Social Work And Health Committee - 22/09/2008

At a MEETING of the SOCIAL WORK AND HEALTH COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 22nd September, 2008.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

 

 

 

BAILIES

 

Helen WRIGHT

Roderick A J WALLACE

Derek J SCOTT

Willie SAWERS

 

Ian BORTHWICK

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Kevin KEENAN

Fraser MACPHERSON

Bob DUNCAN

Mohammed ASIF

Helen DICK

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Laurie BIDWELL

Ken GUILD

Stewart HUNTER

Tom FERGUSON

Jim BARRIE

Ken LYNN

Brian GORDON

Jimmy BLACK

Christina ROBERTS

Richard McCREADY

David BOWES

Alan G ROSS

Joe MORROW

 

Donald HAY

 

Bailie Helen WRIGHT, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 25th August, 2008 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I MINUTE OF MEETING OF CASES SUB-COMMITTEE

 

The minute of meeting of Cases Sub-Committee held on 11th Septem ber, 2008 was submitted and noted for information and record purposes, a copy of which is attached to this minute as an Appendix.

 

II EAST PORT HOUSE

 

There was submitted Report No 465-2008 by the Director of Social Work informing of proposals to undertake an options appraisal of East Port House, following a report which had been agreed at the meeting of the Tayside Community Justice Authority held on 17th September, 2008.

 

It was reported that East Port House provided a valuable resource for adult offenders and had received positive reports from the Care Commission, however, there had been a reduction in occupancy levels and the indications were that attempts were increasingly being made to sustain offenders in other forms of housing. It was therefore appropriate to consider the future direction of the unit and its contribution to reducing re-offending.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to note that the Chief Officer of the Tayside Community Justice Authority would lead an options appraisal of East Port House involving staff from relevant agencies, including Dundee City Council and would report back to the Tayside Community Justice Authority in March 2009; and

 

(ii) to instruct the Director of Social Work to submit a report to Committee following the conclusion of the options appraisal.

 

III MINOR CAPITAL WORKS 2008/2009

 

There was submitted Report No 466-2008 by the Director of Social Work seeking approval for the City Architectural Services Officer to obtain offers, tenders, or negotiate partnerships and for the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services), in conjunction with the Director of Social Work to accept these offers, tenders or partnership agreements for Minor Capital Works up to a total cost of 142,000.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) that the City Architectural Services Officer be authorised to obtain offers, tenders or partnership agreements for the minor Capital Works detailed in Appendix 1 of the report; and

 

(ii) that, the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services), in conjunction with the Director of Social Work be authorised to accept the offers, tenders or partnership agreements as recommended by the City Architectural Services Officer for these works to be undertaken by Dundee Contract Services and other contractors.

 

IV DUNDEE DEMENTIA STRATEGY

 

There was submitted Report No 470-2008 by the Director of Social Work advising of the intention to develop a Joint Dundee Dementia Strategy.

 

The Committee agreed:-

 

(i) to instruct the Director of Social Work to set up the Dundee Dementia Strategic Planning Group for the period 2009/2012;

 

(ii) to the production of a Dundee Dementia Strategy; and

 

(iii) to the development of a service redesign and commissioning framework.

 

V CIRCLES AROUND DUNDEE - DREAMCATCHERS PROJECT - FUNDING

 

There was submitted Agenda Note AN185-2008 reporting that funding for the Dreamcatchers Project, part of Circles Around Dundee would run out at the end of October. The organisation had sufficient reserves to continue to operate until the end of December. A funding bid had been submitted to the Big Lottery but the outcome would not be known until January 21st at the earliest. Unless another source of funding was identified to bridge the gap, staff would need to be given notice and the project would cease to exist. The cost of supporting the service for one month to allow it to continue pending a decision from the Big Lottery is 6,379.81.

 

To avoid alternative services being provided (at an additional cost) during January 2009, it was proposed that the 6,379.81 be met from the Learning Disability Day Service budget. Due to a review being undertaken, this cost could be met within available financial resources.

 

The Committee agreed to the terms of the note.

 

VI COMMUNITIES COLLABORATING FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLES LIFELONG WELLBEING AND LEARNING CONFERENCE

 

It was reported that the above named conference would take place at Fairmont, St Andrews (formerly St Andrew's Bay Hotel) on Thursday, 6th to Friday, 7th November, 2008.

 

The cost of attendance would be approximately 400 excluding travel and subsistence allowances.

 

The Committee agreed that elected member attendance at the conference be on the basis of one member of the Administration and one member of the SNP Group.

 

 

 

 

Helen WRIGHT, Convener.