Transport is seen as the single biggest challenge facing disabled people in achieving more independence. However, there is no cohesive 'vision' or medium to long-term plan for door-to-door and assisted transport services across London.

London Councils is working to identify a high-level strategy for door-to-door services, particularly those that are funded by London Boroughs, including Taxicard. The strategy is to set out a vision and overarching approach with Boroughs at the centre, supported by Transport for London and other partners.

The aim is to provide effective, efficient, value for money and high-quality door-to-door services that meet the needs of users, and which can be provided within current funding.

This report is the first step in developing that strategy, placing Boroughs at the centre, with TfL providing funding support.

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A Future Door-to-Door Strategy for London (PDF, 465.02Kb)

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/Transport/Publications/doortodoorstrate...

Transport and Environment Committee - 10/12/2009 14:30:00

Item 13 - DfT Consultation on Special Grant Funding on 2010/11 for the National Bus Concession

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Summary

This report seeks members agreement to the London Councils’ response to the Department for Transport (DfT) consultation on changing the level of special grant for the national bus concession in 2010/11

Recommendations

Members are asked to consider and agree the draft response, taking account of the views of Leaders’ Committee on 8 December which will be reported orally.

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• Item 13 - DfT Consultation on Special Grant Funding on 2010/11 for the National Bus Concession (DOC, 102.50Kb) Opens in a new window
• Item 13 - Appendix (DOC, 308.50Kb)

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/committees/agenda.htm?pk_agenda_items=3806

One in three accident and emergency (A&E) departments could close across London, the BBC has learned.

NWLCP's proposals NHS London's response Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here

Eleven units are under threat from closure, under reorganisation plans by NHS London. There are currently 31 A&Es in the capital.

Six of these may go in the west of the city alone, according to plans by the North West London Commissioning Partnership (NWLCP), seen by BBC London.

A&E services at Chase Farm Hospital, in Enfield, north London, and Queens Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, south London, are listed for closure.

The closure of the A&E department at King George Hospital in Ilford, east London, is also being consulted on.

And concerns have been raised by MPs in south-west London about the future of A&E services at Kingston Hospital.

Whittington Hospital may have to merge its A&E with the Royal Free Hospital, according to NHS plans which are going out for consultation.

Departments reorganised

The departments are being reorganised by the NHS as part of a city-wide review of how health services are delivered.

As a part of this shake up, the NWLCP is considering plans to shut five of the eight A&Es in the north-west London sector.

The current eight A&Es in the area are: Ealing Hospital, Hillingdon, Northwick Park, Central Middlesex, Chelsea and Westminster, St Mary's, West Middlesex and Charing Cross.

The NWLCP said one of the weaknesses in the health services for the area was the "current overprovision of certain specialties such as A&E and maternity" which was causing "financial and quality issues".

The document, entitled NWL Sector Integrated Strategic Plan 2009 - 2014, said St Mary's in Paddington would remain as an A&E, as it has already been designated a major trauma centre by NHS London.

On the basis of an initial review we have a concern that three Major Acute Hospital (MAH) sites are clinically and financially unsustainable NHS London

The other two are yet to be decided. But the NHS said more should close.

In giving its feedback on NWLCP's plans, NHS London said: "On the basis of an initial review we have a concern that three Major Acute Hospital (MAH) sites are clinically and financially unsustainable."

It added: "Given our misgivings, you should review this issue further and have helpfully agreed to refer to a 'maximum of three' MAHs in order to prepare the ground for the next stage."

The health authority also advised NWLCP that it should make it clear that there is the possibility that some hospitals may close to be replaced by polyclinics.

Describing NWLCP's plans for polyclinics as "weak", it said: "Turning to your proposals for local hospitals and elective centres, there is no reference to the numbers you believe to be sustainable across the sector.

"I know that you have a programme in place for reviewing all hospital care settings and the plan should, at least, signal the likelihood that not all the current sites will make the transition to either MAH or local hospital."

Rory Shaw, from the NWLCP, said: "There are no formal plans as yet for A&Es.

"This plan is about centralisation of some services in fewer locations.

"We want to centralise trauma in centres where there are teams who are good at this, and do it everyday."

Last week, BBC London reported at least six A&Es could close across the city.

When asked about the six potential closures Ruth Carnal, head of NHS London, told the BBC she "did not recognise this figure".

NHS London has revealed plans for more than 100 polyclinics across the capital over the next five years, which will offer a wider range of services in one place.

But an NHS London spokesman insisted: "Polyclinics will not replace A&Es.

"They are being introduced to make it quicker and easier for Londoners to access to the care they need."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8506565.stm

The government's unpredictable and unstable system of allocating funding to local councils should be frozen until a fairer and more reliable system can be developed, London Councils warned today.

The warning comes following the publication of the latest in London Councils' series of finance lobbying leaflets Four block muddle.

The publication explains why the current 'four block funding' model is so unstable and sets out why freezing the formula grant provided to local authorities until 2014 is desirable.

The current four block model is used to distribute £29 billion annually from central government to fund local authority services.

Funding is allocated to each local authority based on four factors or 'blocks' - the needs of their local area; their capacity to raise council tax to fund services; a damping mechanism to ensure local authorities receive a minimum increase in funding; and a fourth 'central block' which links each local authority's funding to a 'threshold authority'.

The central, fourth block, introduced in 2006/07, makes all funding relative to the needs of the threshold authority - a benchmark with which to determine high and low need.

This has unfortunately reduced the transparency and clarity of the system, because an individual local authority's needs and resources no longer translate directly into funding.

Even worse, a tiny change to the threshold authority's needs now leads to huge amounts of funding having to move around the country - not because each authority's needs change, but because the system dictates that it should.

For education and personal social services, the benchmark authority is Wokingham; a 1 per cent change to its needs causes the Metropolitan Police Authority grant to increase by £4.8 million and Hampshire's to reduce by £2.5 million. In total, £41 million moves around local authorities in England.

London Councils believes that for distribution of over £29 billion funding to be allocated through such an unstable system is perverse.

Until a new system can be designed which has the active support of local authorities in every region in England, London Councils wants the formula grant, with all its statistical calculations and funding floors, to be frozen.

This would provide local authorities with some much-needed stability through a period of economic uncertainty and allow central government time to work up a more robust and equitable system.

London Councils' Chairman Councillor Merrick Cockell said:

"It's quite clear that the four block funding model is not fit to allocate billions of pounds around the country. Its effects range from the baffling to the perverse.

"The government must freeze the system until a more robust and transparent system can take its place. While this won't immediately correct the system's many injustices, it will at least provide local authorities with some much needed clarity and stability to work with."

Notes to editors

To read the full publication please visit http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/fourblockmuddle

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/media/current/pressdetail.htm?pk=962&sh...

NAT (National AIDS Trust) has today announced the findings from its independent review of the AIDS Support Grant. The Grant, worth £21.8million in 2009/10, is a ring-fenced fund distributed to local authorities to spend specifically on the social care needs of people living with HIV. The independent review, the first ever of the Grant, identified examples of good practice and makes recommendations for local authorities about how use of the Grant can be improved in the future.