NHS Peterborough, Transfer of Adult Social Care to Peterborough City Council

Transfer of Adult Social Care to Peterborough City Council

Peterborough City Council says the work in preparation for the transfer back of Adult Social Care from NHS Peterborough is progressing well. The target date for completion is the end of February 2012. The focus is on ensuring a safe transfer of services without an impact on service users and their families. A project group meets fortnightly across the city council and NHS. Service reviews are ongoing to identify the best way for services to be managed in the future

Southern Cross Care Homes – Astoria Park, Peterborough

Southern Cross Care Homes – Astoria Park, Peterborough

Readers will be aware of the national situation with Southern Cross Care Homes which is in the process of transferring its homes to alternative providers due to the company’s financial position.

There is one Southern Cross home in Peterborough, Astoria Park and readers will be pleased to know that on the 30 September a safe and smooth transfer of the management of the home was made to local care provider, Park Vista.

The company runs several local homes and has received external awards for the quality of its services.

The Care Quality Commission registered the new provider ahead of the transfer and NHS Peterborough will continue to contract with the home. All residents and families have been informed of the change. NHS Peterborough will carry out an early monitoring visit of the home under its new management.

Peterborough City Council, Laptop refresh programme complete

Laptop refresh programme complete

The City Councillors laptop refresh programme has now been completed with the deployment of new devices using Windows 7.






This now gives Councillor easier access to the Councils portal, Introduced with the new laptops is a simplified remote access method to Peterborough’s portal. The old method required a separate application to run. The new solution automatically runs and just requires the user to click connect and then log in.

Peterborough City Council Hydraulic leakage incident

Peterborough City Council Hydraulic leakage incident

On Friday 14 October the mechanical sweeper in the city centre developed a leak in its hydraulic system, which left a trail of light oil on the paving. As soon as the issue was identified, they acted quickly to absorb any surplus and began removing the oil in accordance with procedures. They will be regularly reviewing the success of their actions; however any remaining oil will disperse gradually, although this may take some time.

The council would like to apologise for the accident, which will be fully investigated in order to learn the lessons from the incident. They are preparing a management procedure in conjunction with the City Centre Team.

News From Peterborough City Councils Childrens Services

MP Stewart Jackson officially launches new Voyager Academy
The Voyager School was given approval in principle by the government in March to form an academy trust with Comberton Village College in Cambridgeshire from the start of the new school year. As a result the school will now be known as The Voyager Academy and will specialise in media arts.

Honeyhill Children’s Centre makes positive difference for families
Honeyhill Children’s Centre staff received an Excellence award for their hard work over the past two years to reach more families, improve the quality of services and make a positive difference to families living in Paston and Gunthorpe. One parent said: “My whole life has changed because of this centre.”

Minister of State for Schools opened a new addition to Fulbridge Primary School playground. Find out more here

Plans for new Hampton Primary School have been submitted
Find out more here

Three of the city’s young people were shortlisted for Young People of the Year awards
Find out more here

Plans submitted for new Stanground College
Find out more here

Takeover day - Friday 11 November Peterborough City Council

Takeover day - Friday 11 November

Give a child or young person the opportunity to experience the world of work. If you are willing for a young person to shadow you for the day then please contact Shirley Knights on telephone 863622 or email shirley.knights@peterborough.gov.uk

Have your say on updated School Transport Policy, Peterborough City Council

Have your say on updated School Transport Policy
Residents are being asked to comment on the council’s updated school transport policy for children and young people aged up to 16 years in statutory education. Have your say  visit www.peterborough.gov.uk

Peterborough City Council, landlord being billed for £68,000 in outstanding council tax

Peterborough City Council Houses in Multiple Occupation exercise is complete with one identified landlord being billed for £68,000 in outstanding council tax for a number of properties he owns and lets to multiple occupants.

Peterborough City Council introduce Baliffs collection targets

Baliffs collection targets are now in place for the next 12 months and they will be closely monitored against these.

