Delay cuts decision for voting rights

A decision on contentious cost-cutting proposals - which would affect some of the area’s most vulnerable - should be delayed until more people can vote on them, an elected member has said.

- JACK THOMSON, LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER

Informed decisions Disability carers group representative Linda Murray

Voting rights on Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) are set to be extended to carer, service user and third sector representatives in September when new regulations come into force.

It’s expected eight measures drafted to help close a budget gap facing Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), which decision-makers were previously deadlocked on, will be revisited in June. However, it's understood this remains under review.

Councillor Kenny MacLaren, an SNP representative for Paisley Northwest, believes a pause should be taken until the three who already sit are on the IJB board are awarded voting privileges.

He said: "I think if they jumped to make that vote before lived experience representatives get a say then that tells you everything you need to know.

"It gives it legitimacy if they wait until they have a chance to have their say.

"If they don’t then it just looks like they're cutting and running - making the cuts before anyone can stop them."

At present, four non-executive representatives of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and four Renfrewshire Council elected members make up the voting members of the body that oversees the HSCP but this will be added to once the changes take effect.

Last month, a report to the IJB said: