THE controversial decision by Warrington Borough Council’s executive board to hand over adult social care to a social enterprise company has been referred back for further consideration.
Members of the council’s scrutiny committee agreed to refer the matter back to the executive board after hearing arguments from Cllr Kevin Bennett.
It means the matter will have to be considered again by the executive – although the scrutiny committee has no power to force a change of decision.
Cllr Bennett (pictured) had “called in” the executive decision on the grounds there had been a lack of appropriate consultation and that professional advice was not referred to at the executive meeting when the decision was taken.
After the scrutiny meeting, Cllr Bennett: “I am pleased with the outcome.
“It will also please the unions and it will mean the issue is considered again.
Scrutiny committee chairman Cllr Tony Higgins said: “The arguments were put forward properly and in a reasonable manner and we decided the matter should go back to the executive board.”
At the meeting, Cllr Bennett said a report from APSE had been commissioned by the council but was not released until after a meeting of the organisation improvement and development committee in September
Accordingly, the committee was not able to make a recommendation in favour or against the social enterprise model.
The executive should have deferred their decision – as requested by the union Unison – until the report had been viewed by he organisation improvement and development committee.
Again, the APSE report came out only on October 8 giving members only two working days to consider it and giving the organisation improvement and development committee to meet.
It was therefore obvious that professional advice had not been duly considered.
Cllr Bennett said there were many aspects of the report which concerned him and believe the committee would also have the same concerns.
Among these were likely reductions in the number of front line staff, the creation of a two-tier workforce, with new starters employed on lower rates.
Care workers are among the lowest paid people in the economy, he said.
Although it was intended that new starters would be paid at least the Living Wage, this could be less than was paid for the same type of work previously.
Adult social care plan sent back by scrutiny chiefs
00 Comments
Share.
About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
