SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE At a Meeting of the Social Work Committee held within the Council Offices, Rosebery Place, Clydebank on Wednesday 7th May, 1997. Present: Councillors Duncan Mills (LAB), James McElhill (SNP), John Syme (LAB), Andrew White (LAB), Anthony Devine (LAB), *Patricia Rice (LAB), George Cairney (LAB – substituting for Councillor Campbell), John McCutcheon (SMP), John Wailes (SNP), William Mackechnie (SNP) and Margaret McGregor (SNP). * Arrived later in the Meeting. Attending: Stephen Brown, Manager, Legal and Administrative Services; Tim Huntingford, Director of Social Work and Housing; Anne Ritchie, Operational Services Manager; Bill Clark, Planning and Development Manager; Iain M. Murray, Resources Manager; and John Hepburn, Welfare Rights Development Officer. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Mary for Absence: Campbell (LAB) and Geoffrey Calvert (LAB & CO-OP). Councillor Duncan Mills in the Chair MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 12th March, 1997 were submitted and approved as a correct record. Having heard Councillor McGregor in relation to the item under the heading “Sheltered Housing Warden Service” (page 1878 refers), the Committee agreed that a Report informing Members of progress being made in respect of the changes to the Sheltered Housing Warden Service, be submitted to a future Meeting of the Committee. Councillor Patricia Rice arrived during the following presentation. PRESENTATION BY CHILDREN IN SCOTLAND Councillor Mills welcomed Ms. Annie Gunner, Information and Publications Manager, Children in Scotland, to the Meeting. Ms. Gunner made a presentation on the main aims, objectives and activities of Children in Scotland and circulated some of the recent publications which her organisation had produced. Councillor Mills thanked Ms. Gunner, on behalf of the Committee, for her attendance and presentation, and she then left the Meeting. Page 1 of 14 THE AUTHORISED PROVIDERS LIST FOR COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES With reference to the Minutes of Meeting of Council held on 28th August, 1996 (page 956 refers), there was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing requesting the Committee to adopt the Authorised Providers List for Community Care Services for West Dunbartonshire. Having heard the Director of Social Work and Housing in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to approve the revised Authorised Providers List for Community Care Services for West Dunbartonshire as detailed within the Report (printed as Appendix 1 hereto). PRIORITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT With reference to the Minutes of Meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 29th January, 1997 (page 1699 refers), there was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing advising of the result of bids made under the first round of Priority Partnership Agreement (PPA) and detailing the second round of bids which the Department of Social Work and Housing had been asked to assess and comment upon. Having heard the Director of Social Work and Housing the Committee agreed:- (1) to note that a further Report detailing the outcome of the second round of bids would be reported to a future Meeting of the Committee; and (2) to otherwise note the contents of the Report. URBAN PROGRAMME PROJECT NUMBER V/104/94: VETERAN’S PROJECT With reference to the Minutes of Meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 12th March, 1997 (page 1881 refers), there was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing advising of action taken to date in response to the continuing difficulties being experienced by Urban Programme Project no. V/104/94 – Veteran’s Project. Following discussion and having heard Mr Clark, Planning and Development Manager, in answer to Members’ questions, Councillor Mackechnie, seconded by Councillor McGregor, moved that the recommendations contained in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of the said Report be approved but in addition, the Chief Executive be requested to investigate the matter and submit a Report to a future Meeting of the Committee. By way of an amendment, Councillor Mills, seconded by Councillor Cairney, moved that the recommendations of the said Report, as shown below, be approved:- (1) to approve the outline within the Report to end the Veteran’s Project Elderly Day Care Service and the Interim Management Committee’s involvement in the project; and Page 2 of 14 (2) to request the Director of Social Work and Housing to explore alternative management arrangements to secure a continued funding of the service and to provide a further Report on this matter to a future Meeting of the Committee. On a vote being taken, six Members voted for the amendment and five Members voted for the motion. Accordingly the amendment was declared carried. REPORT ON BUDGETARY POSITION AS AT 15TH MARCH, 1997 There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing updating Members on the performance of the Social Work budget as at 