Stockport Council News

Date 16 April 2008

Mr Parnell’s plea to Devon Sherwood

QUESTIONS
OF WHY

1. Why has the correct help never been given after
guidelines have recognised a need for help in dealing with what is to be
expected with hard to place sibling groups of children from the care system?

2. Why has it taken so long after repeated requests to
receive help that we are now in this situation that I am asking this question “Why Is It Taking So Long” to get help with all issues relating to the adoption
of these two needy children, that it is with their emotional Well-being, that
remain paramount?

3. Why is it in trying to get help have I been banned
without justification from Council premises?

4. Why is it that
as a Council Tax paying resident can I not access certain council services in what is classed as every day normal family life. We should all
receive the standard of care required to our needs.

5. Why is it that the means tested benefits we receive
are taken away immorally to cover other things that are over and above what
them means tested benefits are meant to
cover, that is the basic standard costs of living for a family in our
circumstances? There shall be no financial gain from adoption that is in law
stated, and the enhancement that is paid
above the child premium should be disregarded.

ACTION

1. I REQUEST AN ASSESSMENT FOR MY FAMILY’S
ADOPTION SUPPORT NEEDS AND A FORMAL RESPONSE TO PAST FAILINGS

2. I WISH FOR A FORMAL RESPONSE TO THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE IDENTIFIED AND I WISH TO BE ADDRESSED
THROUGH A FORMAL PROCEDURE.

3. I WISH FOR
RESPONSE OF ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS OF WHY

Stockport Council’s Customer Care Charter Putting People first

This Charter is part of our commitment to improve the way we serve you.

In delivering our service we will:

·
Deal with your enquiry honestly, fairly and politely

·
Give prompt and accurate advice and information

·
Respect your right to confidentiality

·
Take into account your individual needs

·
Keep you informed about what is happening with your
enquiry

·
Listen to what you have to say

Encourage you to make comments or complaints so that we might improve
our services

Have an easy-to-use complaints procedure if things should go wrong

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Mr Devon Sherwood

Complaints Resolution Manager

Children & Young Peoples Directorate

Stopford House 3rd floor

Piccadilly

Stockport

SK1 3XE

From Mr M S Parnell

Date 27th November 2007

Dear Mr Devon Sherwood

….

REQUEST FOR HELP FOR THE FAMILY

1. I consider that this family should be professionally assessed to see what support we can be given

2. I consider that the children are facing difficulties and that we need some extra help I feel that they have developed issues as they have gone through traumatic times and through the care system.

3. I consider the question who at any time as understood what these children really want and has the system and myself decided what is in their best interest without fully understanding how these children will deal with what they don’t like, none of us would do very well if we were forced to do things against our free will.

4. I consider that we have not been provided with the help and support we need in a timely fashion and I ask you to investigate this to see what failings have been made in the past and what help can be made in the future.

5. I consider that an assessment is needed to help repair the damage done by the past failings of not assessing earlier the issues of these adoptions.

ISSUE REGARDING BAN TO COUNCIL PREMISSES

1. I consider that the ban regarding me is unjustified and that the continued ban of myself from Stopford House is unfair, as a council tax paying resident it is withholding some of the very things I am paying for.

2. I consider that I was not causing a nuisance which led to the ban.

3. I consider that I did not cause a disturbance at Stopford House and the ban is hurtful and damaging to my character I therefore ask for a formal review of why I was banned and for the ban to be removed…..

ISSUE
REGARDING COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT

1.
I consider that I
did not adopt my children to make financial gain, in adoption this is against
the law.

2.
I consider that
there is a number of issues regarding in sorting out the council tax.

3.
I consider the
delay along with the adoption issues have consumed all of my time, day and night, awake and in
sleep and in dealing with this along with all its stresses the employment service as classed me as being
unavailable for work and recommended to claim incapacity national insurance
credits as a carer in dealing with these
issues.

4.
I consider that
dealings over Council Tax Benefit in the timely fashion have caused hardship,
and in that with my account being put on hold for a number of years because of
a lack of understanding of the legal
problems that are morally
unjustifiably wrong, I therefore ask for a formal review of why there has been
inconsistencies and timely delay to matters of dealing with this families needs
and circumstances.

5.
I consider asking
the Council to consider what answer of assistance it can provide in the
existing circumstances.

….What has been
suffered “that’s accountable to the
councils failings”.

loss of:-

Ÿ
Basic Care for some of the most vulnerable people, children from the care system.

Ÿ
Supportive Care under special family needs and
circumstances.

Ÿ
Secondary Care to the supportive parent of the said
children.

Ÿ
Financial assistance that has unjustly and immorally
been taken away.

Ÿ
Life itself , time inappropriately spent fighting to
get help.

Ÿ
Aspirations and dreams sense of being and achievement.

Ÿ
Self esteem is it
worth trying to better, just to be knocked down.

How has this left us feeling:-

Ÿ
Isolation and abandonment of a family that is in need.

Ÿ
Exclusion from having a normal family life because of
damaging issues.

Ÿ
Emotional wellbeing and distress of a traumatic
situation.

Ÿ
Physical and unacceptable stressful issues are
unbearable and even unbelievable.

Ÿ
Financially broken who will cover the cost to repair
the damage.

Ÿ
How complex will the help now be in dealing with other
avoidable issues.

Ÿ
Will it ever be put right can we be given a chance of
help, to live normal family life?

As someone clever has pointed out the Stockport powers-that-be say:-

‘we are moving traffic from the urban areas to the countryside where no one
lives’.

The Air Quality Directive would actually prevent this happening because it measures
pollution at the source whereever the public has access. It is also protecting
drivers and passengers on the road itself. Pollution peaks during rush hour so
you may live ‘in the country’ but still be exposed to high pollution during your
commute.

Stunell says –

Hazel Grove deserves the bypass to get rid of the congestion at long last and can
become a proper shopping centre.

As someone cleverer than I am pointed out:-

“Who is he kidding? With all the new out of
town retail units that they already have planned alongside the new road, who is
going stop to shop in Hazel Grove?”

“Your assertion that Labour are now a protest party is ridiculous.

You say “The “Polls” are useless & misleading & their only real importance is that Labour clings to them like a liferaft.”
Which is also rather amusing to anyone who is familiar with your “usual” postings.

You trash the significance of polls when they are unfavorable towards Liberal Democrats, you constantly try to spin the figures to reflect a brighter outlook than what is reality. And on the flip side you try to use polling statistics as evidence that Labour are doomed.

Your flip flopping lacks serious credibility.

Liberal Democrats are clinging to the hope that the party will be credited with any upturn of the economy and yet, all polling data shows that this is not the case. Liberal Democrats are not seeing any boost in either polling or more significantly in local election results.

People on lower/middle incomes and those on welfare are not seeing any benefits of a “supposed recovery” the only people benefiting are those on higher incomes and corporations and their votes will go to the Conservatives.

Liberal Democrats will struggle to even win over support from previous voters, people who genuinely thought that the party stood for and would deliver a fairer economy and society, Civil liberties and lifting people out of poverty.

With just over a year to go until the next general election, I can not see the Liberal Democrats being able to pull a magic rabbit out the hat.”