1. Voluntary Sector Working Group
4 November 2010 at Café West
Present;
Paul Hunt – Contract and Quality Assurance Manager, gave a brief
introduction to the meeting and stated that the aim of today was to reaffirm
that Adults and Community Services within the Council are still committed to
the both the concept and implementation of a support planning and brokerage
service. Meetings have taken place with our partner’s iMPOWER, external
providers and colleagues within the Council to ensure we continue to develop
future services in line with the national and local Personalisation Agenda.
The outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review has necessitated that
the Council will need to examine current budgets and future planning. That
said, ‘personalisation’ remains high on the Departments agenda.
Ultimately, we remain committed to Support planning, despite the fact we will
be working with less resources than we had planned for. There is a possibility
of a small amount of funding being available for Support Planning.
Question: What messages are you getting from the new government?
Paul Hunt: In the main, this hasn’t filtered down as yet but as previously
stated we are committed to the personalisation agenda. The
principle of personalisation had cross party agreement from the
beginning and this would fit into the governments ‘Big Society.’
Question: Where are we in meeting the direct payments target?
Paul Hunt: We are on target although this mainly involves the younger age
group.
Question: How will the Voluntary Sector develop a Support Planning
service and what information will be provided about service
users?
Paul Hunt: We need to identify those organisations who wish to work with
us and together consider what we need to do ensure Support
Planning is fit for purpose. Ultimately, we would want to share as
much information as possible.
Question: At the Open Event there was discussion about the need to
develop the market but this may take a while.

2. Paul Hunt: We fully acknowledge this, however it could be argued that the
‘Independent Sector’ is far more responsive to change than
some internal services and therefore develop more choice for
service users.
Question: As stated the Independent Sector is responsive but we can’t
float around without any money and therefore how will the
transition be managed and supported?
Paul Hunt: The key message is that we haven’t got as much money as we’d
originally thought but we may have identified a small funding
stream to develop support planning. We are going to have to be
innovative in our thinking but I believe together we can achieve
this.
Question: I can see the need to be part of Support Planning but how do we
survive?
Paul Hunt: Support and guidance will be provided by the Council and with
the support of other organisations sat around the table today. It
is in everyone’s interest to make this work.
Question: Some service users will not want the hassle of organising their
own support.
Paul Hunt: This may be the case for some people and choice in itself can
be difficult. We acknowledge there will be some people who will
want the Council to arrange services and that is fine.
Question: Personalisation decisions have already been taken although
admittedly not for the longer term. How will this be developed?
Jill: Jill will send out information regarding the customer journey.
Comment: Jill noted that all local authorities are developing and finding
their own way and there isn’t a national model which authorities
can utilise.
Question: What will the money that has hopefully been identified actually
be spent on?
Paul Hunt: Ultimately developing external support planning.
Question: Will support planning be external from the Council?
Paul Hunt: Currently Social Workers and Community Care Officers are
carrying out this in house. We want Voluntary
Organisations/Private Sector/Third Sector involved because of
the creativity it would bring and to afford support to both Social
Workers and Community Care Officers.

3. Comment: Flow chart on process for voluntary organisations
Comment: Tender process is going to be really critical
Comment: Some voluntary organisations can only plan up until March 2011
due to budgets and existing agreements
Question: Some voluntary organisation appeared missing from the working
group today and could we include all at the next meeting?
Paul Hunt: Jill did send invites to everyone who had expressed an interest
or indeed attended the previous meeting and will I understand
send out to all with dates for next working group.