{Disestablished Committee} - Social Strategy Overview and Scrutiny Committee

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Present:

• Councillor Karney - In the Chair 
• Councillors Cooley, Cowan, Evans, Isherwood, N. Murphy, Barbara O'Neil, Watson and Wilmott 

Also Present:

• Councillor Battle, Deputy Leader of the Council 
• Councillor Curley, Executive Member for Adult Services

SS/06/59 Consumer championing - fee charging cash machines

The Chair reminded members of the previous work that the Committee had done in terms of highlighting the inequities of fee-paying cash machines and their particular impact on disadvantaged communities (see Minute SS/06/48). He informed members of a recent announcement that 600 new free-to-use cash machines were to be provided nationally to address the problems of financial exclusion in deprived areas as a result of deal struck between the leading banks and cash machine operators. The Deputy Leader stated that the Council would be actively bidding to secure a significant number of these machines in appropriate locations of the city.

SS/06/60 Minutes

Decision

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2006 as a correct record.

SS/06/61 Drugs Strategy and Drugs Intervention Programme

The Committee had previously looked at and endorsed the range of interventions and actions that constituted the Council's Drugs Strategy. Focussing on positive outcomes members were anxious to explore the effectiveness of rehabilitation and support programmes for drug users.

A presentation was given by three service users of the Re-Think Rehabilitation programme who provided members with a detailed and deeply personal insight based on their own experiences of substance misuse and crime, and about how the programme had helped them to get their lives back on track. Members welcomed the fact that the programme was making such positive contributions to the lives of individuals, and it was recognised that even with the dedicated support and guidance that was available from the Programme, the journey to rehabilitation remained a difficult and challenging one for anyone with a drug dependency.

In a wide-ranging discussion between members and the service users, members explored the extent to which the Programme also provided support to families in terms of raising their level of understanding of the problems likely to be encountered during the rehabilitation and how they could be additionally supportive during the rehabilitation period. Members were encouraged that a number of people who had gone through the programme successfully had then been able to secure full time employment

Following a general discussion the Programme Leader from Re-Think invited members of the Committee to visit the Centre to look at the work being undertaken.

Decision

1. To thank the three service users for their excellent and informative presentation and for sharing their personal experiences with the Committee, as this has provided members with the clearest possible insight into the problems involved for those undertaking rehabilitation, and also the value that they place on the professional support that is available to help them in their individual journeys.

2. To request officers to arrange the visit to the Centre early in the new year.

SS/06/62 Consumer Championing - collapse of Farepak and pre-Christmas advice on unsafe goods

The Committee received a report which detailed the background to the collapse of Farepak and described the practical steps to mitigate losses for customers.

Members expressed their concern that in the light of the experience of thousands of Farepak customers, Manchester residents should be encouraged to make use of more secure ways of saving for Christmas, in particular through local credit unions. The Chair requested a paper for the January meeting identifying what the Council could do to further promote the benefits of credit unions to poorer families in Manchester.

A report providing an overview of various warnings issued by Manchester Trading Standards Service concerning unsafe and defective goods was also considered. It was noted that the action taken centred on the sale of mini motorbikes following a number of test purchases in which bikes had been found not to meet British Standards. Parallel action across the Greater Manchester area had identified similar problems resulting in a number of bikes being impounded on grounds of safety, and prosecutions were now being considered against a number of traders. Parents were being urged not to consider buying these vehicles for their children at Christmas. The cheaper end of the market was driven with dangerous products and even the bikes constructed to a higher standard would still present problems for the user as they were not type-approved to be used on a public road, and therefore their use on a road would constitute an offence as they cannot be taxed and insured. Police forces throughout the country have been seizing such bikes and destroying them.

Action had also been initiated in respect of a cheap but dangerous child's doll that contravened Trading Standards. The toys had been submitted for testing and had failed the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995, and by securing their early withdrawal it was hoped that they will not find their way onto the local market

Decision

1. To note the reports and to commend the officers for their prompt action in securing the withdrawal from sale of dangerous items.

2. To request a progress report for the next meeting what the Council can do to further promote the benefits of credit unions to poorer families in Manchester.

SS/06/63 Adult Social Care - review of performance

A report, presenting the Commission for Social Care Inspection's Annual Review of Performance for Adult Social Care in Manchester for the year 2005/06 which was detailed in the Record of Performance Assessment, was considered by the Committee. The overall judgment demonstrated that Adult Social Care services were serving most people well and that there is promising capacity for improvement and gave an overall star rating for Adult Services of two stars. This was is in line with those for the previous three years and indicates that not only have standards been maintained, but there has been improvement as thresholds have got higher. There were however a number of areas where the inspectors had indicated they would looking for improvements over the next year, however these were areas that the Council's officers had already identified for further action.

Decision

To welcome the many positive elements of the report and to extend congratulations to the staff in the Department for their excellent work in maintaining and improving standards over the last twelve months.

SS/06/64 Budget Scrutiny - Business Plans

The Committee was invited to consider whether it wished to subject individual Business Plans for 2007/2008 to detailed scrutiny as part of the forthcoming budget review process.

Decision

To note the report and request that the business plans from the following Heads of Service be submitted to the January meeting:

• Culture
• Adult Education
• Crime and Disorder