Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms A/B - Neath Civic Centre. View directions

Contact: Stacy Curran 01639 763194 Email: s.curran@npt.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Pre-Decision Scrutiny

Minutes:

The committee chose to scrutinise the following cabinet board items:

 

Social Services Complaints and Representations Annual Report 2018-19

 

Members received information on the operation of the Directorate’s Complaints and Representation procedures from 1 April to the 31 March 2019, including comparisons, where relevant, against activities in previous years as detailed in the circulated report.

 

Confirmation was received that complaints case studies would be brought to a future meeting of the Social Care, Health and Wellbeing Cabinet Board.

 

In answer to Members queries an explanation was given on the role of the Independent Investigating Officer (IIO).  The IIO was a statutory requirement and appointed by the Director of Social Services or their representative to investigate complaints which had reached Stage 2 in the Complaints Procedure.  There were a number of IIO’s that were used who had a background in social services.  There was a charge for this service.

 

Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report be noted.

 

Contractual Arrangements for Externally Commissioned Specialist Day Services and Specialist Care Homes

 

The committee received information on the intention of the Head of Adult Services to enter into new contracts with providers of specialist day services and specialist care homes, as detailed in the circulated report.

 

Clarification was received that there was no financial value to the contracts as they were a mechanism in which to make individual placements.  Any costs from placements made under the updated contracts would be agreed by the Resource Allocation Panel. The Panel would ensure that the placements would be in line with the available funds and based on the current regulatory and legal frameworks as detailed in the overarching contract before members today.

 

Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report be noted.

 

Inter-Agency (Collaborative) Agreement relating to the Provision of a Regional Speech and Language Therapy Service

 

The committee received information regarding the delivery of a regional speech and language therapy service (SALT), as detailed in the circulated report.

 

It was explained that officers from Neath Port Talbot and the City and County of Swansea assessed the need for speech and language therapy in each authority and then contributed the funding to cover the cost of that assessed need. 

 

Following scrutiny, the committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by the cabinet board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.

Access to Meetings

Access to Meetings to resolve to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

That pursuant to Section 100A (4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded for the following items of business which involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

 

 

3.

Pre-Decision Scrutiny of Private Item/s

Minutes:

The committee chose to scrutinise the following private cabinet board item:

 

Housing Renewal and Adaptation Services (HRAS) – Service Report

 

Members received information on the Housing Renewal and Adaptation Service including facts and statistics on budgets, performance, process and pressures as detailed in the private circulated report.

 

Discussion took place on the different funding sources, types of work, and the process and criteria for reclaiming costs where appropriate.

 

Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report be noted.