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latest update 12 February 2010
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Friday 31 July 2009

Whistleblowers....number and amounts paid, source of funds

A Freedom of Information request has been made from Wirral Borough Council:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Good morning.

Under the terms of the FOIA could I ask for details of the number of "whistleblowers" the council has "paid off " in the last three years together with details of the amounts paid.

In addition I would request details of the source of those funds paid out [ As detailed in the Council's accounting practice] ie : From which sector of funding were the payments made ?

Many thanks

Status: Currently waiting for a response from Wirral Borough Council, they must respond promptly but no later than 1 September 2009.
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Audit and Risk Management Committee

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Meeting of Audit and Risk Management Committee
Tuesday, 1st September, 2009 6.15 pm,

The agenda will be displayed in the week before the meeting

Proposed Venue: Committee Room 1 - Wallasey Town Hall. View directions

Contact: Mark Delap Senior Committee Officer

This is the meeting referred to in the following:

MEDIA STATEMENT FROM WIRRAL COUNCIL
July 28th 2009

Subject: DASS

“Wirral Council is committed to acting on the findings of the Audit Commission report of last year. We are also committed to ensuring the issues raised are examined by Councillors in an open and transparent way. The matter will be discussed, in public, at a special meeting of the Audit and Risk Management Committee as soon as possible.

“However, while we understand the high level of public concern about this matter, we are not able, legally, to disclose the outcomes of individual disciplinary cases because they are confidential.”

Ends

For further information contact the Press and PR Office, Tel. 0151 691 8202

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© copyright Wirral Borough Council. Reproduced under fair use for the dual purposes of comment and news reporting
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Wednesday 29 July 2009

Suspended workers return

Council officers involved in Globe’s financial abuse report back at department

Wirral Globe - by Justin Dunn

TWO senior officers in Wirral Council’s social services department – suspended from work for nine months after a Globe report into an alleged cover up of serious financial abuse of vulnerable people – are set for a return to work last week.

The suspensions followed our exclusive front page article on November 5 last year about an Audit Commission report into claims by a council whistleblower that adults in supported living accommodation may have been routinely overcharged for several years.

Moreton Conservative Councillor Simon Mountney believes the overcharging of vulnerable people by the council could amount to around £1m.

He described the two officers returning as “a classic example of a large organisation closing ranks”, and added “I’d like to know what they would have said if they had been dismissed.”

An email was circulated to Department of Adult Social Services staff last Tuesday, written on behalf of director John Webb, advising them of the officers’ return to work on Friday, July 24.
The email, obtained by the Globe, says the pair will “take some time to get back up to speed on issues and developments within DASS and across Wirral”.

The Globe understands that the news has been met with a mixed response, with some staff happy at their former colleagues’ return to the DASS HQ at Westminster House in Birkenhead, while others have threatened to resign – though this is denied by Wirral Council.

In November, the council whistleblower had claimed hundreds of thousands of pounds “at least” were owed to some of the council’s “service users” – vulnerable adults in contracted-out supported living accomodation.

On the issue of whether vulnerable people were still paying more than they should several years after a new policy was implemented, the Audit Commission noted: “There remains a substantial risk that users receiving services from one of the council’s service providers are being charged unfairly.”

The council has refused to confirm that the pair are back at work – only that a ‘unanimous decision’ has been reached over their futures.

It also refused to answer a number of questions, notably whether there had been admission of misconduct, any punishment handed out, or if the officers would be returning to their previous roles.

A spokesman said yesterday: “Wirral Council is committed to acting on the findings of the Audit Commission report of last year.

“We are also committed to ensuring the issues raised are examined by councillors in an open and transparent way.

“The matter will be discussed, in public, at a special meeting of the audit and risk management committee as soon as possible.

“However, while we understand the high level of public concern about this matter, we are not able, legall, to disclose the outcome of individual disciplinary cases because they are confidential”


  • See next week’s Globe for the latest from the whistleblower.


© copyright Wirral Globe. Reproduced under fair use for the dual purposes of comment and news reporting
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Friday 24 July 2009

Two Wirral senior social services officers return to work after nine month suspension

Liverpool Daily Post - by Liam Murphy

TWO senior social services workers in Wirral are expected to return to work after being suspended for nine months.

It follows a four-day hearing and testimony from numerous witnesses over an Audit Commission report which accused the council department of failing to protect vulnerable people in care from "financial abuse".

But last night Conservative councillor Simon Mountney insisted there was "more evidence" of failing within the department and he would "not stop until it comes out".

The Audit Commission report last year was triggered by evidence from a "whistleblower" detailing persistent problems within the Department of Adult Social Services (DASS).

The Daily Post revealed last September how the Commission had concluded that some of the borough's most vulnerable people had been at risk of being overcharged since 1999.

One of the allegations raised was that a "special charging policy" was applied by Social Services in respect of supported living users with learning disabilities and this had not been approved by the council and was "excessive and unlawful".

Cllr Mountney said "I will not let this rest and will not stop until all the facts are out.

"As far as I'm aware, no money has been paid back.

