Bed blocking fines cancelled

HOSPITAL chiefs will not fine council bosses for failing to prevent OAP bed blocking, it has been announced.

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OAPs could be paid back over council fees hike

COUNCIL bosses are to pay back OAPs and disabled people who were overcharged through the controversial introduction of day centre fees – as another new charge is announced.

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Depression and anxiety hit social workers

THREE social workers were off work from stress, anxiety or depression for more than 300 days in total, new figures show.

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£60+ day centre fees to be agreed

PENSIONERS face daily bills of more than £60 under council plans to charge for day centres set to be approved today.

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Council approves £15.2m cuts

YOUNG and older people will be hit by £15.2m cuts approved by council chiefs last night – but council tax bills will be frozen.

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Day centre hikes 'will trap OAPs in their homes'

PENSIONERS will be trapped in their own homes under plans to hike day centre fees, it has been warned.

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Asylum cuts will breach law, council admits

COST cutting plans to get child asylum seekers to leave their foster families at an earlier age will create a ‘two tier’ system and breach the law, council chiefs admit.

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Social services 'amongst UK worst'

SOLIHULL’S social services are still amongst the worst in the UK, despite being named a ‘priority for improvenent’ by the Government last year, inspectors say.

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Council wants to close care homes

A CARE home and 14 homes for people with learning disabilities – including three in Knowle - will shut under council cost cutting plans.

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Solihull social services in massive shake-up

A MUCH vaunted plan to run NHS and social care from one organisation is to be torn up amid criticism of services.

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Dying OAP 'not treated as person' probe finds

A DYING pensioner was not ‘treated as a person’ by care home and social services staff, the first probe of its kind in Solihull has found.

The investigation made recommendations about how OAPs are cared for following the death of ‘Dorothy’ in 2009, aged 96.

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Child protection 'fragile' bosses admit

THE Solihull social services team tasked with protecting at-risk children is ‘fragile and vulnerable’ chiefs admit in a report spurred by the death of Baby P.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s efforts are being damaged by staff sickness, people leaving and agency staff, it says.

More than 30 reports of children potentially in need have yet to get an initial assessment.

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NHS fines council over bed blocking

HOSPITAL bosses have said council chiefs should pay them more than £500,000 because they are not taking on patients from wards, freeing up beds, The Birmingham Post reports.

It comes after The Silhillian reported that a lack of beds is the main reason for long waits in A&E.

Council condemns free OAP care plans

COUNCIL bosses voted to condemn controversial plans to provide free care for OAPs, as an MP warned it would put £26 on the average council tax bill.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council passed a motion condemning what members said was an ‘unacceptable’ lack of funding for the scheme.

The Government wants to provide free care from October 1 to the most vulnerable people.

Ministers will fund £420m of the £670m cost of the plan – and expects councils to come up with the rest. The council voted to urge the Government to fund the full cost.

The motion states: “Whilst the general principle of enabling older people to stay in their own homes as long as possible is supported, the current proposal to only part fund centrally and require the balance to be found by local authorities is unacceptable.”

It adds: “Local government finance is under severe pressure and placing such an additional burden on councils will result in costs that can only be met by higher council tax levels and reductions in other public services.”

Meriden Conservative MP Caroline Spelman said the move would put an extra £26 on the average council tax bill. They want a one-off £8,000 payment from people to cover later costs.

In a press release, she said: “Gordon Brown needs to come clean about who will pay the price for his plans.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “There's absolutely no doubt that the care and support system needs major reform.

“Today, people are paying thousands of pounds out of their own pockets towards the costs of care. Failure to act will only see this unfairness increase.

“By reforming the system we can deliver a fairer care and support system that better meets people's needs.

“The Personal Care at Home Bill will help people with the greatest needs now.”

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Roads get biggest council spending cut

THE council department which manages road repairs is to be hardest hit in the forthcoming year, a survey has found.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council told the BBC the highways department would be cut by 3.85 per cent in 2010/11, the 12 months from April.

This enjoyed and 8.17 per cent rise this year. The second biggest cut is environmental services, 1.44 per cent.

The news will come as a blow to drivers hit by potholes throughout the borough. Click here for pothole stories.

The biggest increase is expected to be in children’s social services, 21.23 per cent.

Council managers throughout the UK have reported extra work in light of the Baby P scandal.

The council told the national survey it expects a 10 to 15 per cent cut in spending in the next three to five years.

And it said it expects to lose 158 jobs, leaving a workforce of about 3,000. The Conservative-controlled authority says it is amongst the lowest funded in England.

The council says it could have to charge for services above the rate of inflation to help balance the books.

It says: “The financial pressures or other service requirements faced by the council may mean that we consider increasing the real financial contribution made from some fees and charges by increasing them beyond the rate of inflation after taking into account all relevant circumstances.”
See the full figures here and read the BBC’s story here. Click here for council savings stories.

