Member of Staffordshire County Council representing Lichfield Rural East – Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing

Plenty of media coverage around the safeguarding and protection of children but not much focus on adults…

Understandable but there are plenty of people over 18 who are potentially vulnerable and at risk.

So, who is safeguarding for and why? It could be older people targeted by conmen or others in care or hospital who are treated badly by those who are meant to be looking after them or simply individuals living in the community who go downhill through illness or old age or perhaps an accident because they’re not as capable as they once were.

And it’s not just older age that makes someone vulnerable. Adults with learning disabilities or mental health problems, people with sensory impairment or anyone who could be at risk of harm or exploitation because of their circumstances.

Steve Wellings has been appointed as Independent Safeguarding Chair

I’ve recently agreed some changes in Staffordshire. Actually it’s not just Staffordshire but Stoke City too because some years ago it was agreed to work jointly on safeguarding and whilst I could change that, it makes good sense to me for things to be joined up as they are.

The changes will raise awareness of adult safeguarding whilst providing me with extra assurance that public sector agencies are doing as much as possible to reduce the risk to vulnerable people.

The words ‘reduce the risk’ are important because it means just that. I could be as bold as Secretary of State Ed Balls a year or so back when he pretty well guaranteed a ’Baby P’ tragedy wouldn’t happen again. But I hope I’m not so foolhardy.

We live in a nation of 60million people and, like it or not, some of those people are evil or cruel. Whatever the resources employed and whatever the rules in place it is wrong to make guarantees because that leads to a false sense of security and certainly raises expectations unrealastically. What I can do is to ensure everything possible is in place and that’s why the changes are so important.

They include establishing a new Independent Chair position which will oversee all work around safeguarding and also a significant change to the governance arrangements meaning that Independent Chair will report directly to me in my Cabinet role.

Steve Wellings, who I appointed after interviews last week, will be the new Independent Chair. He is impressive with a calm steeliness which will hold agencies firmly to account. He will oversee and coordinate a group of senior officials from the County, Stoke City, Health, Police, the voluntary sector and Fire and Rescue Service and make sure they are doing everything possible to ensure vulnerable people are safer.

It’s then down to him to convince me on a regular basis that all that can be done is being. So, I’m optimistic that this will be an improvement on previous arrangements and wish Steve the best of luck in his new and vital role.

Doubts or concerns about anyone over 18 who may be at risk can be reported using the information here.

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It’s good when a few pounds from my County funding scheme can make the difference…

And the people that look after St Giles Church in Whittington have spent it wisely on a project which hits all the right buttons.

The project they came up with was two fold. Firstly to improve the look of the church at night by changing to vastly better lighting and secondly making that lighting more environmentally friendly. The latter, of course, underpins the village’s efforts with the help of WFEG to become one of the greenest communities in the country

The latter meaning that instead of each light being 4000 watts, they are now just 500 watts. An eighth of the power consumption but so much more light… that’s impressive!

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“We said in June we planned to keep council tax low… it’s been a challenge but we’ve done it”

Staffordshire people will see a below inflation rise of 1.9% meaning the lowest increase since the current council tax system started in 1993.

And when that’s confirmed at full County Council shortly, it will mean Staffordshire people will be paying the second lowest council tax of any county council in the whole country from April.

The increase is a bit of a contrast to the previous Labour Administration who over their 28 years in power set the highest ever rise a few years ago at 15% and have struggled to keep it much below 5% apart from last year when a last minute alternative budget from us forced them to do a U-turn during the actual Budget Debate.

We tried really hard to get it down to just 1% but decided, rightly in my view, that we have to support social services for adults. It’s the County Department I’m responsible for and we will have enormous challenges ahead because of a fast increasing elderly population in Staffordshire as well as the need to clear up the mess I inherited after Labour’s Changing Lives.

So, not bad after 7 months in control and plans are developing throughout the County to improve efficiencies and cut out bureacracy and waste.

Easily said I know but there’s real confidence that we’ll do it.

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Standing room only, and not much of that, for a lively public meeting on Clifton turbines…

But apparently there still appear to be people who are unaware of the proposed wind farm development by German company Prowind for four 420ft wind turbines near to Haunton.

Around 200 people packed Harlaston village hall for a lively debate

I’m amazed because 700 houses in the immediate area have now had two letters from me explaining what the proposals are and how they will affect the area. 

It seems there’s also concern that it’s a done deal, made all the worse because one of the major complaints at the meeting I fronted this morning was that Prowind had skewed mock ups at their exhibition to make the turbines look less obtrusive.

Interest is certainly growing fast with nearly 300 people registered on my website for email updates. It’s important that people make their views known on the proposals to Lichfield District Council at the appropriate time.

To read more click here and to register for email updates complete the eForm here.

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