Agenda item

[To provide a demonstration of the Adult and Community Directorate portal - Wolverhampton Information Network (WIN) and to seek panels comments]

Kuldip Khela gave a presentation and demonstration of the Wolverhampton Information Network (WIN) and responded to scrutiny panel questions arising from the presentation.

Kuldip Khela advised that the Care Act 2014 places a duty on local authorities to provide information and advice about social care issues for its residents and that the WIN website will enable access to a dedicated free website 24/7. Kuldip made clear thatalthough aimed at those who need social care support; it is available for everyone in the City. Voluntary and community organisations can add events and manage their own pages; there are links to NHS Choice and other partner websites. He advised that the site can be accessed in 80 languages at the click of a translation button and there negotiations taking place to add  a voice option for blind and deaf users.

Scrutiny Panel liked the ease of use of the site; it was simple, bright, and free. In response to questions panel received the following information:

• There can be a local news page, an A-Z of Wolverhampton life and events for the communities and residents of Wolverhampton.
• Each page on the webpage will be marked when last updated.
• The site gives a wider sweep for people to be aware of people who may need other services.
• There will be a shortage in capacity, for the employee administering the site, if it gets too big.
• Safeguarding will be opened up to a number of points.
• Help and assistance will be available at a number of locations for those that are less able to use the technology
• Dudley Council will maintain the National pages and links and this will make a saving for the Council.

The Chair asked how the site would be kept up to date, who would check that links were still live and how we could be sure when re-directed to another service that they were getting what they needed.

Kuldip Khela advised that he would be the primary resource to carry out these tasks; the registered users  would be invited to update the links and each page would be marked when ‘last updated’.

The Scrutiny panel were re-assured by Kuldip Khela that the WIN webpage was linked to the Council Website and that he and David Raybould are members of a working group with Daljit Nijjar Web Manager, City Direct. Kuldip Khela said he would be liasing with Daljit to get the appropriate links added to internal and external websites.

The Scrutiny Panel welcomed that voluntary organisations have opportunity to share information on the webpage and suggested that all councillors be encouraged to share events, opportunities, details of voluntary organisations and local connections across their ward to build a network online available to public and advisory services to refer to.

The Chair and panel members were concerned about potential safeguarding issues and how officers would check that people promoting their organisations on the website are in fact who they say they are. The Chair wanted assurance that checks are being carried out to demonstrate that they are legitimate and that content is moderated.  Kuldip Khela confirmed that he was the site moderator and Dawn Williams confirmed that more in depth checks can be carried out in relation to safeguarding names.

Cllr Ian Claymore suggested that all councillors are canvassed to encourage local organisations, event organisers and others to populate the WIN website with information pertaining to their wards.  He suggested that a short presentation could be provided at political group meetings in order to gain consensus of all councillors to help populate the WIN adult care website.  

Resolved:

That scrutiny panel welcomed the development of the Wolverhampton Information Network (WIN) Adult Care Portal and that comments are taken into account during development of the portal.