15th March, 1997. Having heard Mr I. M. Murray, Resources Manager, in answer to Members’ questions on residential schools and following discussion, the Committee agreed:- (1) that a Report on Intermediate Treatment be submitted to a future Meeting of the Committee; and (2) to otherwise note the terms of the Report. INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE RATES There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing advising Members of revisions of maintenance rates for private and voluntary homes and schools, applicable to West Dunbartonshire placements. The Committee agreed to approve the revised maintenance rates for private and voluntary homes and schools, applicable to West Dunbartonshire placements, as detailed in Appendix II to this Minute. RATES OF CHARGES FOR PERMANENT CARE There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing requesting the Committee to set the rates of charge for permanent care for adults and older people in residential establishments operated by West Dunbartonshire Council. The Committee agreed:- (1) to note the requirements to set weekly charges for residential care and to review them annually; and (2) to approve the 1997/98 rates of charge for permanent care, for implementation with effect from 14th April, 1997, as detailed below:- Page 3 of 14 Category 1996/97 1997/98 Change Permanent Residential Care - Elderly £306.00 £326.00 6.5% Permanent Residential Care - Learning Difficulties £415.00 £427.00 3.0% REVISION OF RATES FOR DUFFY HOUSE There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing advising Members of a change to the method of funding Duffy House and seeking approval of a revised rate. Having heard Mr Murray advise that Duffy House is operated by the Archdiocese of Glasgow and not by Unity Enterprise as stated in paragraph 2.2 of the said Report, the Committee agreed that with effect from 1st April, 1997, the gross weekly rate for Duffy House would be £818.42. INCREASE IN FOSTERING AND RELATED ALLOWANCES There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing seeking the Committee’s approval of an increase in fostering and related allowances for 1997/98. The Committee agreed:- (1) to approve the undernoted basic rates in respect of fostering and related allowances as recommended by COSLA for 1997/98:- Ages COSLA Rates Recommended COSLA Percent 1996/97 Rate 1997/98 Increase 0 – 4 £ 51.79 £ 54.18 4.62% 5 – 10 £ 64.21 £ 67.20 4.66% 11 – 15 £ 79.94 £ 83.65 4.64% 16 – 18 £103.51 £108.36 4.69% (2) to note that the basic rates could be enhanced by up to 100% at the discretion of the Director of Social Work and Housing. This option can be used to compensate foster parents and others who take children with exceptional care requirements; and (3) to note that these rates are also used to set payments of other related allowances (adoption, link carers, custody and community parent allowances) and are set at one third of the fostering rates. Page 4 of 14 CHILDREN’S SERVICE PLAN There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing advising of arrangements made to fulfil the Council’s duty to prepare and publish plans for relevant services for children in West Dunbartonshire. The Committee agreed to approve the planning mechanism and time scales to publish plans for relevant services for children in West Dunbartonshire as detailed within the Report. INSPECTION UNIT’S ANNUAL REPORT There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing requesting Members to approve the Inspection Unit’s Annual Report for 1996/97. Having heard the Director of Social Work and Housing in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to approve the Inspection Unit’s Annual Report for 1996/97; (2) to note that this item would be the subject of a future Report and presentation to the Committee; and (3) to note that copies of Inspection Reports would be made available to Members. AIDS AND ADAPTATIOSN CHARGING POLICY There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing recommending to Committee the adoption of an Aids and Adaptations Charging Policy for West Dunbartonshire. Having heard the Director of Social Work and Housing in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to approve the introduction of the Aids and Adaptations Charging Policy for West Dunbartonshire as detailed within the Report, with effect from 1st July, 1997. ADDICTION SERVICES There was submitted a Report by the Director of Social Work and Housing advising of the impact of voluntary severance and seeking approval for proposals to redefine and develop the services provided by Social Work Addiction Projects. Having heard Mr Clark in further explanation of the Report and following discussion, the Committee agreed:- Page 5 of 14 (1) to note the departure, under the voluntary severance arrangements, of those addiction staff who had requested to leave the Council’s services; and (2) to note the intention to redefine the Council’s addiction services as detailed in Section 5 of the said Report, and develop a co-ordinated approach to addiction problems across all agencies.