Making a contribution in opposition

Written by Colin Wilsdon and published in COLIN WILSDON has been a Councillor on West Sussex County Council since 2001 and is the Lib Dem spokesman on Children and Young People's Services. on Sat 12th Jan 2008

Liberal Democrats are in a minority on West Sussex County Council (WSCC), just 16 out of 70, though they make a contribution out of proportion to their numbers. Margaret Collins (Education Committee Chair when we controlled the county council 1993-97) recently led a task force on Short Term Breaks for Children with Special Needs. This arose from contact with a group of parents who put together a graphic account of the pressures they were under in looking after children with special needs. They did not want to give up looking after their children, though at times they were sorely tempted, but just wanted enough respite to be able carry on. The task force looked at holiday playschemes, overnight provision, and out-of-school clubs and delivered interim reports on each over a period of nearly two years. It was cross-party and it is fair to say that all members were committed to doing something to relieve this pressure. It was well received by the Children and Young People's Select Committee and its call to the Cabinet for more resources, ("invest to save"), was unanimously supported. Since then the Tory chairman of the Select Committee has been keeping up the pressure on the Cabinet Member to respond with more money with some success.

Lib Dems also make an impact through membership of statutory bodies. We held the chairmanship of the School Organisation Committee (now defunct under the Education and Inspections Act 2006) in competition with a Tory nominee and I myself chair the School Admissions Forum.

Corporate parenting is an important role for elected members and here again Lib Dems make an important contribution. WSCC has seven children's homes, including one secure unit. An elected member is linked to each home and accompanies officers on the statutory Regulation 33 and 34 visits. Lib Dem members are linked to four out of the seven homes. The visitors bring an important lay perspective on the conditions and needs, and can sometimes raise issues more publicly and effectively with senior officers than through the formal routes open to staff. This has in the past speeded up essential maintenance and improvement work to the premises and supported staff who were trying to protect a child who was being moved by another authority without adequate preparation.