Friday 16 July 2004

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson

Couple win court fight for help over their disabled
sons

A High Court judge has ordered a judicial review into a
council’s refusal to install equipment for two severely
disabled boys into their parents’ home.

Michael and Henrietta Spink told the High Court that Wandsworth
Council had failed to install equipment such as lifts to help their
sons Henry, 16 and 12-year-old Freddie.

The review could lead to new rights for the disabled.

Source:- Daily Mail, Friday, 16 July, page 46

Now schools get anti-bully advisors in £1/2m
scheme

All school staff in England is to be given training in how to
tackle bullying in a £570,000 scheme.

A full-time bullying advisor will also be appointed for each of the
nine government regions in England.

Education minister Ivan Lewis announced the creation of an
‘Anti-Bullying Alliance’ yesterday that will be made up
from the government, teachers’ unions, local education
authorities, academics and voluntary groups.

Source:- Daily Mail, Friday, 16 July, page 45

Workers suffering serious illnesses to get job
protection

Employers will no longer be able to sack staff who disclose that
they have been diagnosed with a serious illness under new rights
announced by the government yesterday.

The measures will protect people with progressive conditions such
as HIV or cancer. The government also announced it will be
extending the rights to people with depression, stress, autism and
other conditions including self-harming.

Source:- The Independent, Friday, 16 July, page 8

Wary Blunkett backs prostitution zones

Local authorities will be able to set up tolerance or
‘managed’ prostitution zones under choices outlined in
a new government consultation paper.

The paper represents the first comprehensive overhaul of the law in
this area for almost 50 years.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday, 16 July, page 6

Shipman report calls for drug controls

A report from the Shipman Inquiry has called for a drug
inspectorate to be set up to monitor and audit how GPs and
pharmacist prescribe and store controlled drugs.

A pharmacist who gave Harold Shipman large amounts of diamorphine
unaware that the GP was using it to murder his patients was heavily
criticised in the document.

Dame Janet Smith, chair of the inquiry, said that Ghislaine Brant
had been “charmed” by Shipman.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday, 16 July, page 11

Wales to axe quangos

The first minister for Wales has announced that Wales’s three
largest public agencies are going to be axed.

Rhodri Morgan said that the Welsh Development Agency, the post-16
education funding body ELWa, and the Welsh Tourist Board would
become part of the assembly government.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday, 16 July, page 15

Scottish newspapers

MSPs query need to check up on parents

The Scottish executive should investigate whether it is necessary
for parents volunteering to help out at school events to undergo
police checks, a committee of MSPs has warned.

The education committee has echoed concerns raised by the Scottish
Parent Teacher Council that parent volunteers were being required
by some authorities to undergo unnecessary checks by Disclosure
Scotland to help out at school discos.

The parents body had warned that regulations were not intended for
such use and over zealous application of disclosure checks were in
danger of outing parents off becoming involved in school
activities.

MSPs gave the SPTC backing, saying the executive should give
clearer guidance to prevent inconsistencies.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 16 July

Error delays court for domestic abuse

Plans for Scotland’s first domestic abuse court have been
delayed for almost three months because officials were late in
lodging a vital funding request.

The domestic violence court in Glasgow was due to start as a pilot
next month, but the steering group revealed yesterday that it would
be delayed until October to ensure all support arrangements and
staff were in place.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 16 July

Mentor charity cash crisis forces closure

A mentoring charity that received government backing is being
forced to close because of a financial crisis.

Big Brothers and Sisters UK, which matched adult volunteers with
children from lone-parent families, will wind up by the end of next
month.

The decision to close its administrative base in London was made
last month after £250,000 of Home Office funding expired. Five
projects around the UK, including Glasgow and Edinburgh schemes,
are due to close as a result,

Director of mentoring services Claire Gordon said the project could
not continue without replacement funding.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 16 July

Social work unit awarded People prize

The social work department at Edinburgh Council has been formally
awarded the Investors in People accolade.

The award is given to organisations for their efforts in supporting
staff to develop professionally and personally at work.

The Investors in People report said the department had shown
commitment to the training and development of staff and was
enthusiastic in its approach to improving processes to support
individuals in their development.

Source:- Evening News  Thursday 15 July

Drug addict took heroin into court

A drug addict was so convinced he would be sent to jail that he
filled his pockets with heroin before attending court.

Allan Ellis thought he would be able to smuggle the supply into
prison, but sheriff James Farrell thwarted his plans when he gave
him bail for drugs related offences, claiming he was a suitable
candidate to undergo the drug treatment and testing order.

Police received a tip-off that Ellis was carrying £700 worth
of heroin, as well as temazepam and diazepam tablets and he was
stopped and searched as he tried to leave Peebles Sheriff
Court.

Source:- Evening News  Thursday 15 July

Welsh newspapers

Find these two!

Police are continuing their search for two women caught in a
restaurant’s toilet cubicle with a three-year-old boy.

The boy was using one of the toilets in a Cardiff restaurant while
his mother remained within the eating area. When she went to check
on her son she found two women inside the cubicle. She challenged
them but they spoke in a language she did not recognise and then
left the restaurant. The boy was unharmed.

Source South Wales Echo Thursday 15 July page 11

£10k bills run up by Sarn B&B

The cost of housing a homeless Cardiff family came to £5,440,
it has been revealed.

Catherine and Stuart Murphy and their four children spent 136
nights at the Welcome Break at Sarn alongside the M4 from July
2002.

The family then moved to a bed and breakfast hotel in Cardiff that
cost a total of £4,880 before eventually being moved into
private rented accommodation in the city.

Source South Wales Echo Thursday 15 July page 24

Minister checks access for disabled

Minister for Disabled People, Maria Eagle has visited the
Wales Millennium centre to see how the new £104m arts centre
will provide access.

From October, the Disability Discrimination Act means that
businesses that open to the public must cater for disabled
visitors.

Source Western Mail Friday 16 July page 5