Slough Conservative Group News – December 2012
1. Youth Services Review
Slough Young People’s Centre (SYPC) is set to close in September 2013 after SBC Cabinet agreed, on 10th December, to an overhaul of youth services. An online petition has been launched to save the youth centre, see www.change.org/petitions/slough-borough-council-reject-the-proposals-to-close-slough-uoing-peoples-centre.
It was also decided that the Assistant Director for Culture and Skills consider deferring the closure of the youth bus by up to four months to September 2014 (as necessary) if the community offer is not fully rolled out as set out in the delivery plan.
2. Residential and Nursing Care – Future Commissioning Intentions and Service Provision
SBC will provide an update on commissioning of residential and nursing care, and details of outcomes of consultation and market testing concerning services provided at Gurney House and make recommendations for the future provision of this service.
Cabinet decided on 10th December that:
- Approval of organisations to be included on the Approved Providers List following the procurement exercise be delegated to the Strategic Director for Wellbeing following consultation with the Lead Commissioner
- Services cease to be commissioned at Gurney House which provides general residential care for 9 elderly residents
- Officers work with residents and relatives of people at Gurney House to secure appropriate alternative placements in residential or nursing care facilities that meet their needs and their preferences where possible
- Officers work with BUPA to facilitate closure of Gurney House
3. Tenancy Strategy
At its meeting of 19th September 2012, Cabinet chose that the standard length of flexible tenancies in Slough would be five years. The granting of defined period tenancies allows a review of a household’s circumstances prior to the granting of a new tenancy. This will allow the council to allocate the most appropriate housing to those who require it, thus making best use of the available housing resource.
Cabinet decided on 10th December that:
a) That the Tenancy Strategy be agreed, including:
(i) the council’s approach to the use of different tenancy types as set out in section 7 of the report
(ii) the council’s approach to the renewal of flexible tenancies as set out in section 8 of the report
(iii) the council’s guidance to Private Registered Providers on affordable rent and the application of tenancies to their stock.
(b) That the Assistant Director Housing and Environment be authorised, following consultation with the Commissioner for Neighbourhoods and Renewal, to sign off and publish the strategy following comment and consultation with Private Registered Providers.
4. Local Council Tax Support Scheme and the Council Tax Base
Cabinet decided on 10th December that:
a) That the Council Tax Support Scheme, as set out in Annex D of the report, be adopted subject to any textual amendments made by the Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer that may be required following publication of the new Regulations.
b) That the Council Tax Base reflect the changes arising from the adoption of the Support Scheme.
c) That authority to determine the final Council Tax Base for 2013/14 be delegated to the Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer following the publication of the new Regulations.
d) That the existing discretionary powers with the Council Tax and Business Rate Scheme continue to operate with the new Council Tax Support Scheme.
e) That a comprehensive communications and advice strategy be developed for the Council Tax Support Scheme to assist council tax payers.
5. Slough Local Safeguarding Children Board – Annual report 2011/12
The twelve months covered by this report have presented significant challenge most particularly in relation to the outcome of Ofsted inspection of Safeguarding and Looked After Children that took place in April 2011. This inspection highlighted significant concerns about safeguarding arrangements in the Borough and, specifically, made recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the LSCB. Following the inspection a Safeguarding Improvement Board has been in place to oversee an improvement plan. The
Improvement Board commissioned a comprehensive review of the operation of the SLSCB. The recommendations arising from this review have been a key driver of SLSCB activity in the last five months of the year covered by this annual report. (See attached report for more information)
6. Slough Local Safeguarding Children Board’s Business (SLSCB) Plan for 2012/15.
The Business Plan has been formulated with the engagement of all agencies in the SLSCB partnership and will, whilst in draft form, be the subject of formal consultation not only with those agencies individually but collectively through other key strategic partnerships that have a role in safeguarding and the well-being of children and young people – including the Children’s Partnership, the Safer Slough Partnership and the Health and Well-Being Board. It is critical that the Plan has universal buy-in and commitment from all partner agencies if it is to achieve its goals. The engagement of partners at formulation stage aims to ensure priorities are relevant to all and support individual agency objectives as well as shared areas of priority. Most importantly the aim has been to secure ownership from all agencies, whether statutory or voluntary
The SLSCB has identified five key priorities for 2012-15:
1. To improve the effectiveness of safeguarding practice through:
- Effective early help that reduces the proportion of children requiring formal child protection interventions
- Quality support to children that require formal child protection or local authority care
2. To target areas of particular risk in Slough
3. To improve the effectiveness of the Slough Local Safeguarding Children Board
4. To improve communication and engagement between the SLSCB and children and young people, wider communities, frontline practitioners and partner agencies;
5. To develop our workforce to enable them to deliver the improvements and outcomes sought.
7. Garden Waste Collection Suspended for the Winter
Garden waste collections in Slough will be suspended from December until the end of February, with the service starting up again at the beginning of March 2013.Cllr Satpal Parmar, commissioner for parks and open spaces, said: “We know from previous years that less green waste is collected during the winter months, so this year we have decided to suspend the service from December to March, not just for December as we did last year.”