21st January
Our NHS has been around for over 60 years and has been the subject of many radical changes by successive Governments. Health care is costly however especially in an ageing population and to maintain a high standard. We have been falling behind in some outcomes in for example areas of cancer treatments.
The latest proposals by the Tory/Lib coalition who now wish to tear up the present structure in a change more radical than anything done before to our NHS. More broken promises and some of the small print not visible in the pre election manifestos... for example no mention there that PCTs would go.
Putting 80% of the NHS budget into the hands of doctors has rung a number of alarm bells... there are some GPs who relish the idea and are capable of running what would be a multi million pound business to commission health care for their patients as a group.. Many others are not so good at it, will waste our money, not being good at running a very large health team and just wish to get on with what they do best ... caring for their patients. There are at least two GP groups at the moment gearing up to try and run the service in Walsall and no doubt there will be a patchwork quilt of groups coming forward to run our NHS post 2013 .. However who will be picking up the bill if any of these holders of our health budget get it badly wrong and go bust? The belief of the Tories has always been 'let the market decide' How happy will you be to find that your operation will be done by a hospital bidding to get the business of doing your operation with the money needed by the hospital to keep in business? All our hospitals will become independent foundation trusts. where will be the democratic accountability of all these health organisations which will be spending most of our health care money? How will the standard of care and support be maintained or will this new model become the Ryanair equivalent in health care? You can imagine what could happen where the core cost is kept low with the 'extras' added on later to the bill !
Why tear up the PCTs , why cannot these organisations be the vehicle for delivery of health provision by the GP's? It will cost over £1 billion to wind up the PCTs with redundancies.. all money that is not spent on health care. I fear that our NHS is in danger... I pray that this patient is not suffering from a terminal illness.!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Oldham result gives message ' Come back Labour all is forgiven'
The voters in Oldham have shown on Thursday that the pathway of the Tory Liberal coalition is not for them.
Promises by the Liberal Party broken in joining an alliance with a past sworn enemy is unravelling.
A rise of VAT to 20%, threatened cuts to children's centres and Sure Start, cuts to future job's fund, cuts to police numbers, cuts to education maintenance allowance and tripling of student tuition fees will hit especially those young people living in disadvantaged communities and is treating the electorate with contempt as we are not getting what we voted for.
Some politicians appear to be prepared to sell their souls to get elected and that will be reflected in what could be a General election in the near future.
Promises by the Liberal Party broken in joining an alliance with a past sworn enemy is unravelling.
A rise of VAT to 20%, threatened cuts to children's centres and Sure Start, cuts to future job's fund, cuts to police numbers, cuts to education maintenance allowance and tripling of student tuition fees will hit especially those young people living in disadvantaged communities and is treating the electorate with contempt as we are not getting what we voted for.
Some politicians appear to be prepared to sell their souls to get elected and that will be reflected in what could be a General election in the near future.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Is there anyone listening out there?
For those who missed the 'exciting' 3 hours of entertainment at full council on Monday evening... if you have problems with sleeping do come and practice in the public gallery at such times.
The Notice of motion calling for a fair pay to match our neighbouring Towns in paying for social workers ( we are 30% less than Staffs County Council ) was defeated by the Tory Councillors. While I agree that there are other factors such as conditions, promotion prospects, opportunities for training, schools for their children etc are always important it is the pay that will influence the final decision. we have only recruited one senior social worker in the past 3 years which should tell us something. the offer of the golden hellos of £1500 and the promise of a bonus of £1000 if you stay for three years still puts recruits way down on the pay scales. It costs us a fortune extra to employ up to 40 agency staff to fill in and despite I am sure agency workers trying to cover, this is not as good as having permanent staff. Still we tried but lost.
Another one we lost was protesting at the loss of Educational Maintenance Allowance from last December which has removed support from about 4500 families in Walsall. I suspect that the numbers in wards like Blakenall are far higher than the average of 200 or so per ward. This is a kick in the teeth ot those young people from disadvantaged homes when we should be targeting them especially to encourage them into further education. Only one in a 100 goes for further education in comparison to 17 in 100 from other areas. The young people from wards like Blakenall can achieve as well as those from other wards... they do not have the parental support, self esteem and subsequently the ambition is lost. The removal pf EMA is a backwards step in addressing those inequalities.
News that 6 libraries will close as a result of budget cuts but this Sword of Damocles now hangs over the whole of Walsall and the library service The philistines in the cabinet do not realise that the battle to raise the dreadful level of educational achievement in Walsall is not helped by closing these lifelines to better education. I seem to recall in history those who destroyed libraries coming to a sticky end. Maybe this will happen to this lot.
Like many things that are happening under this hasty cuts regime we will live to regret and find it costs us dear.
The Notice of motion calling for a fair pay to match our neighbouring Towns in paying for social workers ( we are 30% less than Staffs County Council ) was defeated by the Tory Councillors. While I agree that there are other factors such as conditions, promotion prospects, opportunities for training, schools for their children etc are always important it is the pay that will influence the final decision. we have only recruited one senior social worker in the past 3 years which should tell us something. the offer of the golden hellos of £1500 and the promise of a bonus of £1000 if you stay for three years still puts recruits way down on the pay scales. It costs us a fortune extra to employ up to 40 agency staff to fill in and despite I am sure agency workers trying to cover, this is not as good as having permanent staff. Still we tried but lost.
Another one we lost was protesting at the loss of Educational Maintenance Allowance from last December which has removed support from about 4500 families in Walsall. I suspect that the numbers in wards like Blakenall are far higher than the average of 200 or so per ward. This is a kick in the teeth ot those young people from disadvantaged homes when we should be targeting them especially to encourage them into further education. Only one in a 100 goes for further education in comparison to 17 in 100 from other areas. The young people from wards like Blakenall can achieve as well as those from other wards... they do not have the parental support, self esteem and subsequently the ambition is lost. The removal pf EMA is a backwards step in addressing those inequalities.
News that 6 libraries will close as a result of budget cuts but this Sword of Damocles now hangs over the whole of Walsall and the library service The philistines in the cabinet do not realise that the battle to raise the dreadful level of educational achievement in Walsall is not helped by closing these lifelines to better education. I seem to recall in history those who destroyed libraries coming to a sticky end. Maybe this will happen to this lot.
Like many things that are happening under this hasty cuts regime we will live to regret and find it costs us dear.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Social Workers worth their weight in gold but Walsall pay peanuts
The following notice of motion is down for full Council to debate Monday 10th January
To consider the following motion, notice of which has been duly given by
Councillors Robertson, Burley, Wilkes, Oliver, Chambers, Westley and Cassidy:
"This Council notes with concern the vast sums of money spent on agency social
workers within children's specialist services - just under £3.8m over the last 3
years.
With a substantial reduction in spending in mind, coupled with the need to
provide ever more efficient specialist services to our most vulnerable children
and young people, this council resolves to urgently address this waste of tax
payers money by;
· Agreeing to increase the levels of pay of social workers in Walsall to
match that of our neighbours in the rest of the West Midlands and
Staffordshire as they are currently 30% less that Staffs County Council
and the second lowest in the black country and
· ensuring that current recruitment and retention processes are thoroughly
reviewed as a matter of urgency to see where they can be improved.
I note that we are now trying to redress the balance and for that I am pleased. A sense of fairness … the fact that restocking the shelves of a supermarket can command a higher wage than some very difficult social care jobs carrying a lot of responsibility and any errors potentially very serious.
I do believe that job choice has a Lot of other influences besides money although it is of course very important as bills, mortgages etc have to be paid… but working conditions atmosphere, support by colleagues, team working, access to good schools, health care, leisure facilities, open spaces and other entertainments do have some influence. Support to help in moving and advice etc is also very welcoming to any potential employee. Opportunities for improving oneself , getting more qualifications and training… despite of course the fact that if they do get more on their CV they might start looking around for another higher paid job.. especially if the job structure in an organisation does not allow for suitable promotion.
Hopefully we shall recruit the best possible candidates for this vital part of the work of this Council.. we have not recruited a new senior social worker here in walsall for over 3 years. We have been lucky in having to often have over 40 agency staff at a time covering the gaps that we have not had a serious incident.
To consider the following motion, notice of which has been duly given by
Councillors Robertson, Burley, Wilkes, Oliver, Chambers, Westley and Cassidy:
"This Council notes with concern the vast sums of money spent on agency social
workers within children's specialist services - just under £3.8m over the last 3
years.
