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126
first sight, would appear to be to its advantage or, with its acceptance,
risk interference with future plans and so invite public opprobrium.
Because of its universality, central control of policy and finance
has often proved to be an inappropriate and unsuitable form of
administration to deal with circumscribed and neighbourhood
problems. It is conceivable that local autonomy would generate a
more 'personal' feeling of involvement and it is likely that the
public, in general, could more easily be persuaded to take interest
in 'their' establishments and the solving of problems peculiar to
their own locality.
It may well be asked what this has to do with the local welfare
services. Since, on a number of occasions the Minister has advocated
closer links between voluntary organisations and local authorities
and the present trend is for greater liaison of local health authorities
with hospitals, problems of 'charitable' gifts, grants and assistance
become common ground.
All successful welfare planning is based upon reliable economic,
statistical and social information with an assessment of resources
and availability of the various skills required. Unpalatable though it
may be, it is a fact that finance is the ultimate resource from which
all other resources flow. Therefore, with present increasing national
and local financial stringency and the possibility of its persistence
for some time to come, offers of voluntary help are likely to increase
and may perhaps have to be solicited if existing facilities are to be
improved or even maintained.
Health and welfare are spheres in which voluntary and statutory
agencies can work amicably in close association, each complementing
the other, for the ultimate benefit of the community. Fortunately, in
Greenwich, a fruitful partnership, born of long-standing respect, is
already in existence. Nevertheless, there is a growing need for coordination
of voluntary effort if only to avoid duplication and to
channel the largely untapped reservoir of goodwill into the right
directions.
A great deal of information, formal and informal, is gathered
by the officers of the department in the course of their duties and it
would be logical for the local authority, which has an overall picture
of the health and welfare needs of its residents, to undertake such
co-ordination.
Legislation
Beyond the integration of the National Insurance and National
Assistance organisations into the Ministry of Social Security, the
present year brought no alteration in the existing law with regard to
welfare.
However, a number of changes in welfare legislation are presaged
in a new Bill to be placed before Parliament during the
coming year.