To approve a draft Local Account for consultation. As identified in the report to Cabinet on 24 November 2011 as part of the Self Evaluation process, it is necessary for the Council to publish a Local Account which will be used to help assess priorities for the coming year.

Further to minute 201 (24 November 2011), the Interim Director of Adult Social Services reported upon the completion of the draft Local Account and sought comments on any aspects of it. The publication of the Local Account and the associated survey would be used to consult with service users, carers, partners and the wider community on the priorities for the Department of Adult Social Services in 2012/2013 and, in view of the need to begin the consultation process and ensure the maximum amount of time available for it, the Director recommended that call-in be waived.

He commented that the Local account was expected to be a central part of the approach to Sector Led Improvement, the heart of which was a principle that every Council should be responsible for its own improvement, and should identify its own needs through self evaluation. The details of the self evaluation document had been subject to a “peer challenge”, which had been undertaken by Veronica Jackson, former Director of Adult Social Services at Oldham Council, who had been recommended for the role of peer challenger by the LGA. Her initial feedback confirmed that Wirral had made significant improvements and that staff were to be congratulated for meeting a range of challenges.

Resolved –

(1)  That the draft Local Account be endorsed.

(2)  That the Local Account be published for consultation on the priorities for the Department of Adult Social Services in 2012/2013.

(3)  That, due to the need to begin the consultation process and to ensure the maximum amount of time available to do this, call in be waived.