With a substantial reduction in spending in mind, coupled with the need to
provide ever more efficient specialist services to our most vulnerable children
and young people, this council resolves to urgently address this waste of tax
payers money by;
· Agreeing to increase the levels of pay of social workers in Walsall to
match that of our neighbours in the rest of the West Midlands and
Staffordshire as they are currently 30% less that Staffs County Council
and the second lowest in the black country and
· ensuring that current recruitment and retention processes are thoroughly
reviewed as a matter of urgency to see where they can be improved.
I note that we are now trying to redress the balance and for that I am pleased. A sense of fairness … the fact that restocking the shelves of a supermarket can command a higher wage than some very difficult social care jobs carrying a lot of responsibility and any errors potentially very serious.
I do believe that job choice has a Lot of other influences besides money although it is of course very important as bills, mortgages etc have to be paid… but working conditions atmosphere, support by colleagues, team working, access to good schools, health care, leisure facilities, open spaces and other entertainments do have some influence. Support to help in moving and advice etc is also very welcoming to any potential employee. Opportunities for improving oneself , getting more qualifications and training… despite of course the fact that if they do get more on their CV they might start looking around for another higher paid job.. especially if the job structure in an organisation does not allow for suitable promotion.
Hopefully we shall recruit the best possible candidates for this vital part of the work of this Council.. we have not recruited a new senior social worker here in walsall for over 3 years. We have been lucky in having to often have over 40 agency staff at a time covering the gaps that we have not had a serious incident.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Death by a thousand cuts with more to follow.
What effects of cuts to the residents of Walsall?
- national cuts… VAT up to 20% which will affect everyone but proportionally more those on low and middle level incomes. There will be an increase in unemployment and further pressure on unemployment benefit costs.
- Cuts of EMA ( education maintenance allowance) this is an amount up to £30 a week paid to families where there is a 16 year old and family of low income to encourage the 16 year old to stay on at school for further education. There has also been an up to 30% rise in tuition fees which risks future generation of young people who go to university only with a wealthier family background.
- There will be a 3% cut in real terms to the NHS ( after inflation, increase in demands etc taken into account) Primary care trusts will go and 80% of spend will go into hands of local doctors who will buy your NHS care. Some GPs may do this well but experience from the last move to GP fund holding showed a lot of GPs were very bad at handling such a vast budget.
- There will be a cut in the police budget which will mean less police. Exact numbers are being discussed by the Chief constable but I cannot see such a level of cuts being implemented without a marked cut in beat officers.
- Cuts to the grant settlement to Walsall Council amount to 9% or £14M for 2011 budget on top of £10M of recent cuts this year. This will mean the loss of at least 450 Council staff plus the knock on affect on support services funded by the Council and supply services to the Council.. Those who get disability living allowance which has a mobility part to it will be expected to pay this towards transport costs. The levying of a cost of transport that was in a previous year’s budget will also be implemented for all. Care packages and respite care support will be cut to the statutory minimum. There will be much greater dependence on ‘telecare’.. detectors that send signal down telephone line to suggest that for example someone suffering from dementia has left the house and not returned for a while.
- Support for leisure centres and libraries is under threat. Some closures and further reduction in opening hours I am sure will be proposed. Swimming pools attached to schools, I am sure will suffer closures from the current level of 44 to around 6.
- The road safety budget ( education etc to young people about road safety ) has already been cut.
- Walsall are now the only Council using SERCO to deliver their education services… all other councils have not renewed their contract… does that tell us something about value for money? Walsall have signed up to another 12 years of SERCO who provide a wide range of services nationally such as transporting prisoners . I do not believe we are scrutinising their spend properly.
- We already contract out a number of services such as the road maintenance to Tarmac. I believe we pay far too much for their services in comparison to other Councils For example we are taking out a new recycling contract that will save over £1Million in a full year… does that not suggest we have been ripped off before?
- I believe that we have to reduce expenditure, but that there has been and continues to be large amounts of wasted or poor value expenditure, serious overlaps and duplication of services and costs, too little cross boundary cooperation, too little encouragement and support for local businesses to access contracts in the Walsall economy, a real threat to ‘spend a little to save a lot’ schemes which will build up much higher costs in the medium to long term. The cuts will fall more proportionally on the lower and middle earners than on the rich who also have the ability to organise their affairs to reduce payment. Cuts as severe as these could literally cost lives .
We already have 'meals on wheels' service ending contract and so replaced with a fascinating mix of sandwich bars, local cafes and other sources of meals for the frail and elderly. What many want is that visit from a friendly face ......mind you if you read the audit report on that firm done by the Council you can see how poor was their accounting reporting and how the Council was being exploited by a bad contract.
