Agenda item

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Adults and Community which proposed a topic brief in order to carry out the following:-

 

·        Review current employment opportunities for people with a learning or physical disability or mental health issues in Halton;

 

·        Develop an understanding of the financial processes around employment for these specific groups;

 

·        Consider best practice and local examples in terms of supporting people into employment;

 

·        Develop an understanding of corporate responsibilities in supporting vulnerable people into employment; and

 

·        Devise a series of recommendations and an accompanying action plan to improve the Authority’s performance in relation to supported employment opportunities.

 

            The Board was advised that as part of a Care Quality Commission Performance Assessment carried out in 2008, it was noted that while Halton had supported more people with learning or physical disability or mental health issues into employment than was predicted, performance was still lower than comparative. Resulting in the formation of an Employment Topic Group. The report also set out the methodology, membership of the Employment Topic Group.

 

            A scrutiny review of employment practices for people with learning or physical disabilities or mental health issues was appended to the report for consideration. The report consisted of an introduction, a brief summary of the methodology, description of current practice and performance, evidence analysis and findings and conclusions with recommendations. Appended to the report were also Topic Brief presentations and an action plan.

 

            The Board was also informed that Officers from Salford had visited Halton to do a presentation regarding this topic and a visit to Derby County Council and Lancashire County Council had been arranged to obtain other ways of practice with similar models of implementing action plans of this nature.

 

            Arising from consideration of the action plan, Members noted the following:-

 

·        in relation to action no. 23, it was noted that extra care must be given in terms of staff working in a hygienic environment for example, handling food;

 

·        with regard to recommendation 14, the lower rate and higher rate of permitted earnings for people with disabilities was considered;

 

·        as there were many other venues in the Borough carrying out similar schemes already employing people with disabilities or learning difficulties, it was felt that the good news stories should be publicised more widely with a hope to stimulating more people to return to work;

 

·        a short DVD had been produced featuring learning disabilities in work which demonstrated there were examples of people in work and this could be promoted more widely.

 

·        in relation to current performance and, in particular, NI146 Members considered the reported outturn for 2008/09 being 4.12% compared with the North West average of 6.6%;

 

·        linkages between long term employment and depression;

 

·        invest to save and how community Cafes can be enabled to develop business plans, pay wages and encourage staff to move from receiving incapacity benefits in order to work;

 

·        possibility of rolling out models for inside other venues such as independent Community Centres.

 

            The Board wished to thank the team for a fantastic piece of scrutiny work and proposed that all 25 recommendations from the action plan be proposed to Executive Board. However, Members were notified that the recommendations would be subject to formation of a business case and resource and financial implications must be taken into consideration. Members of the Board requested that an update be provided in June 2011 of where progress was up to with the action plan.

 

            RESOLVED: That

 

1)     the report, scrutiny review and action plan be noted;

 

2)     the action plan, including 25 recommendations appended to the minutes be proposed to the Executive Board for consideration, subject to formation of a business case, and that resource and financial implications be considered; and

 

3)     an update be brought back to the Board in June 2011 of progress made.