DAY CENTRES REVIEW

The Council is facing unprecedented reductions to its budgets and cutting back on support services, back office functions, and making efficiencies in procurement alone, cannot address the size of the reductions needed.

The biggest commitment the Council has made to protecting vulnerable people has been to retain our Fair access to Care criteria at a level lower than most other Local Authorities. So in Salford we continue to provide a social care service to people with Moderate, Substantial and Critical needs. We are one of only 17% of Authorities in the country to do this as most others have tightened their criteria to support only those with Substantial and Critical needs. We have therefore sought to keep as many people receiving support as possible in the City.

This has meant that we have had to change the way we work with people and help them to purchase their own support through Direct Payments and individual budgets.
Over the last few years we have built up community support through low level community activity and groups, especially for older people. The Health Improvement Service is specifically engaged in this kind of support, establishing walking groups, kurling groups, healthy hips and hearts, all designed to provide the right kind of thing to keep people fit and active into their old age.

In Day services, the population has changes in the city so some parts have less older people in them than previously, this meant that last year we closed Humphrey Booth Day Centre in Broughton. (People are also choosing to do different things with their personal budgets).
We also know that people don't like spending lots of time in the buses that take them to the Centres and have been working out ways in which services can be more local and not just based in one building but help them to use their local community facilities.

There is no intention to stop supporting people and if they have assessed needs we cannot remove any care without reviewing their needs and making sure that they can still be met, but this doesn't always have to be in a day centre.
There are also some people for whom there is unlikely to be any alternative options than a specialist centre especially people with significant physical and learning disabilities.

This will ensure that the Council can do what we have said and protect those who are vulnerable, but it is difficult for people to not feel anxious about these changes and the fact that we need to reduce spending.
We are currently using all the feedback we got through the consultation to assess the original proposals and consider what this mean for the Council.
I can assure you that we will take care in this process to think about as many ways as possible to implement the reductions making sure we can still support people who need it.

COUNCILLOR JOHN WARMISHAM

Finance chief hits out at Council Tax ‘bogus claim

Salford’s finance chief Cllr Bill Hinds has described a promise that Council Tax will be halved if people vote ‘Yes’ in Thursday’s referendum for a directly-elected Mayor as “a complete lie”.

He said: “The referendum is about how Salford should be run. The level of Council Tax has nothing to do with the constitution of the Council which is the only thing affected by the referendum.

“The promise that a Yes vote will mean Council Tax being halved is a completely bogus claim which most people will take with a pinch of salt.

“This referendum is about whether we vote ‘Yes’ so the city is run by a £100,000 a year dictator or we vote ‘No’ to that and save our traditional impartial Mayor.”

Cllr Hinds said that people did not believe the tax could be halved because many of the cuts promised by the ‘Yes’ campaign were impossible or unacceptable.

The Yes campaign had promised to illegally cut

Care for children at risk irrespective of need
Statutory planning duties
Even minimum highways repairs to keep roads safe
They had also promised to

Cut care for 6,000 vulnerable elderly people
Remove all school crossing patrols
End road safety schemes

End of the NHS as we know it? / Features / Home - Morning Star

End of the NHS as we know it? / Features / Home - Morning Star

Face your demons! Salford City Council launch Stop Smoking Campaign

Unhappy? Unfit? Feeling the effects of Christmas on your wallet and annoyed that your new year’s resolution hasn’t gone to plan? Don’t bury your face in the sand – get ready to face your demons for a healthy and happy 2012!

If you’re looking to boost wellbeing, fitness and the health of your bank balance... and you’re a smoker, Salford City Council together with a number of partners in the city are here to help.

If you’re looking to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke, alter your smoking habits to protect children and pets or feel ready to take the plunge and quit altogether, there are a range of services to help you on your way to taking the first steps towards a more positive future.

Councillor John Warmisham, Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health said:

 “A huge percentage of people living in Salford smoke. This campaign will highlight the range of services we offer without preaching, blaming or guilt-tripping. Any kind of positive change in smoking behaviour is a good thing and our team have worked with hundreds of people just like you over the years that started out by cutting down or ‘practicing to quit’.

“We know that by simply offering a one size fits all approach just doesn’t work, each individual has their own special relationship with smoking and motivations for seeking help. What we do know however is the value of accessing support, reflected in the high quit rate of those we work with.”

The Salford Stop Smoking Service, which has been established for twelve years, has some great success stories, with 60% of participants achieving their goals, whether it be reducing their smoking or giving up. The service run drop-in sessions across the city where you can just turn up, or you can arrange a one to one appointment at a time and place to suit you.

