The Corporate Plan 2011-2013 is the core strategic planning document for the authority, setting out the eight key priorities for the next two years.
The Employment Figures for the Isle of Wight Council are as recorded for 30 September 2011. The figures are employment counts including Permanent, Temporary Fixed Term, Seasonal and Casual contracts but excluding Relief. Schools under the Council’s control within the reporting period are included unless otherwise stated. The Isle of Wight Council is subject to compliance with the Equality Act 2010 including the Public Sector Equality Duties. The specific duties require the council to publish relevant proportionate information which demonstrates our compliance with the Equality Duty, the information will assist in delivering on the equality duties and also shape services in a way that makes them fully accessible to all customers.
The government is changing how it assesses council services. The local account replaces annual assessments of council social care services by the Care Quality Commission. The local account is a report that local people, service users and providers can use to judge our performance. It will provide you with key information about Adult Social Care on the Isle of Wight and will highlight to you what are our key priorities.
Local Authorities are required under the Childcare Act 2006, Section 6 to ensure that there is sufficient, quality, flexible, sustainable childcare for parents and carers The Childcare Act 2006 defines childcare sufficiency as ‘sufficient to meet the requirement of parents in the (Local Authority’s) area who require childcare in order to enable them:
a) To take up or remain in work
b) To undertake education or training which could reasonably be expected to assist them to obtain work.
c) May have regard to any childcare which they expect to be available outside their area.
In order to meet the sufficiency duty local authorities are required to undertake a detailed assessment of the supply of, and demand for, childcare in their area. Qa Research was commissioned to undertake the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment on behalf of the Local Authority. The assessment included research and consultation with parents / carers, children and young people, employers, and providers.
This document presents the key findings of the assessment in line with nine indicators of sufficiency:
The Child Poverty Act 2010 enshrined in law the commitment to eradicate child poverty in the UK by 2020 and placed a duty on local authorities to:
•work with relevant agencies and named partners such as: Police, transport authorities, Primary Care Trust, Job Centre Plus - to reduce and mitigate the effects of poverty;
•prepare and publish a local Child Poverty Needs Assessment - to understand the drivers of child poverty and characteristics of those living in poverty;
•prepare and publish a Joint Child Poverty Needs Strategy - setting out the measures the Local Authority and named partners propose to take to reduce and mitigate the effects of child poverty
The Needs Assessment:
•will provide evidence and context for developing a strategic approach to child poverty by providing a deeper understanding of:
•the extent and distribution of child poverty on the Isle of Wight;
•the key drivers and characteristics of families living in poverty;
•the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to tackling child poverty
The Local Government Ombudsman has issued a report following her investigation of a complaint against Isle of Wight Council. The complaint was about a planning and development matter. The Ombudsman found that injustice had been caused by maladministration on the part of Isle of Wight Council. Isle of Wight Council has agreed to take action which the Ombudsman regards as providing a satisfactory remedy for the complaint.
We understand that caring for a relative, friend or loved one can be a very rewarding experience, but we also understand it can be very stressful. We want to ensure that the priorities of the carers’ strategy for the Isle of Wight are reviewed regularly and addressed. This review and consultation demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that carers are supported and valued by the services provided for them. We have undertaken a review of current provision for carers and talked to as many carers as possible in the last few months to get a picture of what the issues are for carers on the Isle of Wight. We now want to check if we have got this right and give the opportunity to other carers and interested parties to comment on what is important to them before we produce a joint carers’ strategy document in April 2013.