Present at the Meeting:
- Councillor K Anderson (Cabinet Member)(In the Chair),
- Councillor G M Bretherton
- Councillor Mrs S Dewhurst
- Councillor M Dewhurst
- Councillor Mrs J Hurst
- Councillor K W McManus
- Councillor Mrs J Prescott
- Councillor M W Winstanley
- Mrs E J Berry (Co-opted Member)
- Mrs J Garlick (Co-opted Member)
- Mr P Halsall (Substitute Co-opted Member)
- Mr A Stephenson (Co-opted Member)
1. Welcome to new Members: The Chairman, on behalf of the Panel, extended a warm welcome to Councillors Mrs S Dewhurst, M Dewhurst, K W McManus, and M W Winstanley, and Mr A Stephenson and Mr P Halsall, new Members of the Panel.
2. Apologies for absence: Councillors Mrs D Fairhurst and J Talbot, and Mrs M Burgess (Co-opted Member).
3. Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting of this Panel held on 13 March 2007 were approved as a correct record.
4. General introduction to the Department of Adult Services: The Panel received a presentation from the Director of Adult Services outlining the structure of the Adult Services Department and the roles and responsibilities of the senior managers. The importance of the ‘Better care higher standards charter 2007/2008’, a guide to health, housing and social care services for people aged 18 and over with long-term care needs in Wigan, was explained to Members.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Adult Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report and thanks the Director of Adult Services for the presentation now submitted.
5. Commissioning strategy for health and wellbeing 2007/2012: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet and Council, outlining the commissioning intentions of the Department of Adult Services 2007/2012 in the light of the White Paper ‘Our health, our care, our say’. The commissioning strategy described in broad terms how outcomes would be achieved.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Adult Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Mrs J Garlick declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because she is a non executive Director of the 5 Boroughs Partnership and the National Health Service Trust, a Board Member of the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust (WLCT) and a Board Member of Wigan and Leigh Housing. Mr P Halsall and Mr A Stephenson declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because they are Board Members of the Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust).
6. Adult Services budget 2007/2008: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, informing Members of the risks associated with the Adult Services budget in 2007/2008 and corresponding financial pressures.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Adult Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Councillor Mrs J Prescott declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item because she is employed in a care home and left the meeting during the discussion thereon. Mr P Halsall and Mr A Stephenson declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because they are Board Members of the Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust).
7. End of year performance report: The Panel considered a report setting out preliminary performance information in relation to the municipal year ending 31 March 2007 which was to be submitted to the Commission for Social Care Inspection on 31 May 2007.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Adult Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Mrs J Garlick declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because she is a Board Member of WLCT).
8. Risk management register 2007/2008 – Adult Services: The Panel considered a report informing Members of the key risks facing the Adult Services department as set out in the risk management register.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Adult Services responded.
The Panel were asked to advise the Director of Adult Services of any further risks they considered ought to be incorporated into the risk register.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Councillor Mrs J Prescott declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item because she is employed in a care home and left the meeting during the discussion thereon . Mr P Halsall and Mr A Stephenson declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because they are Board Members of the Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust. Mrs J Garlick declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because she is a non executive Director of the 5 Boroughs Partnership).
9. Wigan focus on older people: The Panel considered a report informing Members about the focus on older people through the booklet ‘Ageing well in Wigan’, which was a public-facing expression of the Council’s priorities, focusing particularly on promoting wellbeing beyond the organisational boundaries of social care or health care. People in Wigan currently lived shorter lives and lived with ill health for longer than in some more affluent parts of the country.
The Panel asked questions to which the Director of Adult Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Mr P Halsall and Mr A Stephenson declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because they are Board Members of the Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust. Mrs J Garlick declared and personal and non prejudicial interest because she is a Board Member of WLCT).
10. Question raised by a Member at the Panel meeting : Mrs E J Berry (Over 50s Forum) raised a question at the meeting regarding the employment of people by Remploy. The Director of Adult Services stated that he would investigate and respond to Mrs Berry following the Panel meeting.
Agreed: The Panel notes the question raised and the response submitted.
11. Mr Joe Blott: On behalf of the Panel, Councillor Mrs J Hurst,
Mr A Stephenson (Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust) and the Chairman paid tribute to the significant contribution and excellent service given by Joe Blott to Adult Services over the last twelve years and extended their best wishes to him in his new role at Liverpool City Council.
