Ward 8 –Tain and Easter Ross Ward Forum

Meeting held on Wednesday 25 August 2010
in the Tain Royal Academy Community Complex

Present:

Cllr Alan Torrance (Chair)
Cllr Richard Durham
Keith Hart, Balintore and Hilton Community Council
Marion Porteous, Inver Community Council
Peter Whiteley, Tain Community Council
Maureen Ross, Seaboard Memorial Hall
Carol Summers, Highland Community Care Forum
Shona Laidlaw, Highland Community Care Forum
Chief Insp. Matthew Reiss, Northern Constabulary
Bob Silverwood, HC Area Community Care Manager
Donellen MacKenzie, HC Project Manager
Ian Hargrave, HC Corporate Manager, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Carol Elliot, HC Ward Manager Tain and Easter Ross

8 members of the public

Apologies:

Cllr Alasdair Rhind
Alice Smith, Balintore and Hilton Community Council
John Boocock, Kilmuir & Logie Easter Community Council
Isabell McLaughlin, Milton Housing Forum
Insp. Ramsay Aitkin, Northern Constabulary
Insp. David Greenlees, Northern Constabulary

1. Welcome and Introductions
Cllr Torrance welcomed everyone to the Forum.

2. Apologies for Absence
As listed above.

3. Community Safety/Police report – Chief Inspector Matthew Reiss, Northern Constabulary.
The police detection rate is the highest it has been for a number of years. At the moment there are more officers than there has ever been and will ever have.

Overall Road traffic accident figures are good. There were some incidents of vandalism on police cars. It has been a busy summer period for the police as over and above the usual duties there have been various summer events, royal visits and minor tourist road traffic accidents. The vandalism detection rate is up by 10%.

80% of Police budgets go on salaries with only 20% on other costs. As with everyone else the Police are looking at “demand reduction” to save money. The force is in a better position because of its restructuring 3 years ago. The Chief Constable is trying to keep front line staff and make savings where there won’t be a huge impact. The Force is also looking at using its buildings better and sharing to save money. A good example of this is Golspie Service Point which also houses the Police Station. The Police are also looking at buying cheaper vehicles. There won’t be any recruitment for the next 2 years and those retiring won’t be replaced. The Force is also looking at ways to make savings in the time spent on paperwork.

Q – What help do the Police get from special constables?
A – Lots, especially in remote areas and islands, also with disorder at weekends and with major incidents and special events. They get a small bounty if they do over a set number of hours each year. Being a Special Constable is a way to try out the police if you are thinking of joining.

4. Ward Update and feedback from the previous Ward Forum.
The Notes from the previous Ward Forum are attached to the agenda.

There are no Highland wide or local Council consultations running at the moment.

The Ward LEADER Community Project Development Scheme has had its first application. Kilmuir & Logie Easter Community Council has been awarded a grant of £1,900.00 to develop their project. 3 other applications have come in over the last few days and are in the process of being considered.

An update on LEADER funding has been e-mailed out to all Local Area Partnership member groups today. Spare copies are available on the table at the back.

Q – Does LEADER money need to be spent first before it can be claimed?
A – Post meeting response from LEADER Development Officer – Yes the money has to be spent before groups get it back. The Development Officer would discuss with a group how cash flow is managed and the options available.

Don’t forget Scotland’s Housing Expo 2010 is only open for another 6 days at Milton of Leys outside Inverness. Well worth a visit.

5. Community Care Consultation.
Community Care is the term used to describe how we support adults of varying ages, with varying needs, who require extra help to live their day to day lives. It covers statutory services provided by the NHS, Highland Council Housing and Social Work and services provided by the private and voluntary sectors.

Community Care provision is being reviewed because:

we will have a much larger older population.
there are considerable financial challenges ahead.
we cannot keep doing more of the same.
major change and modernisation of services is required.
there is a need to shift the balance of care.
we need to support people and communities to do more for themselves and each other.

It is clear that NHS Highland, The Highland Council and the Third/Independent Sector need to work together to meet these challenges. A Joint Community Care Plan is seen as the key vehicle to address the issues.

There has been a lot of consultation/engagement with service users already with the help of the Highland Community Care Forum (HCCF) on the draft Joint Community Care Plan. Discussions with communities focused on 3 key areas of the draft plan:

Checking the outcomes identified were important to people.
Considering other issues highlighted.
Checking the changes and improvements recommended by Highland Council Social Work and NHS need to be made.

Key areas were identified for change and improvement. Agencies need to work together to:

develop a ‘Single Pathway’ - a clear, integrated process for professionals to assess and meet the needs of users and carers.
allocate resources jointly and more quickly, using a tiered approach, greater professional autonomy, offering self -assessment option
bring the NHS and Social Work closer together at a “district” level with a single point of entry.
better understand how we spend our money and move resources accordingly to meet need.
work to a new ethos – “reablement” – more intense, time-limited and targeted help aimed at restoring as much independence for people as possible.
do more to identify and support voluntary and community effort
provide more effective housing and support solutions.
help people and communities to better help themselves.
provide better information.
work with carers as true partners.
use new technologies.
support people to be in control of their care.
look at ways to improve community transport.
create a central ‘Hub’ to respond to requests for emergency help.
propose community care plans for each area that addresses the diversity of need across all groups

After this final round of consultation and discussions at Ward Forums the next steps are to:

publish a final draft of the Plan in October.
work out the detail of service redesign.
redirect resources to ensure that we can meet areas of greatest need
identify and make optimum use of identified, available opportunities;
and most importantly, ensure that there are ongoing discussions with local communities

Comment – Volunteers and communities are expected to do a lot and to find the funding to do it.
Response – We do need to make savings so the more communities can do for themselves the better. But we need to support them to do it.

Q – Can funding be streamlined so there is one central source of funding, rather than have voluntary groups having to employ someone to look for money?
A – What the state has funded in the past may not be able to be funded in the future. The Highland Council is working on a single grant process to make it easier for organisations when applying to the Council.

Comment – Local example given of poor quality support group. A better structure/quality of support is needed. Local interest groups in communities could be asked to provide help to variety.
Response – Social Work is employing community development workers to look at what is available locally that can be tapped in to.

Comment – Volunteers are getting less and less due to the hurdles they have to become one.
Response – certain checks are necessary but this comment will be feedback.

ACTION1: Donellen MacKenzie to feed comment back.

Q – What is being done to make sure the elderly who are fit and healthy at the moment and so not on any agencies radar are told where they can get help if and when they need it?
A – This is anticipatory care. Some G.P.s and various agencies do try to pick up these types of visits.

Comment – All this change is based on finance. Social Security needs to be considered, i.e. what people can pay for and what they spend to help support them in their own homes.
Response. This is considered in the draft plan. It is expected the public purse would only fund something once so we need to get it right. The best answer is to care for people in their own homes where possible.

Comment – 40,000 adults provide care for others for more than 20 hours but less than 35 hours per week. Only those who are cared for more than 35 hours per week get an allowance. In only 7 years more people will need carer than there are carers as the population changes.

6. Date, location and topic of next Ward Forum
Thursday 28th October 2010 7pm for 7.30pm. Fearn Village Hall. The host Community Council will be Fearn.

Theme: Planning – The Council’s Role.

As always – Can Community Councils and other Ward Forum member groups ensure you gather views from your communities on these items via your own agendas to feed into discussions.

7. Public Question and Answer session.
No questions.

8. Thanks for attending.
Cllr Torrance thanked everyone who attended.

We would remind members of the public they can see the notes from this Ward Forum and information about future Ward Forums on the Highland Council’s Web site.