If they fail to meet targets over a period of three months we will look to introduce one of the two reserve bailiffs and remove the underperforming bailiff to the reserve list.

Peterborough City Council Prison Worker

Peterborough City say following the successful trial of a serving prisoner being given work experience at the crematorium, a placement has been made with the reception team at Bayard Place.

Risk assessments have been completed by the prison and council and it is hoped this work placement will support the prisoner’s search for paid work when he is released later this year.

This supports other work being undertaken to reduce re-offending rates.

Peterborough Direct, Peterborough City Council

Peterborough Direct

• Call centre performance best of the year so far
Performance on target with seven per cent of calls abandoned and 70 per cent of calls answered within 20 seconds. Additional resources are now in place to cover for call centre staff working on Children’s Services calls.

Peterborough City Council, Property Disposals

Property Disposals

Sale completed of 26 to 29 Maxwell Road, an under performing investment in Orton with Hampton Ward (£800,000) and Coneygree Lodge, a former care home in Stanground Ward (£461,000.) Imminent completion of sale of former allotment land at Itter Crescent anticipated end of October 2011 – gross figure £3,422,000 of which £840,000 is a commuted sum for off-site provision of affordable housing (with planning application approved by committee July 2011 and S106 terms agreed.) Vawser Lodge – strategy being developed for sale in light of failed negotiations by third party to acquire hospital site.
• Engine sheds acquisition completed for nil consideration.

Peterborough City Council Goes Green

Peterborough  City Council Goes Green
Town Hall solar panels – the installation preparation works commenced on Monday 24 October.
The solar panels are due to be fully installed between mid to end of November 2011.

Peterborough City Council, Review of parliamentary constituency boundaries

Legal and Democratic Services
Review of parliamentary constituency boundaries

A review is currently taking place of parliamentary constituency boundaries which affects the whole of the UK. There are changes locally to the existing Peterborough and the North West Cambridgeshire constituency boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for England is the independent public body that reviews all parliamentary constituency boundaries in England. It is currently conducting the 2013 review and has started a 12-week consultation period (ending 5 December 2011) for the proposed new boundaries. The council has been sent documents and maps for display and inspection.

A large map of the proposed new boundaries for the Eastern region is on display for the public to view in the reception area of the Town Hall, Bridge Street. There are also information leaflets available that can be taken away.

A more in-depth guide to the proposals i.e. a full booklet of the initial proposals, individual constituency maps and a full guide to the 2013 review are available for public inspection by appointment only at the Town Hall, either via the reception desk or by contacting Electoral Services on 452249.

The proposals mean there will be substantial changes to parliamentary constituencies in England including, reducing the total number of constituencies from 533 to 502; and making sure that each constituency contains a similar number of registered electors.

The Boundary Commission first calculated the electoral quota, by the number of registered electors in the UK being divided by the number of constituencies (not including four exempt constituencies). The current electoral quota is 76,641. Every constituency – except two covering the Isle of Wight – must have a number of registered electors that is no more than five per cent lower or higher than this figure. In practice, this means constituencies must contain between 72,810 and 80,473 electors.
Using the quota, it has allocated constituencies among the nine regions of England. Within these regions, it was not always possible to allocate whole numbers of constituencies to individual counties. In such cases, the Boundary Commission grouped some local authority areas into sub-regions and allocated constituencies within them. This means that in some instances, it has had to propose constituencies that cross county or unitary authority boundaries.
The final shape of the new constituency boundaries will be informed by consultation. The Boundary Commission encourages you to comment, whether in support of or objecting to its initial proposals. It will consider all representations fairly and may revise the constituency boundaries as a result.
How to have your say
• Online form: www.consultation.boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk
• Email: reviews@bcommengland.x.gsi.gov.uk
• Attend a regional public meeting
Location: BW Gonville Hotel, Gonville Place, Cambridge, CB1 1LY
Date: 10 to 11 November 2011
Time: Day one: 11am to 8pm
Day two: 9am to 5pm
All representations will be published on the Boundary Commission website in Spring 2012 for further comment. Any revisions will be published in Autumn 2012 and may be subject to a further consultation before final recommendations are made by 1 October 2013.
For more information visit www.consultation.boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk
Proposals for Peterborough
Quote from the Boundary Commission:
“We propose two constituencies covering the City of Peterborough and surrounding area, with the Peterborough North constituency containing 17 wards north of the River Nene. The six Peterborough wards to the south of the Nene, and the Peterborough ward of Eye and Thorney, are included in our Peterborough South constituency with seven wards from the District of Fenland, including the town of Whittlesey, which are from the existing North East Cambridgeshire constituency, and four wards from the north of the District of Huntingdonshire, including the towns of Ramsey and Yaxley, from the existing North West Cambridgeshire constituency.”

