Councillors and Care

Elected councillors perform a range of functions in the adult social system at the local level.

Executive councillors who hold the social care portfolio, are responsible for strategic decision making including for budgets. Members of scrutiny committees are responsible for providing effective challenge to decision makers and for monitoring the delivery of services.

In the communities, ward councillors represent councillors they will often be contacted by residents before formal services. However, councillors are neglected in discussions of the adult social care system.
Ward councillors in particular are an untapped resource when it comes to adult social care.
 

• Aims

  This study explored how councillors can help shape adult social care services and make a difference for people using services and carers. It sought to understand the different mechanisms that councillors might use to be effective in their executive, scrutiny and ward roles and to develop resources to help support councillors and their organisations.
   

• Methods

  A realist approach was taken to develop ‘mini theories’ about how councillors can make a difference. A realist approach starts with some tentative theories which are then tested and refined through empirical research. Specifically, the researcher is interested in the mechanisms that cause outcomes and the conditions in which these mechanisms are activated.
  Following a review of existing academic and practice literature, theories were tested and iterated through national stakeholder interviews (12) and interviews across case sites (43).
   

• Findings and resources

  Findings report – Councillors and Care

  Visit the project website for:

  • Guides for executive, scrutiny and ward councillors
  • Training resources
  • General information about adult social care

  The main message from this research is that, whilst councillors can play important roles across the adult social care system, they are often underutilised and their roles often unrecognised. Councillors are barely mentioned in the academic and practice literature.

  There are many examples of councillors making effective interventions and participants were able to identify further potential ways in which councillors can make a difference. Councillor interventions, however, vary greatly across different areas suggesting that more strategic approaches to engaging councillors in adult social care could be beneficial.
  Executive councillors are well placed to be effective system leaders as they are able to draw on diverse networks and provide important challenge and support for officers. Specifically, executive councillors can use their political authority and connections to communities to ‘ground’ officers and raise system issues and concerns.

  Scrutiny councillors, through in-depth reviews for example, can use their community connections and personal experience to shine a light in issues that affect vulnerable and less heard citizens that might be picked up by officers.

  Ward councillors, through their case work and community connections can offer early earning of failures in the adult social care system. Ward councillors can also support preventative mechanisms in the community through their support for local projects that foster wellbeing.

  The research found that councillors are more able to make a difference if they operate within a supportive culture. Councils should offer a ‘convivial atmosphere’ and an ‘open door’ policy for councillors and place value on the intelligence that councillors can bring. Plain language and clear messages, along with keeping councillors continuously informed, ideally through regular, bite-sized briefings, seminars and conferences, are all helpful for supporting councillors.

  Training and development work best when interactive and focused on specific practical issues. Informal meetings with frontline staff, peer networks and mentoring were all found to be helpful.