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Child trafficking reported in Solihull

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is among 29 local authorities which referred children for child trafficking last year.

Children were sent to the UK Human Trafficking Centre, a parliamentary question revealed.

Cuts 'will damage children's social care'

CUTS to children’s social services will damage efforts at a time of increasing pressure, council chiefs admit.

In the second of a series of articles about proposed budget cuts at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, The Silhillian looks at the children and young people department.

A council report says of the cuts: “This would impact on frontline social work services at a time of increasing demand and cost pressure.”

It noted a borough survey which found “social workers most often report not having enough time to do the job properly”.

The cuts also propose.

• Fewer activities for children in care than planned. Saving: £416,000.
• Slashing the subsidy to the music service in about half. This follows plans to charge for the service. Saving: £100,000. See the full SMBC report here.
• Keeping vacant posts empty and focus on ‘core services.
• Withdrawing an anti-bullying project and reducing youth worker hours. Saving: £29,000.

A final decision will be taken next month. Click here for more council savings stories.

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Day centre charging plan delayed

CUTS which could see pensioners charged for day centres have been delayed.

A Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council boss said he wanted “further work” carried out on how people would be affected. Read The Silhillian's previous story here.

Proposals were:

• Charging for day care for all adult social services users, mooted at £11 a day. Saving - £200,000.
• Charging people with learning and physical disabilities for transport to day care, suggested at £3 a day. Saving - £53,000 to £104,000.
• Stop payments to some people with learning disabilities for attending day care. “No other client group” gets this, SMBC says. Saving - £11,000.
• Give carers a maximum one off payment of £400 instead of weekly payments. Saving - £120,000.

But Councillor Robert Sleigh, cabinet member for health communities, asked for more work on the issue.

The official decision says he “deferred taking a decision as to which options would be the subject of consultation to allow the director of adult social services to undertake further work on the transforming adult social care agenda”.

It says: “This will include an evaluation of how changing or ceasing a service would impact upon other personal social care services.”

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OAPs could be charged for day centres

PENSIONERS could be charged to go to day centres and people with learning disabilities billed for transport under council cost cutting plans.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has put forward four options to try and plug a £450,000 budget black hole. It could also cut care home places.

It says there are “inequalities” as some people get services free and charging for them would address this.

The move, which would be consulted on, comes after the council was slammed by inspectors as one of the worst in the country for social services.

Options are:

• Charging for day care for all adult social services users, mooted at £11 a day. Saving - £200,000.
• Charging people with learning and physical disabilities for transport to day care, suggested at £3 a day. Saving - £53,000 to £104,000.
• Stop payments to some people with learning disabilities for attending day care. “No other client group” gets this, SMBC says. Saving - £11,000.
• Give carers a maximum one off payment of £400 instead of weekly payments. Saving - £120,000.

A council report says: “The existing charging regime treats some groups of people less favourably than others and these inequalities need to be addressed.”

Putting all four options into place would save £435,000.

Another report warned of a “growing funding gap” in social services because residents are living longer, showing more complex learning disability needs and have an “increased public expectations of services”.

It warned of a “significant overspend” this year. Bosses are reviewing residential and home-based services and cutting “high cost” care.

But these will not save enough cash, officers warn.

Meanwhile, it is poised to review 14 learning disability places at Coombes House in Yardley Wood Road.

The NHS has already agreed to close one home and change another to supported living only.

The council says a higher than average number of adults with learning disabilities go into homes, 67 per cent compared to 43 per cent nationwide.

This was because of a “lack of community based alternative services” which are now being developed it adds.

And the council wants to review 28 places at Sunhaven older people’s home, in High Street, Solihull Lodge. This includes seven older people with a learning disability.

It said putting people into homes broke up friendships, was not “person centred” and do not meet complex needs enough.

The issues will be discussed at the council’s offices in Solihull town centre at 6pm tomorrow at a meeting of the cabinet portfolio holder for healthier communities.

The public are welcome to attend, click here for more details.

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MP: residents "suffering" from social services

SOLIHULL MP Lorely Burt has called for an end to “suffering” from social services that were rated amongst the worst in England.

She spoke after Conservative-controlled Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council was one of eight out of 148 authorities classed as a “priority for improvement” by the Care Quality Commission, the official regulator.

The Liberal Democrat MP said: "It is deeply disappointing that Solihull has been named and shamed for being one of the worst councils in England for adult social care."

"This report will raise genuine concern for families and clients receiving care right across the borough."

She said: "I am particularly worried because the report found that Solihull was performing only to minimum acceptable standards in four out of seven categories, including fundamental aims such as improvements to quality of life and treating people with dignity and respect.

"I urgently call on the council take into consideration the Care Quality Commission's recommendations and raise the level of adult care well above the minimum standards so that our elderly do not continue to suffer."

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