Peterborough City Council, The Mayor and Civic Office News

The Mayor and Civic Office

The Mayor, Consort, Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress have been attending a variety of events over the last month and held events supporting the Mayor’s charities.

The Mayor and Consort received a warm welcome at a number of sheltered housing units run by Cross Keys Homes and will continue to visit all the units during the current civic year.

To help students at the King’s School when attending job interviews, the Mayor and Consort assisted at mock interviews held at Fisherprint. The students thoroughly enjoyed the visit and found it very informative.

During Local Democracy Week two students from the Nene Park Academy shadowed the Mayor for a few hours and observed her meeting with officers and had the opportunity for a question and answer session over lunch. They also looked around the Town Hall and then observed a citizenship ceremony which they thoroughly enjoyed.

The Deputy Mayor and Mayoress attended civic services around the area and enjoyed attending a number of concerts and events on behalf of the Mayor. The Deputy Mayor joined the Mayor, civic party and charity committee for the Perkins Great Eastern fun run. Even though the group came last they thoroughly enjoyed the experience and at the same time raised money for the Mayor’s charities.

Other events attended this month include The Peterborough School speech day, a family fun day at Central Park, the launch of the Willow Festival, the graduation ceremony for students from University Centre Peterborough, the opening of the new Morrison’s in Stanground, the inauguration of the Ghana Association in Peterborough and the celebration of the Festival of Navrati where the Mayor and Deputy Mayor dressed in a saris which was much appreciated by everyone at the event.

Roundabout sponsorship Peterborough City Council

Roundabout sponsorship: From 1 April to 19 September, 16 sponsors renewed their contracts and 11 new sponsors have come on board. This has brought in £52,749 income so far for 2011/12.

It would be good if Oakham in Bloom could raise this sort of money.

Peterborough City Council Staff Member could be a lucky iPad winner

Peterborough City Council conducted an Internal communications survey: During September and October staff are being asked for their views and ideas about staff communications, the results of which will be used to develop a new internal communications strategy. Danwood is kindly sponsoring the survey and is providing an iPad 2 for the lucky winner.

Peterborough City Council Media Coverage

Peterborough's New war memorial: Positive coverage was received in all local media about the preferred design for the new war memorial. Two interviews were broadcast on Look East, both when the design was unveiled and later to encourage people to donate money. Coverage was also received on Anglia news, in the Evening Telegraph and on Heart Fm and Radio Cambs.

London 2012 organising committee's Director of Paralympic Integration Chris Holmes visited the city in August to view Peterborough’s facilities for disabled athletes. Anglia, BBC Look East and the ET all attended and interviews were also set up with BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

Ofsted report: Coverage was received in most local media about the children’s social care Ofsted report. This coverage centred on the findings of the report, but also the more positive aspect of the appointment of an interim director and a sector-led improvement team. Items appeared on BBC Look East, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and Heart FM and also in the Evening Telegraph. Articles also appeared in specialist titles Children and Young People Now magazine and Community Care magazine.