We will be looking very carefully at proposals and raise the issues where we can. However we could be cynical and say that all has been decided and it is just a matter of going through the motions... but let us at least try! We owe that to those who are vulnerable and handicapped and often get trampled under foot by those better equiped racing to the trough.
- national cuts… VAT up to 20% which will affect everyone but proportionally more those on low and middle level incomes. There will be an increase in unemployment and further pressure on unemployment benefit costs.
- Cuts of EMA ( education maintenance allowance) this is an amount up to £30 a week paid to families where there is a 16 year old and family of low income to encourage the 16 year old to stay on at school for further education. There has also been an up to 30% rise in tuition fees which risks future generation of young people who go to university only with a wealthier family background.
- There will be a 3% cut in real terms to the NHS ( after inflation, increase in demands etc taken into account) Primary care trusts will go and 80% of spend will go into hands of local doctors who will buy your NHS care. Some GPs may do this well but experience from the last move to GP fund holding showed a lot of GPs were very bad at handling such a vast budget.
- There will be a cut in the police budget which will mean less police. Exact numbers are being discussed by the Chief constable but I cannot see such a level of cuts being implemented without a marked cut in beat officers.
- Cuts to the grant settlement to Walsall Council amount to 9% or £14M for 2011 budget on top of £10M of recent cuts this year. This will mean the loss of at least 450 Council staff plus the knock on affect on support services funded by the Council and supply services to the Council.. Those who get disability living allowance which has a mobility part to it will be expected to pay this towards transport costs. The levying of a cost of transport that was in a previous year’s budget will also be implemented for all. Care packages and respite care support will be cut to the statutory minimum. There will be much greater dependence on ‘telecare’.. detectors that send signal down telephone line to suggest that for example someone suffering from dementia has left the house and not returned for a while.
- Support for leisure centres and libraries is under threat. Some closures and further reduction in opening hours I am sure will be proposed. Swimming pools attached to schools, I am sure will suffer closures from the current level of 44 to around 6.
- The road safety budget ( education etc to young people about road safety ) has already been cut.
- Walsall are now the only Council using SERCO to deliver their education services… all other councils have not renewed their contract… does that tell us something about value for money? Walsall have signed up to another 12 years of SERCO who provide a wide range of services nationally such as transporting prisoners . I do not believe we are scrutinising their spend properly.
- We already contract out a number of services such as the road maintenance to Tarmac. I believe we pay far too much for their services in comparison to other Councils For example we are taking out a new recycling contract that will save over £1Million in a full year… does that not suggest we have been ripped off before?
- I believe that we have to reduce expenditure, but that there has been and continues to be large amounts of wasted or poor value expenditure, serious overlaps and duplication of services and costs, too little cross boundary cooperation, too little encouragement and support for local businesses to access contracts in the Walsall economy, a real threat to ‘spend a little to save a lot’ schemes which will build up much higher costs in the medium to long term. The cuts will fall more proportionally on the lower and middle earners than on the rich who also have the ability to organise their affairs to reduce payment. Cuts as severe as these could literally cost lives .
We already have 'meals on wheels' service ending contract and so replaced with a fascinating mix of sandwich bars, local cafes and other sources of meals for the frail and elderly. What many want is that visit from a friendly face ......mind you if you read the audit report on that firm done by the Council you can see how poor was their accounting reporting and how the Council was being exploited by a bad contract.
We will be looking very carefully at proposals and raise the issues where we can. However we could be cynical and say that all has been decided and it is just a matter of going through the motions... but let us at least try! We owe that to those who are vulnerable and handicapped and often get trampled under foot by those better equiped racing to the trough.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Scouts get a hit from Walsall Council
I note that the scouts have had all their support cut by Walsall Council... over 250 excellent volunteers from our Borough give up their time to provide suberb motivation, training, guidance and inspiration to our young people and the Council get amazing value and savings from their work. Now Walsall have cut the £12000 grant they used to get for training and money towards room hire and will mean closure of some groups. Surely this is so short sighted?
What a kick in the teeth!!!
What a kick in the teeth!!!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
This coalition is unravelling and shows up as a con!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
This coalition is unravelling and shows up as a con!
Recent undercover recordings show how even the liberals are concerned at the way thsi Tory Government is handling this Country , abandoning their election promises and forgeting our communities.
