Executive and it would make initial difficulties.

In relation to the Audit and Risk Management committee there were high levels of training and it acted independently. However things were “not set in tablets of stone”. Cllr Harney said he would like to say a few words. He wanted to discuss these serious issues and what the real intentions were. Was it to be constructive and work together or be a kamikaze? He was not seeking to unbalance things by a positive abstention. They still had the power to change the committee structure and the leadership. His Group [of Lib Dem councillors] would abstain but be open if there were problems. If there were the leader would be asked to take it or leave it, however it was a new ballgame.

Cllr Green proposed the motion, seconded by Cllr Rennie. 26 Conservative councillors voted for, 30 Labour councillors against and 9 Lib Dem councillor abstained so the motion was lost.

The original Labour motion (proposed by Cllr Foulkes, seconded by Cllr Davies) was put to the vote. Thirty Labour councillors voted for, 26 Conservative councillors against and 9 Lib Dem councillors abstained.

Cllr Foulkes said he would provide the other names of Cabinet members later.

Cllr Green asked how can they plan committees when the papers have not yet gone out? How could new members give proper consideration and not risk maladministration?

Wirral Council’s Faith Champion, funding and grant application help for the voluntary, community and faith sector

Wirral Council’s Faith Champion, funding and grant application help for the voluntary, community and faith sector

                                        

I had an enquiry today from a Bidston & St. James ward resident and I racked my brains trying to remember who Wirral Council’s Faith Champion is.

For those as in the dark as I was, it’s a Conservative councillor from Clatterbridge Cllr. Peter Kearney. I did remember reading it on his name badge whilst waiting to go into an Employment and Appointments Committee, but apart from his Twitter feed there seemed to be little mention of it online.

The voluntary, community and faith sector are important parts of Wirral’s community. Many have a role to play in community cohesion and have in some cases tireless, unsung volunteers that receive little recognition for the work they do in their communities.

For groups looking for funding Wirral Council has a webpage which allows you to search for funding opportunities for projects and advice and support can be given to groups on making successful grant applications.

I know in Bidston & St. James there is also a range of funds available promoted through the Area Forums. The Prenton/Oxton Area Forum recently had a Q&A session for charities and voluntary groups on accessing funding to implement their ideas.

Employment and Appointments Committee – 23rd March 2011 – Part 3

Cllr Green said that child safety was paramount and that the safeguarding procedures were not weakening. He said it made sense to share expertise. At the opening of Raby Hall he had asked the Chief Executive if Wirral Autistic Society was charging above the personal budget. She had said “absolutely not” and that there was no top up charge. There had however been confusion.

Howard Cooper said there were big changes in a short timescale. Wirral Autistic Society was a good provider, but not cheap. Cllr Foulkes asked if they had “nailed down the costs”. The Director replied that there were ongoing discussions regarding autism.

The Chair asked a question about holidays for people with learning disabilities. Howard Cooper responded that it was the sort of area that they wanted to develop, but was currently underdeveloped. Cllr Foulkes asked if one of the positions had previously been a permanent post. He was told that it was not the case and that it had been a different job managing in-house provision of services.

The public were then excluded from the rest of the meeting.

Employment and Appointments Committee – 23rd March 2011 – Part 2

Cllr Foulkes said he wasn’t going to sit here and say he was happy and that they took a different view of transformational change. He referred to the CQC report and asked if adults with learning disabilities having a choice was enough? Howard Cooper answered no. Cllr Foulkes pointed out that some choices cost more than the services replaced. He referred to Raby Hall costing £290/night whereas Maplehome was £380/week. He said carers had concerns.

Howard Cooper said he expected the system to improve so that people could exercise a diverse range of choices that just Wirral Council provision. He pointed out that Wirral Autistic Society provided very high quality and specialised care for people with autism as those people had a high level of need. Cllr Foulkes asked if carers had been made aware of choice.

The Director had examples of respite in people’s own home, that could be provided when carers go on holiday. Cllr Foulkes said he believed the whole process was going too fast. He referred to a visit to Maplehome. He said the manager had told them not to tell people there about the changes and that he was not 100% happy regarding the implementation.

Howard Cooper assured him that every single one had been contacted and that the day centre wasn’t being stopped, but would be provided in a different building. Cllr Johnston asked whether the safeguarding post was an interim or a permanent position.

The answer given was that it might need to continue beyond September. He said the need for two separate boards was a legal one, however different areas had different approaches as to whether adult and children safeguarding should be dealt with jointly or separately.