Adult Social Care vision

Published on Friday, 12th October 2015

It's surprising how little public debate there is about the social services the council provides for older people and for those with learning disabilities, yet they account for a third of the total budget and are critical for those that use them.

I have had responsibility for this part of the council since May. In that time work has started on making better use of buildings and on redesigning services to try to make people well again so they no longer depend on services. We're also working towards improving the 10 weeks or more it takes to get a care needs assessment and on integrating services with the NHS.

This is a long term programme that will take a couple of years to bear fruit. However ultimately it should be possible to continue to care for people even as budgets reduce. I'll say more about the details of this as it works its way through. 

Tags : Adult Social Care

Children's home deal helps kids and saves money

Published on Friday, 12th October 2015

Relocating looked after children from an institutional building in Cosham to a newly purchased house will both improve care outcomes and save money. The council is to close an expensive-to-run building in Skye Close and move the three children from there to a new residential setting in the Milton area. Living in an environment more akin to a family home should be good for the 12-15 year old residents - after all no child actually wants to grow up in care and creating as normal a setting as possible will help their development. It will also save money.

The council is to reuse the vacated building to house some adults with learning disabilities who are to be relocated from expensive settings outside the city. It's a win-win situation.

Tags : Adult Social Care, Children's Services

Bee hive officially unveiled

Published on Friday, 25th August 2015

Cumberland House Natural History Museum has a new exhibit: a glass-sided beehive.  The hive was paid for by the friends of the museum and is paid great example of what volunteers can achieve. 

 Tags: Museums, Volunteering

Business Park moves forward

Published on Friday, 25th August 2015

The council has now submitteda planning application to itself for the Hilsea Industrial Centre. This new development will replace Hadley’s –a shop fifteen business that has closed –and which stood on council owned land.The city is developing the 22 unit business park itselfand when fully let the rents will not only cover the cost of construction but also provide an income for the City Council. More importantly it will also provide a base for some new and existing businesses.

Tags: Commercialisation

Hants fire and police to share H. Q.

Published on Friday, 28th August 2015

Hampshire Constabulary are to move their headquarters from Winchester to Eastleigh. The force will become a tenant in an office block belonging to the fire service. By sharing a single building both the blue light services should see significant savings.

This sort of thinking is being driven by austerity but reallyit could and should have been done years ago. While the police are to move, the office of Police and Crime Commissioner will remain inWinchester.

Tags: Fire Authority

End of the line for the Hayling ferry

Published on Friday, 28th August 2015

Over recent years the Hayling Island ferry has been a real strange hybrid of private enterprise and the public sector. While the ferry has nominally been a commercial operation it has in practice become dependent on grants from Hampshire County Council that had a combined value of perhaps £70,000 a year. There has been no funding from Portsmouth City Council since 2013 when that the subsidy that it used to provide was terminated.

The failure of the business that in March was not made a total surprise as there have been signs of stress for some time. What was expected has been that the business has been liquidated rather than reformed. Press reports indicate that both the vessels used on the route have been sold to a shipping services company.Assuming that to be correct then there will be little prospect of any new operation been launched.

In parallel the County Council has recently announced that it will not offer further financial support. This means that any new operator would not only have to not only have to cover routine running costs but would also have to reimburse Langstone Harbour Board for the maintenance of the pontoons.The pontoon on the Hayling side is reaching the end of its economic life and the estimated replacement cost is in the in the order of £250,000 making this a serious impediment to running a service.

In this straightened times Portsmouth City Council cannot get take on new costs and so it really cannot get involved. The main customer group for the route for much of the year was children using the public schools and they have now made alternative arrangements. In the summer months there had been a high level leisure use particularly by cyclists and it is a shame that looks like it will now be lost.

Tags: Transport, Hayling Ferry

A new children’s home in Priory Crescent

Published on Friday, 28th August 2015

Sometimes it is possible to both save money and improve services: such is the case with the new children’s home planned for Priory Crescent. The plan is simple: the existing home in Cosham is too big and is expensive to run because it is carrying surplus places. The council intends to close it and use the building instead for adults with learning disabilities and then to relocate the children to a new property in Milton.

While being in care can never be a good outcome for a child, it is surely better to provide accommodation for those that need in normal houses rather than institutions. The new property inPriory Crescent is a large detached house, which should mean a more homely feel and therefore a better living environment for its young residents.

It is disappointing been that the Liberal Democrat group leader looks set to oppose this plan. I can understand why – it is in his ward and I’m sure he is feeling pressure from neighbours. However children’s homes have to be located somewhere and this site is the best available.

Tags: Children's Services

Beach clean

Published on Sunday, 5th July 2015

This Saturday’s beach clean generated very little litter – I have never seen it so clean. Well done Colas.

Tags: BeachClean

Brunel House tower planning refused

Published on Sunday, 5th July 2015

The Planning Committee has refused permission for a 40-storey tower near Gunwharf. The tower, nicknamed the Shard, would have replaced Brunel House with over 300 flats and a similar number of student rooms.

This was the right decision in my view. The height was a problem as was including student rooms rather than say a hotel. The committee were also concerned at the lack of any contribution for affordable housing – no-one is suggesting social housing has to be included in a luxury block, but there should be a financial contribution to help fund council housing elsewhere.

With luck we’ll now be able to strike a deal that addresses those points.

Tags : Planning