Schools minister Nick Gibb MP visited Fulbridge Primary School to discuss the pressures of educating a large number of children who speak English as an additional language. He also officially opened a new pirate ship in the school’s playground. BBC Look East, Radio Cambridgeshire and the Evening Telegraph attended to report on the visit.

GCSE results: Very positive coverage was received in the Evening Telegraph and on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire celebrating Peterborough’s GCSE results which were the best ever. Gary Perkins, Head of School Improvement, undertook a very positive interview on Radio Cambridgeshire the day after the results were published.

Welcome To Peterborough City Council Legal Service Reader

Last week I published a blog relating to a conversation I had with Cllr Gale of Rutland County Council.

He confirmed the conversation in an email between himself and Geoff Pook who does something at Rutland County Council. In that email he confirmed he told me, he and other Councillors had called the police.

I thought that would be the end of the matter, but then I was wrong, how silly of me this is Rutland County Council. Headed by  a group of Tory Bullies of the good old days of the Tory Party. Who continue to breech Article 10 of the HRA

It appears since the expensive contracting out of legal services to Peterborough City Council I have gained some new readers..

I received the following letter from Peterborough City Council Legal Services. Is there not anything Rutland County Council does itself now?

Yes planning it most ineffective department according to its own reports, I wonder why they keep hold of that department?

I am no expert but I am guessing if a trusted Councillor like Richard Gale tells me something and then confirms it in an email I can no longer blog that information?

If the information is incorrect then surely they should have issue with Councillor Gale.
I trust Councillor Gale (independent) like so many other people in our county.

Peterborough City Council express confidence in Rutland County Council abilities to investigate themselves.
I have experienced this over the past two years.

My response was are you suggesting Cllr Gale is not telling the truth? a very much trusted and respected Councillor.

I also asked them to investigated my complaints Rutland County Council have failed to deal with

Peterborough City Council Agree Expensive Formation of a shared legal service arrangement with Rutland County Council

Peterborough City Council Agree Expensive Formation of a shared legal service arrangement with Rutland County Council 

A shared legal service will be provided from within Peterborough City Council for both Peterborough City Council and Rutland County Council;

Peterborough City Council accepted the delegation of authority from Rutland County Council for the purpose of providing a shared legal service for the two authorities; delegated functions will be carried out by the Head of Legal Services appointed by Peterborough City Council to manage the delivery of legal services to both authorities; and Peterborough City Councils Monitoring Officer will amend the Constitution to reflect those delegated functions from Rutland County Council.

  

Peterborough City Council will enter into a shared service arrangement with Rutland County Council to form a single legal services team.

The service will be managed by the current Head of Legal Services for Peterborough City Council and staff will transfer to Peterborough City Council from Rutland County Council’s legal team.

The provision of a shared service offers benefits by increasing the staffing resources available to both Councils and enables the legal services team to offer increased specialism in certain areas of law for the benefit of both Councils.

There are economies of scale to be gained from using shared library resources, making best use of training and shared use of the case management and performance management systems being developed by Peterborough City Council.

Service level agreements will be entered into with the individual departments within Peterborough and Rutland Councils which will monitor the use made of the service and the quality of the work undertaken. 

Rutland will pay their share of the service on a monthly basis to be assessed according to the number of hours work undertaken at a rate of £70 per hour.  This is the estimated cost of meeting the salary and overhead costs of the service although it is subject to revision on an annual basis with the right of either council to withdraw from the arrangement if it does not deliver in accordance with expectations.  Rutland has agreed to provide a guaranteed level of work/funding in first two years of the arrangement to minimise the financial risk to this Council of providing the service as the lead authority.

Rutland County Council’s Cabinet has already agreed to the provision of a shared legal service.

I wonder when Rutland County Council cabinet are going to delegate their power to Birmingham City Council? The Chief Executive could be cut and powers passed to Boris.

Now most of the staff have gone and most of the offices are emptying, Is there a plan to sell Rutland County Councils Offices to another Supermarket or a Housing Development.