Agenda and minutes

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

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of interest from Members

Minutes:

The following member made a declaration at the commencement of the meeting:

 

Councillor S.Reynolds                      Agenda Item 12 – Lease agreement with Neath Port Talbot CVS from 1st April 2017 until 31st March 2020 – as she is a Chair of the Member Organisation of NPTCVS.

2.

Minutes of the Social Care, Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee held on 16th March 2017 pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Minutes:

Members noted the minutes with the following queries.

 

Members asked what the clear focus was in relation to point 9 in the Business Support Community Care Service Report Card on page 5 of the minutes. Officers clarified that they now have weekly management team meetings which enables them to have regular monitoring.

 

Members queried what we were doing in house for the retention and recruitment. Officers clarified that there was an issue previously with staff retention but measures have been put in place to rectify this and there is no longer an issue. It was confirmed that staff are very positive about working for Neath Port Talbot.

 

Members queried why there was not more data available in the performance data action plan. Officers explained that these were new indicators and that more data would be available in future years.

3.

Minutes of Children, Young People and Education Scrutiny Committee held on 2nd March 2017 pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Minutes:

Members noted the minutes with the following queries.

 

Members asked what the specific programme reports that were highlighted on page 12 of the previous minutes. Officers explained that they were the Corporate Improvement Objective - Better Schools Brighter Prospects Quarter Three Highlight Report and that officers would circulate them to members for information.

 

Members asked what was the process for monitoring children when removed from the child protection register. Officers explained that they continue to hold cases open for at least 3 months after being removed and audit cases on a regular basis.

 

Members queried the benefits that children gain from being resident in hillside secure unit. Officers gave members a brief background on the history of Hillside. It was agreed that arrangements would be made for Members to undertake a visit of the Hillside facility.

 

Members asked what the financial arrangements with Hillside and whether there was any income generated. Officers explained that there was no cost to the Council and that Hillside was self-funded. It was highlighted that the Income Generation Group led by the Deputy Leader is looking at all aspects of Income from the Council and a report would be brought back to a future meeting on the potential of Hillside.

4.

Scrutiny Forward Work Programme 2017/18. pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Committee noted the work programme.

5.

Pre-Scrutiny

Minutes:

The Committee Scrutinised the following matters:-

 

Cabinet Board Proposals

 

5.1     Future Direction Options for Personal Social Services

 

Members were updated on the options for managing and delivering personal social care services over the next five to six years.

 

Members queried how external organisations could gain information on Direct Payments and whether an event could be organised. Officers explained that a re-launch of direct payments scheme was going to take place in future which should make this information available to all interested parties.

 

Members queried that the report gave the impression that there was an underspend and that Officers need to be more clear in the reports.

 

Members asked whether the Personal Assistants have the same standard of Qualifications that our in house Homecare staff have. Officers confirmed yes and have been running training courses for Personal Assistants which is funded by the Council and Welsh Government.

 

Members asked whether there is information on the take up of Direct Payments across the County by ward and whether there were any issues in more rural wards. Officers confirmed that they would get back to Members.

 

Members queried how Officers can ensure them that Personal Assistants are providing a quality service. Officers explained that they would be monitored regularly to ensure a quality service.

 

 

Members queried how officers can assure them that the quality of care, safeguarding and the cost over long term are being monitored. Officers referred to pages 23-25 in the report highlighting that Direct Payments are only used where necessary. Officers highlighted that all services have a Social Worker for support and that all clients who receive Direct Payments would receive the same service as other clients.

 

Members queried whether there was an evaluation strategy. Officers confirmed that Social Workers monitor appropriate spend of Direct Payments on a daily basis.

 

Members asked what would happen if there was a lot of sickness leave or Annual leave at one time. Officers confirmed that they would have a bank of Personal Assistants if this happened.

 

Members asked Officers to re-word the EIA on page 38 paragraph 6 starting with the word however as members felt that the paragraph gave a wrong impression that the council was trying to reduce the service it provides.

 

Members queried that the EIA on Page 51 Section 7 & 8 Monitoring Arrangements and Outcomes, how this was going to be monitored and that the outcomes needed to be more measurable and requested a report explaining how this was going to be achieved.

 

Members asked whether the Council has sufficient capacity to provide services  if the client does not want to use Direct Payments. Officers confirmed that they have no capacity problem.

 

Members were concerned at the level of take-up and whether there was a pattern of service users taking up Direct Payments. Officers explained that some services for example learning disabilities had higher rates of take up than others.

Members queried what affect would the uptake of Direct Payments have on the internal Homecare service. Officers explained that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Access to Meetings

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.

 

7.

Pre-Scrutiny

Minutes:

The Committee scrutinised the following private matters:-

 

Private Cabinet Board Proposals

 

7.1     To Enter Into an Inter Authority Agreement Within The

Western Bay Region for The Collaborative Procurement of Regional Advocacy Services.

 

Members received information on entering into an Inter Authority Agreement for a Regional Advocacy Service and its procurement.

 

Members requested that in future consideration be given to the timescale for procuring services to allow for smaller organisations to be able to submit a bid for that service, as currently the timescales are too short to allow for this.

 

Following scrutiny the Committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by the Cabinet Board.