"They [DASS] have admitted a few people have been overcharged - and I know more have been overcharged."

Cllr Mountney said he believed the extent of the overcharging was around half a million pounds.

However, Wirral Council said only a small number of people had been affected and safeguards were now in place to protect vulnerable residents.

Last night, a spokeswoman for the council said the findings of the disciplinary hearing remained confidential.

She said following the Audit Commission report "and the subsequent receipt by the Council of other information", two senior officers in the Department of Adult Social Services were suspended and there had been a four-day hearing before the Council's all-party Appeals Sub-Committee.

She said "The issues involved are highly complex and the Appeals Sub-Committee heard evidence froma large number of witnesses before reaching unanimous decisions on both cases."
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© copyright Liverpool Daily Post. Reproduced under fair use for the dual purposes of comment and news reporting
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Wednesday 22 July 2009

Senior social services officers suspended in Wirral Council whistleblower inquiry set for return

Wirral Globe – by Justin Dunn

TWO senior officers in Wirral Council’s social services department – suspended from work for nine months after a Globe report into an alleged cover up of serious financial abuse of vulnerable people – are set for a return to work this week.

The suspensions followed our exclusive front page article on November 5 last year about an Audit Commission report into claims by a council whistleblower that adults in supported living accommodation may have been routinely overcharged for several years.

Moreton Conservative Councillor Simon Mountney believes the overcharging of vulnerable people by the council could amount to around £1m.

And today he described the news that the two suspended officers were returning as “a classic example of a large organisation closing ranks”.

“I’d like to know what they would have said if they had been dismissed,” said Cllr Mountney.

An email was circulated to Department of Adult Social Services staff on Tuesday written on behalf of director John Webb, advising them of the officers’ return to work this Friday, July 24.

The email, obtained by the Globe, says the pair will “take some time to get back up to speed on issues and developments within DASS and across Wirral”.

“Colleagues will recognise that there is a need now to reflect on the specific accountabilities” of the officers “with changing demands across the department”.

The email ends saying that Mr Webb is “sure you will join me in welcoming” the officers back to the department.

However, the Globe understands that the news has been met with a mixed response.

Some staff are reported to be happy at their former colleagues’ return to the DASS HQ at Westminster House in Birkenhead, while others have threatened to resign in protest.

In November, the council whistleblower had claimed hundreds of thousands of pounds “at least” were owed to some of the council’s “service users” – vulnerable adults in contracted-out supported living accomodation.
An Audit Commission report addressed the whistleblower’s concerns that there was a “special charging policy” which cost vulnerable people extra money dating back as far as 1999 that had not been approved by the council and was “excessive and unlawful”.

In its findings, the Audit Commission report said it had “confirmed that a charging policy was applied at some supported living establishments” and that “it is not clear from discussions with [council] officers the extent to which the charging policy was in place or whether it was approved by members [of the council]“.

On the issue of whether vulnerable people were still paying more than they should several years after a new policy was implemented, the commission noted: “There remains a substantial risk that users receiving services from one of the council’s service providers are being charged unfairly.”

It said that despite a request from the council, one contractor had still “not arranged for the completion of financial assessment forms for service users”.

The report also stated: “The council does not always know the actual contributions that the provider requires service users to contribute…

“Consequently, the council is not in a position to know whether the aggregate of charges levied on service users by the council and contributions required by the provider are in compliance with the guidance” on fairer charging.

It added: “It is not clear who is currently ensuring that these service users are receiving adequate protection from the risk of financial abuse.”

The council has today confirmed to the Globe that the two officers are returning to work on Friday.

A statement on the matter is expected later.
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© copyright Wirral Globe. Reproduced under fair use for the dual purposes of comment and news reporting
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Friday 3 July 2009

Appeals Sub-Committee

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Appeals Sub-Committee
Friday, 3rd July, 2009 9.30 am
Venue: Committee Room 4 - Wallasey Town Hall.

1. Appointment of Chair

Minutes:

It was agreed that Councillor P Davies take the Chair for this meeting of the Sub-Committee.

2. Exempt Information - Exclusion of Members of the Public

The public may be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information.

Minutes:

Resolved - That, under section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act.

3. Disciplinary Proceedings

To determine the disciplinary proceedings against two members of the Adult Social Services Department.


Minutes:

The Sub-Committee convened to consider disciplinary proceedings in respect of two employees in the Adult Social Services Department.

(The Sub-Committee adjourned and reconvened on 3 occasions, in order that all witnesses and evidence could be given full consideration, subsequently meeting on 7, 10 and 13 July).

Having carefully considered all the evidence in respect of both employee A and B, the Sub-Committee –

Resolved –

Employee A

That the decision of the Appeals Sub-Committee be conveyed to the employee by letter prepared by the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management in accordance with the instructions of the Appeals Sub-Committee.


Employee B

That the Appeals Sub-Committee were satisfied that the employee had not been guilty of any act of misconduct and consequently applies no disciplinary sanction.


© copyright Wirral Metropolita Borough Council. Reproduced under fair use for the dual purposes of comment and news reporting