The cuts brought about as a result of the actions of greedy bankers will cause hardship in many areas of our communities. Maybe those who are better off will not notice these cuts much, but there are many less well off who will find these cuts really hurt. The problem is that this Tory Government and so this Tory Council are cutting harder and faster than is needed. The cuts will hit areas that will have a higher cost long term
- trebling tuition fee limit which will make access to many universities restricted to young people with rich parents. This could have been prevented by Liberal MPs who broke their election promise. There is also the loss of the education maintenance allowance paid to 16 year olds help support them staying on at school .
- cuts in child benefit
- Those potholes in our roads I suspect will get bigger and cause more damage to both vehicles and pedestrians.
- Libraries will have both their opening hours cut and some will be axed altogether. Libraries used well can be vital to the progress of our children.
- Cuts to the music service based at the Forest will reduce access to music lessons and support over the whole of the schools in Walsall Borough.
- Support for the most vulnerable in our society, those with disability, the elderly, the mentally handicapped both young and old will see their support cut to the absolute legal minimum, loading carers to breaking point. Those who depend on the services of Social services will be very worried about their future level of support.
- Those who receive support from social service will be especially worried with reorganisation of the meals on wheels service and other support services.
- Cuts to the police force will mean a reduction in Officers available to deal with crime and criminal activity. I am sure the criminals will be waiting to take advantage.
- VAT will rise to 20% in 2011 which will mean most items will rise in cost … not much of a dent in the finances of the well off but will make a real impact for most of us.
- The future of our leisure centres , their opening hours and charges are also under the spotlight. This Tory Council would like to off load these to the private sector. Certainly I will expect that most of the swimming pools attached to schools will be closed ( there are around 46 pools which may well be cut to 5 or 6).
- We have to make the decision if we wish to maintain a quality of life that is fair for all our citizens young , old, disabled, handicapped or seriously disadvantaged. I fear that the current Tory direction will carry us towards a ‘ let the market decide’ economy where those with the savings, receivers of banker bonuses will survive and live excellent quality lives. Those who have much more limited resources will tell a very different story. Living in a caring society is the only sort that I want to live in. What do you think?
This coalition is unravelling and shows up as a con!
Recent undercover recordings show how even the liberals are concerned at the way thsi Tory Government is handling this Country , abandoning their election promises and forgeting our communities.
The cuts brought about as a result of the actions of greedy bankers will cause hardship in many areas of our communities. Maybe those who are better off will not notice these cuts much, but there are many less well off who will find these cuts really hurt. The problem is that this Tory Government and so this Tory Council are cutting harder and faster than is needed. The cuts will hit areas that will have a higher cost long term
- trebling tuition fee limit which will make access to many universities restricted to young people with rich parents. This could have been prevented by Liberal MPs who broke their election promise. There is also the loss of the education maintenance allowance paid to 16 year olds help support them staying on at school .
- cuts in child benefit
- Those potholes in our roads I suspect will get bigger and cause more damage to both vehicles and pedestrians.
- Libraries will have both their opening hours cut and some will be axed altogether. Libraries used well can be vital to the progress of our children.
- Cuts to the music service based at the Forest will reduce access to music lessons and support over the whole of the schools in Walsall Borough.
- Support for the most vulnerable in our society, those with disability, the elderly, the mentally handicapped both young and old will see their support cut to the absolute legal minimum, loading carers to breaking point. Those who depend on the services of Social services will be very worried about their future level of support.
- Those who receive support from social service will be especially worried with reorganisation of the meals on wheels service and other support services.
- Cuts to the police force will mean a reduction in Officers available to deal with crime and criminal activity. I am sure the criminals will be waiting to take advantage.
- VAT will rise to 20% in 2011 which will mean most items will rise in cost … not much of a dent in the finances of the well off but will make a real impact for most of us.
- The future of our leisure centres , their opening hours and charges are also under the spotlight. This Tory Council would like to off load these to the private sector. Certainly I will expect that most of the swimming pools attached to schools will be closed ( there are around 46 pools which may well be cut to 5 or 6).
- We have to make the decision if we wish to maintain a quality of life that is fair for all our citizens young , old, disabled, handicapped or seriously disadvantaged. I fear that the current Tory direction will carry us towards a ‘ let the market decide’ economy where those with the savings, receivers of banker bonuses will survive and live excellent quality lives. Those who have much more limited resources will tell a very different story. Living in a caring society is the only sort that I want to live in. What do you think?
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