Accountability in a democratic organisation
Your accountability to the elected councillors, and particularly the cabinet portfolio holder for adult social care, is part of a quality assurance approach, allowing councillors to set appropriate local policy (within the national context) and subsequently be reassured that both the services provided directly by the council – and those commissioned via other providers – meet the diverse needs of the local population.
Elected councillors set the strategic direction for the council and you should be influential in ensuring that adult social care is a key priority, reflected in the corporate plans and ambitions of the council, and is adequately resourced to meet its duties.
The statutory guidance on the role of DASS is clear: the local authority shall ensure the DASS has the responsibility and the means to facilitate national targets by the local authority. (See Your statutory role.)
A successful relationship between officers and councillors is one based on trust and mutual respect. It can take time to develop and will be tested, especially when difficult conversations are required. While officers give professional advice and may make significant decisions within the individual council’s agreed scheme of delegation, key decisions are ultimately made by the councillors. The limitations on these arrangements are that they must be progressed within the national statutory and policy framework for adult social care.
A transparent working practice with regular, clear communication is fundamental if you are to enable good practice and delivery with associated political support. To facilitate this, ensure that reports to councillors for decision-making purposes are clearly laid out, with appropriate evidence to support the decision. The report and particularly the requested decision should be clearly articulated, so that the subsequent record of the decision and/or meeting minutes are clear and cannot be subject to misinterpretation later.
The national policy for social care may not always reflect the political party that the lead councillors stand for. However, councillors should know their constituents and the needs of their community.
You may find yourself negotiating a way through these differences without compromising your responsibilities. A support is the clarity of the statutory responsibilities associated with adult social care, as defined through the Care Act 2014 and the statutory guidance associated with the DASS responsibilities.
If difficulties arise, focus on common goals and identify solutions. Sometimes this will require support or advice, perhaps mediation, with one aim: resolution. Regular meetings, clearly written reports and frequent conversations underpin the nature of communication in this relationship. An audit trail to demonstrate you have provided adequate briefings and appropriate advice is important if significant difficulties arise.
Sometimes a situation will arise that attracts the additional involvement of the leader of the council and chief executive. This may be due to the level of political interest in a matter, or the emergence of a reputational risk. But the principles outlined above remain the same, even in an escalated situation.
More broadly, all councillors have access to you, as DASS, and may request information, ask questions or raise individual concerns or complaints on behalf of constituents. It is up to you to respond with a level of information appropriate to the situation.
You will usually have access to confidential or sensitive information that cannot be shared with elected officials or even the lead member. For example, this could be details of an individual case where the person being supported has not given permission for details to be shared. It is important you maintain appropriate boundaries and ensure that confidential information is handled appropriately.