Noticeboard
If you are a voluntary group that would like to promote any services, please contact VAK to place information here.
Help To Live At Home
Child Tax Credit 2002/03 - are you eligible?
Cabinet Office guidance for CRB Checks
NJC Payscales * NEW pay agreed following arbitration*
Wiltshire Council’s Department of Community Services is currently reviewing the range of services currently available to help older people, people with learning disabilities, physical impairment or mental health problems live at home. The review will cover people who receive financial support from the council, and also those who fund their own care, but not those with more complex support requirements. They have consulted older people, carers, council staff and external organisations and heard what is important to people about living at home. At ‘Care Pathways’ workshops, they looked at services that are in place now and how they can be improved. They are going to ensure that this work will be integrated into the larger review.
They will meet with service providers across the county to discuss service specifications for new contracts set up reference groups, consisting of customers, staff and providers, to continue talking to people about what they are doing.
This will lead to the commissioning of new services though a tender to be issued by September 2010. For more information contact:
Andrew Osborn:
andrew.osborn@wiltshire.gov.uk 07795266805
Maggie Couchman:
maggie.couchman@wiltshire.gov.uk 07827872846
Generic email: Helptoliveathome@wiltshire.gov.uk
Mobile Phone Directory
For information of interest:
The Directory of Mobile Phone numbers goes live from 13th July. All numbers including those belonging to children will be open to cold calling.
Please note both contract and pay as you go numbers apply. To remove your number go here - www.118800.co.uk/removeme/remove-me.html.
Follow the instructions, you will be sent a code to your mobile which you need for the internet site to make your mobile ex-directory.
There are an increasing number of messages being posted on the Internet to suggest that a large percentage of people may not have claimed their entitlement to Children's Tax Credit in 2002-03 (the tax year that ended on 5 April 2003). The deadline for making a claim is 31 January 2009.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) wishes to ensure that all people who are entitled to the relief receive it but have to make it clear that the majority of people will already have received Children's Tax Credit at the time it was first introduced.
You may be eligible to claim the relief for 2002-03 if the following conditions apply:
- you had a child born between 6 April 1986 and 5 April 2003,
- the child lived with you for all or part of 2002-03,
- you worked and paid tax for all or part of 2002-03.
If you still hold any payslips or a P60 from 2002-03 you can generally tell if you have been given Children's Tax Credit relief as your code will end in either an 'H' or 'T' and if no other reliefs or allowances are claimed your 2002-03 tax code was usually 702H. Self-employed taxpayers can review their final calculations of 2002-03 liability to check if Children's Tax Credit has been granted.
If you are unsure about whether you have received the 2002-03 Children's Tax Credit HMRC will check the position for you for free and where appropriate send you a repayment for the full amount. Please complete the form 11CTC before 31 January 2009 and send it to your tax office. Please do not telephone HMRC as this may cause an additional delay to your claim. Finally, please be aware that if you decide to use the services of a Tax Agent you will normally have to pay them a fee which could be a significant percentage of any repayment you may be due.
Cabinet Office guidance for CRB checks for volunteers
The Cabinet Office have recently published guidance to help organisations that use volunteers to be clear about when they do and don't need to carry out Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks on volunteers. The guidance will help cut unnecessary red tape and responds to concerns voiced by the voluntary sector that potential volunteers can be put off if they are asked to undergo a CRB check without good reason. People volunteering to work with children or vulnerable adults are sometimes legally required to have a CRB check. Where contact with vulnerable people will be limited or perhaps the person has recently been CRB checked for a different role, a decision about clearance must be made. The guidance clearly explains how the check works as part of a proper risk management process. Other safeguards such as interviewing, training and taking references from potential volunteers can also be employed. You can download the guidance via this link, CRB Guidance. To order a hardcopy of the guidance, please call 0845 015 0010 and quote URN 08/Z1.
Join up as members with We Love Marlborough to get links to funding bodies, other members, businesses who are interested in the Marlborough Arts scene, ask questions/take part in debates on the forum and much more soon! Email louisa@welovemarlborough.co.uk or call 01672 811515 for more information.
Carers Emergency Cards
Wiltshire County Council's Department of Community Services is launching a Carers Emergency Card scheme to provide support to carers in the event of an emergency or an accident.
If you are a carer in Wiltshire and would like to apply for a card or if you require further information about the scheme the Carers Emergency Card Co-ordinator on 0800 066 5068.
NJC Salary scales and allowances 2009/10
On 14 January the Trade Union Side of the NJC has formally tabled a pay claim for 2009/10 for "...an increase of at least the level of retail price inflation, with additional salary increases for the lowest paid". The unions were informed that the employers would not be making a formal response to the claim until both the arbitration process and regional pay briefings were concluded, which would be end of March at the earliest.
NJC pay scales 2008/09
An interim award was made in November 08 (backdated till April 08), whilst the award went to arbitration. The arbitration panel has now given an additional award of 0.3%. The new figures represent a 2.75% increase on the 2007 figures, with an extra £100 for the lowest paid (SCP 4-6), and not an increase of 0.3% on the previously published April 08 figures.
Click here for the revised pay scales for 2008/09 following the arbitration.
Local Authority mileage rates 2008/09
Local Government Employers has published the new mileage rates and car allowances from 1 April 2008. Please click here for the new rates. Please also click here for the HM Revenue and Customs mileage rates for 2008/09 which remain unchanged from 2003/04.
Coaching - an offer
Christine Hardisty is now offering coaching/mentoring at reduced rates to voluntary bodies. Please click here to find out more about coaching and the costs involved. Alternatively email c.hardisty@cosmea.co.uk or call 07968 948459.
