Meeting documents

            Meeting: Communities Scrutiny Sub-Committee (County Hall, Durham - Committee Room 1a - 02/09/2002 01:00:00 AM 30/12/1899 10:00:00 AM)

                  Item: A9 Work Programme

         

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Scrutiny Sub-Committee for Promoting Strong, Healthy and Safe Communities 2 September 2002 Work Programme

Report of Head of Overview and Scrutiny

Purpose of the Report

1 To up-date Members of the Sub-Committee about the work programme for the Sub-Committee.

Background

2 The Work Programme provides the opportunity plan the work of the Sub-Committee. The programme, however, does change in response to new issues which arise. The Work Programme, therefore, provides a guide in terms of forward planning and project management. The timing of projects in the programme constantly needs to be adjusted.

Current position

3 The ‘Carrier Bag Culture’ project has commenced and will be on-going for some time. At the meeting held on the 21st August, the Working Group met with representatives of two local communities to discuss the project and seek their views. Liam Cairns from Investing in Children also attended the meeting to explain the progress made by two workers who were seeking to engage local young people in dialogue to seek their views and discuss any initiatives for improvement. The next stage will involve a small group of members from the Working Group meeting the young people.

4 Measuring performance in relation to Social Services issues is included on the current agenda.

5 The two areas within the jurisdiction of this Sub-Committee in which the Council was identified in the lower quartile nationally in the last published statistics were in relation to the speed of delivery of aids and equipment and the best value performance indicator in relation to violent crimes. These are both under consideration by the Sub-Committee.

6 Also on the Work Programme is the recommendation from the Task Group which looked at the Council’s proposals in respect of Investing in Modern Services for Older People to review how the transition is being managed.

7 The Comprehensive Performance Assessment of the Authority which will take place during this year will also assist the Sub-Committee in focusing its work on the priorities established by the Council.

Recommendations

8 You are recommended to consider and note the current Work Programme

Contact: Ian Mackenzie Tel: 0191 383 3506

CALENDAR	PROJECT	REVIEW
2002
January
February
March
April	Carrier bag culture
May		Strategy for Learning Disability
June
July		Investing in Modern Services for Older People
August
September		Performance Management - Social ServicesAids and Adaptations
October
November
December
2003
January
February
March

PERFORMANCE - KEY ISSUES

Lower quartile performance on:

· BV 56 - speed of delivery of aids and equipment

· BV 127 - violent crimes.



MENU OF TOPICS RAISED BY MEMBERS

· Administrative arrangements in the Social Services Department.

· Annual Social Services Review.

· Children’s Services.

· Provision/facilities available to those with adult learning disabilities.

· Improving services through integration with health.

· Services to children with a disability.

· Measuring performance of services.

· Policy issues
COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

PRIORITIES

The main areas have been:-

· Supporting and protecting vulnerable adults, young people and children
· Helping to reduce crime and fear of crime

An added priority this year is to:

· Help to improve the health of local people and make County Durham a safer place



AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

· Enhancing support for children in care, including the review of child protection cases, better health care assessment, providing personal education plans, improving educational attainment and increasing the level of adoption, the latter two being LPSA targets

· Achieving stability in the residential and nursing care market through agreeing payment rates and arrangements for regular review

· Developing whole systems approach to intermediate care services, including improving hospital discharge arrangements

· Better use of community buildings and compliance with DDA access requirements; and

· Improving road safety in relation to child deaths and casualties, which is the focus of one of the LPSA targets.




Attachments

 item9.doc