(a) Apologies for Absence
(b) Announcements
To consider any announcements by:
(i) the Chairman of the Council;
(ii) the Leader of the Council; and
(iii) any other Cabinet Member.
(c) Telecare Services Association Accreditation – Epping Forest Careline
The Council’s Careline Centre was opened in June 1994 and is based at Parsonage Court, Loughton. The Careline Service offers a twenty-four hour, 365 days per year, emergency alarm service to older and disabled people living within the District. The Service is also offered to other vulnerable groups including victims of domestic violence and younger people with disabilities.
Users of the service are connected via the telephone network. The Council’s own sheltered housing schemes and other designated dwellings for older people on housing estates have a hard-wired system installed in their properties with a speech module mounted on the wall and a pull cord in each of the rooms. In addition, 1,250 private sector users are connected to Careline via a dispersed alarm, and pay a small annual rental which brings income to the Housing Revenue Account. A total of 2,500 properties, representing approximately 3,000 people, are linked into the service.
Following a rigorous audit process undertaken by an external Assessor, Epping Forest Careline has been awarded the coveted Telecare Services Association’s Accreditation, being a Quality Award for services provided in the emergency alarm industry.
The independent external assessor’s overall conclusion was:
“Epping Forest Careline provides a quality service and has a structured document control system in place”.
The accreditation lasts for three years; interim annual inspections are required to ensure the service is meeting with TSA’s Key Performance Indicators. A full audit is undertaken every three years to establish that the Code of Practice Standards are continuing to be met.
The Chairman of Council will present the TSA Certificate to Councillor McEwen, Housing Portfolio Holder, Denise Pegler, Housing Manager (Older People’s Services) and Jackie Ratcliffe Assistant Housing Manager (Older People’s Services).
Minutes:
(a) Announcements by the Chairman of the Council
(i) Work of Art
The Chairman showed the Council the photographic design work provided by Epping Forest College which would be displayed in the Chairman’s Office for the duration of the municipal year 2011/12.
(ii) Attendance at Events
The Chairman advised that the Members’ and Officers’ Golf Day on 19 July had been a great success and had raised over £700 for his charity. He thanked members and officers for their support for this event.
The Chairman announced that a provisional booking had been made for 6 October 2011 for the White Water Rafting Challenge at the London Olympics 2012 venue. He stated that so far 16 members and officers had volunteered to participate and there was still 2 places available. He encouraged members to volunteer, particularly those representing Waltham Abbey wards which were closest to the venue. He reminded members that the sponsorship raised from this event would be for his charity.
The Chairman advised the Council that he had greatly enjoyed attending primary schools to present certificates on behalf of the West Essex Partnership. He praised the initiative and referred to the tremendous welcome he had received from the children at all of the schools he had attended.
The Council noted that the Chairman had opened the Bobbingworth Nature Reserve on 15 July together with the Environment Portfolio Holder. The Chairman encouraged members to visit this landfill site which had been transformed into a nature park for the enjoyment of local people and the enhancement of the environment.
The Chairman advised that he had been privileged to start the Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research at North Weald Airfield which had attracted approximately 2,500 runners and an overall attendance of approximately 5,000.
The Chairman referred to the recent sad events in Norway and reminded members of the close relationships between this Council and Norway since the use of North Weald Airfield as a World War Two Airfield. The Chairman read a letter of condolence which he had sent to the Norwegian Ambassador.
Councillor Grigg, immediate past Chairman of the Council, advised that she had also sent a letter to the Norwegian Ambassador and copied it to the Mayor of Bodo.
(iii) Floral Display
The Chairman announced that he intended to send the flowers from tonight’s meeting to Rosemary Padfield, daughter of the late John Pledge.
(b) Announcements by the Leader of Council
The Leader advised that she had no announcements to make under this heading.
(c) Announcements by Portfolio Holders
The meeting noted that there were no announcements to be made under this heading.
(d) Telecare Services Accreditation – Epping Forest Careline
The Chairman reported that the Council’s Careline Centre based at Parsonage Court, Loughton offered a twenty-four hour, 365 day per year, emergency alarm service to older and disabled people living within the District. The service was also offered to other vulnerable groups including victims of domestic violence and younger people with disabilities.
Members noted that following a rigorous audit process undertaken by an external assessor, Careline had been awarded the coveted Telecare Services Association’s Accreditation, being a Quality Award for services provided in the emergency alarm industry. The Chairman drew attention to the assessor’s overall conclusion that Careline provided a quality service and had a structured document control system in place.
The Chairman presented the Accreditation certificate to Councillor M McEwen, Housing Portfolio Holder, Jackie Ratcliffe, Assistant Housing Manager – Older People’s Services and Jacqui Parker, Senior Scheme Manager.