This campaign aims to increase the awareness of the Stop Smoking Services support available in Salford, and the different ways and products that can be used to achieve success.


A special event in Buile Hill Park on Wednesday 14th March, National No Smoking Day, will celebrate the positive steps towards a smoke free future. There will be the chance to meet other people from the community who share similar motivations for quitting or preparing to quit.  Lanterns will be lit and there will be the chance to pledge your commitment and reasons for wanting to give up.

Councillor Warmisham continues:

“Smoking is a huge problem for our city and it affects the physical, mental and the financial health of our residents. With a little help and support, some tips and advice from those who have been through it, we hope to engage those people, who in the past didn’t think they could change their smoking habits, showing it is possible to tackle those demons.”

For further information visit www.faceyourdemons.co.uk or to reach the Stop Smoking Service directly call 0161 212 4050.

 

 

 

Sir Alex Ferguson opens Disabled Living Centre in Salford

Manchester United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson has taken a break from the stressful world of football to help Salford City Council and Disabled Living launch their new £750,000 purpose-built, state of the art ‘Disabled Living Centre’.

Sir Alex spent an afternoon learning all about Disabled Living’s new headquarters and range of services, taking a tour of the brand new building, meeting staff and users and unveiling a special plaque.

Located in Burrows House, Worsley, the Disabled Living Centre has been developed in partnership with Salford Disability Equipment Services to provide a ‘centre of excellence for assistive technology.’

The Centre will provide free independent advice, and information to ensure disabled people living in the Northwest are able to make informed choices to lead an easier, safer and more independent life.

The centre will include ‘real life’ demonstration areas such as a living room, bedroom, bathroom and two kitchens for users to try out equipment in a safe environment.

There are also a number of training areas for health and social care professionals. The New Year will see the opening of a Simplyhealth retail shop to compliment existing services.
Debra Evans, Chief Executive at Disabled Living said:
“Our brand new Disabled Living Centre has been many years in the making, a real challenge and a true delight. It hasn’t always been easy in the tough economic climate in which we find ourselves, making today’s launch even more special. It was a real pleasure to welcome Sir Alex and we really appreciate him taking time out of his busy schedule to meet staff and users.”
Councillor John Warmisham,Lead Member for Adult Social Care of Salford City Council said:
“This year the city of Salford has enjoyed some great achievements, and the opening of the Disabled Living Centre in Worsley gives us another reason to celebrate. Despite all the economic woes affecting local authorities and charities alike, the team at Disabled Living are providing a great service to ordinary men, women and children, as well those who support them. With people living longer and wanting to remain independent for as long as possible, we must work hard to continue to meet individual needs. As Greater Manchester’s oldest charity, it seems only apt that we welcome the Premier League’s longest serving Manager who has never forgotten his roots and is proud to put something back into Salford.

For further information visit www.disabledliving.co.uk

MPs disown pro-Mayor campaigners

Roger Lightup

Salford MPs claimed to be backing the ‘Yes’ campaign for a directly-elected Mayor have come down on the side of ‘No’ campaigners.
The ‘Yes’ campaign put out leaflets saying that Labour’s Hazel Blears and Barbara Keeley were supporting their bid .
But in a joint statement the MPs said: “We have never endorsed the ‘Yes’ campaign. We urge citizens of Salford to vote ‘No’ in the referendum on January 26th. Statements appearing in the ‘Yes’ campaign leaflets are out of context.
“We are proud to have belonged to a Government that gave people the right to decide on a directly-elected mayor. Believing that people should have a choice does not mean that it should be in favour no matter when or where.”
Ms Blears added: “I remain in favour of elected mayors but believe they are most effective when they cover large areas such as Greater London, encompassing a number of local authorities. In single Council areas there is a danger that the costs are disproportionate to the benefits.
"At this time when the Government is inflicting severe cuts on Salford Council, now is not the time to be incurring extra costs which would be better spent on frontline services.”
Ms Keeley said: ““I do not support the idea of a directly-elected Mayor in Salford as I believe we do not need an American-style City Boss here.
"Salford Council has to deal with deep budget cuts from the Government. The referendum is a costly distraction from the council’s important work of keeping services going and developing the local economy.”

No Campaign chair Roger Lightup welcomed the clarification. He said: “The Yes campaigners cannot be trusted. This is the second time they have been caught out.
“In the public debate before Christmas they admitted that their main claim that the Council Tax would be halved was not true. They admitted a directly-elected Mayor could increase Council Tax.
“All moderate, sensible political parties think this is the wrong time for a costly referendum which will bring no benefits.”